Hunger Again!

[CGally81]

When I first tried going gluten-free in August, I suddenly became really hungry. I became so starved all the time that I was eating nearly a full meal's worth of food every 1 or 2 hours, and was hungry even while I was full! It gradually got better over time.

Then in mid-October, when my hunger was going down to more normal levels, I discovered that Fudgsicles contain gluten, and I'd still been eating them. I threw them out of my diet, and in less than a week, my hunger spiked again! It wasn't quite as bad as the first time, but it was so bad that I had headaches from hunger while at work, would have to eat before dinner when I got home, and would be having both an evening snack an hour or two after dinner, and a giant snack before going to bed (or else I wouldn't be able to sleep!).

It's early December now. Here's the status of my hunger:

I have to have a big breakfast. Big meaning like popcorn, bananas, tuna fish, and milk or yogurt to go with it (now, I am cutting back on calcium due to headaches caused by having 2-3x my daily recommended amount over the past few months when my calcium levels had already been on the high end of normal. So I won't be having milk or yogurt for a while).

I might be hungry an hour or two before lunch, or if lucky, I might not. If I brought bananas to work, I'd have them in the morning.

Lunch is around 500-600 calories.

I'd have to have 2 afternoon snacks. I make them popcorn and gluten-free Chex.

I go home and sometimes I'd be real hungry before dinner, and sometimes I'd not. I'd have brown rice with every dinner, because that's a lot of calories, and I found that other "side dishes" tend not to satisfy me as much.

And I'd have a large evening snack - popcorn and whatever else.

Well, in the past few days, I cut all calcium-containing foods out of my diet to reduce my headaches, which I thought might have been caused by having excess calcium (calcium/magnesium imbalance can cause headaches, and is said to be common). In so doing, I have to replace my milk and yogurt with something I hadn't had for a while: peanut butter. Peanut butter seems to fill me up for a while, and possibly address my lack of protein and fat in my diet. I hope it's helping.

Seriously, 2 months after I first went gluten-free, my hunger started to go back to more normal levels. But when I removed the Fudgsicles, it spiked again, and it's dropping much more slowly. MUCH more slowly. I often feel as if it's not going away at all.

Any ideas? Any encouragement? Anyone else go through this - where you were hungry all the time, then realized "oops, I'm still eating gluten", and tossed that out only to result in your hunger going up?

And does peanut butter help that much? I have no choice, since I can't have calcium right now. I'll try to shove more tuna fish in there.

What else reduces hunger? I can't take my special multivitamin, since it contains calcium. Should I try taking magnesium pills?

[jerseyangel]

This is just my take on it but you seem to be eating a lot of carbs--popcorn, cereal, etc. When I eat things like that, I tend to always be hungry too. I try and focus on protein, veggies, good fats, low fat dairy, nuts, seeds, etc.

Are you sure that your headaches are being caused by the calcium? I think that the peanut butter is satisfying for you because of the protein/fat content. I find that I don't get nearly as hungry if I cut sugar, grain, and most starchy carbs.

[CGally81]

This is just my take on it but you seem to be eating a lot of carbs--popcorn, cereal, etc. When I eat things like that, I tend to always be hungry too. I try and focus on protein, veggies, good fats, low fat dairy, nuts, seeds, etc.

Are you sure that your headaches are being caused by the calcium? I think that the peanut butter is satisfying for you because of the protein/fat content. I find that I don't get nearly as hungry if I cut sugar, grain, and most starchy carbs.

I'll be relying more on peanut butter for a while, I know that. It seemed to help this morning. I only had popcorn and peanut butter for breakfast this morning, due to lack of time. But I didn't have too much in the way of serious morning hunger. Hunger problems showed up later (I had to eat only 2 bananas for lunch, due to having to leave quickly to be tested by an immunologist, and couldn't eat again until I got back home). I'll try having more tuna too.

It's really frustrating - I feel like my hunger went up today. I realize it's been worse before, but it feels like it jumped up a notch today or something. I can't imagine the lack of dairy products would do it... that quickly, since it's only been two days. (Especially since I NEVER had gluten symptoms from dairy products)

On the other hand, I just now did an accounting of the meals I'd been having the past few weeks, and what I ate today, and I realize I likely ate less, not more, calories overall today. That may explain why I feel so much hungrier.

But we'll see...

I'll take the protein advice to heart though, and try having more tuna fish and more peanut butter when possible. Definitely peanut butter... Most of my food contains little or no fat, so I gotta get fat somewhere, and it should be healthy fat too.

[JillianLindsay]

I'm having a similar problem. I went gluten-free shortly before you did (July/09). My hunger spiked, went back down to normal, and then lately has spiked again. I think it's in large part because I feel healther and more energetic, so I'm much more active (I play indoor soccer and ice hockey as well as working out). I crave CARBS all the time!! And yet they don't fill me up. I got the same advice as you did: to try and add more healthy fats to my diet. Good luck to us both thanks for posting, it's always helpful to find someone else in a similar situation.

Jillian

[Northland Lady]

I also had the same problem. For me protein really helps with the hunger Peanuts are the best for that i find, or i eat a whole avocado that helps. :-)

[mysecretcurse]

Mmm.... I remember the hunger. It lasted maybe 6 months for me. ANd it took eliminating ALL allergen type of foods such as dairy, corn, soy and other stuff on top of gluten for me to really begin absorbing again and not being so hungry all the time. But if I mess up, it comes back. I ate corn by accident the other day, broke out in a rash and have been starving every since. I just ate an entire package of ground beef that should have fed a whole family. *hides face in shame* lol

[ravenwoodglass]

You mention you are eating a lot of popcorn, what kind are you eating? I hope you are popping it yourself for safety sake. The hunger is a normal part of the healing process, it seems that a lot of us have that issue for a while. I think it is the body telling us it is starving for nutrients and now that the body is absorbing more it is kind of going ' yay give me more'. The advice to increase your protein is a good one. The pnut butter sounds like it is helping. Maybe bring a jar with you and some apples for snacking. A snack mix that helped me through that point was Wylde pretzels, nuts and raisens with a few gluten-free chocolate chips mixed in. I carryed a bag with me at all times.

[jerseyangel]

I just ate an entire package of ground beef that should have fed a whole family. *hides face in shame* lol

No shame in that, your body was probably just craving the protein/iron from the meat. Meats and things like almonds, walnuts, peanuts, etc really help you feel satisfied and they're better for you than lots of carb-y snacks.

Corn, especially popcorn, is a huge hunger-inducer for me. I love it and can go through a big bowl all at once. I don't normally eat it, though, because it sets me up to over eat.

[CGally81]

You mention you are eating a lot of popcorn, what kind are you eating? I hope you are popping it yourself for safety sake. The hunger is a normal part of the healing process, it seems that a lot of us have that issue for a while. I think it is the body telling us it is starving for nutrients and now that the body is absorbing more it is kind of going ' yay give me more'. The advice to increase your protein is a good one. The pnut butter sounds like it is helping. Maybe bring a jar with you and some apples for snacking. A snack mix that helped me through that point was Wylde pretzels, nuts and raisens with a few gluten-free chocolate chips mixed in. I carryed a bag with me at all times.

I tested negative for various food allergies, except I have a very slight allergy to corn. But too slight to be of real concern, apparently. I am not addicted to corn, and only eat popcorn (Act II brand - whole grain) since it appears to be filling.

I feel like my hunger has gone up in the past few days. It's real upsetting. Is it because I'm getting more of something my body wants? More fat? (I had a lack of fat in my diet, as most of my foods were low or no fat)

I've never tried avocados before, but I really hope I end up liking them. I might want to try some and see what they're like. From reading the nutrition facts on them, they contain some protein, tons of fiber, tons of potassium, and a lot of nutrients. I hope they end up helping.

[jerseyangel]

CGally, I hate to harp on the popcorn but I'll bet it's going a long way to keeping you hungry. I had to literally stop eating it, since it was not only causing me to crave more food (sweets and carbs) but I gained weight as well. I was pretty much addicted to it and ate it even for lunch some days. It's whole grain, and takes time to eat but your system sees it as sugar. That in turn causes not only your blood sugar to rise but also your insulin--and that is what causes your body to store extra weight. I gained over 10 pounds last year eating popcorn--honestly.

You could do a little experiment--don't eat the popcorn for a few days--instead, substitute with things like gluten-free trail mix (make your own or Enjoy Life has a couple good ones), almonds, peanut butter with banana or apple or celery, the avocado you mentioned, cheese sticks (if you can do them), etc. You can take gluten-free lunch meats like turkey or ham and roll them with a slice of cheese or in a lettuce leaf. No need to go hungry, just tweak a little.

See if you don't start to feel less hungry and have fewer cravings. Having some meat or tuna or cheese or nuts with each meal or snack helps heep your blood sugar steady.

[CGally81]

CGally, I hate to harp on the popcorn but I'll bet it's going a long way to keeping you hungry. I had to literally stop eating it, since it was not only causing me to crave more food (sweets and carbs) but I gained weight as well. I was pretty much addicted to it and ate it even for lunch some days. It's whole grain, and takes time to eat but your system sees it as sugar. That in turn causes not only your blood sugar to rise but also your insulin--and that is what causes your body to store extra weight. I gained over 10 pounds last year eating popcorn--honestly.

You could do a little experiment--don't eat the popcorn for a few days--instead, substitute with things like gluten-free trail mix (make your own or Enjoy Life has a couple good ones), almonds, peanut butter with banana or apple or celery, the avocado you mentioned, cheese sticks (if you can do them), etc. You can take gluten-free lunch meats like turkey or ham and roll them with a slice of cheese or in a lettuce leaf. No need to go hungry, just tweak a little.

See if you don't start to feel less hungry and have fewer cravings. Having some meat or tuna or cheese or nuts with each meal or snack helps heep your blood sugar steady.

I might try it. I've had good experiences with popcorn in the past though, filling me up and actually helping quite well as an afternoon snack back before the hunger resurgence (when I cut out the Fudgsicles and saw my hunger rise again). But I could try going without it and finding replacements.

I'm hoping this current hunger relapse is nothing more than another hump before my hunger goes down again. During my previous bout with constant hunger, it would go down, then back up again, making me feel as if I'd lost all my progress, then eventually go down more again. It was a rollercoaster ride, though it slowly got better over time. Key word: slowly.

Blah. I've noticed there's more than one type of hunger. There's the type of hunger where you can't concentrate and feel hungry "in the head", which eventually leads to you being sapped of energy, and there's the type where you feel somewhat shaky (which can go away after a while), and can kinda feel the hunger "in your hands". It's hard to describe, but I've noticed the differences. None of it's pleasant, but in the past few days, I've had somewhat less of the first type, and more of the second. I hope this means something good.

I want more protein, and hopefully peanut butter and avocados can help.

[jerseyangel]

I've had good experiences with popcorn in the past though, filling me up and actually helping quite well as an afternoon snack back before the hunger resurgence

Yep--it does fill you up but it's also what most likely caused the hunger resurgence.

there's the type where you feel somewhat shaky (which can go away after a while), and can kinda feel the hunger "in your hands". It's hard to describe, but I've noticed the differences.

This can most definitely be spurred on by blood sugar crashing. Good plan to up the protein and include some whenever you eat. Maybe try eating more often, smaller amounts but more balanced.

[CGally81]

Yep--it does fill you up but it's also what most likely caused the hunger resurgence.

That's not what I meant by hunger resurgence. The popcorn filled me up more and more as my overall hunger dropped. It got to the point where it could fill me for a few hours.

By "hunger resurgence", I'm referring to how when I cut Fudgsicles out of my diet, in less than a week, my hunger spiked back up again to the point where I needed two massive evening snacks to be able to get to sleep. It's like I lost a lot of the progress I'd been having, because I removed the final gluten-containing food from my diet for good.

So popcorn, in my experience, is not the enemy. But when I feel that I can afford to, I'll try a few days without it.

It's not so much that I have good hunger days and bad days as much as good weeks and bad weeks, or stretches of days. Picture needing 5000 calories to make it through the day. A week later, it's dropped to 4500 calories. Then a week after that, gone back up 5000, and you feel like you lost significant progress. But after a while, it goes down to 4000, and you're ready to celebrate. Only for, after a while, it to go back up to 4500 calories.

That's pretty much what's been happening to me. Sometimes I really feel like I'm going backward. Like I go from 5000 to 4500 up to 5200 or something. I have to keep convincing myself that it'll get better again, and that past experience has shown me that (becuase it HAS).

[mbrookes]

I hope I'm wrong, but you seem to be overly concerned with calories and perhaps your weight. Right now in your early stages you need to eat healthy and not worry about calories. If neede3d, you can lose weight later.

I agree with the others that you need more protein. Protein digests more slowly than carbs, so will keep you feeling full longer. Fat is necesssary. Don't try to cut it all out. Be sure it is healthy kind.

Try a big ol steak. That does me a lot of good!!!

[CGally81]

I hope I'm wrong, but you seem to be overly concerned with calories and perhaps your weight. Right now in your early stages you need to eat healthy and not worry about calories. If neede3d, you can lose weight later.

I agree with the others that you need more protein. Protein digests more slowly than carbs, so will keep you feeling full longer. Fat is necesssary. Don't try to cut it all out. Be sure it is healthy kind.

Try a big ol steak. That does me a lot of good!!!

Yeah, I do have some of that "lose weight later, just make my body happy now" mentality. Since I'm putting on muscle as well as fat, I could lose the fat later and keep the size 32 waist. The last time I weighed this much, I did NOT have a size 32 waist. In fact, looking through my old clothes, I was horrified to see a size 36 pair of pants that once fit me. (I didn't eat healthy in college)

In fact, today I felt hungrier than normal in the morning, even with a lot of peanut butter with breakfast, and had a dull hunger-related headache, but when I had (pardon my saying this) a very large bathroom break recently, I felt MUCH better. Despite not feeling C throughout the day. I've noticed some relationship between BMs and hunger. It's like I'm always hungrier - and much thirstier - than normal, then later in the day, I use the bathroom and, let's say that a lot gets done, and the hunger/thirst drop quite a bit, though I get some afterwards. This happens every now and then. I really hope that such events are signals, representing drops in hunger that are permanent.

Ultimately, my biggest concern is that this hunger won't go away, or will take forever to go away. I was pretty excited when my hunger was getting really low around the time I stopped eating Fudgsicles, but once I removed them... it shot way up.

I temporarily stopped eating calcium-containing foods, which literally means all dairy products in this case. I've never had symptoms from casein (whereas I had symptoms from Fudgsicles that took me a while to recognize, such as sudden and rapid blood sugar plummets an hour or two after eating the Fudgsicles). I'll be very angry if my hunger spikes again after removing dairy. (The good news is that my hunger appears not to have really dropped from removing the dairy, so it's unlikely to spike afterwards. Unlike with the Fudgsicles, where the rapid blood sugar drops - a glutening symptom - went away immediately, only for my overall hunger to spike a few days later) Especially since Christmas vacation is coming up, and I don't want to be eating tons of food every hour like the last time I went on vacation - August - which was the first time I went gluten-free!