I've been so hungry!
 

I'm not really sure the appropriate place to post this, but I'm very perplexed and would like some opinions.

I've been back on the bandwagon since about the day after Christmas. I've been pretty consistant the last month or so about food.

Breakfast around 7:30: 2 eggs, piece of turkey bacon, and if the mood strikes me some oatmeal or a piece of toast.
Lunch between 11:30 and 12: Salad or Dinner leftovers
Snack around 3:30: an array of veggies with some laughing cow cheese, or occasionally if i am lazy, a 100 calorie pack cracker with some LC cheese.
Dinner: Veggies, Rice, Chicken in some form or another.

I don't calorie count per se, I occasionally go to fit day to get a rough idea, and I estimate I get between 1400-1600 calories a day.

I increased my exercise from 2-3 days a week to 3-4 days a week sometime mid january.

So for about 3 weeks, I've been doing about the same thing. But these last 3 days I've been so hungry. Not starving, but that nagging, "I'm hungry" feeling is there 30 minutes after I eat. I had a trainer once tell me that you're supposed to feel hungry, but I haven't really so far, and I've been losing. Plus, I hate that hungry feeling!

It's not TOM, my exercise intensity hasn't increased. I drink anywhere between 1-2 nalgenes of water per day. I don't want to increase my calories, but I don't know what to do. In the past, a cup of tea has helped, but not the last couple days.

Does anyone have any thoughts as to why am I suddenly so hungry when for weeks this has been plenty of food? Any advice on what I can do to make it go away?

You sure that's 1400 calories?

Breakfast around 7:30: 2 eggs (150 calories), piece of turkey bacon (100, maybe less) - 250 calories
Lunch between 11:30 and 12: Salad or Dinner leftovers - if the dinner leftover are chicken/rice and vegetables this is probably less than 400 calories
Snack around 3:30: an array of veggies with some laughing cow cheese, or occasionally if i am lazy, a 100 calorie pack cracker with some LC cheese. 200 calories, max
Dinner: Veggies, Rice, Chicken in some form or another. 400 calories
I add that up to - 1250 calories

If you're hungry, eat. You are doing a lot of exercise and not eating a huge amount, doesn't seem mysterious that you're hungry. I hate being hungry and deliberately eat every 2 hours, before I get hungry. Maybe add a morning snack or a more substantial afternoon snack or an after dinner snack? Eating healthy fats and more protein usually helps me stay satisfied, too.

My salads usually have some kind of protein on them, egg, tuna, chicken. And my dinner portion is rather large, so I double the portion size on fitday. And sometime during the day, stray food finds it's way into my mouth that I don't account for or most times even remember. Some pita chips when I get home etc. i admit 1400 is a very rough estimate.

maybe some nuts or something would help.

I was just confused as to why it hadn't affected me before.

I'm willing to be that this is where the extra hunger is coming from. You're eating a bit too low for this activity level. Add a couple more snacks to your day. Yogurt, fruit, cottage cheese, etc.

These are all good suggestions. You also might want to drink more water. Sometimes when we think we're hungry, it's really our body crying out for hydration. Give it a try.

I'd increase water and add some healthy fats.

I don't know where you're from but I think this below zero weather is making me hungry especially when you are outside running around in it even if only off and on all day.

Hi, Amber D! I go through the same thing!
 

:carrot:

You sound like you are making great food choices-good for you! That is not always easy, and this is coming from someone that has less-than-healthy stuff around at home and work! I agree with other posts, that if you are hungry, eat...just make another good food choice-that combo of protein/carbs. I find that if I "wait too long" after I've been hungry for a while, I eat more than if I just would have had a healthy snack or taken the time to eat that balanced meal! One of my favorite "fill-ups" for a snack is Smart Pop mini bags micro. popcorn...only a hundred calories, but you get to eat the whole bag...there is something satisfying about that!

Keep up the awesome work!
Have a great week!