Quick question-If I am dieting and getting at least 1 gm of protein per lb. of bodyweight and eating 5-6 small meals a day, how important is it for me to eat when I am hungry?? I am on a bit of a cutting diet but I am constantly hungry. Could I be cutting too much?? I don’t want my metabolism to slow to a crawl. I am also eating carbs and fat.
I am following a fairly isocaloric approach. I took my bodyweight (185) and figured on that many grams of protein and carbs (185 each). Then I figured out how many grams of fat would equaly that same caloric amount. Any help is appreciated. My diet is tight…fruits, veggies, nuts, no junk. But I am hungry.
Your hunger is a normal part of dieting. It’s just your body telling you that it doesn’t want to give up those fast stores and instead wants you to eat yourself back to your normal weight. Using MD6 can help with the cravings. Another thing I like to do in this situation is eat a lot of salads and munch on things like cucumbers. They put food in your stomach, but very few calories.
Your metabolism will slow to a crawl only if you suddenly drop your calories enough and keep them low consistently for a decent amount of time (which varies according to the individual). You want your body to do something it was not designed for: you want it to burn fat and keep muscle. You’re going to be hungry, that’s the bottom line. Your body isn’t used to this new level of energy intake…it will take time for it to adjust. Meanwhile, it thinks…“oh shit, not as much food coming in…send signal (hunger) to induce energy-saving and consuming behavior.”
Ultimately, if you can discipline your mind to be stronger than the hunger signals, you can be successful.