Over the last two or three days I'm been REALLY hungry at several times during the day, having to really tough it out to wait for the next meal. I've also lost two pounds in the last three days!

So I was wondering...has anyone else ever noticed that they tend to lose weight after being really hungry, as if you body is burning things off faster?

I dont' really think there's any physical correlation between hunger and burning fat faster (though it would be nice, wouldn't it? ).

The thing is that fat doesn't burn *that* fast. 2 lbs of fat is 7000 calories worth. If you're at a deficit of 7000 calories in a single day, then I suspect hunger would be the least of your issues.

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Personally, there is no correlation. I lost most of my weight without being hungry at all - since I don't like being hungry. I counted calories, but I made sure to eat very often (every 2-3 hours) and chose whole foods with high volume but low caloric impact.

No, because when I'm really hungry I tend to make bad choices!

I have found a correlation-- though it just may be a sort of placebo. Usually I am not too abnormally hungry, but if I find that for a few days I am SUPER hungry for no discernible reason (and I don't make up for it by eating more), then it is usually followed by a 1-2 lb drop. Especially if my weight has been steady for a week or two.
It doesn't make any sort of scientific sense, but it definitely happens! I've also heard of people being really thirsty right before a drop (there was a thread about this... somewhere...)

All I know is, never go to bed feeling hungry! Apparently thats not good.

If you are hungry midday, have a piece of fruit or some veggies or even some protein to hold the hunger off. Maybe you are thirsty rather than hungry? Try drinking more water as well.

No, for me. I have to eat more calories than I am hungry for or my body refuses to lose weight.

One thing causes me to be hungry: Too little protein.

Two things set off cravings (feels like GOTTA eat *something*): not enough water, eating foods that trigger me (foods I'm sensitive to).

As long as I eat enough good food, drink enough water, and don't eat any foods that trigger me, then I don't get hungry before mealtime AND I don't have cravings or *munchies.* For me this requires eating the good foods until I no longer crave the junk, which takes 4-5 days.

It always bothers me when I see posts from people here who are toughing out hunger because probably they are losing muscle which means their metabolism will be less effective and need fewer calories to maintain (they'll gain weight on fewer calories).

Just a thought. You might want to explore the *why* and *what* in your food/body. There are ways to figure these things out and people here can help.

It sometimes feels that way to me, but I haven't tracked it, so I could be completely wrong. I do seem to lose more when I'm thirsty.

This happens to me too, and I was thinking about whether there might be an explanation. The way I see it, your body generally likes to maintain a steady state, so maybe when it "senses" that you are going to lose weight, it thinks, "Quick! Eat something!" and sends hunger signals. Then again, that could be totally wrong.

It's kind of like what Glory said in a different thread about how maybe sometimes you feel energized if you start eating way too few calories because your body is trying to give you the boost you need to go "catch a mammoth".

Great feedback! Thanks for participating in my little poll.

I don't MIND that I'm hungry, because it's only on certain days, plus I'm reading the Beck Diet Solution and she actually talks about learning to tolerate a little hunger and not seeing it as an emergency.

But I was very curious whether anyone else had the experience of feeling hungry and losing weight right after.

I thought I read that Jillian Michaels says if you wake up hungry, then your body is doing what it's supposed to be doing...burning calories. I'm sure she means that when you have that feeling your body is dipping into your fat reserves.

So eat in moderation, often, and let your body burn up the fat.

Does that make sense at all?

My hunger is directly related to ToM, but so far as I can tell it has nothing to do with my weight loss. My weight loss seems best when I am nice and steady with my food routine for a week or so, that's when I drop the most pounds and I'm never hungry when I'm following a good routine.

I think there maybe a correlation. My doctor described it to me like this: She told me that when your body needs energy the simplest process is to use that which is most readily available - that which you have recently eaten and are digesting. If all that is used it can burn the stored energy (fat) or alternatively send hunger signals to your brain that its time to eat.

Converting stored energy is a much more complex metabolic process than using available energy so it could be that the body works hard to convince you to eat more when energy is low.

Kitty

hmmm,hard to say. I like to think that if my tummy is rumbling and I'm within my calorie limits it means my body is going to burn some fat stores so I just drink water to satiate my grumbler. But I'm no expert. I also have it in my head that being a little bit hungry isn't so bad, it means I'm not over eating which is my goal.