Hunger Pains- why and how to manage
 

When I am losing weight and the scale is dropping, I have one menace that crops up over and over. Mild hunger pains. But when I'm in ketosis I am always surprised that even low level hunger comes and goes. And these need managing to keep weight loss going. Drink water or eat fat.

Is there a way to get these gone gone?

What is a "hunger pain"? Can you describe it?

Feels like it is in the tummy area. Instead of full on "Im hungry" with tummy rumbling and grumbling, this is a very mild version. It does trigger thoughts of food and eating. If I hold out 5-10 minutes, it goes away. It is very mild, such that I can maintain control of food intake and choices, and even wait it out.

If I eat fat, it goes away. If I drink water, it goes away.

Thoughts?

When I feel that way, I ask myself "are you really hungry? or are you hungry for something specific? when was the last time you ate?"

Most of the time it is wanting something specific not just anything will do...that is not real hunger. I can usually find something to do and it goes away...

Those are GREAT questions-- those are the first ones I ask myself. Though Im only eating once a day, trying for 1-3 pm as a the target mealtime.

This is definitely NOT a craving. And not a hungry that deserves a meal.This is subtle but annoying.

As I said, a drink of water, or tablespoon of fat is the current fix.

WOuld like it to stop, go away, don't bother me.

What's wrong with your body telling you it would like a little extra water or fat? It's nothing to fear. I actually believe it's better to be able to read your body's signals. JMO.

Thanks Barb. I think I am still questioning if I should be giving in. lol

Try some caffeine or nicotine. They are hunger suppressants.

Will try a cup of joe!!!!

I know what you mean; a true empty, rumbling feeling. It can get embarrassingly loud for me sometimes. I think it’s a signal that we are biologically wired to get to tell us that we are using up stored fat and we better eat soon or we’ll starve. But I think it was more helpful when people were mostly at their ideal weight or underweight. Now it’s just annoying. 😆 I drink coffee or tea and it always goes away for a while. If I give in to it too often, I don’t lose weight. I know there are some butter snackers who munch on fat all day and keep losing weight, but that hasn’t been me since I hit 30 years old. I could do that in my 20’s, though. 😌

So it's not a real "pain"(whatever that actually is) - do you think it's just a thought that comes into the mind that spawns further thoughts?

I am a butter snacker, but only need 1 tsp (5 g) a couple of times a week, by itself or in tea or coffee. Just enough to get my mind off the hunger pangs or food and back to the work at hand.

I get the hunger pains too -- hard to ignore sometimes -- empty sore feeling in my abdomen - palpable (without craving anything except some sustenance from no food)

I have resorted to a half glass of soy milk in the wee hours of the night - or a cup of coffee with a dash of cream beforehand. I IF too :)

The reason I keep asking about "pain" is that I never have experienced it. I'm never "hungry" in the body but my mind, if I let it proliferate on thinking about food, starts a series physical responses (arousal) like salivating perhaps and more thoughts of food. I ask people what it's like to be hungry and I hear the word "empty" a lot like you just mentioned. That feeling, along with pain is foreign to me or I don't know how to put that verbal label on it.

So for me, eating is just something to "do" and it is very pleasurable. If I let my mind run away with thoughts of eating, I'll end up eating at any time. So for me (sorry this doesn't have to do with physical "pain" but really all "pain" is created in the mind) I recognize that I'm getting into a food loop and stop "feeding" the loop with more thoughts of food and it's pleasure. It takes practice but it works for me.

Perhaps having some water, soy milk or tab of butter is like rubbing your temples when you have a head ache. It does nothing physically but if you think it helps solve a headache, perhaps it does - like a habit, like Pavlov's dog.

Find what works for you and if it's not harmful to yourself or others, do it :)

I hear you Brandy on the butter snacking stopping weight loss. Im using it to stay in ketosis, until I can deal with the hunger pain. WHich are starting u p now. I will try for water for now instead of fat, to keep the scale going the right direction.

Kinda funny how I must transition into deeper ketosis before I can give up the butter, co, fat in flavor of water....