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I have a problem which sometimes doesn't get a lot of
sympathy but it bothers me anyway. I have an extremely
large appetite, so large it is almost abnormal. I am 6'1"
and about 205 pounds. I am not gaining or losing weight. I
am almost 28 and I have had this since I was I kid. I have
seen several doctors about it but none was able to find a
cause other than to say that I must have a "high
metabolism". I eat anywhere from 7000 to 10,000 calories a
day. I know that is a large amount, but I am not a
compulsive over-eater. I am really get hungry for that
amount. When I try to eat less I get very very hungry. It
is sometimes awkward and even embarrassing. When I stay
over at a friends house for example, I don't want to just
eat, eat, eat them out of food but slipping out for a bite
to eat can also be awkward. I want to know if there is a
possible cause for this which could have been overlooked. I
would like to know if any has heard of another case like
me. Also, is there anything to do about it? I would also
like to know exactly what is meant by "fast metabolism". I
know you proccess food faster, but where is the energy
actually going? Thank you for anything you can tell me.
In Reply to: abnormally large appetite posted by Robert on August 19, 2003 at 07:12:12:
Robert, That works untill you reach 35, Then you may start puting on weight..If you don't then you are one of the fortunate ones..Silver Fox!
In Reply to: abnormally large appetite posted by Robert on August 19, 2003 at 07:12:12:
Unless you are an athlete, or digging ditches for a living, I would call your metabolism inefficient, not fast. You are taking in large quantities of food, just in order to get the little bit of nutrients you need. Your body is not absorbing or utilizing nutrients properly. Check out the archives on this site, especially those on leaky gut. Five third-world people could live off of the amount you eat above normal.
In Reply to: abnormally large appetite posted by Robert on August 19, 2003 at 07:12:12:
Do you take vitamins & minerals? or essential fats?
In Reply to: abnormally large appetite posted by Robert on August 19, 2003 at 07:12:12:
Robert,
How fast does the food go through you? How are your bowel movements? Digestion?
~~~8>
In Reply to: Re: abnormally large appetite posted by cris on August 19, 2003 at 08:55:05:
"Five third-world people could live off of the amount you eat above normal."
Yeah, except for the fact that they live in the 3rd world...
What the heck is that comment supposed to mean??? Are you implying that he's a glutton or wasteful? He has a concern and it hardly seems like he's doing it on purpose!!!
Do you believe that our abundance is causing others to starve?
In Reply to: abnormally large appetite posted by Robert on August 19, 2003 at 07:12:12:
if you aren't gaining weight with that many calories, you are burning everything you eat. Why not look at the quality of your food and go from there?
In Reply to: How do you feel? posted by labrat on August 19, 2003 at 14:15:09:
I'm not really sure how fast food goes through me. Sometimes it seems very fast but I really don't know. I'm not sure what you want to know about my bowel movements. I usually go once a day - sometimes miss a day. I think they are normal. My mom talked to the doctor about my appetite in High School. He took a stool sample and found nothing unusual. He checked for other things too like diabedes and hyperthyroidism. He just said I was a growing teenager with a particularly large appetite. That was just before 10th grade. My parents normally let me eat what ever I wanted to so it never bothered my too much until I went to college. That is when it really started to seem unusual. I would always get very hungry at night and my friends would even make jokes about it. As far as "digestion", I'm not really sure what you mean - I feel fine - no indigestion or anything. Thanks for the response -Robert
In Reply to: Re: abnormally large appetite posted by cris on August 19, 2003 at 08:55:05:
Oh, ok. Then why doesn't he trade places with five 3rd-world people and stop eating altogether. That makes about as much sense as what you just wrote. My Gosh... he's 6'1" and 205#... it's not like he's obese. Get a clue...
In Reply to: Huh? posted by reader on August 19, 2003 at 14:17:59:
I don't get these impressions you suggested from cris's post, which seems to say it's a waste to eat that much food just for one person's normal bodily function. I don't think cris said he (Robert) is intentionally being wasteful or gluttonous.
I personally doubt that one individual can eat that much food (10000 calories?) in real life, and I'd like to know WHAT exactly he eats each day before making any suggestion.
In Reply to: Huh? posted by reader on August 19, 2003 at 14:17:59:
I agree, for sure I'm not doing it on purpose. I didn't ask anyone for an oversized appetite and I eat because I'm hungry. What do you do when you're hungry? If you can help me find a cause or a cure it would, if anything, make things a little less awkward for me. So I didn't find that comment too useful.
Robert
In Reply to: abnormally large appetite posted by Robert on August 19, 2003 at 07:12:12:
What's on the menu for a typical day/night for you?
In Reply to: abnormally large appetite posted by Robert on August 19, 2003 at 07:12:12:
What's on the menu for a typical day/night for you?
In Reply to: What do you eat in a normal day? posted by Ugh on August 19, 2003 at 15:21:21:
Well today for breakfast: 2 omlettes, 2 bowls of corn bran cerial, a slice of pizza, some broccoli and mashed potatos, an apple and an orange. That was about 8:00AM. At about 11:30 I had: 2 apples, 5 or 6 develed eggs(about 3 eggs in that), and an english muffen. I am about to go to lunch a little late. I am not real hungry now, but yesterday for lunch I ate about 2.5 plates of chinese food at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Yesterday all I ate in the afternoon was an apple. For dinner: 3 pork chops, some maccaroni with cheese, broccoli and mashed potatos. Just before bed I had a tuna sandwich.
In Reply to: Re: What do you eat in a normal day? posted by Robert on August 19, 2003 at 15:39:17:
Well... it sounds fairly healthy at least, to me! You sure that's adding up to 10,000 calories? I think growing boys in high school eat like that (like you) and your metabolism just hasn't slowed yet. Heck, you might still be growing! I've heard of people (men, mainly) who still grow like 5-6" in their 20's!! Can't wait to hear what Dr. Stoll says.
In Reply to: Re: What do you eat in a normal day? posted by Ugh on August 19, 2003 at 15:45:23:
Actually I not sure if it adds up to 7000-10000 cals. When I was in college I talked to another doctor who had me keep a record of everything I ate for 3 days. From that he estimated 8500 cals/day. I don't think I eat much more or less than I did in college so that's where I got the estimate. I don't think I'm growing any more by the way, I'm 25 and the last time I thought I might have grown some was when I was 20.
-Robert
In Reply to: Re: abnormally large appetite posted by peterb on August 19, 2003 at 14:38:48:
He might not be burning it. He could be passing it through his system unutilized.
In Reply to: Not necessarily so posted by cris on August 19, 2003 at 19:44:58:
What kinds of things could cause someone to not use all their food. (if that is what you are talking about). What test can be done to see if this is a factor. I have been checked, years ago, for worms and things.
Thanks,
-Robert
In Reply to: Re: How do you feel? posted by Robert on August 19, 2003 at 15:03:49:
I was trying to determine if you had an absorption problem...like had diarrhea or poorly formed stool all the time. Some people see bits of food in their stool and any of these things would indicate that you are not getting the nutrition out of your food, so of course, you would have to eat more.
From reading your other posts and seeing your age, I think you are worrying for nothing. It does seem that you eat a lot of carbs, and that could be part of the problem. Try adding some meat to your meals earlier in the day - eggs and sausage or steak for breakfast, and some chicken at lunch...maybe the protein will leave you feeling more satisfied.
Before I learned what my best diet is, I used to eat carbs a lot, and needed to keep eating a lot because carbs are not where I get my energy - protien does that for me. Adding protein helped me to feel better on a lot less food.
If that doesn't help, then I would not worry about it. It could be just the way you are. As long as you're not too heavy or too thin, and as long as you feel good, don't worry, be happy!
~~~8>
In Reply to: abnormally large appetite posted by Robert on August 19, 2003 at 07:12:12:
Rob,
I counted calories for your typical day's meals, and estimated 4000 calories.
My husband has a large appetite, so yours does not seem all that unusual. What kind of work do you do? Someone who does physical labor is going to need more calories.
If you stay over at a friend's house, bring something along that you can share, such as fruit, cheese, crackers. Snacks good for the workplace would be fruit, hard cooked eggs, yogurt, nuts, and energy bars.
If you want to eat less, try eating a bowl of soup before your meal.
Carol B.
In Reply to: Re: Not necessarily so posted by Robert on August 19, 2003 at 20:15:18:
Get a cdsa 2.0 from Great smokies lab. That will help determine how well you are digesting food. www.gsdl.com
In Reply to: Re: How do you feel? posted by Robert on August 19, 2003 at 15:03:49:
Robert,
The most accurate way to measure your transit time is to get some charcoal tablets at the pharmacy and mark the time you swallow them. Then mark the time you see a section of absolutely black stool passed. That is your trensit time.
You can refine the time by doing this on several different occasions and averaging the times.
Let us know what you learn.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: abnormally large appetite posted by Steve on August 19, 2003 at 07:32:59:
Amen, Steve!
Unless he gest a handle on this before then, he will be in big trouble.
Walt
In Reply to: abnormally large appetite posted by Robert on August 19, 2003 at 07:12:12:
Hi, Robert.
See my responses to your responders.
This is a complex problem which, if you cannot find a knowledgable holistic practitioner close to you to help (see the holistic practioner archives for how to do that), will have to be addressed in stages.
Many times such an appetite is based upon a need for micronutrients which your choice of foods do not provide. (See the whole foods archives to start learning about that.)
My first suggestion, though, would be to give the Atkins Diet a really good try. This will tell me a lot about your particular metabolism. Although you may lose weight on the diet that is not what trying it is for.
While you are reading "Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution" (I would not attempt this without understanding it.)I would suggest you start a temperature graph of 4 times a day recordings (upon arising, before lunch, before supper and at bedtime). Keep up the recordings during the at least a month trial of Atkins.
Then let us know what you have learned. Some people with your problem report an immediate elimination of the excessive appetite.
Walt
In Reply to: Not necessarily so posted by cris on August 19, 2003 at 19:44:58:
true, but he didn't mention any of the symptoms that would accompany such a serious pathology, such as allergic reactions, or crohn's, so I'm thinking it must be something else.
In Reply to: Re: How do you feel? (measuring transit times) (Archive in wellness.) posted by Walt Stoll on August 20, 2003 at 06:26:15:
Walt, to your knowledge, how long is the optimal transit time?
In Reply to: What do you eat in a normal day? posted by Ugh on August 19, 2003 at 15:21:21:
OK,
here is a better list of what I eat in a day. This is from yesterday and I kept track of everything.
Breakfast: 7:30AM
3 pieces of fried chicken: 1 breast and 2 thighs
1 liverwurst sandwich
about 2 eggs worth of scrambled eggs
1.5 cups of corn bran cerial with no milk
1/2 of a baked potato
3 carrots, 2 apples
1 pancake
(For me, breakfast is usually a search for leftovers)
11:00AM:
a large Turkey and avacado sandwich from Togo's
1 small bag of potato chips
1:15PM:
1 double cheeseburger from Wendy's
1 Large fries from Wendy's
1 Ceaser Salad from Wendy's
5:00PM - 7:00PM:
1 NY steak
2 hamburgers with no bun or anything
3 hotlinks with buns
1 Apple
about 1 pint of macaronni salad
10:00PM:
1 large movie theater popcorn w/butter
1 granola bar (2 little bars in one package)
12:45PM:
1 eggs benedict breakfast from Denny's
about half of a Denny's appetizer sampler
In Reply to: Re: How do you feel? (measuring transit times) (Archive in wellness.) posted by bing on August 21, 2003 at 17:18:27:
Hi, Bing.
This is highly individual but about 24 hours is a good average.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: abnormally large appetite posted by Mary on August 19, 2003 at 09:59:36:
well do you take any supplements? i think this a valid question surely.
In Reply to: Re: abnormally large appetite posted by Mary on August 22, 2003 at 21:01:41:
Sorry -
I don't many suppliments - vitamin C and E.
that's about it.
-Robert
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