I'm hoping for advice here. Since I changed how I eat, it's been pretty easy to stay on course. I haven't felt deprived or hungry or anything. In fact, I've been feeling pretty smug about how easy it's been to stay within my calories.

All of a sudden I'm Starvin Marvin. And I'm not just starving, I'm craving all that bad stuff. It's really caught me off guard and I'm hoping someone might have some ideas about where this is coming from and what to do about it.

Here are some maybe reasons I've been thinking of:

1. The first thing I thought of is that I'm pmsing. I have tend to let go and eat all kinds of sugary junk when I'm pmsing. But last month was all good, just a mild thing that was managed with a couple of candy bars spread out over a couple of days. Also, it's kind of early for that to be the situation. It was on the 17th and 18th of last month that i got the candy bars. (Diaries are sooo useful for this!)

2. I bought some smart one deserts (or is it desserts? Anyway). They were on sale at Aldi's and I had one last night, so I'm wondering if that kicked off the craving.

3. Here's what I am leaning towards thinking the real culprit is. On Tuesday I had a 2" Jimmy Johns (like Subway only better) veggie sub. Soooo good! It was for a work lunch and I was proud that I sampled but only a little. I was pretty busy that day so I was low on calories and had to work to hit 1200. Yesterday my car broke down, I wasn't anywhere to eat lunch and I ended up ordering Jimmy Johns again. A 'slim 6' (liars! It's not slim at all). Basically it's french bread, mayo and provolone cheese. I didn't even manage that until late, around 2 pm. I didn't get home and get to eat until even later. I was so stressed that by the time I got home, I hopped right on my bike for a nice long ride to help me relax. Dinner wasn't until 8 but was a usual light one but afterwards is when I broke open the smart ones ice cream.

The stress is over. My car is fixed and it hardly cost a thing, I got all my blood work back and it's all good and I took a mental health day and managed to snooze this afternoon, but I was starving all day today and so over my calories. I'm not upset over going over my calories, I have had planned 'binges' in the past and I'm cool with that. I'm freaked out over the cravings and how hungry I was all day today. I'm thinking the Jimmy John's triggered some craving for refined sugar, but I wanted to hear what all of you had to say.

You have to consider too if you have been working out or not. If you have been, your exercise, increase in muscle combined may have increased your basal metabolism. When I drink green tea, even though it is only supposed to increase your metabolism 2-4%, I feel REALLY hungry a LOT quicker.

Everyone's different, so it's hard to say what the main culprit was...it could just be a combination of all those factors. The key is to avoid them as much as possible. Try to cut out the desserts if at all possible. Try to eat meals on time. I always try to keep a protein bar in my handbag or car in the event that I"m starving and there's nothing in sight. Keep some healthy snacks around so you can make good choices, rather than knee-jerk reactions to hunger gone wild. I don't believe in eating white bread or white anything just because it makes me crave more starches and more calories. It's a visicious cycle. All that, coupled with the PMS...you actually did pretty well! Hang in there and use this as a learning experience. You have a great attitude and it's great that you're looking back so you can avoid this in the future as much as you can.

Deserts v. Desserts - the one you want to eat has more s's in it, just like you'd want more desserts than deserts....

The Jimmy John's sandwichs sounds yummy! I'm craving one now just from your description. After sugar, cheese is my #1 addiction. Actually. cheese may beat sugar because I've given up sugar but I've figured out ways to keep some cheese in my new WOE.

If I were in your situation right now I'd stay away from the Smart Ones and Jimmy Johns. Clean those addictive goodies out of your system. Make something healthy and filling that will allow you to give your cravings an alternative.

And hang in there! You can get through this rough patch!

Just a few thoughts that might help!

- Make sure you haven't set your daily calories too low. If you aren't eating enough, you definitely can get hungry after awhile--like, days later.

- Don't congratulate yourself for your restraint with X by having another X. If you think about it, that doesn't make good sense...

- Plan so that you have something good you can eat if you get really hungry--something that is better for your weight loss.

Hang in there! You're learning....

Jay

Thanks everyone! I think I was freaked out that I would get 'stuck' back in craving everything in sight.

In my defense, I keep breakfast bars and these awesome, oatmeal/cranberry organic cookies in my car. When my car broke down I was so stressed it never occured to me to grab anything. I had even packed a lunch for when I got to where I was going, but it was a microwave one and I left that behind too, which proves I wasn't even thinking clearly since there was a microwave where I was going. I didn't eat until 2 because I kept waiting and waiting to hear about my car until I was going crazy from being hungry. I ordered Jimmy Johns because the only way for me to eat lunch was to have something delivered and it was all I could think of at the time. But again, I was uber stressed and not thinking all that clearly about anything other than how to handle the next few days car free.

My cravings are gone this morning and I woke up yesterday starving, so that's something. I wonder if it wasn't eating just barely at 1200 or a bit under for those two days that was catching up with me.

Thanks again everyone for the words of encouragement. I was really upset yesterday, I don't want to go back to be starving and eating everything in sight or being miserable, but I don't think that's really going to happen.

Oh man Jimmy Johns is good, I totally feel your pain. Everyone falls off the wagon now and then, don't beat yourself up over it. 1200 is really hard give yourself some credit for your perfect days!

Thanks! I don't mind planned cheat days. It was feeling out of control with the hunger/cravings that had me all freaked out. It's total pms, but I think I'm over the worst of it. Everyone's posts really helped, too!

I had a very similar experience just this week. After 7 months of counting calories (averaging 1900/day) and not feeling deprived at all, I spent 3-4 days in row starving and eating 2200-2800 each day. It so happened to correspond with my pms time, and usually each month I have one day where I'm unusually hungry, but this month it was 3 days. I must admit I was scared these past few days that my body might become constantly hungry from now on. But today, I kept my calories to under 1800 and I've done well.

I also want to suggest that if your protein is too low, it can make you crave food. So check how much protein you're getting.

Jay

Wow this is just what i needed to read today.
I am starving..and even after eating a healthy meal im starving within an hour. TOM is here and not playing nice.
I have done amazing on my diet for 27 weeks and this being hungry all the time has caught me by suprise. I am not use to my stomach growling an hour after eating. I am staying with in my calories but starving. I even tried bumping them up to 2000 for the past few days and its still not stopping the hunger pains.I am drinking pretty close to a full gallon of water per day.
Im seeing my dr this afternoon. Cant wait to see how my blood pressure and weight is out there and see what his thoughts are on why i could be so hungry.

I have to add, I am constantly STARVING around TOM. I mentioned this to my Mom the other day and she said she was always the same exact way until she hit menopause. I also crave sweets like mad. I really don't believe in depriving myself of what I want though. At dinner on those TOM days I add in about 90 calories extra of broccoli, or salad or something like that. If I go 90 over on my calories, so what? Also, I eat a dessert every night. My weight loss stalled but I lost 25lbs eating a 100-150cal treat after dinner each night. It's fine to indulge in an ice cream craving, as long as you control your portion. I found these yummy things called Slim-a-bear by Klondike, 100cals for one of them. They're oh so yummy.

My med dr changed the multivitamin i was taking to a different one and now im not starving but tom is here now so maybe it was tom related after all..time will tell!!