Hungry A Lot

[Monael]

I have been gluten free for about a week or so-I should have written down the day but I forgot. Anyways, I noticed that have been hungry a lot! Way more than normal. For instance, I just ate dinner, pot roast, potatoes, carrots and onions. I ate a pretty good size portion. But I still feel hungry. Is this common or is it just me?

[Junot]

I`ve been real hungry later, even when Im eating or eating certain things, its like its asking for a certain type of food or nutrient that its not gettig. If I just keep eating meat I wont get full til I have some fruit or something more than meat and potatos, I dont really know whats goin on, but i felt the same last night.

[Jestgar]

It's common. Your body has finally realized that you've come to your senses and stopped feeding it poison and by gum it's gonna get what it needs.

[Jill0711]

I was starving for about a month after going gluten-free. I think your body has essentially been starving for so long that when that is no longer the case, it just wants you to eat and eat. It does settle down after being gluten-free for awhile.

[Bamberz1977]

Eating every two hours helps me deal with the hunger,plus it helps ensure that I'm watching what I eat (by forcing me to pack my own snacks) instead of stopping at the store and grabbing a bag of Frito's.

[Monael]

I think it is because I am mostly eating lean meats, some fruits and veggies, and a bit of nuts and yogurt. I am scared to eat too many other things until I really get a handle on the ins and outs of eating gluten free. I made a mistake of eating a granola bar because it didn't list any gluten ingredients but it really messed me up. I don't know if it is because I am also oat sensitive or if it was cross contamination. I am going to wait a bit then try some gluten free oats to see. I really love oatmeal so I hope I can have it.

[Angelica]

I think it is because I am mostly eating lean meats, some fruits and veggies, and a bit of nuts and yogurt. I am scared to eat too many other things until I really get a handle on the ins and outs of eating gluten free. I made a mistake of eating a granola bar because it didn't list any gluten ingredients but it really messed me up. I don't know if it is because I am also oat sensitive or if it was cross contamination. I am going to wait a bit then try some gluten free oats to see. I really love oatmeal so I hope I can have it.

I went gluten free two weeks ago and have been having the same problem-- I want to eat everything! (And like you, I have mainly been eating lean meats, veggies, and fruits). I have learned to curb this by drinking lots of water-- it is an old dieter's trick I learned from a few super-skinny friends-- drink sparkling water with a meal (that is, if carbonation doesn't bother you. If it does, don't do it.) It helps you feel full.

Also I drink lots of hot tea- so instead of eating I drink! But still, when I come home I usually ravage an apple with peanut butter before I make dinner because I am so hungry. I totally understand.

[Debbie B in MD]

You need to make sure you are getting enough calories. Try good fats to satisfy you. Check out this page on Marks Daily Apple. I have nothing to do with the site other than that I read it a lot. Open Original Shared Link

[Monael]

You need to make sure you are getting enough calories. Try good fats to satisfy you. Check out this page on Marks Daily Apple. I have nothing to do with the site other than that I read it a lot. Open Original Shared Link

That's a good point, Debbie, I am going to add some fat and see if it helps. I always feel this constant hunger. It is worth a try.

[domesticactivist]

I had the same problem. It went away when we started eating enough fat. The idea that saturated fat is bad for you is increasingly being shown by science to be wrong. While transfats are terrible, naturally saturated fats are essential to a healthy diet. Our culture has taken out the fat and replaced it with sugar in order to feel full - so when you cut gluten (and with it, a lot of sugar) and don't replace those calories, you get HUNGRY!!! (and experience sugar withdrawals).

Here are the sources of fats that we use: avacados, coconut butter, (grass fed, organic) beef fat, duck fat, (free range) chicken fat, ghee or butter, nuts, olive oil.

[AzizaRivers]

When I first when gluten free after being diagnosed, I was RAVENOUS for about 2 weeks. I mean seriously hungry. Like I had to carrying around packs of gluten-free pretzels when I went to class because I couldn't make it from breakfast at 9 to lunch at 11 without becoming so hungry I would get intense hunger pains. I chalked it up to the fact that my body hadn't been absorbing nutrients for quiet awhile and now it was being given things it would handle so it was pretty excited.

I didn't want to try any tricks to curb the hunger because I had lost so much weight from being sick that I figured if my body was asking for it, that meant that it needed it. I just made sure the food I was eating was real food with real nutrients that would help me, not junk.