Lieren

Anyone got ideas about what I should be eating so I'm not *continuously* eating? My coworkers tease me about how much I eat; my entire backpack is filled with food when I leave for work in the morning. I get hungry--really hungry--about every 1.5 to 2 hours and recently had a complete melt-down in front of my entire department related to not having eaten on "my schedule" (shaky, dizzy, etc.). I'd like to reduce my eating frequency as it's hard to manage at my work and is also kind of wearing me out in terms of preparation.

I currently eat during the workday yogurt, dried fruit, nuts, a cheese stick, a couple small chocolate bars, and two "real lunches" (typically leftovers and tuna mixed with beans with crackers). Some days I also have an apple or applesauce. And compared to a lot of others on these fora, I'm not even that physically active (commute 50 mpw, maybe do a 30-40 mile ride once a month, run 25 mpw). FWIW, I'm a woman over 40 and have always eaten a lot for someone my size.

(P.S. I'm also making an appointment with a nutritionist.)

nkfrench 

See if you can cut way back on the sugars (dried fruit, chocolate, apples/applesauce, possibly yogurt), be cautious with the other carbs (crackers), and increase protein with a little fat.
Yogurt with fruit can be full of sugar.
Drink lots of water. Add some vegetables. Maybe a little peanut butter on whole-grain crackers (keep at work) if you need a snack.

Are you maintaining, gaining, or losing weight? Are you at an appropriate size or do you want to gain/lose weight?
When I was at my lowest weight I was miserable if mealtimes were delayed.
The stomach growlies weren't so bad but the brain fog and inability to concentrate were very detrimental to my job and social life.

DnvrFox

Have you had a fasting blood sugar?

Could be hypoglycemia.

https://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hyp...SECTION=causes

Diddii

https://taraburner.com/wp-content/upl...nal-hunger.jpg

could this be the case? emotional hunger instead of physical hunger. If it's physical hunger then i guess your body is calling for energy :/

Machka 

1. Get checked for hypoglycaemia (and diabetes).

2. As long as you're slender, keep eating. Who cares what your coworkers think. If you start putting on weight, then you might have to make some adjustments.


I was diagnosed with hypoglycaemia when I was about 17, and I also need to eat about every 2 hours during the day while I am awake. So I try to pick snacks that are higher in protein and lower on the Glycemic Index.

DnvrFox

Ditto on the hypoglycemia for my wife. I can ride for a long time w/out any food - my wife needs replenishing constantly. She can get real weak real fast.

Machka 

And it is as the OP describes ... dizzy, shaky, irritable/weepy, disoriented. Even a bit nauseated.

Everything can be going along just fine, and all of a sudden ...


But fortunately it is easily fixed by having some crackers and cheese or something.

Lieren

I didn't even mention the weepy, disoriented, nauseated part! (I do my best to not let things get to this stage, but when it happens it is full breakdown. My husband has seen it but my coworkers were pretty startled. We were out on a team-building exercise and I drank four of those kid-sized containers of milk before I could even handle a conversation with them about why I was being so weird.) But wouldn't someone at my advanced age already know about this?

Machka 

I was diagnosed at 17 ... how long have you been experiencing this?

DnvrFox

Your body can change for a number of reasons - thyroid requirements or a thyroid tumor, for example. My wife is 75 - actually, it is better now than it used to be, and she did see a nurse practitioner who specializes in nutrition/additives, etc. She had a change in type of thyroid, a very low Vitamin D3 level, and an extremely high cortisol level. When these were corrected, it helped - did not cure, but helped a lot.

Lieren

Machka: Well. Aspects of it, a long time. Starting in high school, I would say. But many of the women in my family are slender types that can put away vast amounts of food, so it's never seemed odd. The hungry-all-the-time issues have definitely been much harder to manage when doing lots of distance running or cycling, nursing a baby (but your whole metabolism is insane then and it's kind of to be expected), and during Philly summers (the current situation). I was tested (twice) for gestational diabetes, which I thought would pick up other blood sugar issues? (It's a fasting test and honestly I didn't pay much attention to it aside from my irritation at the fasting.)

(Oh, and btw, I don't expect anyone to be my internet doctor, but this is interesting.)

DnvrFox

Well, the inet is a terrible place for med advice, as you noted. How about a checkup?

Machka 

If I were you, I'd get checked again.

I had a glucose tolerance test, where you drink this bottle of ultra sweet stuff, and then they test your blood sugar levels every half hour for 4 or 5 hours.

catonec 

are there any actual real medical doctors on BF?

DnvrFox

Yes

I know two right now, and in the past there have been several


They generally don't diagnose by posts, though!!

catonec 

I was just curious because often there is alot of medical questions/ responses on a page dedicated to cycling.

I would not stake my health on what some anonymous cyclist said.

Real doctors know that you cant accurately diagnose a medical condition by a few rambling lines of text. At least a physical examine would be required with most of these issues. smart to not identify themselves as a medical professional or dole out advice.

Machka 

Fortunately, most of us do suggest that people see a Dr.

I'm not quite sure why you've chosen this thread in which to lecture everyone about something we already know.

Rowan

Interesting that. I have had interpretations of my heart tests and other ultrasound scans done by someone I have never met, let alone who has done an actual physical exam on me.

The advice to seek further testing has been given. I don't know what you are making an issue of. Maybe you need to eat something. Here, have a Snickers...

catonec 

easy folks. I am no where near being upset about anything. Im just voicing my opinion on an open forum.

Machka 

That's fine ... we're just a bit puzzled why you chose this thread, one where several people suggested that the OP seek medical attention, to voice an opinion about online "medical" advice.

Anyway, that's what this training and nutrition forum is for ... it's here for people to inquire about their nutritional questions (as the OP did), their training questions, and also questions about dealing with cycling-related or other injuries, illness, etc.

Occasionally people do come right out and ask for medical advice, and we recommend that they see their Dr. However, sometimes people need to know that they are not alone in experiencing something ... and they want to know if what they are experiencing might be something to consult a Dr about.


I feel for the OP because I'm in the same boat. I also graze throughout the day, and get teased about it by coworkers, classmates etc. But if I don't graze throughout the day, I "bonk" (dizzy, shaky, irritable/weepy, disoriented, nauseated, etc.). It's a bit hard for me to understand how people can go 3 or 4 hours without eating anything.

Fortunately my mother is a nurse, and when I started going through this back when I was 17, she took me to the Dr and insisted I get tested to find out what was wrong. And of course, that's exactly what I'd recommend Lieren do.

However, whether or not she is diagnosed with hypoglycaemia, nkfrench and I both advised eating a healthy, well-balanced (low GI) diet ... which is good advice for all of us.