insatiable appetite. is something wrong or do I just lack willpower?

[VeggieLifterChick]

I have been so hungry and I can't seem to feel full. I ate 2375 cals today, 207 grams of protein, 54g of fat and *274* grams of carbs!! It has been pretty much all clean food, though. I know I should just ignore my hunger and stick to the plans, I'm just concerned that this could be symptomatic of a health problem. For instance, both grandmothers have diabetes, and my dad was recently diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I also wonder if I might have an eating disorder (compulsive overeating?). Does it sound like the chemicals in my brain aren't working correctly? Maybe I don't have enough of something (what tells you you have eaten enough?).

Background info: I have only been on the precontest diet for a month - and I went on vacation for 11 days when that was on hold - so I really doubt that its a reaction to deprivation. My cals have been around 1800. I have also been feeling really tired and unmotivated in the gym, but my mood has been good otherwise. Also, for those who recall my sugar junkie thread, this is not a problem with sugar. I successfully kicked that habit. Just hunger in general.

 

[VeggieLifterChick]

Every 3 hours.

Today, for instance:

Awoke @ noon

banana
.5 cup oatmeal
1 cup nonfat cottage cheese

banana
2 soy burgers (18g protein/ 5 g cho each) with soy cheese
instant coffee with soy milk

nonfat yogurt
.5 cup black beans
.3 cup soy crumbles
.25 cup salsa
2.5 cups of salad with 1 tbsp Udo's and balsamic

*Lifted back @ 10 pm*
Myoplex Light meal replacement shake immediately afterwards

----HUNGRY!!!!!!-----
Ate:
Pure Protein bar (280 cals: 30g protein, 28g carbs, 7g fat)
.5 cup nonfat cottage cheese
--and I admit it -- 2 slices of de-cheesed pizza that roommate ordered, couldnt resist it

Its now 3 am and I'm going to bed.

As I said before, the day totalled 2375 calories, 274g carbs, 207g protein, 54g fat.

 

[VeggieLifterChick]

Whoever said vegetarians have a hard time getting protein...ha..

 

[Hannibal]

I have been so hungry and I can't seem to feel full. I ate 2375 cals today, 207 grams of protein, 54g of fat and *274* grams of carbs!!

mmmmmmmmmm...breakfast....

 

[SteelWeaver]

I was wondering where you'd gone.

Dieting = hungry.

Increase your water intake. Chew sugar free gum. Eat sugar free Jello.

 

[MS]

I'm pretty sure this has come up before, but I'll say once again that vego or not, you really need to eliminate all processed foods from your diet and if possible get them out of your sight. This particularly includes almost all high protein soy or veggie foods such as burgers, pizza, cheese, milk etc... If it's protein you need then get it from soy protein isolate, whey, egg whites or cottage cheese AND NOTHING ESLE. Do not eat protein bars or anything else designed to tempt your taste buds. Don't have them anywhere near home if you don't have an unbelievably strong willpower. Other than that, your cravings are pretty normal and your binge was not excessive. But PLEASE allow yourself regular high carb refeeds and follow SteelWeaver's advice between refeeds.

 

[VeggieLifterChick]

Spatts,
Just been eating bananas because I am allowed to have fruit and I happen to like bananas. Didn't realize they were high GI. I will go with apricots instead. Does the GI of a food have an effect on perceived fullness?
What is dextrose, exactly? Is that a sort of sugar? The post work out shake, Myoplex Light, has 2g sugar. The protein is whey, 25g.
I usually eat 35g of fat or so, but then my protein is around 145g at best.
I keep hearing that I need to drink a ton of water. What are the reasons for this and how much do I need?
Steel, the sugar free jello sounds good but doesnt sound filling. Also, since I'm sure you don't know this, DIETING SUCKS!!!

 

[SteelWeaver]

Ha ha - that's funny - I was coming back to say exactly the same thing. Touche, MS. Also, VLC - there are practically no veggies in your diet!! Aim for, like, 4 or 5 cups or broccoli or cabbage per day - this REALLY helps with hunger, and will provide your body with some good fibre, vitamins, you know - the good stuff in veggies. Salad has practically none of that in it, especially not if it's iceberg lettuce.

I'd agree on the refeeds, but what's your bf % at now? Don't do them too regularly til you're down in the mid to low teens.

Protein bars are some pretty dense calories. I find if I'm really losing it, a carrot hasn't ever ruined my diet - nice and crunchy, and sweet. Has more carbs than one would want, but at least it's not, like, 200- 300 cals like the bars.

 

[VeggieLifterChick]

Sorry MS I didn't see your post there when I replied to Steel and Spatts. Glad to hear that my cravings don't sound crazy.

My trainer said the veggie burgers were okay, perhaps she meant that to start out. She did say to stop eating processed foods. Do you think you could modify what I listed as what I ate today to reflect a better (nonprocessed) diet? I am a bit foggy on that concept. I do have Biotest Grow! protein powder which is 20g protein and 2g carbs per scoop and yummy. Should I be replacing the burgers with that? Like eating a whey shake and a cup of rice for a meal? Liquid diet?

Also, I am extremely unclear about this concept of a refeed. A refeed is a controlled carb binge, more or less, right? How often? Is it a day or a meal? What does it look like? Pasta? or just a lot of oats? How much? What amount of carbs should I be eating in grams the rest of the time? I know 275 is way high.

 

[VeggieLifterChick]

I'm glad I posted this because I've been learning quite a bit!

Okay, more for SteelWeaver.

1) 4 cups of cabbage...umm..sounds yummy...blech. Seriously though, what are good veggies to eat and how do you prepare them? I am not all that familiar with veggies that don't go into salads.

2) I know I wasn't supposed to have eaten the protein bar or the pizza. Binged.

3) Bf % was at 21.5% last time I got it checked, Aug 14. Its definitely not lower than that, due to the vacation. One good thing I have noticed about myself is that when I stick to the plans I see results pretty fast.

Should I use r-ala? With the refeeds?