What does it mean if you take 3.5K cals and still feel hunger?

[MonarchX]

This is so odd. My hunger levels are fully satisfied when I do not workout and eat about 3000 calories a day. However, as soon as I start working out my body need up to 4K, but at least 3.5K calories a day to stay full (not overly full, but just enough).

So, that would mean - good metabolic rate. However, wouldn't that mean that if I would cut down to 2.5K calories or 2K calories - I would get cut pretty damn fast?

Well, I do not. In fact, eating 2.5K calories slows me down and makes me feel drained especially if I workout. So, in the end having 2.5K calories SLOWS down my metabolic rate.

ALL, I mean ALL charts show that with my body 3K should be enough for BULK, but don't you think that if you bulk and stay hungry then you are NOT getting caloric surplus???

The diet consists of 40-40-20 ALL healthy, unprocessed.

[kieltyka34]

the only way you can truly tell is to watch your bodyfat % when you up your calories. if you still feel hungry try upping the calories, probably some more fat and see if ur bf goes up and adjust ur diet according to ur results, not based on a general calculator for calories

[Sockomalo]

what are your stats? its hard to say from your info...

[mountain_drew]

You should eat a certain amount of cals and see how much time it takes until you get hungry again, ie : when your stomach shouts (dunno how to say it in English). It takes 3h for me to be really hungry after a 300 cals snack so I guess my body needs around 2400 cals a day (or a little bit less because of when I sleep, or a little bit more if I lift). That's not scientific at all but hey, our bodies are all different so we need a way to guess our specific needs.

[Alex88]

Your hunger is most likely psychological - not a good portrait of your real caloric requirements. And no, your metabolism doesn't "slow down" at 2.5k calories, nor does it increase significantly while on 3.5k calories (apart from the 100 or so calories from thermic effect of food)

[gymgrown]

ALL, I mean ALL charts show that with my body 3K should be enough for BULK, but don't you think that if you bulk and stay hungry then you are NOT getting caloric surplus???

NO charts take into account your metabolism, because you can't really know that statistic. You're 18 and 6'2" and exercising - I don't think 3.5kcal/day is in excess. I'm 24 and 5'11" and I eat that much, and I'm not fat. I can't really say if that's sustainable, but it always surprises me when people on here, weightlifters, eat sub-3000 calorie diets. Then again, I eat plenty of fat...

It's hard to go against the advice of a venerable member like Alex88, but it seems to me that, yes, your metabolism would go down if you eat a cutting diet and yes, you would feel hungrier on days you get a lot of exercise - and probably the next day too. Seems like conventional wisdom to me.

Dan

[spirit3530]

I suggest drinking more water. Most of the time when we feel hungry we are actually thirsty.