I'm always hungry?

[Isha_Grace]

I've made a lot of changes to my lifestyle recently, and by this I mean changes to my eating and exercise. I have always been very active, but I have now increased my physical activity, and I work out almost every day. Before I made these changes I would eat chocolate almost every day. I've never been overweight and my BMI has always been within the "healthy weight" range. I haven't ate chocolate or any "bad" food or "cheat" food for over a month. I try to consume 1200 calories a day but some days I may eat under/over. I have one problem though, I have a huge appetite! I love food, and even though I'm staying within my calorie goal most of the time, I feel like I could eat so much more. I have to drink much water to make me full and stop the hunger, otherwise I could very easily eat so much more. And when I am hungry and have a small snack like an apple or something it usually results in me eating so much more, it sets off some kind of frenzy in my stomach and I just want to eat everything. Why am I so hungry all the time?

[Octavion]

Eating less calories doesn't help you healthier. It's the type of calories that matter. I eat about 5000 calories a day and I'm really lean because I also exercise. You're more hungry because you're more active and because you aren't eating foods high in both sugar and fat. Eat as much as you want just make sure it's healthy.

[Octavion]

*3000 calories

[Isha_Grace]

Thanks, this is really helpful! I think you're right in saying I'm eating too few calories.

[Distant]

You're hungry all of the time because you're starving, basically. The average person should consume closer to 2,000 calories per day. Even if you're trying to maintain some amount below that limit for weight control, you can still eat 500-600 more calories than you already are to top at 1,700-1,800 per day.

[Isha_Grace]

This is great help, thanks!

[Distant]

No problem. If you're still hungry at 1,700, try eating closer to 2,000 but burning off the extra 300 with exercise during that day.

[523206720]

You are hungry because you are not eating enough calories. Its okay to eat more than 1200 calories a day if you are hungry as everybody's calorie needs are different. I have a friend who wears a size 0 or size 2 and she eats 4x more than people who weigh 40 pounds more than her at parties.

[Isha_Grace]

I will consider increasing my calorie intake, thanks for the answer:)

[LittleMissGriff]

Because 1200 is NOT enough, particularly if you're active. You should, as an active female, be eating at the very least 1800. 1200 is the absolute lowest a relatively sedentary female should go who's trying to lose weight.

[Isha_Grace]

I think increasing my calorie intake would make me a lot happier, more food! Haha!

[LittleMissGriff]

Absolutely! Honestly, if you're really active, you should probably be eating closer to 2300-2500. You might gain a bit of weight initially upping your food intake because your body has literally be close to starvation mode with how little you've been eating verses how active you are. You're also growing! So, instead of worrying about calories, work more on eating a balanced diet and cutting out eating junk food. That doesn't mean no carbs or fats, etc, because those are important! Just moderation. Actually, go look at Bodybuilding. com - they have CRAZY amounts of resources on food and getting physical and health results you want. Don't worry, there's plenty of women on there that aren't looking to get ripped, just healthy. If nothing else, it'll help teach you how to just your calorie intake for your activity level.

[Isha_Grace]

That's really helpful, thankyou so much!

[LittleMissGriff]

No worries - proper nutrition and adjustment for activity levels is totally something people don't know enough about. You'd think they'd go over it in health class, but they throw that '2000 calories' at people like it's the holy bible of health facts when you have girls who don't work out eating less than that and plenty of people who do work out eating much more. And then you've got all the fad diets and the starvation diets, etc etc all putting themselves out there as the perfect solution.

Basically, if anything requires you to cut out a food group, it's wrong. If anything requires heavy caloric restriction and super high exercise, it's wrong and dangerous. You get some weird diet things going on for body builders who are trying to build mass but lower body fat, but that's all particular and has it's own dangers, and it's usually for competition, not for sustainability - they do it for a short term look, not for a lifestyle.

[Isha_Grace]

Yeah I think the Internet kind of influenced me to eat within a 1200 range as the "average woman should eat", but I probably exercise a lot more than an average woman so increasing my intake seems like a good way to go. I haven't cut any food categories out, I am aware that "slim fast" diets are a load of rubbish, and just lead to your body going into starvation mode. It's a good job I love all healthy foods!

[LittleMissGriff]

Oh good god, people are saying the 'average woman' needs 1200 calories? Heavens, no. No, no. That's like, the lowest a woman should eat when DIETING. How frightening is it that all women are 'on average' supposed to eat the lowest healthy restriction diet possible?

Yeah, have a look around the nutrition info on BodyBuilding. com. Most of it is pretty intense about tracking, but that's because tracking helps follow goals, whether weight loss or fat%. I mean, it's not bad to know how to calculate your macros or anything, but I'm pretty sure you don't have to be near as concerned as most of the athletes say, since you're not looking to hit a target goal, just generally stay happy and healthy.

[Isha_Grace]

I'll have a good look at it, thanks again :)

[JustinCaseUDontKnow]

You could be burning up lot of calories is why you
always hungry if your eating only 1200 calories and
working out your going to be hungry.. plus your age 16
your not done growing yet you could grow to age 21
females have menstrual cycles too, i don't know how
many females i knew who would like a horse after
their menstrual cycle was over cause their losing blood.

[bigguru]

Lol, I'm 150lbs/6.2ft and I'm having trouble putting on weight. I'm pretty sure I consume way more than the average calorie intake but I never gain weight. Lol I'm sick of being scrawny:please talking about losing weight, generally it's tough to actually put on weight-_-

[bigguru]

Lol sorry advice part. Eat a lot. Until you feel like throwing up. 1200 calories a day isn't enough to survive. Lol

[Isha_Grace]

I wish it was difficult for me to put on weight, but I put on weight soo easy! Yeah I guess you're right in the respect that 1200 calories isn't enough haha:)

[PiuBelloAmante]

Me too!
but i have been consuming 2500 calories a day loL!

[Isha_Grace]

It's a nightmare! Constantly hungry haha!

[PiuBelloAmante]

yeah its definitely the extra physical activity!
i train 5-6 days a week and always have my belly grumbling

[Isha_Grace]

I can relate!

[PiuBelloAmante]

the struggle is real, ttyl i gotta eat lol

[Isha_Grace]

Same hahaha

[pooper89]

1200 calories is not a healthy consumption range to be in like someone else said.

Also, increased physical activity naturally increases your appetite.

[Anonymous]

Damn tapeworm!

[Isha_Grace]

What is tapeworm? Hahaha

[Distant]

Tapeworm is an intestinal parasite that absorbs nutrients instead of them being absorbed into your bloodstream.

[Isha_Grace]

If it's tapeworm I must have had it since I was born because I've always had a good appetite haha, I could eat for England