Hunger - indication of metabolism???

[gbrice75]

I was just wondering if being hungry can be taken as any kind of sign that a diet (specifically daily caloric intake) is on point or needs adjustment. Let me explain...

I just upped my calories by 1000/day in hopes of finally adding some lean mass. I eat literally every 3 hours, and am finding that right around feeding time I feel hungry. Not starving, just hungry - definitely time for a meal. I think this is a good thing, and can be looked at in 2 different ways, or both together:

1) my body is simply adjusted to the times throughout the day that I eat, and therefore it's a 'mental clock' signaling that it's time for a meal, or

2) My body is truly metabolizing food at this pace, even with the additional 1000 calories/day, and is telling me when it's hungry.

I would be very happy if number 2 is true, because I was worried about the additional calories possibly being too many (I'm not 100% positive on my TDEE) too quick and that I would start storing bodyfat. If i'm hungry every 3 hours, I can't imagine my body storing fat to the point that it will be super noticeable. Is my logic flawed here? What do you think? If this is true, should I consider upping calories even more? I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

[gbrice75]

Bump! Somebody's gotta have some info or at least an opinion on this! I would love to hear from some of the vets as well.

[binsser]

1000 cals is alot most would say 500 and the fat storeige would prob depend on how clean ur eating really bud but as for the hunger.... when i wake my stomach feels like acid untill i eat and im practicaly starving or feel starving all day but 2900 is my intake so just try it but 1000 cals and almost double u fat intake wouldnt be a great move m8 not straight off the belt anyway !

hope this helps bud!

[gbrice75]

1000 cals is alot most would say 500 and the fat storeige would prob depend on how clean ur eating really bud but as for the hunger.... when i wake my stomach feels like acid untill i eat and im practicaly starving or feel starving all day but 2900 is my intake so just try it but 1000 cals and almost double u fat intake wouldnt be a great move m8 not straight off the belt anyway !

hope this helps bud!

I was eating 2000 cals/day for the longest. I briefly went up to 2500 (as far as I can tell, that's my maintenance) so it wasn't such a sudden huge jump.

Fat intake didn't double - at 2000 cals/day it was at 45g, now at 3000/day it's at 65g, so only a 20g increase in fat. Protein and carbs went up 50g each.

[binsser]

add another meal then bud and see how u go... i mean i started on 5 meals a day and now im on 7 just due to when ever i eat in literaly 20 mins i get hunger pains and i eat veg to stop the hunger still dont really work!!!.. sweet potato works but only for half an hour just up it a bit and see how u go bud u can always drop it alittle if it doesnt work?!!??!

[gbrice75]

Thanks bro. Is that you in your avatar?

[First6]

so your at 3000 now? (was 2000 then 2500 briefly, now 3000) is that correct?

Many years ago a friend of mine (a competitive BB at the time) told me if you wait to eat until your hungry you waited to long. As I have struggled with my fat all my life (I know you have to) I constantly have that voice in my head. That being said. 3K calories is a good bulking intake (what do you weigh) Are you burning it all with cardio?

[gbrice75]

Exactly right about the caloric increments.

I have always heard that as well... which would indicate i'm undereating. But bumping up 1000 calories after 1.5 years is alot no matter what, and even though i'm hungry (again, not an insane hunger, just know it's time to eat, like a clock!), I think I should give it a month or two to see how my body responds, especially in regards to adding fat. At the very least, I should not lose any muscle (what little there is) @ 3000 calories.

I currently weight around 185, guessing BF around 15% or so. I'm doing 1/2 hour of cardio 4x a week, so doubtful i'm burning it all off.

[binsser]

yeah thats me m8 cut up a tiny bit more now but still doing ok m8! good luck bud!

[First6]

yeah I don't know. I'm on the fence here. On one hand your body is saying everything is fine. (the hunger clock) on the other hand a 1K jump is a lot. even if it wasn't all at once.
You need someone more experienced then me to help out with this question.

I agree. Give it a month and watch carefully. Do you have an Omron scale to keep track of your fat% and muscle% ? I recomend one. They are not as accurite as calipers for fat but it gives you a consistant reading to judge your progress up or down from.

[gbrice75]

yeah thats me m8 cut up a tiny bit more now but still doing ok m8! good luck bud!

Looking great bro, I wish I had half of what you do! That's more motivation for me to keep going!

[gbrice75]

yeah I don't know. I'm on the fence here. On one hand your body is saying everything is fine. (the hunger clock) on the other hand a 1K jump is a lot. even if it wasn't all at once.
You need someone more experienced then me to help out with this question.

I agree. Give it a month and watch carefully. Do you have an Omron scale to keep track of your fat% and muscle% ? I recomend one. They are not as accurite as calipers for fat but it gives you a consistant reading to judge your progress up or down from.

Actually never heard of that - i'll google it now. Super accurate or not, it's better than nothing! Thanks for the tip!

[First6]

This is the one I have. Love it.
http://www.omronwebstore.com/detail/OMR+HBF%2D514C

You want one (like this one) where it senses from your hands AND feet. Not one OR the other.

It does everything but I am most interested in the bf% and muscle% it does both of those.

Also: I know everyone says they are not real accurate... I have always agreed... but this one has been within 1% of my bf as compared to calipers on more than one occassion. Take that for what it's worth.

[gbrice75]

This is the one I have. Love it.
http://www.omronwebstore.com/detail/OMR+HBF%2D514C

You want one (like this one) where it senses from your hands AND feet. Not one OR the other.

It does everything but I am most interested in the bf% and muscle% it does both of those.

Also: I know everyone says they are not real accurate... I have always agreed... but this one has been within 1% of my bf as compared to calipers on more than one occassion. Take that for what it's worth.

Thanks again bro. Out of curiousity, was this 1% over or under the caliper reading?

[First6]

Yeah I wanted to specify that in the orig post but I can't remember so I didn't want to tell you wrong. i just remember making a mental note that it was off by 1% and was pretty impressed/happy with that.

Give a little bit and I can go back through my logs and find out.

[First6]

Okay. this was taken about 3-4 months ago I think.

Two tests were done back to back with the calipers (my Wife is a personal trainer)
results:
18.0%/18.3%
checked on Omron within minutes of the caliper tests:
17.4%
So it was lower by .6% and .9%

There was at least one other occasion before that one but I didn't write anything down back then.

[gbrice75]

That is pretty impressive! Thanks for the info, i'm going to look into getting one - that would be VERY helpful for me as I have nothing to go by now but a scale (which is next to useless) and the mirror (which is nothing more than a mental nightmare for me)!

[First6]

Yeah no problem Bro. Glad to help.
I hope you like it if you get one. I use it as a progress gauge and I love it. As long as those numbers are going in the right direction I can let my mind relax of all the questioning and double questioning everything I do and eat.

[gbrice75]

Yeah no problem Bro. Glad to help.
I hope you like it if you get one. I use it as a progress gauge and I love it. As long as those numbers are going in the right direction I can let my mind relax of all the questioning and double questioning everything I do and eat.

Agreed - and that is my BIGGEST problem (and what really holds me back) - I second guess everything i'm doing, don't trust or have enough faith in what i'm doing, etc. Something that will put my mind at ease is more than welcome!

[gbrice75]

First6 - just bought on brand new on ebay for $74, free shipping. Thanks again bro! =)

[YoungGunsNY]

Hey - I'm looking into that too.. 75 on ebay sounds like a deal man.. and my precision will be that much better..

Back to your original question - I never felt truly satisfied (full) after a meal. I always had room for more, and sometimes I'm actually pretty hungry after I'm done but that passes after 15 minutes or so. Anyways, I have that same feeling then... all day - not like I'm starving, but that I definitely need food (based on my adaptation to my diet). SO an answer would be appreciated here to.

[gbrice75]

Hey - I'm looking into that too.. 75 on ebay sounds like a deal man.. and my precision will be that much better..

Back to your original question - I never felt truly satisfied (full) after a meal. I always had room for more, and sometimes I'm actually pretty hungry after I'm done but that passes after 15 minutes or so. Anyways, I have that same feeling then... all day - not like I'm starving, but that I definitely need food (based on my adaptation to my diet). SO an answer would be appreciated here to.

My situation's a little bit different - I always feel satisfied, even full after a meal - sometimes I don't even feel like finishing. I literally get hungry about 10 minutes before i'm supposed to eat my next meal.

[YoungGunsNY]

My situation's a little bit different - I always feel satisfied, even full after a meal - sometimes I don't even feel like finishing. I literally get hungry about 10 minutes before i'm supposed to eat my next meal.

Oh - well like you said, you have been dieting for a year and a half - so maybe your body is getting used to it .. I stopped "watching what I was eating" and started a strict diet plan only about 3 months ago, and the cleaner it got thru trial & error - the more I started to realize that I was never FULL, and sometimes hungry after finishing my meals - I notice that now especially..dropping 1400 calories in my diet with smaller portions for meals.. but I'm hoping my body will adjust soon...
BY the way - I saw somewhere you lose 70+ pounds - CONGRATS..

[gbrice75]

Oh - well like you said, you have been dieting for a year and a half - so maybe your body is getting used to it .. I stopped "watching what I was eating" and started a strict diet plan only about 3 months ago, and the cleaner it got thru trial & error - the more I started to realize that I was never FULL, and sometimes hungry after finishing my meals - I notice that now especially..dropping 1400 calories in my diet with smaller portions for meals.. but I'm hoping my body will adjust soon...
BY the way - I saw somewhere you lose 70+ pounds - CONGRATS..

That's what i'm thinking too... after 1.5 years my body just wasn't going to respond to the same 2000 calories. I actually tried going to 1800 briefly, but no real response there either, and I don't think that's the answer anyway - too low, somebody my size (not that i'm big, but relatively speaking) shouldn't be surviving on 1800 calories even on a cutting diet.

Yea, thanks bro - I was terribly out of shape for years! Not where I want to be, but at least I feel alive now!

[First6]

First6 - just bought on brand new on ebay for $74, free shipping. Thanks again bro! =)

Awsome price! That's cool Bro. Your gonna love it. It really puts your mind at ease.
One tip for you... Twice a week at most. Once would be even better if you can allow yourself to not worry about it. (I can't so I do it twice) If you hit that thing every day... it will make you nuts with the little fluctuations! Oh and do it the same time every day. First thing out of bed is best. (never after eating or working out - because the water distribution in your body is all screwed up)

[First6]

Hey - I'm looking into that too.. 75 on ebay sounds like a deal man.. and my precision will be that much better..

Back to your original question - I never felt truly satisfied (full) after a meal. I always had room for more, and sometimes I'm actually pretty hungry after I'm done but that passes after 15 minutes or so. Anyways, I have that same feeling then... all day - not like I'm starving, but that I definitely need food (based on my adaptation to my diet). SO an answer would be appreciated here to.

My situation's a little bit different - I always feel satisfied, even full after a meal - sometimes I don't even feel like finishing. I literally get hungry about 10 minutes before i'm supposed to eat my next meal.

Hey Young, You should get one if you can swing the cost. It is a great tool to have. If your like me and gbrice it really puts your mind at ease to.


The dif here between the two of you with the hunger could possibly be the speed at which you eat??? I eat fast... so I am still hungry for 15 min or so after I eat... then I am okay until it gets close to the next meal. Sometimes I think I woof it down so fast my body doesn't even know I fed it for a few minutes. LOL
Speaking of food... Time for Chicken and rice! I'll be back.

[First6]

Hey - I'm looking into that too.. 75 on ebay sounds like a deal man.. and my precision will be that much better..

Back to your original question - I never felt truly satisfied (full) after a meal. I always had room for more, and sometimes I'm actually pretty hungry after I'm done but that passes after 15 minutes or so. Anyways, I have that same feeling then... all day - not like I'm starving, but that I definitely need food (based on my adaptation to my diet). SO an answer would be appreciated here to.

Hey Young, I just re-read your post... I think I was wrong. This is not related to how fast yuour eating. You said you are hungry all day? Sounds like you are burning more than you think you are. Is that possible?

[gbrice75]

Awsome price! That's cool Bro. Your gonna love it. It really puts your mind at ease.
One tip for you... Twice a week at most. Once would be even better if you can allow yourself to not worry about it. (I can't so I do it twice) If you hit that thing every day... it will make you nuts with the little fluctuations! Oh and do it the same time every day. First thing out of bed is best. (never after eating or working out - because the water distribution in your body is all screwed up)

I can handle once a week, I do it now with the scale (well, most weeks). Same deal - empty stomach, same day every week in the am, after the bathroom!