I started working seriously 7-8 months ago, I feel weak if I dont eat like every 3-4 hours or so

enochnaki

New member
Hi guys, I was a skinny guy 170cm 55kgs. I started working out seriously like 7-8 months ago and gained like 5 kgs of weight. I dont have trouble working out, its become a habit. But diet is a different story, I am struggling with it. I never had a good apetite. A new problem I am facing now is that I feel weak if I dont eat like every 3-4 hours. I am used to skipping meals often I was fine when I was skinny when I did this. But now I feel like I am dying if I skip meals. Is this normal?
 
@enochnaki Ofc, your body needs energy to exist. You grow muscle so your body is bigger and it uses more energy and overall since you exercise more you use more energy. There's nothing shameful to eating more food.
 
@a1473o Correct. Food is energy. Your not eating enough food, perhaps not enough protein. If you want to stay slim and build muscle (me to! Me to!)
Think plants based foods and steaks and other meats.
 
@enochnaki the more muscle you put on the more calories you burn. even if youre the same weight, you will still burn more bc muscle burns more than fat.

what youre not used to thinking about is also thinking about eating specifically satiating foods.

just eating a meal consisting of 200cal yogurt will be way less filling than 200cal worth of potatoes for example. potatoes are like #1 in terms of feeling satiating btw

so technically you dont have to eat that much “more” physically speaking but you need to be conscious of what youre eating to help you stay feeling full.

have enough carbs to keep your energy up and retain water, have enough fats to keep your hormones and recovery healthy, and eat enough protein to keep you full and grow muscle

no need to skip meals, and it helps to have apps like macrofactor to help w maintenance or bulking. sometimes we vastly underestimate or overestimate what we need to be eating. and its difficult calculating metabolisms since its constantly fluctuating
 
@enochnaki You need calories (energy) just to merely exist. You need calories (energy) to go about your day to day. You need calories (energy) to support your workouts. You need calories (energy) to grow muscle mass. You need calories (energy) to support additional muscle mass. You need calories (energy) to aid in recovery.

Frankly, eating every 3-4 hours is a pretty typical eating pattern for most people regardless of what their fitness regime is (or lack thereof). Outside of sleeping, I'd say yeah...it's pretty normal.
 
@enochnaki It could be because you don’t eat enough proteins.. if you struggle with food consumption try huel shakes. They are great alternatives as meal replacement
 
@dawn16 theres no need to bulk more than a standard bulking rate. what this person needs is diet and nutritional advice to help stay full, not an unnecessary bulk plan
 
@enochnaki You need 1.6 x body mass in protein grams ( I’m sure someone will correct me if I’m wrong ) so you need 88grams of protein a day to gain/ maintain muscle mass. Along with lots of carbs/ veggies etc!
 
@enochnaki Now you have put on more muscle,you need to up the protein in your diet. The best and easiest way is to have a protein supplement after training and daily. You will notice an immediate dissipation in that “ I feel starving “ weak and sluggish feeling. It will literally change your life.
 
@enochnaki Skipping meals is never recommended. Your body needs fuel to function and to burn fat. Sounds like your metabolism is shot and needs a good reset. I'm an online coach and can help you understand how our complicated bodies work!
 
@enochnaki
  1. It could be an eating routine that your body is adapting to, which is completely fine. I need food every 3 hours in small portions to sustain. Comes with the kind of appetite I have, how i process food and the job I do.
  2. Do get your health reports done. I faced extreme lack of energy and it was because of nutritional deficiencies. So, it's a must to know where you stand.
 
@enochnaki I'm 40 71 kg I only started working out maybe a year ago.

I have played with diet so much and currently I eat first meal at 2pm second about 4pm.

Both meals are very animal based or alternative fish so protein starch is rice or kumara sweet potato I eat eggs with the meal either on side or mix in.
I don't eat that much vegetables

I also eat fruit with both meals sometimes yogurt.

No I'm not making amazing gains but both meals are very nutritional and that suits me for daily meals.

I drink coffee with drop of cream for breakfast and rest of the day just drink water.

I think perhaps tweak what you are eating bro.

What you also have to remember is everyone is different whats good for me may not work for you.

Some may say 71kg is to skinny I'm good I feel best I've ever felt I spent years smoking cigarettes drinking a fuk tonne of alcohol n taking other drugs.

I swapped it all for fitness mainly bodyweight.

I did go to the gym early on my fitness journey but along the way I'm always looking for ways to utilize I think of as I age to my joints my mobility blah blah.
 
@enochnaki Yes! The body needs regular fuel, most of the time! I worked with a dietitian to recover from an ED, and we learned it's normal for the body to want to eat about every 2 to 3 hours! Be gentle with yourself and keep easy munchies around, like a handful of nuts or dried fruits, baggies of cereal, a quick piece of toast. It doesn't have to be a massive sit down meal every time your body asks for food. Good for you on all the work your doing such that it's changing your body's demand signals for fuel --- and good for you for being able to hear them!
 
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