Are my muscles eating themselves when I'm hungry?

enwar3

Golden Member
Jun 26, 2005
1,086
0
0
So during bulking standard advice is to eat big and eat enough that you never feel hungry. Sometimes though, I just can't keep up and I'm hungry. Like right after I wake up. Being hungry means my body is getting energy from something other than food.... so is my body turning my muscle into food? Or fat? Or both?
 

SagaLore

Elite Member
Dec 18, 2001
24,036
21
81
No.

First your body will pull sugars from your blood. Then stored glycogen from your liver.

Just drink a can of Ensure when you first wake up. :p
 
Mar 22, 2002
10,483
32
81
Originally posted by: enwar3
So during bulking standard advice is to eat big and eat enough that you never feel hungry. Sometimes though, I just can't keep up and I'm hungry. Like right after I wake up. Being hungry means my body is getting energy from something other than food.... so is my body turning my muscle into food? Or fat? Or both?

Usually people prevent that by eating a fair amount of protein before they go to bed. That's why casein protein supplements got big - they are slowly digested and will allow your body to have access to amino acids throughout the entire night.
 

imported_Imp

Diamond Member
Dec 20, 2005
9,148
0
0
Originally posted by: SagaLore
No.

First your body will pull sugars from your blood. Then stored glycogen from your liver.

Just drink a can of Ensure when you first wake up. :p

After seeing the used to feed old people en masse, seeing it dripping off their unshaven (male and female) and wrinkled lips, for 3 years.... you won't catch me dead near that stuff.
 

Howard

Lifer
Oct 14, 1999
47,982
11
81
Originally posted by: SociallyChallenged
Originally posted by: enwar3
So during bulking standard advice is to eat big and eat enough that you never feel hungry. Sometimes though, I just can't keep up and I'm hungry. Like right after I wake up. Being hungry means my body is getting energy from something other than food.... so is my body turning my muscle into food? Or fat? Or both?

Usually people prevent that by eating a fair amount of protein before they go to bed. That's why casein protein supplements got big - they are slowly digested and will allow your body to have access to amino acids throughout the entire night.
I can't even comprehend the amount of food I would have to eat before sleeping in order to not feel hungry a short period after waking up (assuming an 8-hour sleep).
 

RagingBITCH

Lifer
Sep 27, 2003
17,618
2
76
Some people in the bulking phase wake up every 4th hour of sleep (or once during sleeping really) to eat/down a protein shake. It's inevitable that no matter what you eat before bed, if you sleep 8 hours you're going to be hungry. Unless you gulp down a McFatty w/ Cheese and extra large fries right before bed. :p

Socially makes a good point about casein - it's super slow digesting, albeit a little expensive. (Since you'd only really drink it before bed, it'll last a while) I personally like downing cottage cheese - also casein protein. Some people don't like the taste of it though, or can only eat it with fruit and other assorted crap.
 

dealmaster00

Golden Member
Apr 16, 2007
1,620
0
0
Milk is also 80% casein, 20% whey, but note milk has a decent number of carbs per serving (in 1 cup, 13g carbs and 8g protein seems to be about the norm for skim milk). Not sure if that matters or not (aka if you drink 4 cups before bed youll get 32g protein but 52g carbs which seems like a lot). I might have to try out this cottage cheese thing...1 cup has 2g fat, 6g carbs, 28g protein. Hopefully its less expensive than casein. ;)
 

Special K

Diamond Member
Jun 18, 2000
7,098
0
76
I wouldn't equate feelings of hunger with how many calories you actually need to be eating. I suspect many overweight people probably believe they are only eating in response to feelings of hunger, yet they are obviously eating too much if they are overweight.

I wouldn't even use feelings of hunger as an indication of how much to eat. They are too unreliable. Instead, start tracking everything you eat on Fitday and track your weight first thing each morning. Eat the same number of calories each day, and see what happens to your weight over a 1-2 week period. If it doesn't change, then add a couple hundred calories to your daily total and see what happens. Continue this process until you are gaining weight at a decent pace.
 

eits

Lifer
Jun 4, 2005
25,015
3
81
www.integratedssr.com
Originally posted by: enwar3
So during bulking standard advice is to eat big and eat enough that you never feel hungry. Sometimes though, I just can't keep up and I'm hungry. Like right after I wake up. Being hungry means my body is getting energy from something other than food.... so is my body turning my muscle into food? Or fat? Or both?

only when you're fasting and all your glycogen stores have been depleated. your muscle breaks down to make amino acids in order to enter the tca cycle for energy.
 

irishScott

Lifer
Oct 10, 2006
21,562
3
0
The purpose of fat is long term energy storage in case of famine. I'd think your body would burn that before muscle.
 

Special K

Diamond Member
Jun 18, 2000
7,098
0
76
Originally posted by: irishScott
The purpose of fat is long term energy storage in case of famine. I'd think your body would burn that before muscle.

That depends on how much fat and muscle you have. An overweight guy who doesn't ever train with weights will most certainly burn almost entirely fat if they start to work out. However, a 6' 220 lb. guy trying to cut from 13% bodyfat to sub-10% probably won't be able to avoid some muscle loss unless they are on drugs or are a genetic freak.
 

Net

Golden Member
Aug 30, 2003
1,592
3
81
6 meals a day. 1.8~2.4g * bodyweight of protein per day. its a lot!
do a good search for bodybuilding protein intake.
 
Mar 22, 2002
10,483
32
81
Originally posted by: net
6 meals a day. 1.8~2.4g * bodyweight of protein per day. its a lot!
do a good search for bodybuilding protein intake.

That is an unnecessarily high amount of protein. 1.5g/lb of lean muscle mass is enough. Bodybuilders have always overdone it in that respect.
 

Net

Golden Member
Aug 30, 2003
1,592
3
81
1.5/lb is good. I would stay around 1.8g/lb. but that depends on your goals and your workout schedule and your body!

if your a hard gainer (naturally skinny) then you'll have to eat more then what is recommended for normal body types.

if you have the time to make the schedule and figure out how much protein you will consume for that day, that's the best.

if your like me then its difficult to plan out specific meals since your always on the move. the general rule is don't let yourself go hungry. listen to your body. make your meals health, fish, chicken, potatoes, salad, etc...
 
Mar 22, 2002
10,483
32
81
Originally posted by: net
1.5/lb is good. I would stay around 1.8g/lb. but that depends on your goals and your workout schedule and your body!

if your a hard gainer (naturally skinny) then you'll have to eat more then what is recommended for normal body types.

if you have the time to make the schedule and figure out how much protein you will consume for that day, that's the best.

if your like me then its difficult to plan out specific meals since your always on the move. the general rule is don't let yourself go hungry. listen to your body. make your meals health, fish, chicken, potatoes, salad, etc...

Agreed. I just wanted to mention that because protein in general is a bit more expensive than other things to get.