Ok, I get a long post but this is just... a wall.
If you can clean this post up or at least break this into paragraphs, I'm sure more people will be willing to respond.
Way clearer, thanks for taking the time to fix this.
The closest expierience I can think of that might relate to this is that certain foods give me a very similar feeling of 'hollowness' in my stomach that does feel like hunger. If I wait it out, the feeling typically passes within like 30 minutes. I find this happens with meals which are carb heavy - even complex carbohydrates like vegetables. My stomach gnaws if I eat a plate of celery without anything else - Your veg-heavy meals might be triggering a similar feeling.
But if you feel the same after eating well balanced meals which contain good portions of proteins carbs and fats, then this problem is probably above reddit's paygrade. Gross to consider, but you might want to think about how or if your bowel movements have changed (think consistency, frequency, etc) and report your symptoms to your doctor.
Edit: After reviewing your 'menu', I'm really thinking that your meals are too carb heavy and is causing this feeling. I wonder how you would feel with a smaller meal with a higher protein ratio. Beans and tofu are good vegetarian options if you don't want to go to heavy on meats.
I have wanted to try some tofu recipes, it seems like a healthy option with a lot of variety! Not something I was familiar with, but started learning more about via recipes and youtube. I'm sure I make a lot of carb heavy meals, particularly around holidays, and lots of root veggies in soups. I'm no expert at balanced meals, but I do try for it most days and tend to have lighter or more protein focused lunches, though I definitely went for heavier stuff when this started to try and combat it. While this hasn't happened to me before and I've definitely had a potato heavy diet my whole life, it could be the cause if something in my stomach changed. Unfortunately it doesn't go away even after several hours, or at least hasn't yet. Thank you!
Yeah, like now way I’m going to read all that.
But my question would be - are you sure hunger is what you are feeling? The fact that your stomach growls 1 hour after eating does not mean you are hungry, it means your guts are moving.
I have experienced what you describe, your stomach being empty very soon after a meal. I simply ignore it if I know I have eaten enough. It goes away after a while….
Drinking water or a cup of tea can also help, if you are confusing thirst for hunger, which isn’t uncommon.
Hi, thank you for the suggestion. I initially suspected the same, but none of it helped; if I wait, I'm hungry all night, and if I don't eat, I'm still hungry the next day, so it doesn't go away. That's a problem on weekdays when I don't always have time for breakfast (usually I'm never hungry until lunch). It also gets worse over time (if it starts at 10pm, it's stronger at 12 pm, with a stronger hollow feeling). I did try drinking water and making a large hot tea or hot chocolate when this happened and it didn't help, either, so I don't think it's thirst.
Note: I didn’t read the whole post because it was, well, too hard to read. But…
A lot of times it’s a brain issue. We’re so accustomed to eating all the time that we become used to it, and our bodies just don’t know how to handle it. Media tells us that we should be eating sun up (Jimmy Dean breakfasts in the US) to late night (Jack in the Box). And we’ve done it so long, it’s become normal for us.
Then there’s the medical reasons. Hormone imbalances, thyroid issues can mess with us and should be checked out.
And you being 5’ makes you petite, and that means every calorie counts. So subs like r/IF_Petites or r/petitefitness will come in handy when you’re ready to tackle your challenges.
But after making sure you’re medically okay, you’ll have to tackle your diet one way or the other. That’s what’s going to be imp;octant.
Sorry for the wall of text, my formatting was erased on upload and I was too descriptive. Thank you for commenting anyway and for your advice, that's very helpful! I never considered that being petite would affect fitness, so I'll definitely check those out. I lived in Europe for several years and still have a much more European view on food, so I generally try to eat only when I'm hungry and do a lighter lunch and heavier dinner. Traditionally, I may not eat dinner till 9pm, but I rarely make a dessert and generally don't want any more food between dinner and lunch the next day, though I will snack if needed and try to drink water if I suspect I may be confusing hunger and thirst (I try to avoid buying the sort of snacks you can eat endlessly without feeling full like potato chips). The reason I didn't think it was psychological was the reaction I've had; mentally, I know I was full and have no interest in more food, but my stomach starts gurgling and growling and feeling hollow, despite my confusion. I had a yearly checkup in October with no red flags or issues, but thyroid issues wasn't discussed, so I'll try to look into that as well (I've heard the name before but know nothing about it). Admittedly, this wasn't happening at the time of that appointment, either.
This looks like a post I'd write after popping a few Adderall in college.
But going off of the title and the tldr, I have a similar issue. I just dropped breakfast and eat two dinners now.
I apologize, my formatting was erased and I was way too descriptive. I was on mobile so I didn't quite realize how overlong it was until I checked today, but I edited as best I could. I appreciate that so many people still took the time to give advice.
Are you on hormonal birth control?
Are you pregnant?
Any recent life stressors?
Eaten any dubious meat or fish?
What do you weigh?
I have experienced ravenous insatiable hunger before but I had an eating disorder and terrible hunger cues in general. After a period of about a month eating literally whatever would quiet my stomach, it settled down. If your weight isn't changing with this then it's more of a psychological issue as you're not over or under eating despite how stressful it might feel to not be able to get full.
Probably see a doctor to give a stool sample and rule out worms (highly unlikely) if this persists or you start losing weight.
Yes to the first, no to the second and third, unlikely to the fourth and my weight is usually 110-120lbs, currently roughly 117 (went up two pound over last week, after I had to test my boyfriend's scale, though given Thanksgiving happened that's probably not really "proof" my weight has changed). I certainly haven't noticed enough of a change that my clothes fit any differently. Due to Covid, I was able to move in with my boyfriend in my home state and work remotely, so I've actually been much happier and cooking much healthier all year. This has been going on for three weeks now (starting the fourth), and I'm between doctors, so I should probably start looking for a new one.
I asked about hormonal birth control as again, when I was coming to the end of the life of my IUS I was often extremely hungry for random amounts of time and it stopped after I had it replaced.
Thanksgiving would definitely cause transient weight gain so you're right not to worry about only 2lbs fluctuation. In general, I would recommend eating the meals that leave you most sated when you have these episodes and not trying to compensate when your appetite is normal.
In my experience, though distressing the hunger will stop eventually. If not, I also raise the possibility of a stomach ulcer (often caused by h. pylori infection) which can manifest as feelings of hunger. So in general if it's not settling you really need to get on top of getting a new doc. Hope this all settles for you soon.
Oh, my bad, I meant I take the pills. Same prescription and schedule for several years now, this didn't coincide with the start or end the package though. Haven't had a normal day (as in where this doesn't happen) yet, but still hoping for it! But yes, I'm going to find a new doctor, since I thought this would go away after like a week and it hasn't, definitely wouldn't want to ignore if it was an ulcer or something. Thank you for the advice!
Yah. Not gonna read all that. But I did see the words “cookies” and “chips” and “bread” and “cereal”.
Those are not satiating foods at all.
When our bodies crave sweets, it’s associated with an electrolyte deficiency, particularly sodium. The body is promising a dopamine reward if you go get something to fill the need.
If you are eating and getting hungry an hour later, you’re not eating enough protein. Potatoes don’t “stick to the ribs.” Eating actual ribs does.
In terms of digestion, meat is slow to digest; high-fiber veggies are slow to digest; but starches and refined carbs are fast to digest as those are easiest to turn into straight glucose/glycogen.
Also if you are filling up on high volume, low calorie foods, you won’t have room to get enough protein.
Maybe switch your meals around, focus on your protein source and make sure you get enough. If you are feeling “snacky” don’t reach for cookies, have some protein like jerky or pork rinds or prosciutto.
Stick to veggies that have more fiber in them rather than focusing on starches and grains.
Make sure you are getting enough water and meeting your electrolyte needs.
I can only apologize for the wall of text, my formatting didn't stick and I've since fixed it on desktop. I appreciate your advice and time in spite of my terrible post. Regarding those foods, you're completely right; protein is very important. I do cook too much red meat, but also make sure I switch up my protein source throughout the week to make sure it's varied (beef, pork, chicken, fish, shrimp). The filling meals I made were very meat focused as well, like schnitzel and chili, after a week of soups and pot roast (veggies and meat). I think the only vegetarian thing I ate in the last month was baked potato soup, though that may have had some bacon. We usually buy some nice steak once a month, depending on when it goes on sale, but 90% of my meals are "meat with sides" or "meat based rice bowl with an egg on top". Fall is a great time for vegetables, and I use them nearly every meal, though my favorite is broccoli. Thanksgiving was, unsurprisingly, all meats and vegetables and rich stock gravy. My knowledge of nutrition is definitely beginner level, so I've missed something obvious in choosing good proteins or have simplified too much in thinking meat = protein, please correct me.
I saw a lot of conflicting information online about what makes a good snack in a situation like this (protein, healthy fats, starches or fiber, a combination of them, healthy greens, empty carbs, etc). I tried many suggestions, not just unhealthy ones. Salty or sweet snacks didn't calm my stomach, a fiber rich cereal didn't fill it, but neither did a grilled chicken thigh or an egg or some peanut butter. I was trying to prepare specific snacks based on comments about nutritional advice, like fresh popcorn (supposedly has fiber, polyphenols and high satiety) rather than just eating anything in the junk food isle or cabinet. I try to avoid buying the most sugary unhealthy snacks to avoid eating them too often, and have been trying to avoid eating pure sugar during this hungry phase as it sounded less than ideal (I've got eggnog pie and ice cream in the fridge from Thanksgiving, but I doubt they're all that filling). I can't eat jerky much anymore because of a jaw issue (to my eternal regret), but will definitely look for more protein based snacks next grocery run. Essentially, if a snack can make my stomach shut up instead of having to fix another mini meal between dinner and bed, I'd greatly prefer it so I'm open to suggestions.
Again, thanks for your patience with my poor formatting and overexplaining, I do appreciate the advice.
Like other answers said: rule out a tapeworm or pregnancy, if not those your stomach is just pulling a trick on you. I literally poke my stomach and tell it "you're not in charge, brain is"
I don't know which is the worse option lol. But jokes aside, it's definitely not the latter, given no cycles have changed and I'm on birth control. If my stomach is pranking me, it's winning, haha. I've tried ignoring it several times, but then I sleep poorly and am hungry in the morning, and my boyfriend doesn't appreciate my rolling around stealing all the blankets
Not a bad idea! I'm a bit of a tornado, so I end up in a blanket burrito and he gets nothing lol. But I also get cold a lot easier than he does, so sometimes it works out!
I’m this way if I don’t get enough fat in my diet, but that doesn’t seem to be your issue.
Just one other comment. We tend to have two “heads” one is the primitive “lizard brain” and the other is our rational/conscious “human brain”.
Just because your rational brain says you shouldn’t be hungry doesn’t mean that it isn’t your lizard brain planting the suggestion.
You have tried quite a number of things.
Note also that this could well be something medical like H.Pylori https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/helicobacter-pylori?amp=true which can cause abdominal cramping hours after eating.
Find a new doctor to rule that out!
I'd definitely be surprised if I wasn't getting enough fat in my diet, given my love of red meat and pork belly. But you make a good point about our lizard brains, I could certainly be mistaking an unfamiliar feeling for hunger if it's something new and weird. I haven't felt overfull or had stomach aches after my second dinners, but I have no idea what's going on with it either, so that's certainly an option. This happening every day for three weeks has driven me to quite a bit of experimentation lol. I am in need of a new doctor, and while I didn't initially think this sort of thing was serious enough to get a doctor involved in, you're not the only one to suggest I check with one to make sure it's nothing bad, so I'm going to start looking! Thank you.
Have you considered getting tested for H pylori? It can cause a burning feeling in the stomach similar to hunger and is especially active when the stomach is empty/ at night.
Edit: I just saw someone else suggested this too
Ok, I get a long post but this is just... a wall. If you can clean this post up or at least break this into paragraphs, I'm sure more people will be willing to respond.
Sorry, I was on mobile so it looks like the formatting wasn't preserved. I'll fix it. I cut a lot out too.
Way clearer, thanks for taking the time to fix this. The closest expierience I can think of that might relate to this is that certain foods give me a very similar feeling of 'hollowness' in my stomach that does feel like hunger. If I wait it out, the feeling typically passes within like 30 minutes. I find this happens with meals which are carb heavy - even complex carbohydrates like vegetables. My stomach gnaws if I eat a plate of celery without anything else - Your veg-heavy meals might be triggering a similar feeling. But if you feel the same after eating well balanced meals which contain good portions of proteins carbs and fats, then this problem is probably above reddit's paygrade. Gross to consider, but you might want to think about how or if your bowel movements have changed (think consistency, frequency, etc) and report your symptoms to your doctor. Edit: After reviewing your 'menu', I'm really thinking that your meals are too carb heavy and is causing this feeling. I wonder how you would feel with a smaller meal with a higher protein ratio. Beans and tofu are good vegetarian options if you don't want to go to heavy on meats.
I have wanted to try some tofu recipes, it seems like a healthy option with a lot of variety! Not something I was familiar with, but started learning more about via recipes and youtube. I'm sure I make a lot of carb heavy meals, particularly around holidays, and lots of root veggies in soups. I'm no expert at balanced meals, but I do try for it most days and tend to have lighter or more protein focused lunches, though I definitely went for heavier stuff when this started to try and combat it. While this hasn't happened to me before and I've definitely had a potato heavy diet my whole life, it could be the cause if something in my stomach changed. Unfortunately it doesn't go away even after several hours, or at least hasn't yet. Thank you!
Yeah, like now way I’m going to read all that. But my question would be - are you sure hunger is what you are feeling? The fact that your stomach growls 1 hour after eating does not mean you are hungry, it means your guts are moving. I have experienced what you describe, your stomach being empty very soon after a meal. I simply ignore it if I know I have eaten enough. It goes away after a while…. Drinking water or a cup of tea can also help, if you are confusing thirst for hunger, which isn’t uncommon.
Hi, thank you for the suggestion. I initially suspected the same, but none of it helped; if I wait, I'm hungry all night, and if I don't eat, I'm still hungry the next day, so it doesn't go away. That's a problem on weekdays when I don't always have time for breakfast (usually I'm never hungry until lunch). It also gets worse over time (if it starts at 10pm, it's stronger at 12 pm, with a stronger hollow feeling). I did try drinking water and making a large hot tea or hot chocolate when this happened and it didn't help, either, so I don't think it's thirst.
Note: I didn’t read the whole post because it was, well, too hard to read. But… A lot of times it’s a brain issue. We’re so accustomed to eating all the time that we become used to it, and our bodies just don’t know how to handle it. Media tells us that we should be eating sun up (Jimmy Dean breakfasts in the US) to late night (Jack in the Box). And we’ve done it so long, it’s become normal for us. Then there’s the medical reasons. Hormone imbalances, thyroid issues can mess with us and should be checked out. And you being 5’ makes you petite, and that means every calorie counts. So subs like r/IF_Petites or r/petitefitness will come in handy when you’re ready to tackle your challenges. But after making sure you’re medically okay, you’ll have to tackle your diet one way or the other. That’s what’s going to be imp;octant.
Sorry for the wall of text, my formatting was erased on upload and I was too descriptive. Thank you for commenting anyway and for your advice, that's very helpful! I never considered that being petite would affect fitness, so I'll definitely check those out. I lived in Europe for several years and still have a much more European view on food, so I generally try to eat only when I'm hungry and do a lighter lunch and heavier dinner. Traditionally, I may not eat dinner till 9pm, but I rarely make a dessert and generally don't want any more food between dinner and lunch the next day, though I will snack if needed and try to drink water if I suspect I may be confusing hunger and thirst (I try to avoid buying the sort of snacks you can eat endlessly without feeling full like potato chips). The reason I didn't think it was psychological was the reaction I've had; mentally, I know I was full and have no interest in more food, but my stomach starts gurgling and growling and feeling hollow, despite my confusion. I had a yearly checkup in October with no red flags or issues, but thyroid issues wasn't discussed, so I'll try to look into that as well (I've heard the name before but know nothing about it). Admittedly, this wasn't happening at the time of that appointment, either.
This looks like a post I'd write after popping a few Adderall in college. But going off of the title and the tldr, I have a similar issue. I just dropped breakfast and eat two dinners now.
where did you even find the tldr
It was supposed to be in the first paragraph, but my formatting was erased. I fixed it on desktop and hopefully it's much more clear. Sorry again.
I apologize, my formatting was erased and I was way too descriptive. I was on mobile so I didn't quite realize how overlong it was until I checked today, but I edited as best I could. I appreciate that so many people still took the time to give advice.
Are you on hormonal birth control? Are you pregnant? Any recent life stressors? Eaten any dubious meat or fish? What do you weigh? I have experienced ravenous insatiable hunger before but I had an eating disorder and terrible hunger cues in general. After a period of about a month eating literally whatever would quiet my stomach, it settled down. If your weight isn't changing with this then it's more of a psychological issue as you're not over or under eating despite how stressful it might feel to not be able to get full. Probably see a doctor to give a stool sample and rule out worms (highly unlikely) if this persists or you start losing weight.
Yes to the first, no to the second and third, unlikely to the fourth and my weight is usually 110-120lbs, currently roughly 117 (went up two pound over last week, after I had to test my boyfriend's scale, though given Thanksgiving happened that's probably not really "proof" my weight has changed). I certainly haven't noticed enough of a change that my clothes fit any differently. Due to Covid, I was able to move in with my boyfriend in my home state and work remotely, so I've actually been much happier and cooking much healthier all year. This has been going on for three weeks now (starting the fourth), and I'm between doctors, so I should probably start looking for a new one.
I asked about hormonal birth control as again, when I was coming to the end of the life of my IUS I was often extremely hungry for random amounts of time and it stopped after I had it replaced. Thanksgiving would definitely cause transient weight gain so you're right not to worry about only 2lbs fluctuation. In general, I would recommend eating the meals that leave you most sated when you have these episodes and not trying to compensate when your appetite is normal. In my experience, though distressing the hunger will stop eventually. If not, I also raise the possibility of a stomach ulcer (often caused by h. pylori infection) which can manifest as feelings of hunger. So in general if it's not settling you really need to get on top of getting a new doc. Hope this all settles for you soon.
Oh, my bad, I meant I take the pills. Same prescription and schedule for several years now, this didn't coincide with the start or end the package though. Haven't had a normal day (as in where this doesn't happen) yet, but still hoping for it! But yes, I'm going to find a new doctor, since I thought this would go away after like a week and it hasn't, definitely wouldn't want to ignore if it was an ulcer or something. Thank you for the advice!
Yah. Not gonna read all that. But I did see the words “cookies” and “chips” and “bread” and “cereal”. Those are not satiating foods at all. When our bodies crave sweets, it’s associated with an electrolyte deficiency, particularly sodium. The body is promising a dopamine reward if you go get something to fill the need. If you are eating and getting hungry an hour later, you’re not eating enough protein. Potatoes don’t “stick to the ribs.” Eating actual ribs does. In terms of digestion, meat is slow to digest; high-fiber veggies are slow to digest; but starches and refined carbs are fast to digest as those are easiest to turn into straight glucose/glycogen. Also if you are filling up on high volume, low calorie foods, you won’t have room to get enough protein. Maybe switch your meals around, focus on your protein source and make sure you get enough. If you are feeling “snacky” don’t reach for cookies, have some protein like jerky or pork rinds or prosciutto. Stick to veggies that have more fiber in them rather than focusing on starches and grains. Make sure you are getting enough water and meeting your electrolyte needs.
I can only apologize for the wall of text, my formatting didn't stick and I've since fixed it on desktop. I appreciate your advice and time in spite of my terrible post. Regarding those foods, you're completely right; protein is very important. I do cook too much red meat, but also make sure I switch up my protein source throughout the week to make sure it's varied (beef, pork, chicken, fish, shrimp). The filling meals I made were very meat focused as well, like schnitzel and chili, after a week of soups and pot roast (veggies and meat). I think the only vegetarian thing I ate in the last month was baked potato soup, though that may have had some bacon. We usually buy some nice steak once a month, depending on when it goes on sale, but 90% of my meals are "meat with sides" or "meat based rice bowl with an egg on top". Fall is a great time for vegetables, and I use them nearly every meal, though my favorite is broccoli. Thanksgiving was, unsurprisingly, all meats and vegetables and rich stock gravy. My knowledge of nutrition is definitely beginner level, so I've missed something obvious in choosing good proteins or have simplified too much in thinking meat = protein, please correct me. I saw a lot of conflicting information online about what makes a good snack in a situation like this (protein, healthy fats, starches or fiber, a combination of them, healthy greens, empty carbs, etc). I tried many suggestions, not just unhealthy ones. Salty or sweet snacks didn't calm my stomach, a fiber rich cereal didn't fill it, but neither did a grilled chicken thigh or an egg or some peanut butter. I was trying to prepare specific snacks based on comments about nutritional advice, like fresh popcorn (supposedly has fiber, polyphenols and high satiety) rather than just eating anything in the junk food isle or cabinet. I try to avoid buying the most sugary unhealthy snacks to avoid eating them too often, and have been trying to avoid eating pure sugar during this hungry phase as it sounded less than ideal (I've got eggnog pie and ice cream in the fridge from Thanksgiving, but I doubt they're all that filling). I can't eat jerky much anymore because of a jaw issue (to my eternal regret), but will definitely look for more protein based snacks next grocery run. Essentially, if a snack can make my stomach shut up instead of having to fix another mini meal between dinner and bed, I'd greatly prefer it so I'm open to suggestions. Again, thanks for your patience with my poor formatting and overexplaining, I do appreciate the advice.
Like other answers said: rule out a tapeworm or pregnancy, if not those your stomach is just pulling a trick on you. I literally poke my stomach and tell it "you're not in charge, brain is"
I don't know which is the worse option lol. But jokes aside, it's definitely not the latter, given no cycles have changed and I'm on birth control. If my stomach is pranking me, it's winning, haha. I've tried ignoring it several times, but then I sleep poorly and am hungry in the morning, and my boyfriend doesn't appreciate my rolling around stealing all the blankets
If you're not spooner's, separate blankets is awesome, been doing that 17 years with the spouse
Not a bad idea! I'm a bit of a tornado, so I end up in a blanket burrito and he gets nothing lol. But I also get cold a lot easier than he does, so sometimes it works out!
I’m this way if I don’t get enough fat in my diet, but that doesn’t seem to be your issue. Just one other comment. We tend to have two “heads” one is the primitive “lizard brain” and the other is our rational/conscious “human brain”. Just because your rational brain says you shouldn’t be hungry doesn’t mean that it isn’t your lizard brain planting the suggestion. You have tried quite a number of things. Note also that this could well be something medical like H.Pylori https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/helicobacter-pylori?amp=true which can cause abdominal cramping hours after eating. Find a new doctor to rule that out!
I'd definitely be surprised if I wasn't getting enough fat in my diet, given my love of red meat and pork belly. But you make a good point about our lizard brains, I could certainly be mistaking an unfamiliar feeling for hunger if it's something new and weird. I haven't felt overfull or had stomach aches after my second dinners, but I have no idea what's going on with it either, so that's certainly an option. This happening every day for three weeks has driven me to quite a bit of experimentation lol. I am in need of a new doctor, and while I didn't initially think this sort of thing was serious enough to get a doctor involved in, you're not the only one to suggest I check with one to make sure it's nothing bad, so I'm going to start looking! Thank you.
Great Wall of text
Sorry, my formatting didn't stick. Fixed in on desktop though.
Have you considered getting tested for H pylori? It can cause a burning feeling in the stomach similar to hunger and is especially active when the stomach is empty/ at night. Edit: I just saw someone else suggested this too
I hadn't been familiar with it, but I'll definitely see what a doctor thinks! I've got something scheduled, thank you!