Hungry

[littleg]

So I went to google like a good little kiddo and googled "whole30 forum hungry" and got lots of posts on this topic.  And most of it was people saying "I ate 1 egg, 1 cup of bone broth and a carrot at 7 AM and I'm hungry 2 hours later" and then all the mods/experienced users saying "read the template and eat more".  

 

But - I eat!  A LOT (I think).  Here is today's M1:

 

 

That was maybe a half a palm of left over beef shank, 1/2 russet potato (whole potato was a little bigger than fist size), 2 eggs and a whole pound of brussel sprouts cooked in maybe 1 tbsp of ghee.  And I had coffee with coconut milk on the side.  I wasn't full.  I barely even felt like I ate.  

 

Lunch was later than it should have been (8 hrs after M1... I got caught with my proverbial pants down and out of the house with no food).  I was dizzy, light headed, a little nauseated.  And I ate ~1 cup left over massaged kale salad (just kale with a little olive oil), 2 carrots, a palm of beef shank, ~1.5c of cooked spinach (probably 1/2 - 2/3 of a 1 lb bag) and onions and a palm size piece of winter squash all with coconut milk (full fat) on it.  Still really hungry so I ate leftover sweet potato and a blob of mayo.   Now I'm sort of full.  I had a liter of seltzer too.

 

 

Every once in a blue moon I will eat and feel like "eh, maybe I just ate, I'm not sure" and then 1-2 hours later feel so overwhelming full it is uncomfortable.  But I either don't seem to get full or it is very delayed.  I'm rarely full after eating.  

 

I am craving starches I noticed too... maybe I'm just not meant for lower carb?  Can I really eat starchy carbs and 1-2 servings of fat at each meal and not gain weight...?  I have a hard time wrapping my head around that.  

 

In full disclosure I was on day 16 and then made a (very) poor choice so I'm now on day 2 again.  But even before my derailment I was never really not hungry.

 

My log has all my meals for the last 2 weeks.

[ShannonM816]

I almost hate to post this, but -- if you're hungry, eat. I know, I know, you've read it before, and you're definitely doing better than those 1 egg and a cup of broth and a carrot people (how do they even get out of bed and walk around on meals like that?!?), but it is possible you just need more food, more nutrients. It's okay if you do. The template is a minimum, some people need more than that.

 

I'd also point out that you are still healing from a very difficult time. I'm not an expert in these things, but I know that healing bodies need extra nutrients and extra energy. So what I'd say is, for 30 days, try it. Eat the starchy vegetables you're craving, eat the high end of the template if it helps you not feel hungry. It's 30 days. At the end of it, re-evaluate and figure out what makes sense to you at that point. Maybe if you're feeling good, you try lowering the carbs -- or maybe you figure out you did lose some weight, and you feel better, and you keep eating them.

 

I can assure you that even if you eat more than the recommended amount of starchy vegetables, it is still possible to lose weight -- I'm pretty sure I eat more of them than anyone looking at me and my general activity level would recommend, and I've still lost weight. This doesn't mean eat nothing but sweet potatoes morning, noon, and night, but you know, if you have some at every meal, along with other vegetables, plus your protein and fat, you're probably not going to suddenly puff up like Violet Beauregarde in Willy Wonka. It's going to be okay, really. Even if you do this and don't lose a pound this month, it's okay -- because you will be making yourself healthier, and in the long run, that's the important part. When you feel good, and your hormones are straightened out, and you're eating plenty of good, nutrient-dense foods regularly, your weight will sort itself out. Maybe not on the time table you prefer, but it will. (And I know that's not what you want to hear -- I don't really like it much either -- but it is the truth, and worrying about it and trying to make everything work on your schedule will only add stress to your life, which will make you not lose weight. So, you know, try to relax and just go with it.)

[Tom Denham]

I did not exercise today, but am eating 4 meals because I am hungry. I might be hungry because my hand is injured and I am "healing." 

 

Being hungry is subject to change. I get especially hungry for a day or two almost every month. I eat whatever it takes to be satisfied. I don't need 4 meals every day and I don't need as much food some days even when I am exercising. Just eat nutrient dense foods and make sure you are eating good variety and things will work out over time. 

[Seafarer]

Just a thought.... are you particularly stressed right now? Or overtired? Either of those can make me hungry, and I have found that a mini-meal of nutritious food is a great solution. You want to get your hormones balanced & helping you, so always make that your very first priority. You can't balance your hormones if you are hungry. If you need starchy vegs, so be it. Eat nutritious foods in the recommended ratios. Make sleep a priority. Reduce stress as best you can. Your hormones will settle in time.