Training & Nutrition - Should I just eat whenever I'm hungry?

I had a large slice of pizza for breakfast. When I get to work I had a power bar and a bag of chips. In about an hour and a half I'll be hungry again at which point I have a granola bar. Then hungry again in an hour and a half, so I have another granola bar. Then I'll have the equivalent of 2-3 slices of pizza for lunch and I'm hungry again in 2 hours. So i have a large bag of chips. Then in about an hour I have a granola bar and another bag of chips before I leave. When I get home, I'll have the equivalent of about 2 slices of pizza with my girlfriend for dinner. At around 9-10pm I'll have another 2 slices. Then another one before I go to bed and repeat the next day.

Does my body really NEED that much or is it just my stomach emptying itself out too quickly?

If you are not gaining weight, lucky bast4rd!

My body works better with 5-6 smaller meals in a day, compared to 3 larger meals. BTW, thats a crap-load of pizza (no pun intended). Bake up a bag of potatos, place into ziplock baggies, do the same with pasta. Grill up a dozen chicken breasts. Instant microwave meals. Try eating 'clean' for 6 days a week and give yourself one day to eat whatever and however much you want. Chips and pizza daily = less then optimum energy for your rides. (my $.02)

Keep eating like that and you'll be fat like me. Your not getting any younger. ;)

you sound like me. i'm hungry all the time. no matter what size meal i have, i'm ready to eat again 2 hours later. it's really annoying, time consuming, and expensive to have such a high metbolism. biking does not seem to help this at all ;)

You're probably hungry because you're not eating foods that fill you up and give you a lot of nutrition. Pizza and chips? Try stuff with more protein and whole wheat carbs. Also veggies and fruits.

So you're saying "healthier" foods fill me up more and stay in my system longer?

yup

get some fiber.

Also, even if your not getting fat... it doesn't mean its good for you. My roommate has about 5% bodyfat, eats like crap and just found out his cholesterol level is 240. Sometimes its the people with super metabolisms that die of heart disease due to not noticing how what they eat is affecting them.

You don't need to eat perfectly, but maybe cut back on the pizza and chips for some healthier choices!!

Crap... time to start eating healthy. :(

Crap... time to start eating healthy. :(

ah yes, eating healthier. is there ever a different answer to any food related or diet question?

Do a little research on nutrition. High carbohydrate foods, i.e. sugars, breads, potato, etc tend to spike your blood sugar, causing the pancreas to release alot of insulin to clear the blood. Then you have a low blood sugar condition, you get a craving for sugar and a "cloudy" head, and hungry. So time to eat again.

Do a little experiment this week. Eat a bowl full of your favorite sugary cereal and time how long it takes you to get really hungry. Next day eat bacon, eggs, and a piece of fruit and time how long it takes you to get hungry again. It comes down to a balance or protein, fat, and carbs.

good luck

I worked with a guy who was x-special forces and ran at least 9 miles a day (while I worked with him). He was eating all the freakin time! Dont believe I ever saw him eat anything unhealthy. He was in no way fat or out of shape. I dont see eating when your hungry as a bad thing. Just dont eat too much junk.

Dont take anything in the following paragraphs as a fact. Only my observations.
If you get lots of excercise that could make your metabolism go up. I used to eat junk for pretty much all my meals all my meals. Drink at least 8 mountain dews a day and didnt get any excercise. Then I lost my job and moved back into my parents in the end of July. I started eating healthier and drinking lots of water. I wasnt eating more...just healthier. I weighed about 185pounds. I started biking pretty recently and my food intake has sky rocketed. Im not getting fatter, and while Im not losing weight...Im losing fat and gaining muscle. Prolly because Im primarily a meat eater... Rarely eat vegies but sometimes Ill crave a salad...particularly after a long hard ride. Ive also noticed my energy has gone up a lot. Ok, Im rambling now.

I had a large slice of pizza for breakfast. When I get to work I had a power bar and a bag of chips. In about an hour and a half I'll be hungry again at which point I have a granola bar. Then hungry again in an hour and a half, so I have another granola bar. Then I'll have the equivalent of 2-3 slices of pizza for lunch and I'm hungry again in 2 hours. So i have a large bag of chips. Then in about an hour I have a granola bar and another bag of chips before I leave. When I get home, I'll have the equivalent of about 2 slices of pizza with my girlfriend for dinner. At around 9-10pm I'll have another 2 slices. Then another one before I go to bed and repeat the next day.

Does my body really NEED that much or is it just my stomach emptying itself out too quickly?
Have you tried substituting Pizza and Chips for some of those Sports Milk drinks....they are supposed to make you feel full and are heaps better for you than junk food

I had a large slice of pizza for breakfast. When I get to work I had a power bar and a bag of chips. In about an hour and a half I'll be hungry again at which point I have a granola bar. Then hungry again in an hour and a half, so I have another granola bar. Then I'll have the equivalent of 2-3 slices of pizza for lunch and I'm hungry again in 2 hours. So i have a large bag of chips. Then in about an hour I have a granola bar and another bag of chips before I leave. When I get home, I'll have the equivalent of about 2 slices of pizza with my girlfriend for dinner. At around 9-10pm I'll have another 2 slices. Then another one before I go to bed and repeat the next day.

Does my body really NEED that much or is it just my stomach emptying itself out too quickly?

You must be having a joke at our expense, Slvoid! I know you know better.

You are filling your body with junk food and sugar and crap.

Eat 6 meals daily, each with:

Fist size piece of low fat protein - chicken, lean beef, turkey, tofu, skim milk, etc.
High quality carbo - whole wheat toast or bread, or real oatmeal or brown rice or whatever.
Veggies - all you want.
Lots of hydration.

A typical breakfast:

Oatmeal (slow cooking kind) - 1 bowl
Fruit and nuts - raisins or sliced peaches or strawberries or whatever, small amount of chopped nuts for flavor
One glass of skim milk
(I never use sugar or salt)

Pizza is almost the worst thing you could be eating.

Lunch or dinner:

Skinless chicken breast
1 cup of whole grain rice
Veggies

Six of these per day will keep you full and well nourished.

Get rid of the chips and other empty, insulin raising calories!

You must be having a joke at our expense, Slvoid! I know you know better.


No no no, EQUIVALENT. I'm not literally eating that much pizza. :)
But it's basically like this:

Package of ramen noodles and a glass of orange juice before work.
A power bar when I get there.
Another power bar at around 11.
Either a large salad or foot long sub at subways for lunch.
Large bag of chips or another powerbar at around 2-3.
A 6-inch sub from subways (they're close by) at around 4.
Small bag of chips or granola bar 20 minutes before leaving.
3 slices of pizza for dinner.
Then about an hour before bed I have another dinner which is about the size of an order of chinese take out.

Everyonce in a while I'll have left overs like pizza or chinese take out for breakfast.

sloivd, When I started biking, my appetite skyrocketed as well. I pretty much ate whatever I wanted, but I was CONSTANTLY hungry and it was extremely annoying to eat a big meal and then an hour or two later be ravenous again. I started eating much healthier, and my appetite evened out. Lots of whole grains like rice, oatmeal, etc, and veggies for fiber. High quality proteins like beans and soy and tons of water seemed to do the trick. I still have a "treat" like pizza or chips once in a while, but I found that once I started eating the healthier stuff, I actually began craving that rather than the junk.

You can do it, just take some of the advice on here about eating a little healthier and your appetite should even out. Also, I agree with eating when you are hungry. If you are biking a lot, your body is needing the fuel.

I have lost 37 pounds so far by just listening to my body and eating whenever I am hungry and not stressing out about over eating. I think of food as fuel now rather than just something I am supposed to shovel in at certain times of day and it has worked like magic!

Kat

Check out http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/food/food-pyramid/main.htm and take time to read through it. Also, for the sports side of things, check out http://www.e-caps.com/za/ECP?PAGE=KNOWLEDGE

hope this helps!