I'm starving!!!!!!!!

poconnor16

Ok, this is ridiculous.....I am feeling famished.:mad:

I've tried low carb, but found I needed to increase the good carb content somewhat as I'm a runner. Here's a typical day for me:

Porridge with skim milk (sometimes water)
Coffee with skim milk
Pear
Wrap made with tuna, lettuce, tomato and some cheese
Cup of soup
Another Pear
About 3 x 750 ml water, plus some good multi vits

Now this brings me to 4.30 and I my stomach is rumbling. Problem is this leaves me more prone to grab some crap from a vending machine as I now feel like I will never run 5 miles!
My dinners usually consist of lean protein, mixed veg and a small serving of sweet potato or wholegrain pasta. I avoid white starchy stuff like the plague as it makes me crave sugar.

My average mileage a week (running) is about 15 miles, so nothing too drastic. Sleeping well, not over worked etc....

Why oh why does my tummy rumble so?

poconnor16

Oh and just to add, that I am slightly over weight and am trying to get this down slowly. I'm 5' 7'' and just over 11 stone. (already lost half a stone).

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.....sorry that was my stomach.:D

RebeccaChick

From experience of low carb, what helps me is increasing protein i.e snacking on nuts or natural yogurt, or a omlette/scrambled eggs for lunch.

For example this morning(9am) for breakfast I had; Sliced salmon and scrambled eggs and wasn't hungry again until 1pm.
Whereas my mom had a bowl of corn flakes(:rolleyes:) and was hungry again two hours later.

itsallaboutheL

Am i missing something here?

RachaelVO

I'm not an expert but it doesn't seem to me that you're eating enough calories during the day at all. I was reading recently that we should eat our dinner for a breakfast and our breakfast for our dinner, that way we will be more inclined to burn up our calorie intake during the day!

Why do you think skimmed milk is a good thing? When you're using that, you brain thinks you should be consuming a certain amount of calories, so when you don't, you're going into hunger mode, so that could be a big part of the problem. You need to eat the caloried level a runner needs, but you also need calories for normal stuff, like breathing, your heart pumping, blinking... everything your body does needs calories.

I'd go for a bigger breakfast, include more fruit, like bananas, blueberries, kiwis etc;. They are all super good for you, and will help keep those hunger pangs a bay.

poconnor16

itsallaboutheL wrote: »

Am i missing something here?

Sorry, I dont understand your question.....are you looking for more info?

poconnor16

RebeccaChick wrote: »

From experience of low carb, what helps me is increasing protein i.e snacking on nuts or natural yogurt, or a omlette/scrambled eggs for lunch.

For example this morning(9am) for breakfast I had; Sliced salmon and scrambled eggs and wasn't hungry again until 1pm.
Whereas my mom had a bowl of corn flakes(:rolleyes:) and was hungry again two hours later.

See I would be so much happier having eggs for brekkie but I dont have time really. I'm running out the door with my sachet of instant porridge! I tried making boiled eggs the night before and having them on the way but for some weird reason they leave me hungry - maybe its a mental thing.

Corn flakes = sugar, I would be falling over by 11 if I had those

poconnor16

RachaelVO wrote: »

I'm not an expert but it doesn't seem to me that you're eating enough calories during the day at all. I was reading recently that we should eat our dinner for a breakfast and our breakfast for our dinner, that way we will be more inclined to burn up our calorie intake during the day!

Why do you think skimmed milk is a good thing? When you're using that, you brain thinks you should be consuming a certain amount of calories, so when you don't, you're going into hunger mode, so that could be a big part of the problem. You need to eat the caloried level a runner needs, but you also need calories for normal stuff, like breathing, your heart pumping, blinking... everything your body does needs calories.

I'd go for a bigger breakfast, include more fruit, like bananas, blueberries, kiwis etc;. They are all super good for you, and will help keep those hunger pangs a bay.

I think you're right...maybe I need to bulk out lunch and breakfast, but I would assume too much fruit is bad for you too? Also, lunch is a packed lunch that has to be edible at my desk (without stinking the office out) because I spend 30 mins of my lucnh going for a walk and then return to eat at the desk.

HardyEustace

Why not eat some lentils in a spicy mix?

Good quality, cheap protein. I've just had some black eyed beans with a home made salsa. Very nice!

corkcomp

you need more protein and tbh the diet overall looks a little low on calories for a physically active person.

Torakx

poconnor16 wrote: »

See I would be so much happier having eggs for brekkie but I dont have time really. I'm running out the door with my sachet of instant porridge! I tried making boiled eggs the night before and having them on the way but for some weird reason they leave me hungry - maybe its a mental thing.

Corn flakes = sugar, I would be falling over by 11 if I had those

Well from my experience with candida which you probably dont have..but couldnt hurt to check either.
When i ate anything that didnt have carbs or sugar i would still be starving or at least hungry.
When you said about eating eggs(protein) instead of a porridge sachet(carbs and possibly more refined if from sachet) it reminded me alot of my situation so i thought id throw that out there.I dont believe your hunger is a mental thing.There must be a reason protein isnt doing the same job carbs are for your hunger.
My main way to test if i still have candida is to totally stop eating carbs and i get hunger pangs as the yeast wants feeding and starts to die off.
Just a thought and probably not relevant.But there it is

Oh another thought is if you are already on a low carb diet like under 100grams a day, you could be in ketosis and may need more fat and protein or carbs if thats healthy for your situation.

Remmy

you're only 11 stone.Why are your going low carb?

Torakx

Hhmm doesnt carbs+sugar = fat and protein and exercise = muscle ? or am i being too simplistic there?
Or is it all just donw to insulin production/intolerance?
Ive had a condition that prevents my blood sugar rising very high no matter how much i eat which im guessing also prevents insulin spikes.
I used to eat tons of junk and never put on any weight.

So i sometimes wonder is the weight issue just down to sugar and insulin.
As an atkins diet seems you can eat as much protein as you want to lose weight but can also gain muscle with exercise.So im a little confused in general on that one.
I suppose with the atkins one when you dont have carbs you have ketosis and fat burning to the max.But that also takes sugar/insulin spikes out of the equation...

corkcomp

Torakx wrote: »

Hhmm doesnt carbs+sugar = fat and protein and exercise = muscle ? or am i being too simplistic there?
Or is it all just donw to insulin production/intolerance?
Ive had a condition that prevents my blood sugar rising very high no matter how much i eat which im guessing also prevents insulin spikes.
I used to eat tons of junk and never put on any weight.

So i sometimes wonder is the weight issue just down to sugar and insulin.
As an atkins diet seems you can eat as much protein as you want to lose weight but can also gain muscle with exercise.So im a little confused in general on that one.
I suppose with the atkins one when you dont have carbs you have ketosis and fat burning to the max.But that also takes sugar/insulin spikes out of the equation...

I like the way you didnt mention a carbs + exercise combo? Definately too simplistic but wont get into that here in the interest of helping the OP.. It all boils down to calories in most cases and 11 stone could be classed as light by some, for that height.

I would advise a body fat test to determine if weight loss is really necessary.

definately needs more calories from whatever source judging by the diet posted

Magic Eight Ball

poconnor16 wrote: »

See I would be so much happier having eggs for brekkie but I dont have time really. I'm running out the door with my sachet of instant porridge!

Scrambled eggs microwaved. 2 minutes, no excuses.

Khannie

Dude...you need to eat more.

I'm guessing here, but:

Porridge with skim milk = ~320 cals?
Coffee with skim milk = ~20 cals
Pear = ~75 cals
Wrap = ~350 cals (I'm assuming there is no mayo or whatever since you don't mention it).
Cup of soup = 80 cals?
Another Pear = 75 cals

And that gets you to 4.30? And you're a runner? Good god! It's no wonder you're famished!

brianthebard

Where's the fat? Being hungry is the obvious result of combining low carb and low calorie, but from a more long term practical pov you need fats for healthy bodily functions anyways. And protein for that matter, you're low everything atm.

poconnor16

Remmy wrote: »

you're only 11 stone.Why are your going low carb?

I still need to lose weight, I carry extra fat around the middle. Not a drastic amount, maybe a stone.
The main reason I lean towards low carb is I find eating too much carbs leaves me binge eating, bloated, tired and craving sugar. By carb I mean white bread, white pasta or junk food etc...

poconnor16

Magic Eight Ball wrote: »

Scrambled eggs microwaved. 2 minutes, no excuses.

You're right there.....I suppose I could buy some eggs and leave them at work

poconnor16

Thanks to all that have posted. I think I defo need to add some more protein (eating a more substantailly filled wrap as we speak).
I will switch to the eggs for brekkie - the porridge just doest fill me as much.

Here is my worry though...the last time that I upped the protein, lowered the bad carbs completely - my long runs were HELL. Thats why I've added in some carbs (like a wrap, porridge, fruit, maybe some wholegrain pasta). And now my runs are fine. But the weightloss has stalled.

I have no desire to be 'skinny' or any of that crap. I want a fit body, ie I want to kill the body fat. Can anyone recommend a linky??

ellejay

Hi OP

I had exactly the same problem, I was always hungry.
And posted same question.

Basically it was down to not eating enough and the wrong foods.

I got great help/advice on this forum.
Have you worked out your resting metabolic rate?

I set up a spreadsheet, to calorie count EVERYTHING I ate and when.
It showed me how little I was really eating.

Now an average day is as follows:
8.00am: porridge and normal/full fat milk.
10.30: scrambled eggs, (1 full egg, 2 egg whites)(microwaved in very little time)
12.30/1pm: tuna/smoked salmon, lettuce, spinach, broccolli, cucumber, tomatoes, pepper, balsamic vinegar for dressing. 3 x ryvita or brown bread.
3.00 pm: low fat yogurt and banana.
5.00pm: exercise for about and hour and half, this varies.
6.30pm: dinner of lean meat, loads of veg and small potato.
9.00pm: supper of ryvita and salad and tea/beans on toast/peannut butter etc
- loads of people advise not to eat after 6.00pm but i wake up hungry in morn so supper works for me.

Sorry I should add, Although I try to keep low calorie, I try to keep low GI also, as the slow realease prevents hunger pangs in me also.
I'm steadily lossing one pound to 1.5 pound on a good week, and not feeling hungry. For me, I'm a little and often person.

Hope that helps you

poconnor16

ellejay - that was a very helpful post. Thank you. I cant believe you are eating all that good food and still losing weight! If you dont mind me asking, what kind of exercise are you at?

1 to 2 lbs a week is perfect, as I said I have no interest in starvation diets. I know too many girls obsessed with being thin, the scales rule their lives. I just wanna run, and need the weight to come down a bit to help me go faster and longer!

ellejay

that diet isn't actually too low calorie.

I could actually add more calories in, which I will do, when I can jog fully instead of walking.
Your body needs a mimimum amount of calories to operate.

here are my daily calorie counts for last week
mon:1650 walking/jogging
tue: 1525 spinning weights
wed: 1549 walking
thur: 1742 spinning weights
fri: 2085 walking/jogging
sat: 1700 walking
sun: 1735 walking jogging

brianthebard

poconnor16 wrote: »

Thanks to all that have posted. I think I defo need to add some more protein (eating a more substantailly filled wrap as we speak).
I will switch to the eggs for brekkie - the porridge just doest fill me as much.

Here is my worry though...the last time that I upped the protein, lowered the bad carbs completely - my long runs were HELL. Thats why I've added in some carbs (like a wrap, porridge, fruit, maybe some wholegrain pasta). And now my runs are fine. But the weightloss has stalled.

I have no desire to be 'skinny' or any of that crap. I want a fit body, ie I want to kill the body fat. Can anyone recommend a linky??

I'm not a runner so take this with a large grain of salt but if you are trying to go low carb then once you are in ketosis your runs should be fine, your body should be running on bodyfat/ketones for extra energy. If you are lowish carb but not in ketosis you will run out of stored glycogen at some point in the run and feel like crap. The other alternative is to be low carb apart from maybe an hour or two before/during/after your run, taking in quick carbs like powerade or a homemade alternative to fuel your running.

The other thing is I still think you should look at adding more fat to your diet, salmon instead of tuna for example would be a quick change that would improve things for you. I don't know what other suggestions to make because everyone kind of has to decide what foods they like to have when low carbing and what doesn't work for them. Fats are also important for recovery afaik.

corkcomp

ive found it impossible to run without sufficient carbs onboard, unless I keep it to a very slow run / jog. good luck to anyone who can do a decent run in ketosis maybe its possible but wont be fun. OP, as an aside lifting heavy weights can be a huge help with shifting the last bit of stubborn fat.

El_Dangeroso

Nah, I've ran in ketosis tis grand. Invigorating almost. There's a lot of evidence that actually training fasted is even better. Mimics the natural 'running after your dinner' thing. Big feed afterwards, sorted. Lots of athletes out there getting into that 'train fasted, compete fed' supposed to ramp up the amount of glycogen you can store.

Carbs are prob more necessary for recovery though IMO.

corkcomp

try a 15 miler at decent speed in pure ketosis (vs maybe a 20 minute jog?).. maybe it works for some which is great but it doesnt work for me and it looks like too low carb doesn't help the OP's runs either. In this case there isnt much excess weight involved and the best aproach IMO would be to shake up the exercise routine, incorporate compound weights and try to eat around runs and spinning sessions and get a body fat test done.

El_Dangeroso

corkcomp wrote: »

try a 15 miler at decent speed in pure ketosis (vs maybe a 20 minute jog?).. maybe it works for some which is great but it doesnt work for me and it looks like too low carb doesn't help the OP's runs either. In this case there isnt much excess weight involved and the best aproach IMO would be to shake up the exercise routine, incorporate compound weights and try to eat around runs and spinning sessions and get a body fat test done.

I've never run that far in my life combined! The OP is running 15 miles a week, not a day! I wasn't saying it works for everyone, I'm just saying for some people enjoy it, that's all.

Also OP, low fat low carb is a terrible idea, and if you were eating the diet but sans carbs no wonder you were tired.

Agree with other posters, calories too low, but I think you prob had an inkling that yourself already.