low body fat & hungry still even over calorie intake

[meganmereniuk]

So I'm female, 5'7 and weigh 138 lbs. My body fat is at 11.9% and I recently started struggling with always being hungry! I've increased my fat intake and lowered carb, About 20c, 40f, 40p and water intake by double and I am still hungry! Usually about 20 min after eating a meal over 600cals I'm still very hungry.

My tdee said about 2200 for my goals and I've been playing around with this and I was up to 2600 for a week and was still feeling the same hunger! I gained a few lbs as well because of this.

I eat red meat 3-4 times a week, lots of almond butter, vegetables high in fiber, usually a piece of fruit a day, whole eggs, etc. I work out about 5 times per week lifting heavy and cardio 2-3x only for 20 min.

I'm stuck. My body doesn't react well to carbs, hence the high fat diet, although I eat tons on my cheat days like rice pasta, fruits and potatoes. I eat wheat free also.

[cirion0000]

Axe the cheat days (unless you are trying for a planned CKD or something) but even at that if you are struggling a pure SKD is your best bet. Also those macros are horrendous. No wonder you are so hungry all the time. The carbs are okay for keto (under 20-30g is general the norm so you're good there). That comes out to 600 calories. You are under on protein, and WAY under on fat. Don't use these numbers necessarily, but I would guess you need at least 70g protein and 125-150g fat or something like that. If you don't give the body the fuel it requires, it will most certainly complain at you (aka extreme hunger or other symptoms). Your cheat days are probably wasting all the effort you have put in other days making your suffering for naught.

[Atavis]

If you are hungry... Eat more.

[meganmereniuk]

Axe the cheat days (unless you are trying for a planned CKD or something) but even at that if you are struggling a pure SKD is your best bet. Also those macros are horrendous. No wonder you are so hungry all the time. The carbs are okay for keto (under 20-30g is general the norm so you're good there). That comes out to 600 calories. You are under on protein, and WAY under on fat. Don't use these numbers necessarily, but I would guess you need at least 70g protein and 125-150g fat or something like that. If you don't give the body the fuel it requires, it will most certainly complain at you (aka extreme hunger or other symptoms). Your cheat days are probably wasting all the effort you have put in other days making your suffering for naught.

Thanks. I think I got the percentages wrong - I'm eating about 90-100 g of fat per day and over 140 in protein. The weird thing is I was eating like this a month ago and then after Christmas (I ate lots of carbs), I started feeling hungry when I went back to my regular diet.

[cirion0000]

Thanks. I think I got the percentages wrong - I'm eating about 90-100 g of fat per day and over 140 in protein. The weird thing is I was eating like this a month ago and then after Christmas (I ate lots of carbs), I started feeling hungry when I went back to my regular diet.

Yes. You should minimize your protein (but don't completely eliminate it) as it also can contribute to glucose rises - which can inhibit ketosis and prevent full adaption. The consensus seems to be 0.6-0.8g/lb of bodyweight with most people going towards the 0.6 end just to be sure, so at your weight 140g protein is a bit much (but don't go down to the 40g stated earlier either as that's too low!). Fat should always comprise the bulk of your calories. I'm not sure what you're TDEE is but I'm gonna guess you need alot more than 100g fat a day. Some people around here don't even restrict their calories. If you have the correct ratios, you will find you will (usually) tend to actually eat slightly lower than maintenance on a properly built keto diet. Keto isn't some magic diet that allows you to violate the laws of thermodynamics, but the reduced appetite + some argue that you can indeed eat slightly more calories on keto without gaining mass makes it appealing.

Cliffs:
Ideally under 20-30g carbs
No more than 0.6-0.8g/lb bodyweight of protein
Fill rest of calories with fat
Profit

[thekow]

How long were you on the diet previously before adjusting?

[meganmereniuk]

Yes. You should minimize your protein (but don't completely eliminate it) as it also can contribute to glucose rises - which can inhibit ketosis and prevent full adaption. The consensus seems to be 0.6-0.8g/lb of bodyweight with most people going towards the 0.6 end just to be sure, so at your weight 140g protein is a bit much (but don't go down to the 40g stated earlier either as that's too low!). Fat should always comprise the bulk of your calories. I'm not sure what you're TDEE is but I'm gonna guess you need alot more than 100g fat a day. Some people around here don't even restrict their calories. If you have the correct ratios, you will find you will (usually) tend to actually eat slightly lower than maintenance on a properly built keto diet. Keto isn't some magic diet that allows you to violate the laws of thermodynamics, but the reduced appetite + some argue that you can indeed eat slightly more calories on keto without gaining mass makes it appealing.

Cliffs:
Ideally under 20-30g carbs
No more than 0.6-0.8g/lb bodyweight of protein
Fill rest of calories with fat
Profit

You are awesome. Thank you so much. I'm going to be changing things up today and aiming for those numbers!

[meganmereniuk]

How long were you on the diet previously before adjusting?

I had made it a lifestyle for about 6-7 months and dropped about 5 lbs over this time. My body fat had lowered very recently though, after Christmas when I got back into the routine.

[Lvisaa2]

Yes. You should minimize your protein (but don't completely eliminate it) as it also can contribute to glucose rises - which can inhibit ketosis and prevent full adaption. The consensus seems to be 0.6-0.8g/lb of bodyweight with most people going towards the 0.6 end just to be sure, so at your weight 140g protein is a bit much (but don't go down to the 40g stated earlier either as that's too low!). Fat should always comprise the bulk of your calories. I'm not sure what you're TDEE is but I'm gonna guess you need alot more than 100g fat a day. Some people around here don't even restrict their calories. If you have the correct ratios, you will find you will (usually) tend to actually eat slightly lower than maintenance on a properly built keto diet. Keto isn't some magic diet that allows you to violate the laws of thermodynamics, but the reduced appetite + some argue that you can indeed eat slightly more calories on keto without gaining mass makes it appealing.

Cliffs:
Ideally under 20-30g carbs
No more than 0.6-0.8g/lb bodyweight of protein
Fill rest of calories with fat
Profit

She was posting macronutrient percentages, not the actual numbers. 20/40/40 was the ratio.

Also, I highly doubt you're that low on bf%. For a women that is like stage ready in the physique class . So unless you look like this (although DLB is probably a bit below 11.9%) then you don't have the correct bf%.


The above suggestions are good for keto, but many diets can and will work. You may try changing around your meals, I've found regardless of diet that a higher fat, moderate protein, very low carb breakfast (although I don't eat until ~noon every day) is best to help with hunger. Sometimes a diet isn't the problem, but the nuisances in the way you constructed it.

[cirion0000]

She was posting macronutrient percentages, not the actual numbers. 20/40/40 was the ratio.

The above suggestions are good for keto, but many diets can and will work. You may try changing around your meals, I've found regardless of diet that a higher fat, moderate protein, very low carb breakfast (although I don't eat until ~noon every day) is best to help with hunger. Sometimes a diet isn't the problem, but the nuisances in the way you constructed it.

Oh, I got confused apparently. My advice still stands for keto though, and you're right... many diets can work, I just assumed that because this was posted in keto that the poster wanted keto advice. I am still a keto newbie (2 weeks in, not even fully inducted yet still having some symptoms but improving) but I already enjoy how easy it is to stay under in calories compared to when I used to eat carbs, not to mention blood sugar stability. Personally I already don't see myself ever going back to a carb laden (or even just "moderate" carb) diet, but to each their own.

[meganmereniuk]

She was posting macronutrient percentages, not the actual numbers. 20/40/40 was the ratio.

Also, I highly doubt you're that low on bf%. For a women that is like stage ready in the physique class . So unless you look like this (although DLB is probably a bit below 11.9%) then you don't have the correct bf%.

The above suggestions are good for keto, but many diets can and will work. You may try changing around your meals, I've found regardless of diet that a higher fat, moderate protein, very low carb breakfast (although I don't eat until ~noon every day) is best to help with hunger. Sometimes a diet isn't the problem, but the nuisances in the way you constructed it.

About the percentage, I had it done on calipers and it came to 11.9. I did the handheld body fat percentage measurement and that came out to 14% so nonetheless, I'm on the lower end of the scale.

I've been experimenting and I upped my calorie intake, but I quickly gained a few lbs - it might have been just because I think I went too high on the carbs. I'm still working things out but I appreciate your advice.

[DustyChicago]

In his book "The Perfect Health Diet," Paul Jaminet actually discusses how some cultures have different words for different types of hunger. There is the hunger people get from not having enough total calories, the hunger people get from not having enough protein, and the hunger for carbohydrate.

You may have to fine tune your hunger to the specific food you need. It could also be a deficiency in a particular micro-nutrient (iodine is a oft-culprit if you dont eat sea-weed or oysters, you're not supping, and dont use iodized salt.)

Could just be the blood-sugar dropping from the fruit too.

Could be that you're not carrying enough body-fat and you need to gain some weight.

[meganmereniuk]

In his book "The Perfect Health Diet," Paul Jaminet actually discusses how some cultures have different words for different types of hunger. There is the hunger people get from not having enough total calories, the hunger people get from not having enough protein, and the hunger for carbohydrate.

You may have to fine tune your hunger to the specific food you need. It could also be a deficiency in a particular micro-nutrient (iodine is a oft-culprit if you dont eat sea-weed or oysters, you're not supping, and dont use iodized salt.)

Could just be the blood-sugar dropping from the fruit too.

Could be that you're not carrying enough body-fat and you need to gain some weight.

That is interesting information...thanks! I don't eat seafood at all so maybe that's it. I was also told by a friend who is keto and follows it very well, and she mentioned I may be too low in body fat as well. Personally I don't think I am (like pretty much any girl would say!).