Please help me figure out why I'm so hungry
 

I just don't get it, nothing has really changed, and yet for the last week I've been famished. Please help me think of reasons why this is happening! I've been calorie counting since August, and I've never experienced anything like this.

Ideas, please!

PMS? I could probably eat 2 large pizzas by myself the week before my period!!

It's the week of, but I've never, ever had that problem before. I'm on the pill, so my hormones are pretty regular.

I am probably a broken record here but I have found that when I concentrated more on protein versus carbs, I feel full for longer. I also find that eating small amounts frequently is helpful. I generally eat at 7.45, then at 10, 12, 2 and then for dinner at around 5.30-7

This prevents the starving feeling. I try to eat at scheduled intervals rather than eating whenever I feel hungry. I know some people say to only eat when you are actually hungry but for myself, I have found that eating on a schedule stopped me from being starving later in the day. I am never really 'hungry' during the course of a day so I would barely eat anything all day and then I would binge at home.

try increasing protien and increasing water. Also can you give us an idea of how many calories and what kind you have been eating. Good luck..i hate days like that!!!!!!!!!!

I eat a ton of protein, but it doesn't seem to make much difference. I eat 1400ish calories, and drink no diet soda, tons of water, extra fiber.

what about physical activity? more or harder working out usually means bigger appetite for me.

I had that same thing last week, could NOT get full. I was constantly hungry. My period started today, and it seems to have snapped the hunger spell. And that's unusual for me as well.

I just kept lots of fruits and veggies on hand, I roasted more veggies last week and ATE them myself than I have in the past month. I was just constantly hungry, and had to eat. It was odd, but it only lasted three or so days.

I'm pretty busy, and I walk all over the place all day. Certainly not an athlete's workout schedule, but it could help.

For me, it's not the proportion of protein, but the proportion (and type) of carbohydrates that affect hunger levels.

Easily digested carbohydrates can indirectly trigger hunger. In essence carbsy raise your blood sugar, which triggers the release of insulin, which causes a blood sugar drop which causes hunger. If you're insulin resistant or diabetic, this normal reaction is often exagerated.

For me, if I eat too many high carb foods (even healthy ones like fruit and whole grains), I get incredibly, insanely hungry. My stomach can feel full to bursting and I still feel like I am starving.

If you're not insulin resistant or diabetic (it wouldn't hurt to ask your doctor to check with routine bloodwork), simply eliminating flour and sugar may be enough to prevent the vicious blood sugar-hunger cycle; but you may have to experiment with cutting carbohydrates even further to control hunger.

I'm not insulin resistant, but I'm on metformin for my PCOS. Is my blood sugar more level because of this? I'm more hungry for the first couple of hours after I eat than I am after I haven't eaten for a while.

Egg whites--like maybe 6 seem to help me...also eating an entire bag of baby carrots--the good ones...do you like mashed cauliflower? you can eat an entire head of it for 150 calories and it is very filling..

I hope one of these will help. I know the feeling you mean--and sometimes the only thing I can do is EAT. :(

You may have to ask your doctor about this - because my understanding of metformin is that it's only prescribed for insulin resistance, and that metformin should help with keeping the blood sugar more stable (but it wouldn't be prescribed unless the blood sugar was unstable or suspected to be in the first place). I know it is prescribed to women with PCOS - but my understanding is that's because insulin resistance is a core symptom of PCOS.
I had always heard that a woman can have IR without PCOS, but not PCOS with IR, but I don't know if that is true. I don't even know for sure if there isn't some use to metformin besides treatment of insulin resistance.

I think the best resource would be your doctor (or ideally a diabetic educator or a hospital dietician - they're great resources for understanding the blood sugar issues).

Good Luck,

I'm sure, I'm definately not insulin resistant and all of my levels were completely normal when I got the tests re-done a couple of months ago. My doctor prescribed it to me because
1) I was doing everything right, OP, and my weight loss stopped/slowed
2) Because PCOS can make your body more susceptible to problems like diabetes, and metformin can help prevent serious problems by keeping your insulin levels stable.

That's what they told me, anyway, and I trust my doc.

I feel the same way! Especially today, i just feel like i want to EAT! I just tell myself i've had enough (which i have) and try to focus on tomorrow (meaning more food!) kinda sick huh?