Starving the past two days

Hey friends,

I have absolutely been starving the past two days, like much more than usual.
I am a year out as of last month, and just can't seem to take enough in to satisfy.
I feel like I've been eating like a cow, 1100-1200 calories a day.
I have been very active working out however, and wonder if that has contributed to this.
Has anyone ever had these kind of days?  What did you do?

Thanks for your input.
PM

 It could be very possible that you may not be getting enough calories in, depending on where you are with your goal weight and how much activity you are doing during the day (especially with working out).

Myself, I'm basically at my goal weight and working out as well, to try to add some muscle. I've been put at a diet of 1600 +  calories, with about 150 g of carbs and 120 g of protein, as working out to add muscle requires extra protein to repair muscles after weight lifting, and extra carbs are required to fuel muscles during the workout.

I'd check with your nut, your body maybe telling you it needs more than what your are giving it, which can and will defeat what you maybe trying to do with working out, if you aren't getting enough calories and such.

Good luck and let us know what you find out.

At this point, you shouldn't be experiencing "true hunger".  Many people don't experience that until years after wls.  What comes to mind is this:  are you drinking enough?  And, yes if you are working out, your body wants more fuel.

I need food every 2 hours.  I equate it to putting in 1/8 of a tank of gas in to my car...  and driving a little while... then stopping to put in another 1/8 of a tank...  I'm unable to "fill the tank" since I have restriction...  so instead of one stop to eat, I need to make little stops throughout the day...  You may need to plan in some more protein supplements and perhaps even some carby type of foods since you're working out. Hopefully the guys (Kenny & Michael) will be able to help you out on this one.  

Mel,
I think you are right on with your advice about the hunger.  I normally eat about every 3-3.5 hours now, and may need to increase my intake with more fuel.  The past two days, I've been eating about every 2-2.5 hours and because it didn't seem normal for me it just kind of took me by surprise.  As far as liquid goes, I feel like I drink all day long!  I'm not measuring, but perhaps I should to at least get a definite amount of my daily intake.  At this point I am in the gym 5-6 days a week, and I am burning at least 600 calories per trip with an intake of 1100-1200 calories each day. 

Thanks for the advice so far!

PM

How would you describe the "hunger"?  Is it more like your body saying, "I need fuel." or is it more like "Gosh, I WANT something but don't know what it is!"??  Sometimes my body starts telling me, "I need something."  I can ignore it.  Then it says again, "I'm losing energy.  Better get me some food."  I can ignore it a little longer.  I don't really WANT food...  then it screams, "I need something now!" and starts to get "that feeling.... the episodes" as I call them can then begin to start...  shaky, inability to concentrate...  MOODYNESS, IRRITABILITY...  and a feeling of being afraid or frightened that if I don't get food, something bad is going to happen...  things around me kinda dim and get quieter while I feel out of sorts so to speak...  

A good thing for you to do (or everyone really) is to carry a protein bar in your purse.  NO just kidding.  Ladies, you carry them in your purse. Men, in your gym bag etc! LOL.  Anyway, it is always good to have something near...  that way if you do "crash" or are crashing, you can grab something fast that has protein in it...  sure, sugar will spike it back up, but then it will bottom out really fast...  that's why you don't want to rely on stuff to raise your blood sugar that has strictly sugars in it...  you need the protein to stabilize it...  or to keep it up to a good healthy level or else it will lead you on a roller coaster ride.

Mel is right on about this. Before getting to goal weight and really starting to workout, I didn't have to do any protein supplements, but now, I definitely have had to add a protein supplement. My nut (who also works with physical trainers) has told me I need to consume  some about 20 + grams of protein and 15 - 25 grams of carbs about 1 hour before working out, to give me fuel during my work out, as well as staying hydrated during my workout, even drinking like Gatorade G2 to give my body a few more carbs for fuel. Then after my workout consuming more protein. In addition, I am eating 3 meals and 2 snacks during my day, so that I'm getting 1600 calories (which is very hard at 7 months out) with about 150 grams of carbs and 120 + grams of protein. The carbs is a hard thing, finding out what will or won't upset my stomach and or cause dumping. And the carbs scare me, I've been working on adding good carbs back (like a whole grain toasted english muffin or fruit) , not bad carbs like cheez-its or other things of that nature. This is what my nut has told me to do, your nut will know what is going on with your weight loss progress and with what your goal is with working out, so I'd definitely check before you make any big changes based on what I've shared here.

Good luck, working out is the tough thing that alot of people never get into and it leads them back to where they were. So good job for doing it and sticking with it.

I just had this same discussion with my NUT this morning.  I'm supposted to stop losing weight, but I'm still losing.  My calorie intake was just upped this morning to 1800 cal with about 160g carbs.  I find it very hard to get all these in BTW.

I was at 1600, but still losing, so I needed to up it.  Mind you I do work out for about an hour to 1 and 1/2 three times a week officially and some walking etc on the weekends.  I'm very active.

I think that 1100 cal for a man is really not enough this far out for you, but you REALLY need to talk with your NUT.

Good Luck!

Michael.

Michael or Kenny...
Hugo (Rivera) told me that if a person works out, the best time for them to eat fruit is right after a their morning routine. Do you do this, or do you find this to be true?  He states that fruit isn't something a person should eat if they are watching their carb intake, etc. unless its right after a routine workout....What are your thoughts?

 I was told by my nut to eat carbs before my workout (like 1/2 to 1 hour before) to fuel my muscles during my workout, but this is more geared towards a man that is weightlifting, yet I do also do it on my cardio days. So some days I do have a protein shake either with a piece of fruit or a protein shake with fruit blended in it and I've notice a difference of my muscles not tiring as fast during my weight lifting. But I also eat some carbs and protein after my workout, sometimes a protein supplement with fruit or some other easy carb for me, but more often a real meal with carbs and protein.

I'd say it all really depends on what you mean by working out and what the goals of working out for each person is, mine is adding muscle mass, so if I don't fuel the muscles, I really tire quickly and don't get alot out of the workout. If your goal is weight loss and not adding muscle mass like I am trying for, then Hugo may be right.

I generally workout in the afternoon.  I will usually eat a Pure Protein bar about 30 minutes before I go and workout.  For me it is a combo of cardio and strength training.

Then I will go home and have dinner.  I will usually have some sort of carb and of course my protein as well. (some sort of lean meat and a vegi plus maybe a slice of whole grain bread or about 5 corn chips usually, generally I don't come close finishing all that, usually only eat maybe 1/2 to 1/3 of the carb by the time I've eaten the protein).

I'm still really nervous about eating fruit as I don't want to dump.  Today I about 5-6 pieces of pineapple and melon from a fruit cup, I was fine with that.

Remember I need to STOP losing weight and trying to do everything that I can to do so.

Everyone is different though.

Michael.