Insatiable appetite?

[stirling]

Hi
Does anyone struggle with feeling full or satisfied after a meal? I really do. I'm starving. OK, have always loved food but this is weird, eating a pretty large breakfast of porridge, fruit and salad platter, tea, some avacado and nuts, and still wanting more to eat.
I'm 49 and very peri.
Anyone else? Google search suggests its all part of the perimenopause, but I'm wondering what the solution is. Because I'm beginning to think that my belly fat is less to do with hormonal changes and more to do with the amount I'm eating.

Thank you

Yup I’m the same. Starving every two hours. Don’t feel full when eating but half an hour later I feel I have over eaten. Didn’t use to be like that. Used to know when to stop.

I go for acupuncture and mentioned that to the therapist and I will be getting treated for that as I’m burning through food too fast. I also can feel a bit faint on waking occasionally and defo on waking when on my period.

Good to know I'm not going mad then. Its rubbish isn't it...

I think maybe you need to stop eating so much! Reason being, the more we eat, the more we want. Your body gets used to feeling full or wanting to feel full.

I'd have thought a small bowl of porridge and some fruit was enough.

You don't have to respond to hunger pangs- maybe get something that's a distraction from the thoughts ?

Have you had your iron checked?
I turn into a human vacuum cleaner when my iron is low and it is a clear signal that I need to have a blood test!

Haven't had bloods done in ages.
Sound advice jingling but super hard to implement at the moment. I used to be able to do that, reduce portion size, hence reducing overall appetite. Doesn't work now. Like there's a beast inside of me!

But if you carry on as you are you will end up huge! You don't have to respond to 'hunger' pangs and the truth is you cannot be hungry after that amount of food. Maybe read one of the Paul Mckenna books on weight so you recognise 'true' hunger?

Totally sympathise I’m 49, assume I’m peri as have all the signs, and if I ate every time I’m hungry ide be massive as I’m large anyway, it’s only being on ww that stops me being as bad as ide like. I’m struggling to loose any weight but at least I’m not getting bigger. So fed up with feeling so low, tired, headachy every day, mood swings, and like I only get 1/3 of the month feeling normal.

@JinglingHellsBells, stop being so patronising, it's very annoying!

OP, I know exactly what you mean. I've always had to watch my weight to remain under 9 stone.

It indeed used to be a case of reducing what I eat, counting calories, smaller portions etc... and my appetite would then reduce significantly to the point of regularly not feeling hungry at all.

This has changed since the start of peri. I'm in constant hunger mode and it's been like this for now 3 years.

Because I really really don't want to put on weight, I am very carefully regulate what I eat and stick to 1500 to 1800 calories a day everything included whilst doing regular exercise, yet I feel hungry all the time, regardless how much I eat or don't eat.

I used to think it was due to meds I was taking but it started before I got on it and I've now even off for 3 months and still the same, so yes, I put it down to hormones. Its a real pain in the bum!

I was very similar with an insatiable appetite and gaining fast . I think it's something to do with leptin but sunny ask me what. What type of foods are you eating as bread , pasta , sugar etc causes insulin spikes and makes your body crave more.
I have been doing the fast 800 which has given me nearly a stone weight loss and no mad hunger anymore. I'm not suggesting anything as drastic but maybe have a look at the Mediterranean way of eating that reduces cravings . I know it's not easy and feel your pain .

Sunny should read don't ??

Keto keeps me on the straight and narrow now I’m menopausal. If I eat lots of carbs particularly things made with wheat flour, I crave food constantly. The best thing about keto is just not thinking about food. Sometimes it’s annoying not to fancy a treat of some kind but on the whole it’s a much easier way to live and as long as I stick to some basic rules I don’t worry about calories etc.

@dontdisturbmenow Can you say which part of my post is patronising? I thought that suggesting the Paul McKenna book might be helpful. It teaches people how to differentiate between 'real' hunger and their brain telling them to eat when the reason is something different. That's what I was trying to say about hunger pangs.

I don't think that peri is to blame for an increase in appetite. The only way it might be is if PMS symptoms increase because of low progesterone and anovular cycles when we can crave carbs.

I'm the same.
I can't "ignore hunger pangs" . I feel faint if I don't eat regularly.
I walk a lot and do Pilates to keep my weight under control

Whatever it is that I have isn’t a case of ignoring hunger pangs. This is new not something I’ve had for twenty years. I’m not obese and I eat way less on a plate than anyone I know.

However I’ve been conscious of this problem for a while now. I don’t eat every time I am hungry, many times I just drink water instead. So my stomach is not stretched and therefore telling me to eat. It’s burned through food too quickly and I am genuinely hungry. It feels like it needs to rumble, but doesn’t. Weirdly.

I wondered if I might be diabetic but no.

Iron deficiency could well be a thing though. I will increase my iron intake and see if it helps. Thanks for suggesting that.

Yes, this is me too! I'm 49 and currently feel like I could eat anything everything all the time... I also like my food, but this never really being full is something I've become more aware of only over the last 6 months or so. I do a lot of running but not enough to explain the constant wish to eat, and have also been a runner for a long time so I don't think that's causing it. I do have very low iron stores (ferritin levels) but am not anaemic but maybe there is some connection?

This is me too. The poster that said their tummy feels like it's needs to "grumble"! I have the Mirena Coil and my weight gain started with that, but I'm getting hungrier and hungrier so maybe the reduction in Oestrogen too??

@JinglingHellsBells, that bit

But if you carry on as you are you will end up huge! You don't have to respond to 'hunger' pangs and the truth is you cannot be hungry after that amount of food
For one, how can you know that OP would end up 'huge'?
For two, just telling to not respond to hunger pangs is pointless. If OP could, she wouldn't be posting. Same assaying that she can't be hungry after that amount of food, why would she post if she didn't still feel hungry!

As said, I too noticed a significant difference in my feeling of hunger. I totally accept that it's not my stomach talking, but something is trigerring my brain, the hypothalamus I believe, to think I need to eat.

You might not have any experience of this, and that's great for you, it doesn't mean that it doesn't happen to others. The menopause has definitely triggered something in me when it comes to hunger.

@collywobble, I retesting what you say about leptin. I shall look into it.

I'm still determine to not succumb to these hunger pangs, but it would be nice to stop having them. It's tiring to be fighting all day long to not respond to something that tells you to take action. Its a bit like fighting a voice inside.

Hi thanks for the replies and empathy! It is definitely something quite different to hunger in the past. The bit that annoys me the most is the need to eat "something else" after a substantial meal.

Got the fast 800 book but haven't yet tried, perhaps will. Did the plant paradox which is similar in some ways to keto and stopped feeling so hungry. But got bored of eating the same type of foods.
Agree that breads will definitely exacerbate the situation. Sugar does the most damage.

@dontdisturbmenow Have you had a sense of humour failure? The tone was meant to be supportive and a little bit jokey.
For a start, the OP said she was putting on weight.
Secondly, I have hunger pangs all bloody day long. I could eat loads at any point in time. Most people could!

*Have you had a sense of humour failure? The tone was meant to be supportive and a little bit jokey"
You should know better that posting on a forum, when we don't get to appreciate the ton of voice used and be party to facial expressions, what might be meant as 'jokey' comes out as patronising, especially when it relates to a matter that few ever find funny.

I did some reading about leptin. Very interesting. Sadly, it's not case of increasing leptin to make up for the deficit it's about leptin resistance.

An article I read linked leptin resistance with quality of sleep. I had my answer there! Everything is linked. I used to sleep very well and deeply no matter what stress I was under. Then menopause hit, increase in cortisol at night, and my sleep went to pants. Its not about the quantity but the quality.

I have indeed noticed that my appetite significantly increases after a number of very bad nights and get a bit better the rare times I sleep better.

I strongly believe that there is a lack of understsnding and research on the i.pact of poor quality sleep and the menopause. People always talk about quantity of sleep but so few know about quality. You can sleep 8 hours without being woken up, but if 90% of it is light sleep, you might wake up feeling you slept ok but actually having had very little restorative sleep.

Yes, the sleep thing is a big issue. I've never been a good sleeper and it's getting worse. Tired and fat. Why can't this whole thing be easy!

Just some thoughts.

Insulin resistance is a thing during peri/menopause so maybe have a look at that. Eating some protein at every meal can help. So maybe eggs for breakfast. Not eating any carbs without some protein on the side.

There is some evidence that drinking apple cider vinegar (with the mother) can help insulin resistance as well. A couple of tablespoons a day diluted in water and especially before a carb heavy meal.

My gynae recommends it for all peri/menopausal women.

Thanks Deux. I've been eating more protein and always with carbs. Eg two eggs for breakfast e Rey day. I'll try the apple cider vinegar. I remember trying it years ago as someone must have recommended it for weight loss.

Something for sleep that helps me is magnesium supplements about half an hour before bed. Also doing 6/6 breathing and sleeping on my front. 6/6 breathing uses more of your lungs. Do it during the day as well. So breathe in and out through your nose for a count of 6.

I've tried magnesium but somehow it has the opposite effect. Maybe a coincidence but definitely didn't help sadly.

I've cut carbs significantly and sugar expect for one treat a week, that is definitely helping a bit.