Lean Gains.... STARVING! what gives?

[toddmclain02]

So I am doing leangains... 1st week done, no real weight loss, maybe a lbs.

I eat at 1pm, 5pm, 9pm... 30% cals/ 30%/ 40% after workout.

My problem is i'm so hungry at 1pm that I eat like 40-50% of my cals at lunch from skipping breakfast... and I'm STILL hungry. Anyone else experience this empty stomach feeling on IF?

[TheMerch]

So I am doing leangains... 1st week done, no real weight loss, maybe a lbs.

I eat at 1pm, 5pm, 9pm... 30% cals/ 30%/ 40% after workout.

My problem is i'm so hungry at 1pm that I eat like 40-50% of my cals at lunch from skipping breakfast... and I'm STILL hungry. Anyone else experience this empty stomach feeling on IF?

Yup I get that as well. Usually if I give it 30-40m or so my mind realizes my body has been fed and the feeling goes away. I just have to make sure I stop eating before I use up all my days calories in order to allow that to happen. I got used to it though, now I eat 20%-25% of my day at lunch without much issue. Only time I have hunger issues now are 10pm-2am.

My system:
2pm - 20%-25%
6pm - workout
8pm - 40-50%
10pm - the rest

I try to sleep by 11pm before I get hungry again but that rarely happens. By morning I'm no longer hungry. :s

[sharpieblet]

you should either give it more time for your body to get used to not eating frequently, or switch to eating around a more comfortable schedule. fat loss will be the same as long as you're in a deficit, so eat whenever you want.

[JVRICHARDS]

Coffee Coffee Coffee. I couldn't do it without it.

[stephanielynn76]

I recommend giving it time. It took me 3-4 weeks to adjust and now it's very easy. I break fast around 12:30pm and I'm still shocked that I can go all morning without being ravenous or feeling like my blood sugar is too low. I also saw a significant drop in strength and stamina at first too but that was only temporary as well. The body is amazing in it's ability to adjust but you just have to be patient and give it time. The adjustment period is the hardest.

[Spanishdream]

Coffee Coffee Coffee. I couldn't do it without it.

Echoing this.

I recommend giving it time. It took me 3-4 weeks to adjust and now it's very easy. I break fast around 12:30pm and I'm still shocked that I can go all morning without being ravenous or feeling like my blood sugar is too low. I also saw a significant drop in strength and stamina at first too but that was only temporary as well. The body is amazing in it's ability to adjust but you just have to be patient and give it time. The adjustment period is the hardest.

And this.

Give it time, maybe add some coffee in there. It took me around a week and a half to adjust, but it's worth it because it's an excellent way to go about your diet.

[stephanielynn76]

Coffee Coffee Coffee. I couldn't do it without it.

Hot green tea is also helpful. Lipton makes some yummy flavors, my favorite being the one with coconut. I drink coffee in the morning but try to limit caffeine later in the day so I go for the tea...

[PurpleGorilla]

Eating a little is the downfall, eat normal (non-fast) or don't eat (fast 16-24hrs).

If you eat light it just kick starts your stomach, and in reality you basically want to turn it off.

BTW, you a are not 'starving'. this is starving:



Sorry, but it's a personal pet hate..

PG

[lee__d]

Eating a little is the downfall, eat normal (non-fast) or don't eat (fast 16-24hrs).

If you eat light it just kick starts your stomach, and in reality you basically want to turn it off.

BTW, you a are not 'starving'. this is starving:



Sorry, but it's a personal pet hate..

PG

Jeez, the 150lbers who wanna cut to see their 6 pack should take a look at that poor kid.

[dmacdonal9]

Coffe for sure, but water is the other thing. It's so easy to mistake thirst for hunger.

[SteveFromNY]

It definitely takes some time to get used to. I started drinking green tea as well, but my body has gotten completely used to leangains that I'm usually not hungry until 3-4ish and I'm in the office by 9. I've been on and off leangains for the past 5 months and I'm going to pick it up again to get my abs popping before the summer.

[vermeer]

I am now fully adjusted to the 16/8..... I was doing very well for the first 2 months.. then I started getting these powerful sugar binges! and hunger pains

this is how I fixed it I re-evaluated my macronutrients. and calories deficit... and was a tad below by only 250 grams. I am now having 1750 more grams a week and my hunger is now gone! coffee helps but do you really want to really heavily on caffeine? thats your choice... try increasing your fiber as well... I have raspberries for my carbs and fiber...

[wings_unhinged]

I've personally found LeanGains is not for me. I don't just stop getting hungry (getting used to it) during the fasting period. Maybe you're the same.

I can do it though with keto. My appetite is suppressed doing it.

[vermeer]

Eating a little is the downfall, eat normal (non-fast) or don't eat (fast 16-24hrs).

If you eat light it just kick starts your stomach, and in reality you basically want to turn it off.

BTW, you a are not 'starving'. this is starving:



Sorry, but it's a personal pet hate..

PG

Did you really need to post a disturbing picture like that? seriously man.... that is not a joke.. and yeah that kid is starving! makes me pissed off that people are still starving in todays day and age...

[OpticNerve33]

Coffee Coffee Coffee. I couldn't do it without it.

Definitely this. Cold water and hot/cold tea are also helpful. You can also get flavor packets for water that are calorie free, and taste pretty good, too.

[CarlosInTampa]

I'm finding that the days I'm most hungry before that first meal I haven't had enough of the casein protein before going to bed the night before.

[BBain]

Eating a little is the downfall, eat normal (non-fast) or don't eat (fast 16-24hrs).

If you eat light it just kick starts your stomach, and in reality you basically want to turn it off.

BTW, you a are not 'starving'. this is starving:

Sorry, but it's a personal pet hate..

PG

It's a matter of expression. Those who are cutting to an extreme may feel as though they are staving, for in reality their body feels as though it is starving when compared to what it was previously conformed to. The child in that photograph is beyond starving, he or she is severely malnourished and it is beyond my imagination as to why the world can't get together and end such an epidemic.

It may be a pet peeve of yours when someone says they feel as though they are staving, but the feeling of starvation (not the very act of starvation) is subjective to one's own personal state of being. Someone who is used to eating 5,000 plus calories a day would feel starved on an average of 2,000 calories. Until a time where their body becomes reaccustomed to the new calorie intake.

[Shepherd1125]

drink lots of water, green tea, doing productive things and try not get distracted because of food craving.

and EC stack helps a ton.

[cuckfonformity]

I'm finding that the days I'm most hungry before that first meal I haven't had enough of the casein protein before going to bed the night before.

Pretty much this. If I use up my fats on other foods earlier and don't get in my milk /6 eggs/broccoli (fiber) in my last meal, I'm pretty hungry by the time lunch hits. Otherwise, I'm fine.

As previously stated, water helps too. If you wake up and go to work during the fast, it's pretty easy to forget about getting enough water and getting dehydrated since you're not consuming any from food, either.