This has been the most interesting change since starting TSP. I'm not hungry between meals and snacks typically, but when I get hungry, I get reaaaaaaaaaaaaaaally hungry, reaaaaaaaaaaaaally fast. Is this a desired effect?

When I was eating HC meals, I would get hungry, but could go another couple of hours before it got serious. Now, if I feel a hunger pain, it's serious within 15-20minutes. Intellectually, I know why this occurs, but was wondering if our goal is to eat before we are hungry or to wait until we are hungry?

Hi Cicely,

You are experiencing what I've been calling "The Swartzbein Phenomena" I eat a very small meal and often feel full before finishing it, then I am satisfied and with no thoughts of eating for about 3 hours -then suddenly am overcome by REAL hunger. I'm using the 3 meal and 2 snacks per day plan for IS BOAG. Believe me this hunger hits like clockwork. When I first started the plan I was eating more and had a few days where it was difficult to squeeze in the snacks, but now that I have made a few adjustments and hopefully am healing a little, I really need my 2 snacks - I keep them small, and my meals but when the hunger hits I feed it and am satisfied with very small quantities. Some people say the hunger means we are healing -

I don't really know what to say about eating before hunger or waiting till hungry, if you're following a 3 meal 2 snack plan you shouldn't have to be hungry for long because spread out over the day that would be eating about every 3.5 hours (if you sleep well). I haven't read your history so don't know how long you've been on the plan, but I believe quite a few other Beiners have experienced the same thing and it's like the appetite adjusts and expects to be fed at certain times. So if you eat breakfast at 7 and have planned to have a snack at 10, I would say wait till your planned snack time - eat a good snack and then wait till lunch. I often save my second snack for the evening because I tend to be hungrier then than in the afternoon. There is a soup recipe in cookbook which Dr. S recommends to eat at anytime if hungry - this would be a good choice if you find that for a while you need more than 2 snacks per day. If you don't have the cookbook, it's basically a vegetable soup made with chicken broth (non-starchy veggies in soup).

Hi Cicely:

I think Koko's got it dead on. I found the same thing. In the beginning it was a struggle trying to eat all the food. Now I'm definately finding myself hungrier. I agree that it is the healing process. For healing BOAGs, insulin (the building hormone) must be higher than adrenaline and cortisol, so it's natural that we would be hungrier.

That's a good question b/c Dr. S. mentions that hunger increases adrenaline which is why she has us eat 5 smaller meals each day. I remember reading in your journal that you'd lost 4 pounds unintentionally so I'd probably eat as soon as I was hungry. If you have to add in an extra snack throughout the day, so be it. Otherwise, maybe you should try to increase your sat fat intake at each meal to help carry you through the next 3 hours between meals.

Just some thoughts...

Wanda

Cicely,
Any idea how many calories you're eating? Maybe you're not eating enough if you're accidently losing weight?

Dunno!
Jinx

Thanks guys! I gotta try that anytime soup. I remember seeing the recipe, but didn't look that closely at it. I love veggie soup, so that should be fine. Glad to hear this is a "phenomenon" and not just me . I have had no problem getting food down LOL. I eat like a horse. My family can't believe how much I eat now. And I eat passionately . Shoveling it in. (All in proportion I think, and no greater than 30carbs). I think my calorie intake is fine. Meals I get 2-4oz protein, ~30carbs, a non-starchy (although this one doesn't always make it in), and guesstimate 20-30g fat. I don't get many saturated though. I just don't like red meat much. Where else will I get sat fats? I may try adding a third snack too. I should be fine as long as keep the carbs in proportion, right? It's not so much how much I get all day, but that I don't spike my insulin levels too quickly, right?

I need to start adding my food to my journal so you guys can critique me .

Mostly dairy foods like butter, yogurt, cheese, cream, eggs. Coconut butter, macadamian nuts are non-dairy items.

I just suggest it b/c sat fats totally fill me up which is why I have to reduce them to fit in all my food.

WB

Why would saturated fat be more filling than non? Sat fat gives me skin probs (rashes).

Not sure why Jinxy. When I was on Atkins, I'd have to eat lots of sat fat to feel full. Eating a huge full meal salad with olive oil dressing would make me hungry. Even now when I eat yogurt on SPII, I feel almost too full by the time I'm finished.

Good Lord girl, what CAN you eat? Do I ever feel bad for you.

Wanda

I've also found I am more satisfied after eating saturated fat. One thing I learned from my Zone days of trying to eat more monounsaturated fats. And I too have the problem of going from very little hunger to "OMG, feed me now, I'm going to die!" Very inconvenient when it happens at work on a crazy busy day like today, but my coworkers have come to accept it as one of my little quirks. I try to remember to always have a snack with me when I'm out running errands, too. I usually eat 3 snacks instead of 2 because unless I eat a really late dinner I need a snack before bed.

Jen

I can totally relate! I actually had to leave the gym early today b/c all the sudden I got so hungry I couldn't stand it. Glad to know I'm not alone.

--Cindy

wHAT A strange phenomenon -- I'm SO GLAD to hear that is an indication of HEALING.... I've actually had the same sensation for the past two days. It usually hits around 10:30-11:00 AM (when I have my snack), and again at 5:00pm right before dinner...... I thought I was just really hungry all the time.
You guys are so right though, It comes out of no where and it's such a STRONG hunger sensation -- like nothing i've ever experienced. Funny that Dr. S doesn't address this in her book. Maybe we could go to her website and ask her about it??

Glad to hear that we are ALL HEALING!!
cristin

Hmmmm, now that I think it about it, maybe it would be a sign of starting to heal if you have burned out adrenals. I remember her saying that people with really badly burned out adrenals will need to measure their protein along with the carbs, because their feedback mechanisms, that tell the brain food is coming, are impaired. So that would mean that to get hungry and then feel satiated would be a sign of healing adrenal function? Just thinkin out loud. Who knows. I may be way off.

Interesting about the sat fats. Have to give that a try.

I'm new to SP but I did make the Eat Anytime Soup, and it is really good. Fills in the gaps.