Hungry horrors?

jsutera

jsutera

Cathlete
Is it just me or has anyone else had a serious case of the hungry horrors since starting STS? I'm just finishing up week 3 (ouch!) and have woken up and/or gone to bed with a growling stomach! That - or as soon as I'm done eating lunch, I'm hungry again! I haven't dramatically altered my eating, just cleaned it up a bit but now I'm wondering if I may need to eat a smidge more during the STS rotation? Part of it could be that I've really amped up my cardio workouts either doing an hour of spinning or running which are both intense workouts for me.

Anyone else running into this and have some tips? I just worry about eating *too* much more because I'm really hoping to see those results at the end of the rotation!!
 
Me too! I am on M1, disk 8 (but I'm doing the first month compressed into 3.5 weeks), and have started to feel ravenous. My strategy has been to go heavy on super nutrient-rich foods, like protein (lots of tofu, turkey, etc) and good carbs (brown rice, bulgur and barley instead of pasta or white rices). I also have been keeping lots of fruit around, and increased my water intake (amazing how much that helps). I am definitely eating when I feel hungry -- I figure that's my body's way of telling me it needs something.

What have you been trying?
 
I'm trying to cut fat, so I don't want to increase my calories.
I've recently gone to larger meals and eating less frequently. Eating 6 small meals was not satisfying me. I would eat my small meal already thinking of my next meal because I was still hungry! The larger meals make it much easier for me to wait for the next. I'm now eating 4 meals instead of 6.
 
I've been gaining a 1/2 a pound every day this week! I'm hoping it is just water weight or something.
 
I, too have gained weight and am very hungry-all of the time:( I hope it's just my body getting used to the STS system. If not, maybe it's that I'm adding more muscle:eek: Kris
 
I'm glad it's not only me! I've been trying to eat more protein-ish foods and focusing on quality ingredients - for example, instead of a salad with iceberg, I'm going with baby spinach, stuff like that. I might just need to add another snack into the mix on STS days - or days with super-intense cardio? I think I'm just sick of the same "go-to" foods I tend to eat, anyone finding any good protein-rich, good-carb snack combos that tend to work for them that I might want to try? I tend to eat string cheese, a handful of nuts paired with fruit for snacks. Yogurt after I work out in the morning too (the greek kind). Any other goodies?
 
I also find I need a LOT more water during my STS workouts than in other Cathe cardio-intense workouts, which I find odd, since her workouts are always such sweatfests! and, I too and always hungry! more than normal!! Guess that could be a good thing ;-) burn baby burn!!
 
Me too! DH says I've been the bottomless pit for 3 weeks! Worse part is my hunger is making me crave carbs! Thats a bad thing when you're carb sensitive... I'm STILL trying to find a strategy that works. :confused:

jsutera said:
Is it just me or has anyone else had a serious case of the hungry horrors since starting STS? I'm just finishing up week 3 (ouch!) and have woken up and/or gone to bed with a growling stomach! That - or as soon as I'm done eating lunch, I'm hungry again! I haven't dramatically altered my eating, just cleaned it up a bit but now I'm wondering if I may need to eat a smidge more during the STS rotation? Part of it could be that I've really amped up my cardio workouts either doing an hour of spinning or running which are both intense workouts for me.

Anyone else running into this and have some tips? I just worry about eating *too* much more because I'm really hoping to see those results at the end of the rotation!!
Click to expand...
 
Definitely! Craving carbs more than I have in recent months, and I've given in to the craving too many times, especially with not-so-good carbs. I'm trying to up the lean protein intake, controlled intake of good fats, and eating lots of fresh veggies. I'm definitely carb-sensitive, so I have to pay attention, also with portion size. I know part of it is my body getting used to the extra beating I'm putting on it with STS. I'm only in my second week of the 6.5 month program. I'm guessing it'll level out soon... at least I hope it will!! :eek:
 
I'm feeling hungrier too.

Some snacks that are easy that work for me:

1/3 cup dry oats, cooked
1 cup berries
1 cup greek yoghurt

that comes to about 300 cals and more than 20 grams of protein and it feels filling to me.

Another quick one I use is oatmeal with apple sauce and whey protein added after cooking. You can tweak the amount to fit your calorie goal

If you want less calories you can do just the yoghurt with the berries

Of course a quick easy one is always blending a fruit with protein powder and I add some ground flax for healthy fat.

I have been working on a breakfast cookie recipe to tweak it to become a protein cookie with all clean ingredients. Somehow eating a cookie, even if it has lots of whole wheat and oats just feels like a splurge :)

I also just don't like the junk most protein bars have in them and sometimes I just need something I can grab and go. These cookies will be in my freezer so I will have something when I'm in a crunch.

I will post the recipe after a couple of more batches of experimenting, so be looking for it in the recipe forum.
 
so i'm not insane :) I've been starving like a horse since I started and wake up hungry in middle of nite. I due the abs oatmeal in the morning which has oatmeal. flakeseed, half banana, and the recently dreaded peanut butter. but I use peanut butter powder. it seems to get me thru breakfast.

I spin and run on the treadmill on my cardio days. I even think sweat more . I pray I don't gain any more weight.
 
I gained about six pounds the first couple of weeks and prayed it was water because I wasn't eating any differently, which was hard because I am definitely more hungry! During week three I lost four pounds and am hoping the other two come off soon. I was actually hoping to lose a little during meso one because it's endurance and I was afraid I might gain during meso two since it's hypertrophy.

I also noticed I was fatigued a lot during the first couple of weeks, but that seems to be gone now. Unfortunately, the hunger isn't. :(
 
cendrine said:
I'm feeling hungrier too.

Some snacks that are easy that work for me:

1/3 cup dry oats, cooked
1 cup berries
1 cup greek yoghurt

that comes to about 300 cals and more than 20 grams of protein and it feels filling to me.

Another quick one I use is oatmeal with apple sauce and whey protein added after cooking. You can tweak the amount to fit your calorie goal

If you want less calories you can do just the yoghurt with the berries

Of course a quick easy one is always blending a fruit with protein powder and I add some ground flax for healthy fat.

I have been working on a breakfast cookie recipe to tweak it to become a protein cookie with all clean ingredients. Somehow eating a cookie, even if it has lots of whole wheat and oats just feels like a splurge :)

I also just don't like the junk most protein bars have in them and sometimes I just need something I can grab and go. These cookies will be in my freezer so I will have something when I'm in a crunch.

I will post the recipe after a couple of more batches of experimenting, so be looking for it in the recipe forum.
Click to expand...



those are great suggestions! I'm going to have to try a few of these. I love oatmeal and I haven't tried the apple sauce trick before. Cool.
 
I've definitely noticed an increase in appetite, but my weight loss has remained steady. I'm nursing a monster baby, so that probably helps:eek:. I've increased my calorie intake slightly (clean eats), to prevent getting so hungry I binge. I also took some before pictures to inspire me--scary--I printed them out and I'm going to put them in my STS note book with my workout cards and stats.

Maggie:)
 
I've definitely had a bigger appetite! But I know I'm working much harder than I had been and really pushing myself so I'm not surprised. Being challenged to hit all those reps with my 1RM has been very motivating (and challenging)! So I've increased my protein and make sure I have a good mix of complex carbs (I love wheat berry with everything!) along with fruits and vegetables.

So far, I haven't gained any weight so my calories in and calories out must be balanced!

Jo
 
I just packed my lunch for tomorrow and made one extra snack in case my usual afternoon snack isn't enough. I usually have breakfast (in phases - part 1 at home, part 2 at the office) and lunch and a snack around 4pm, dinner around 7pm. I brought an extra snack for mid-morning in case I find I'm famished as I have been lately! I'm going to try a little baggie of raisins/peanuts/fiber one to see if that helps at all. I'll let ya'll know how it goes!
PS. Did STS disc 10 meso cycle 1 today and am DEAD, that was the hardest one yet! Might've also been due to the 5k I ran on the treadmill first though that did me in ;)
 
Muscle growing is high calorie business.
I've discovered an average 200-250kc/d increase in my intakes.

I guess it will be the old gain muscle first...then go to cutting phase.

I'm definitely stronger - struggling with the last two-three reps,
BUT, finishing every exercise and grateful for the SOLID feel in my muscles.

Crazy how we are all in a similar place.

Muscles are THIS girl's best friend!!!
 
Me too!!

...and, I caved in and ate the dreaded carbs. Somehow,though, I think the hunger is my body shedding the fat, if I could just ignore it.

But, what is the deal wiht greek yogurt? Why is is better that regular? I saw it at the grocery but it was a lot more expensive that the other.
 
Greek yoghurt packs a ton more protein than regular yoghurt.

I'm lucky to have a Trader Joe's here. I get the trader joes brand and it has 22g of protein per 120 calories, that's the nonfat kind. I love it and like to mix it with berries. The name brand greek yoghurt that they carry is almost twice as expensive and has slightly less protein.
I think the reason it has more protein is because some of the liquid gets strained off.

I hope that answers your question. :)
 
Hungry horrors--just those 2 words made me crack up.

I've definitely been hungrier since starting STS and I'm only starting week 2 today, but not hungry in the sense that I want to eat another meal, but I want snacks, something to just tide me over. I'm really hungry before bed, despite eating a meal with meat and three sides (fiance and I are big vegetable eaters). I cook us dinner every night and eat until I'm full or swear that I can't take another bite and an hour later, well...you all know.

I really don't understand why this is. I've been working out regularly for the last three years and have never experienced this before. Although the STS workouts do challenge me, lets be realistic, it's not that different than other routines and the first week didn't blow me away nor did I have trouble keeping up. Lets put it this way, I got through the leg workout fine, but if I was do GS legs I never know if I'll make it to the end.

Anyone have any reasoning for why we're so hungry?

--Tara
 
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