526815 Sat Jun 07 21:18:27 -0700 2008 111 29 Not About Food 0 3759782 blame low levels of serotonin! http://www.mywire.com/pubs/TimesofIndia/2008/06/06/6590927?&pbl=7 my college pal became a total witch when she got hungry. it was, well, almost dangerous to be around her. i was not nearly as bad as she was. these days, i do tend to get a little crabby, because when i'm hungry, i don't feel my best. mr. alka goes all day without eating, and then eats dinner. no problem. makes for some wonderful marriage moments, i tell ya! which way are you? are you mismatched with your mate (in terms of hunger pangs?) i just make small meals, and keep snacks like good nuts and trail mix around. mr. alka sometimes just has to eat his dinner from reheating in the microwave, 'cause NORMAL people (like moi) eat at a sensible time! ;-) Sat Jun 07 21:18:28 -0700 2008 105717 alkapal 1 3759791 NO, I'm not crabby, so leave me alone! But seriously, I like to eat smallish amounts at regular intervals, but my husband will fast all day in anticipation of a special meal. He's like a camel. Maybe it's a guy thing. Sat Jun 07 21:26:02 -0700 2008 3759782 138816 jlafler 1 3759919 It is low blood sugar causing the problem. I have that issue, too. I actually get weak, light headed, irritable, and even shaky if I don't eat on time. I also carry peanuts in my purse. I eat something, at least a small snack, every 3-4 hours. I have Type 2 diabetes in my family, and although my sugar levels test normal, I have a bit of insulin sensitivity...a whole lot of people do. And we are the ones who will eventually end up with Type 2 diabetes if we lead "over nourished" lifestyles and don't watch our weight. I am pregnant now (also a higher risk for gestational diabetes), but I usually eat a diabetic style diet by monitoring my carb in take and never eating carbs alone, avoid potato chips and other things that cause blood sugar spikes. I have been doing that for a few years. It keeps my weight down, and also prevents that bite-your-head-off feeling when I haven't eaten, because I manage it and never let myself get to that point. As a foodie, one drawback is that sometimes I know I will be eating something really great later in the day, and I would like to go there really hungry to enjoy the taste more. But I have to eat some peanuts or something. Also, I do badly when invited to lunch or dinner in peoples' homes when they eat late...so I have to eat before I go or I'll just be too out of sorts to enjoy. Sun Jun 08 00:13:12 -0700 2008 3759782 118120 luckyfatima 1 3760264 If I don't eat all day @ work, I'll tend to be a bit more bitchy in the evening as I'm racing to throw dinner together. My husband is a BEAR when he is hungry. AKA= The BEAST. Usually I'll just complain LOUDLY to anyone unlucky enough to HAVE to listen (the dog, the cats) "I'm HUNGRY! Me want COOKIE! Do we have any wine?! I'm so HUNGRY!! Where are my kettle chips? Did Daddy save me any cheesecake? " Sun Jun 08 07:43:08 -0700 2008 3759782 110426 Boccone Dolce 2 3760807 I'm always amazed by friends who can "function" without having food all day. I feel kinda irritated and am unable to concentrate well when I start to get hungry, to the point that all I can think about is FOOD. Sometimes my mum can even tell when I'm hungry and would say, "You need something to eat, don't you?" Mmm, I hope I wasn't saying mean things to her ... sorry, mum! Sun Jun 08 12:09:44 -0700 2008 3760264 87028 dreamsicle 3 3760924 Haha -- that reminded me of that scene in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, when the mother says in exasperation, "Oh, Toula, EAT something!" I, too, am shocked when people 'forget' to eat or are 'too busy.' I'm constantly thinking about what to cook/eat next that it would be impossible to do so. Hunger has a habit of sneaking into my conversations with people...if I'm hungry, we could be talking about anything and I'd jump in with a "So, where do you want to go for lunch?" or completely derail the conversation into something food-related. My friends have learned not to take this personally. Sun Jun 08 13:03:47 -0700 2008 3760807 14388 theannerska 1 3760905 Rather than eating a snack, if I'm home, or if it's available, I will drink a glass of anywhere from 1/3-1/2 fruit juice and 1/2-2/3- seltzer. The sugar bounces my blood sugar, the mix cuts the caloric content. As for the carbonation. ... Well, it just gives it a little more 'punch' than plain water. Sun Jun 08 12:55:23 -0700 2008 3759782 20921 Tay 1 3761091 My husband gets cranky if he goes too long without carbs. Sun Jun 08 14:19:08 -0700 2008 3759782 169792 lgss 1 3761368 yep. hypoglycemic. i become a cranky b**ch if i go longer than 3 hours without food. except, of course, when i'm asleep. then i'm just restless :) Sun Jun 08 16:18:09 -0700 2008 3759782 103920 goodhealthgourmet 2 3762263 That's me too, except I'm a bas**rd. I get up very early and on weekends I'll often have 2 breakfasts, one to hld me until my wife gets up and the 2nd w/ her. When I don't I'll crash so low, it's hard to come back up to speed for the rest of the day. My wife is smart enough to sense it coming and make me eat. Maybe I'm just part hobbit. Sun Jun 08 23:36:55 -0700 2008 3761368 93538 Passadumkeg 2 3762475 I had a friend that was hypoglycemic. He had to eat often. Sometimes just a candybar would keep him from getting foul. I can skip a meal, but not two. I get cranky (or have a short fuse) if I get really hungry, especially if I am cooking, and hungry, and get no help (they're eating, watching me work and asking when will it be done?). Sometimes I am SO BUSY (or into what I am doing) that I won't stop what I'm doing and I pay later. Can't abuse my body anymore quite like I used to do when I was younger. Pass, hombre, you're too big to be hobbit but you look like you're part one. Mon Jun 09 05:44:49 -0700 2008 3761368 137946 Scargod 3 3762826 I don't get hungry while cooking, only tipsy. Mon Jun 09 07:47:55 -0700 2008 3762475 93538 Passadumkeg 1 3761407 Me? No. I can handle hunger. Not DH! Yikes! Even the kids know to steer clear of him when he has had to skip lunch because of work duties. On those days, I try to have some kind of snacky horsd'oeuvrey thing ready for him when he hits the door. Sun Jun 08 16:38:41 -0700 2008 3759782 16216 k_d 1 3761464 Me cranky? Never....I become a total &&&&&&.:) Sun Jun 08 17:06:01 -0700 2008 3759782 54116 gryphonskeeper 1 3761515 My SO gets really grumpy and unpleasant to be around. At first I took it personally when he would snap at me. After all these years, I make a joke and call him on it. I, however, get weak feeling and cannot concentrate. My job means 10 hour days with no lunch break - just eat at your desk when things slow down. Problem is there are days when there are no slow times. I'll open up my lunchbox after being hungry for a couple hours and someone will walk in needing attention. And since I cannot eat early in the morning, I'm often getting my first meal well after 2pm. Sun Jun 08 17:28:37 -0700 2008 3759782 76025 mojoeater 2 3762247 mojoeater, your mention of long hours reminds me of when I used to wait tables -- I worked in a place that was insanely popular for brunch, so the crew would fill up on breakfast at 7 knowing our next meal was at 4. Of course, that meal was eaten standing up, in small bites here and there, while we tried to close out our remaining tables...but 9 hours of running around with hot coffee and loaded plates does inspire some strong hunger pangs. Thank goodness for all those muffins. When it got really bad, I'd have a glass of juice for the energy from all that sugar. It's really not as bad as it seems, though. I ate extremely well during those years and learned a lot of Spanish. Tip your servers! Sun Jun 08 23:16:26 -0700 2008 3761515 14388 theannerska 3 3771619 There's no way I could eat at 7am. I have to be awake for at least a few hours before taking solid food. Otherwise I feel ill all day. I've actually resorted to keeping meal replacement shakes in a mini fridge at work. I can handle that earlier in the morning.. Wed Jun 11 14:57:56 -0700 2008 3762247 76025 mojoeater 4 3772972 My SO switched to meal replacement shakes in the morning, too -- he feels the same way. I wake up ravenous, since I don't eat sizable dinners that often, and probably also because I tend to think about what to cook/eat the next day when I'm falling asleep... Thu Jun 12 00:54:14 -0700 2008 3771619 14388 theannerska 1 3761527 Oh yeah! First I start to yawn alot, then my tummy rumbles and if I don't eat something, anything within the next hour, I start to get shaky. And bitchy! My husband knows if I say I need something to eat, that doesn't mean in an hour, it means NOW and I don't care what it is, a piece of fruit, bread, crackers, cheese, glass of juice, whatever. It only takes about two minutes and Viola, I feel better. I am a hair stylist and have had to stop with a client and eat because my hands are shaking. Not good for haircutting. My hubby, can forget to eat all day! How does he do that?! Sun Jun 08 17:32:51 -0700 2008 3759782 161922 jodymaryk 2 3761537 i swear it's a guy thing...my dad is the same way. mom has to REMIND him to eat at least one meal per day. ridiculous. Sun Jun 08 17:38:09 -0700 2008 3761527 103920 goodhealthgourmet 1 3761558 Oh yeah. If I don't eat I get a headache, feel downright sick. My mom and her dad were the same way. Grandma could never understand why they would get so cranky if they had not eaten at regular intervals and thought they were just being weenies. Finally one time grandma and I were coming down from Oregon and I was STARVING and beyond cranky. Lo and behold so was grandma as we were totally snarking at each other. We finally just stopped at some sub place. After about 3 bites we both calmed down and I looked at her and said "NOW do you get it?" She never gave us any crap after that. Sun Jun 08 17:45:21 -0700 2008 3759782 61350 elkgrovestella 1 3761631 I read this title to Hubby and he started laughing. Oh man can I get crabby especially if I feel hunger coming on and I'm indecisive about what to eat. I only allow a certain amount of calories a day and I don't want to waste one meal with garbage. So I need to have quick, tasty bites available a lot. It doesn't take much and then I'm fine. I just need them quickly. The worst though is, when I'm having one of those days where I've gone for hrs without eating (and been fine) to find that I'm going out or over to someones house for eats later. (See this is already bad because I've not eaten much and I know my hunger pain is gonna be dangerous). If the hostess tells us a time, like, dinner will be in 15 min and it's late. Oh man alive I can turn into the biggest b*tch. Seriously watch out. It's like, mentally and physically my body has prepared itself to be eating at that time and if it comes and goes by more than 10 minutes, yup I get that low blood sugar feel. This happened at a restaurant once, where the guest of honour was an hour late! I did everything in my power to keep my hunger monster at bay. Hubby was very impressed at that one. He's used to my spats when hungry. Thank God he doesn't take it personally. He just knows by my tone of voice to get the hell out of the way, I need to eat. I'm usually not rude about it. I just get really serious at the turn of a dime. I think it'd be quite interesting for me to see it from someone else's prospective. At a distance of course! LOL Sun Jun 08 18:12:45 -0700 2008 3759782 144814 livetocook 2 3762720 "Oh man can I get crabby especially if I feel hunger coming on and I'm indecisive about what to eat." This is my dh to a T. The worst part is that he doesn't usually see it coming. So the first visible stage is indecisiveness. Then he gets increasingly cranky and finally he'll decide he doesn't want to eat at all, all within a 10- 20 minute window. Drives me crazy, especially when we travel. I've learned that I just have to drag him (sometimes a bit forcefully) into one restaurant or another and order an appetizer pronto. At that point I don't even care if the place is good. After a few bites he transforms back into the sweet guy I married. :) Mon Jun 09 07:14:07 -0700 2008 3761631 66454 platypus 3 3768964 "......and finally he'll decide he doesn't want to eat at all, all within a 10- 20 minute window." haha...I can be like this too!! Tue Jun 10 21:00:10 -0700 2008 3762720 144814 livetocook 4 3769672 Your hubby and I should start a support group. We could call ourselves "Supporting Our Underfed Partners (SOUP)." :) Wed Jun 11 06:53:09 -0700 2008 3768964 66454 platypus 5 3772013 Funny that you say SOUP! When I reach that point at work where I'm so hungry I cannot make a decision, I've learned to walk to food court, bypass Ben & Jerry's, the Indian place, and everything else, and order chicken soup. No ability to make a decision and no decision to make. Wed Jun 11 17:22:33 -0700 2008 3769672 163108 RoxyB 3 3958672 "So the first visible stage is indecisiveness. Then he gets increasingly cranky and finally he'll decide he doesn't want to eat at all, all within a 10- 20 minute window." I showed this to my boyfriend and he cracked up. I do this all the time; get hungry, can't decide what to eat, am offered a ton of options.. and if none of them are the right one, I'll get really annoyed and not eat at all. This only happens when I don't cook, which isn't often.. I suppose one reason I love to cook is because I get exactly what I want ;) Thu Aug 14 20:18:27 -0700 2008 3762720 15482 NovoCuisine 1 3761798 So.. my friend S. is one of the more sweet-tempered, sane persons you could know.. she's an MFCC and quite centered and down to earth.. but I learned of her blood sugar problem the hard way. We were on a 45 minute drive to a meeting and she says, halfway there "We need to stop at Hector's Panaderia to get a taco. I'm really hungry." I said "S... we're just 25 minutes away from our destination and there's going to be food.. let's keep driving." She repeated her request. The turnoff was a mile ahead and I repeated my suggestion that we continue on our way. She leaned across the seat and bit me. BIT ME! I immediately turned off the freeway and deposited her in front of Hector's Panaderia. A few minutes later my sweet sane friend emerged from Hector's wiping her lips and we went on our way. She did NOT apologize. I think she expected ME to apologize. My blood sugar is quite nicely level, thank you very much. I do NOT get cranky unless I'm reeeeally reeeeally hungry. Sun Jun 08 19:13:20 -0700 2008 3759782 172760 fromagina 2 3764799 I'm sure that most of the readers are pretty horrified by your story, Fromagina (and rightly so). What I find horrifying is that I can totally relate to your friend. Really. I can't apologize for her although I wish I could. I can tell you that it wasn't personal, if that helps. Mon Jun 09 16:14:08 -0700 2008 3761798 15250 sebetti 3 3764976 Trust me, 30 years later S. is still a much loved friend.. but I have learned to pack snacks when we travel! I think for me it's like the difference between those who had morning sickness with pregnancy and those, like me who didn't. It took me a looong time to finally realise that those gags were real and not some kind of self-fulfilling indulgence. In my senior years I'm getting a bit hypoglycemic and finally understand how compelling a food-imbalance can be. Mon Jun 09 17:08:27 -0700 2008 3764799 172760 fromagina 2 3765080 Low blood sugar can cause a lot of different symptoms, and in many people it does tend to induce an anxiety/panic reaction. On the other hand, as someone who occasionally experiences truly clinical low blood sugar, I would say that it's not a reasonable excuse for biting someone. If hunger is that disruptive of your friend's moods, she should carry snacks. Some time I would like to test to test some of these claims of low blood sugar, because I'm not convinced it's necessarily the cause of the problems attributed to it. (I check my blood sugar several times a day, so I have hard data.) The way the body normally compensates for low blood sugar is by releasing glucose stored in the liver or muscle tissue into the bloodstream, and presumably people who have problems with hypoglycemia have some sort of glitch in this system of blood glucose regulation. (With diabetics, it's the treatment, not the disease, that causes hypoglycemia.) For most people, a steady blood sugar level doesn't depend on eating frequently. It's not that I don't believe claims of extreme and even uncontrollable crankiness due to hunger; I'm just not convinced that low blood sugar is the cause. Mon Jun 09 17:50:10 -0700 2008 3761798 138816 jlafler 3 3766723 jlafler- I definitely have panic/anxiety symptoms when I do not eat at the times I have planned on and it can come on so quickly. I gues as you mentioned it is a result of low blood sugar. Are there any ways, remedies to correct this 'glitch' or is it a mental thing that I need to concur? Thanks Tue Jun 10 09:47:44 -0700 2008 3765080 91258 forzagto 4 3768165 I'm definitely not an expert, so if it's really an ongoing problem I'd suggest talking to your doctor. I don't know the current medical thinking on low blood sugar, but it's not a mental thing. In a sense, it doesn't matter whether the problem is low blood sugar or something else; the bottom line is the symptom, and the only way I know to manage it is to make sure to eat your meals regularly and always carry snacks in case a meal gets delayed. Tue Jun 10 15:51:22 -0700 2008 3766723 138816 jlafler 5 3777504 I'm diabetic, my husband is not. A couple of years ago he started getting shakey/cranky on occasion at work. Then it started happening at home and regularly enough that I grew concerned. I finally convinced him to let me "stick" him at one of these times so I could check his blood sugar on my glucometer. Not only was he low, he was so low that the glucometer read "consult doctor immediately". I convinced him to make an appt. and tests were run with no definitive results. He still gets these shakes/cranks from time to time, I've checked his sugar repeatedly and it's always low when it happens. We keep him stocked with snacks at work and in the car and it helps but after repeated appts. and tests we still have no explanation for the phenomena. I've been told by more than one physician that "there's no such thing as low blood sugar in a non-diabetic person" but find it odd that I have the evidence of low blood sugar readings in a non-diabetic person right in front of me. Fri Jun 13 09:00:22 -0700 2008 3768165 160677 morwen 6 3778165 That's interesting. I've been told that, too (that there's no such thing as low blood sugar in non-diabetics), but I don't believe it. Given how sensitive and complex the body's glucose regulation system is, I would expect there to be lots of different ways it could go haywire. Fri Jun 13 11:47:44 -0700 2008 3777504 138816 jlafler 7 3778216 There are indeed many reasons why a person can be hypoglycemic. I'm surprised that your doctors have told you that. It can range from fasting, pituitary abnormalities, liver issues, etc. And doctors do disagree about things. Just because one doctor tells you something doesn't mean that one should automatically assume that's the truth. Fri Jun 13 12:03:01 -0700 2008 3778165 10763 Miss Needle 8 3778436 He's had a battery of tests from a battery of doctors, with many of the same tests repeated by different doctors in the two different areas of the country we've lived in since the symptoms started, all armed with his previous medical transcripts. We're not automatically assuming anything. He's had thyroid tests, glucose tests, liver biopsies, heart scans, blood pressure monitorings, stress tests, and more. It's still a mystery. His sugar does return to normal after he's eaten but much slower than mine does when I hit a low. It's a continuing mystery that we watch carefully. Fri Jun 13 12:59:04 -0700 2008 3778216 160677 morwen 9 3778497 Rebecca, when you get a chance, please shoot me an Email. My Email address is in my profile. There are a couple of things I want to say, but are off-topic for this site. Fri Jun 13 13:14:26 -0700 2008 3778436 10763 Miss Needle 2 3838014 You are a saint. A four hour glucose tolerance test diagnosed me as being hypoglycemic about 25 years ago. When my blood sugar dips, I get pretty cranky. I consider it to be my responsibility to manage this illness. If I ever bit my traveling companion as a result of my own lack of planning, I would be deserving of one of the following courses of action: 1) pull over and make me get out of your car. Whatever happens to me is my own fault. 2) Take me to Hector's; keep on driving. Whether you choose 1 or 2, you would be well justified with charging me with assault. The hassle of dealing with that criminal charge would be a wake up call that I obviously need. I know how angry and irritable I feel when I have a sugar low. It is unpleasant enough that I want to avoid it. That's why I have a desk drawer at work stocked with granola bars, shelf stable milk, peanut butter, seeds and nuts, juice boxes. There's always an ancient can of honey roast peanuts in the car that tastes like an old phone book but will keep me from having a sugar crash. Making sure that my limitations don't impinge on the people around me is my responsibility. It's up to me to take care of my issue. If I don't know I have a problem, I hope my friends will point it out to me. Otherwise, I hope that they won't get in the car with me again. Nobody deserves friends that will put up with being bit. Thu Jul 03 20:22:31 -0700 2008 3761798 14974 BeaN 1 3761819 I think women tend to be more affected than men when they don't get fed. I might have to do with our hormones, who knows. However, I know a lot of guys who can go all day without eating before dinner or "forget" to eat. I know very few women who "forget" to eat or can go without eating all day. It could also partly be due to women--and I stereotype--having more unhealthy relationships with food than men. Sun Jun 08 19:23:42 -0700 2008 3759782 18011 Jacey 1 3762466 I don't know about women being more sensitive to hunger - both my husband and my son have complete personality changes when they are hungry. And you don't want to be around them. My husband usually knows when he's hungry. My son (he's 17) doesn't have any idea that when he's just awful to be around, he's probably just hungry. Mon Jun 09 05:37:16 -0700 2008 3759782 124908 jeanmarieok 2 3762617 I become a SOB with a very short fuse... Mon Jun 09 06:37:56 -0700 2008 3762466 24648 Sean 2 3762883 Sometimes I am hungry and sometimes I am "grumpy hungry"....which means all bets are off. Mon Jun 09 08:02:23 -0700 2008 3762466 11990 Janet from Richmond 2 3763903 I can tell by the pained look on my dh's face.. oh yes, and by the deepening depth of those two little vertical lines above his nose.. that it's time to place calories in front of him. I'll toss him an apple or a banana or hand him a piece of cheese and he looks so surprised. "Wow! How did you know I was hungry?" If I don't feed my mild-mannered sweetie pie when I see the signs, he becomes a very cranky vinegar pie. My son gets hyper and twitchy when he's hungry but he's good at knowing what to do about it so I don't have to toss food into the bear pit when he's hungry. Mon Jun 09 12:13:45 -0700 2008 3762466 172760 fromagina 1 3762919 Normally, I would do okay as long as I know when I get to eat at least a snack. Now that I'm pregnant, I will eat when I'm hungry... Since I had such terrible morning sickness for the first trimester, actually being hungry is a good thing. Mon Jun 09 08:11:55 -0700 2008 3759782 19537 AlyKen 1 3763124 I can't believe the horrible and vile words that have spewed from my mouth when I hit that wall. The first time it happened, my husband was simply stunned because I had never, ever said anything like that to anyone (well...at least not out loud.) It was a surreal experience, almost out of body. I was appalled as I watched myself but nothing could stop it.And I was shaking, felt nauseous, and just couldn't think beyond anything other than getting food in my mouth. Honestly, I was convinced that I had diabetes. Luckily, I don't but I did have gestational diabetes. Luckily, I liked the Mediterranean/Diabetes diet I followed while pregnant - it suited me. (as an fyi, gestational diabetes disappears as soon as you give birth in 95% of the cases. They assume that the remaining 5% were undiagnosed prior to pregnancy. But women who have had gestational diabetes have a much greater chance to develop Type II Diabetes later in life.) Mon Jun 09 09:11:15 -0700 2008 3759782 15250 sebetti 2 3763368 Thanks for the GD tip. I haven't had my glucose tolerance test, yet. I'm petrified that I have it because I'm obsessed with fruit. I snapped at my boss a month ago when she made me work through lunch for 9 hours straight... She's known I am pregnant since the beginning because I work in a lab. Mon Jun 09 10:09:22 -0700 2008 3763124 19537 AlyKen 3 3763928 There's a very good chance that the fruit obsession is just plain old pregnancy related, it's pretty normal. I, personally, was obsessed with eggs. Btw, the glucose drinks they feed you before your test are BEYOND nasty -- they taste like mostly-flat soda with triple the normal sugar. Try to make sure it's super-chilled before you drink it and try your best to drink it without tasting it. Good Luck!! Mon Jun 09 12:21:20 -0700 2008 3763368 15250 sebetti 4 3764381 i held my nose while i chugged the drink for my OGTT, and it did help me get it down....although keeping it down [ugh, that aftertaste!] is an entirely different story. note to AlyKen: if you do go for the test, be sure to bring something with you to eat immediately afterwards. i was so hypogycemic, cranky & miserable it was evil. Mon Jun 09 14:08:37 -0700 2008 3763928 103920 goodhealthgourmet 1 3763235 i've learned when on a road trip that mr. alka will not clue-in to me saying "i'm hungry." he won't take the initiative to stop then, but continues driving. then, it is, "well, where do you want to eat?" (keeps driving) until i say, "we are going to eat. let's get off at this exit!" ticks me off every time. makes for real road trip fun! Mon Jun 09 09:39:19 -0700 2008 3759782 105717 alkapal 2 3763686 This is one reason I always carry snacks. Mon Jun 09 11:25:09 -0700 2008 3763235 138816 jlafler 3 3765306 j, you must be a better woman than me, but snacks don't cut it on the road when i'm hungry. proper hungry, not just peckish. Mon Jun 09 19:07:17 -0700 2008 3763686 105717 alkapal 4 3765778 Maybe we just have different definitions of "snack." For example, on a recent airplane trip, I packed the following in carry-on luggage: A package of Marie biscuits A large bag of pretzels (transferred to a re-closable plastic bag) Two six-packs of Baby Bel cheese Three oranges A disc of Turkish dried apricots A large plastic container of carrot sticks and cucumber spears I also had the snacks I usually carry with me: a couple of fruit-and-nut energy bars and a bag of jellybeans. This was for my sustenance and my daughter's; my husband, the above-mentioned camel, generally fends for himself. My daughter isn't supposed to eat peanuts or tree nuts, or I would have brought a bag of mixed nuts as well. Maybe next time I'll bring sunflower seeds. Mon Jun 09 23:20:02 -0700 2008 3765306 138816 jlafler 5 3765846 ;-) recall crocodile dundee II where paul hogan, when confronted by some street thugs, says "you call that a knife?" <hauling out his big honker of a blade, smiles and says> "now that's a knife!" http://www.philosophyblog.com.au/images/crocodile-dundee-screenshot-you-call-that-a-knife11.jpg with you, jlafler, i can say, "now that's a SNACK!" Tue Jun 10 01:20:50 -0700 2008 3765778 105717 alkapal 5 3766577 Now that is "snacking" after my own heart! Our carry-on luggage is usually half food. I like the Baby Bel idea.. better than the chunks of cheddar that tend to squish. Add rice crackers, hard boiled eggs, candied pecans, dried persimmons and apples, and celery sticks (for digestion) and we're pretty close.. though, there was that woman behind us who made gagging noises when we ate our hard boiled eggs. She's lucky I didn't bring a jar of kim chee. After reading so many posts about this food-deprivation crankiness, I'm beginning to realise why I never have a problem with it: I'm always eating. Tue Jun 10 09:05:45 -0700 2008 3765778 172760 fromagina 6 3766981 "She's lucky I didn't bring a jar of kim chee." or tuna. that's a surefire way to piss off your plane-mates. i learned that one the hard way. oops :) Tue Jun 10 10:55:56 -0700 2008 3766577 103920 goodhealthgourmet 7 3767357 Or pickled garlic! Tue Jun 10 12:27:23 -0700 2008 3766981 172760 fromagina 8 3768923 Or, Lord Help Us, McDonald's french fries. The stench can last for hours. Haven't these people heard of a turkey sandwich? Tue Jun 10 20:39:28 -0700 2008 3767357 87837 RGC1982 9 3769889 What IS it about those particular french fries? They do stink! My local grocery store is downwind from a McD's and it almost hits my gag reflex. something in the fat? A neighbor gave me a ride the other day and her car reeked of rancid french fries.. "But my kids love it!" shudder.. Why doesn't the local BK smell as bad? I'm not a franchise foodie so maybe I've not developed a taste for that intense stink. Wed Jun 11 07:56:11 -0700 2008 3768923 172760 fromagina 10 3770123 Until 1990, they were fried in rendered beef tallow with a little bit of added vegetable oil. Then they switched to all vegetable oil with added "natural flavor" to make them taste beefy. Eric Schlosser talks about this in "Fast Food Nation." Here's the relevant exerpt: http://www.rense.com/general7/whyy.htm After I read this book a few years ago I became much more suspicious of the term "natural flavor." Wed Jun 11 08:56:00 -0700 2008 3769889 138816 jlafler 7 3862787 Canned tuna is like poison to me. If I walk into a room where canned tuna has been within the past two hours I retch. I don't know why this is -- I'm not over-sensitive to any other food smell (there are plenty I don't particularly like, but it doesn't get anywhere near the same reaction.) My husband and I had to have this conversation before I would move in with him: Me: One thing. While we live in the same house, you cannot eat tuna from a can. Him: Never? (His eyes switch to the left, as if looking for a way out). Ever? Me: (Sensing that I'm loosing him forever) Okay. Here are the ground rules. You can HAVE tuna in the house, in un-opened cans, but if you open the can, you must eat it all or dispose of any uneaten part of it in the outside trash can. You can do this on days when I'm working and won't be back for at least two hours. Then you must open the windows, brush your teeth and take a shower. DO NOT tell me when you do it, and make sure that I don't find out. Then you can eat tuna. Him: (Eyes brightening.) Okay then. He only slipped up a few times. Eventually, I introduced him to tuna salad made from fresh grilled Ahi, which I have no problem with - even I'll eat that. If only every marital dispute could be solved so easily. Sat Jul 12 13:15:03 -0700 2008 3766981 76279 chefbeth 1 3763248 Oh boy!!! Not only do I get extremely cranky, so do both my girls. It's like Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde. I start off slightly grumpy, then get really shaky, pale, nauseas, then downright mean. I can always tell when the kids need some food. Little mini me's...they even get so hungry they reject what ever food is offered to them. Then they eat a couple bites and they're back to themselves. Mon Jun 09 09:42:11 -0700 2008 3759782 158403 jcattles 1 3764236 No. Luckily, DH and I are remarkably sane when hungry. If we're really hungry, we just feel a bit weak, and that's about it. But I did have the pleasure of dating somebody for many years with this whole blood sugar thing. It was kind of scary -- and this hunger thing created a vicious cycle. I remember we were in Montreal once and I wanted to go to Schwartz's for some smoked meat. As he didn't eat red meat, he got all crabby on me because he was hungry. I asked him if he wanted to go elsewhere, and that I'd just get a sandwich to go. He said he would go to Schwartz's. I told him that there were other things he could eat -- chicken, french fries, etc. Because he was b*tchy, he got all difficult like a spoiled brat and refused to eat anything, saying he just didn't feel like it. He just b*tched and moaned during my meal, and on the long walk back to our hotel. I kept telling him to pick up something, even if it's a candy bar. So instead of picking up a candy bar and stopping this terrible cycle, he just let it continue, ruining my meal and making me all b*tchy! Mon Jun 09 13:35:03 -0700 2008 3759782 10763 Miss Needle 2 3764253 Glad you left that one behind you! Mon Jun 09 13:38:48 -0700 2008 3764236 172760 fromagina 3 3764340 Yes. Crabbiness is quite contagious! But I have to say my story can't beat your story of having your friend bite you! : ) Mon Jun 09 13:58:52 -0700 2008 3764253 10763 Miss Needle 4 3764994 Luckily there were no permanent scars and frankly, it was a good lesson for me.. LISTEN! I was so disgustingly healthy back then that I hadn't a clue as to bloodsugar imbalances. Mon Jun 09 17:12:01 -0700 2008 3764340 172760 fromagina 2 3772498 Uggh, even I'm not that bad. Buck up buddy and freakin' pick something. WTH??? Wed Jun 11 20:03:42 -0700 2008 3764236 144814 livetocook 1 3764566 When they're dithering and debating too long about where and when we're going to eat, my friends and family have become alert to a certain tone that enters my voice. It means: FEED ME RIGHT F***ING NOW!!! And they know better than to keep dithering... It's a blood sugar thing. No, really! Mon Jun 09 14:54:02 -0700 2008 3759782 27327 MsMaryMc 1 3764788 Kind of, yes. :) But in my defence, if I don't eat soon enough after getting hungry, I get headaches that persist even after I've eaten. And if that happens, well, crabs for everyone. Mon Jun 09 16:10:21 -0700 2008 3759782 16363 mogo 1 3765237 i don't get crabby when i am hungry. but when i am hungry and do not realize it then i actually get very tired. and usually after i eat, i am back to my normal self. Mon Jun 09 18:49:22 -0700 2008 3759782 92286 vttp926 1 3765277 I get very nausaus if I've gone too long without eating..I recognize my body NEEDS something right away..this usually creeps up on me as I'm bad at not eating anything until mid afternoon-then it will hit me hard. If I need to calm major hunger pangs in anticipation of a great meal later, a glass of V8 is great! Mon Jun 09 19:00:10 -0700 2008 3759782 115868 burlgurl 1 3765312 with the dithering crowds, command decisions must be made. (like the third person effect?) Mon Jun 09 19:09:32 -0700 2008 3759782 105717 alkapal 1 3766289 OMG. so crabby. fortunately my family knows, my DH knows, his friends, my friends... feed her or she bites! lol Tue Jun 10 07:43:39 -0700 2008 3759782 65780 jujuthomas 1 3766804 My personality switch when hungry for too long is legendary among those who've witnessed it... so I snack a lot. Like another poster, I've experienced the 'so disoriented I can't decide what to eat so I'm not hungry anymore [but now even crankier]' phenomenon- that's when someone should force-feed us a granola bar! On that note, I've always thought that the stereotype about bitchy models is misunderstood- the 90% of them who aren't genetic beanpoles aren't mean, they're just flippin' starving all the time! Tue Jun 10 10:10:22 -0700 2008 3759782 109450 Smorgasbord 2 3766976 re: the models...there's a tv or movie joke/line about that. i wish i could remember where i saw it! Tue Jun 10 10:53:54 -0700 2008 3766804 103920 goodhealthgourmet 1 3767376 Yup. I have hypoglycemia and have had since I was a baby. Parents learned early on to pack snacks or suffer the wrath of my temper tantrums. My mom used to say "If she's fussy, just give her some food, and she'll be the happiest baby ever". I'll actually get crabby, and then faint, if I don't eat every few hours. I always bring food with me, even if it's just some trail mix or a granola bar. Tue Jun 10 12:31:25 -0700 2008 3759782 184474 Mintycake 1 3767445 Here's a slight twist -- I can get pretty crabby if I'm hungry for dinner and dinner isn't around the corner (or we haven't figured out something yet), but I don't get too irritated if I'm hungry for breakfast or lunch. I suspect a lot of this has to do with conditioning. Also, just to add another data point, I'm a guy and I completely cannot relate to the stereotype of guys who "forget" to eat. Forget?! That's like forgetting to breathe. I do have a friend (male), skinny little guy, who is very much a "MUST EAT RIGHT NOW!" person when he's hungry. Honestly, it can be a little inconvenient if we're out and I'd like to push through the hunger to find a chow-worthy experience, while he just wants to slam anything (preferably sugary) down his gullet right-that-very-minute. Tue Jun 10 12:46:42 -0700 2008 3759782 132109 thebordella 1 3767503 YES,YES,YES!!!!!!!!! And I don't think I ever skipped a meal in my life! The problem with me is that I become very weak and start complaining, with a teary eye, etc.Hubby gets angry sometimes, but after 20 years he should get used to it, right? Doctor says I am healthy, so I don't know what's going on. I guess since I remember,food is the only thing I think about all the time, it's always been extremely important to me, and I always had major cravings for certain things. And I will not be satisfied with a snack like a candy bar (actually I hate sweats when I am hungry-it has to be savory) or potato chips type thing. It has to be a real meal. BTW, hubby is one of you guys that lives on one meal a day (dinner) and is perfectly happy. Tue Jun 10 13:01:34 -0700 2008 3759782 147538 polish_girl 2 3768037 I have learned to eat small meals throughout the day to keep from getting this way, but when life does become truly annoying and I am ready to do something really drastic or chew someone out (metaphorically of course) I stop and think.... when DID I last eat? And what is with these people who say "I forgot to eat". I used to work in an office with Mr. Cheflambo ....he is a very focused person, and I would often have to interrupt him to ask if he wanted lunch. On days when I was not in the office, and he came home and started griping about anything and everything (while diving into a box of CheezIts), I would ask him "did you miss lunch today?" Most often the answer was "yes". That's when I put on my best "Jewish mother" accent and tell him "eat something ... you'll feel better." I also tried to make sure there were at least some snack type items in the office cupboard, and when I moved on to another job, I asked the other guys in the office to try to make sure he doesn't skip lunch too often. It doesnt always work, but I can always tell when he's hungry. Tue Jun 10 15:06:44 -0700 2008 3767503 102895 Cheflambo 1 3768866 I don't WANT to be cranky, but at least once a week lunch time comes late, and I start snapping at the wife and kids, and I even know WHY I'm doing it. So mostly, when I think it's going to start happening I grab a couple crackers or some little snack. Otherwise, I spend all day apologizing for being a cranky bear. I'm sure that at some point someone will diagnose me with something horrible concerning this, which won't make me any more agreeable. Tue Jun 10 20:13:25 -0700 2008 3759782 91302 podunkboy 1 3768967 before going out with hubby for the first time, I made and sent him a list: "Ten Rules for Dating Susan". Rule Number One: Feed me dinner before eight. Or live to regret it (and the date). If you can't get a dinner reservation in time to get the appetizer served before eight pm; be prepared with a snack.... (and yes, a snack needs to be substantial; see jlafler's description of what constitutes a snack, below). As I learned the hard way on a camping trip with friends a few years ago, get a few drinks in hubby and he will share the other nine rules too. Good for campfire entertainment. :-) Tue Jun 10 21:00:58 -0700 2008 3759782 10158 susancinsf 2 3769116 when DH and I were first a couple, we were traveling and it took him too long to feed me. I share Susan's temper when hungry (frankly I think I may be worse than her!), and when he finally stopped at a burger joint I was too perturbed to wait in the line. So DH patiently waited for me and brought me back my requested cheeseburger. And I promply lit into him for having the audacity to bring me back one with mustard. I felt that he had watched me order burgers enough to know that if there is one thing I can't stand its mustard on burgers. But apparently it hadn't sunk in. DH was amazed at the degree of my temper....which didn't subside until I had eaten several handfuls of fries and downed most of a strawberry shake (I refused to eat the cheeseburger). Later that evening we joined the family at an event, and he told the story to some of my family members (much to my chagrin). He was amazed that in six or so months together that was the first major disagreement we had endured...over a cheeseburger. Sister B just looked at him and said "How long had it been since Janet had eaten when this fight occurred? You should know by now NEVER to let Janet get hungry...." So I guess this little problem is not unknown to those who know me well....... Tue Jun 10 22:20:46 -0700 2008 3768967 10290 janetofreno 3 3769761 So this is a VERY common thing, I think. My notoriously carbophobic SIL, who is terminally cranky anyway, was IMPOSSIBLE while on her diet. Its obvious that a lack of carbohydrates causes MAJOR mood swings in some people. I tried to make sure that I was well nourished when I had to spend time with her, so that my tolerance level was OK. Otherwise, it would be a close encounter of the homicidal kind. Wed Jun 11 07:19:16 -0700 2008 3769116 102895 Cheflambo 4 3772044 I tried the South Beach Diet a few years ago. The program starts with NO carbs: no starches, no fruit, no sweets. For 2 weeks. By day 9, I was homicidal. I'm sure being premenstrual did not help. Went to shopping and bought every candy the store had. We're all safer if I'm a little chubby and happy than skinny and murderous. Wed Jun 11 17:33:24 -0700 2008 3769761 163108 RoxyB 5 3772127 The very reason I can't do South Beach. I am a tried and true Weight Watcher girl as I can eat regular food but am always in search of high fiber breads with low point count. Total carb junkie!! Wed Jun 11 18:07:44 -0700 2008 3772044 161922 jodymaryk 1 3771866 Indeed I do. Wed Jun 11 16:23:37 -0700 2008 3759782 10985 MMRuth 1 3773069 my husband gets crabby; i get hyper. the longer i go w/o food the more hyper i get which i attribute to screwed up body chemistry b/c of past disordered eating. Thu Jun 12 04:19:07 -0700 2008 3759782 12568 ericalloyd 1 3777770 In my younger years, I got terribly cranky and vocal when I was hungry as well as light headed. Anyone who knew me could tell immediately that I needed to eat. As I grew older, my behavior changed in a dangerous way. I got quiet and withdrawn when I needed to eat. After passing out once, I was diagnosed with "extreme reactive hypoglycemia." My body puts out too much insulin in response to carbohydrates. Now I eat small meals (including some protein) every four hours to keep my blood sugar level and limit carbohydrates. Fri Jun 13 10:03:56 -0700 2008 3759782 147093 Seeker19104 1 3781157 A few replies have mentioned indecisiveness. I'm a college instructor and often have students in my night classes who haven't eaten since breakfast. I beg them to eat something during the break I give them and sometimes provide snacks during exams. I've seen low blood sugar impact performance to the point that I was bringing granola bars each week for one student who hadn't eaten since 5am and our class got out at 10pm! Sat Jun 14 18:05:47 -0700 2008 3759782 10910 dustchick 1 3781317 My husband says I'm at my most lethal when I'm tired and hungry. He also gets cranky when he doesn't eat. We're very lucky we don't let it get to a critical point that often. Sat Jun 14 20:04:03 -0700 2008 3759782 11701 MrsT 1 3781491 So very crabby. And then more crabby if the food I finally get is bad. And, please, don't even try reaching across my plate when I finally do get something edible-- I will stab you with whatever I happen to have in my hand. Sat Jun 14 22:42:17 -0700 2008 3759782 166787 beth1 1 3794583 Low-blood sugar and dehydration combine to make me sick, and the longer I go without eating the worse it gets until I get miserably ill and just want to lie down in a darkened room and die, so naturally I try to avoid that situation if at all possible... but DH can go all day without even thinking about food. He does get cranky if he's really hungry, but not until he's missed two meals in a row... it can make things a little awkward when we're travelling but we've come to an agreement - if I say 'I need to stop and eat', I mean I need it NOW, not in three hours time... Thu Jun 19 10:31:05 -0700 2008 3759782 67657 Kajikit 1 3794832 I get very crabby when I miss a meal - especially around lunchtime. My brother, on the other hand, gets positively rabid. I'm not sure he'd ever bite me, as another person experienced, but he turns into an absolute PITA and will demand a snack stop when he starts feeling the effects. His energy level also plumments. My brother is 28 now but I remember when he was about 11 he passed out while on a fishing trip with my uncle. The doctor suspected hypoglycemia, but he has never had another fainting spell since. I have always wondered if that early episode is related to how he is now. Thu Jun 19 11:33:30 -0700 2008 3759782 43622 JenBoes 1 3797924 I am sending this thread to my fiance he will crack up. I get really cranky when I am hungry, but it isn't all that often that I am really hungry. Some days I will forget to eat lunch because I will be busy at work, somedays I will eat yogurt for lunch and be good till dinner. Other days I want a huge lunch and dinner, or am just really hungry for dinner. I tend to only eat when I am hungry and drink a lot so I don't mix up being thirsty for hungry or get dehydrated which I tend to do easily. And I tend to feel sick quickly when I am dehydrated so that is even worse. But when I do get hungry I am really hungry and really not happy and lose any of the patience I have. Fiance used to get mad and tell me I need to pack a granola bar or something in my purse, then he realized if I was cranky due to hunger, that it was more than a granola bar would fix, it requires a meal, a large meal, to the point people who don't know me well will be shocked. So now if I start getting cranky or tell him I am really hungry he is like stop everything we are doing and get her food now. If we are close to home he will ask what I would like to do and offer to stop somewhere close so I don't have to be hungry for all the time it takes to cook something I want. He now jokes about it, which is good. Since it doesn't happen often he takes it more seriously it is less you need to plan and more oh I haven't fed you in a while let me take care of that. But we never eat or are hungry at scheduled times. And Fiance snacks a lot so I think he doesn't get hunger pangs as vividly as I do, but I think he requires eating more often than I do. Normally it all works out, traveling is when it gets tricky because then we have to both eat at set times and traveling in general just sends my digestive system into disarray. And I am with Mrs. T- I am definitely lethal if I am tired AND hungry. At that point Fiance will just not talk to me and feed me and hope I become at least bearable. But if niether food nor sleep are possible soon he will often joke to make me smile. He really is a dear. And he at least is cranky when he is tired so that makes me feel a little better. But yeah at that point you don't even want to look at me and unless you are him you probably want to avoid any interaction with me, but I definitely give off that vibe at that point. I am sure when tired and hungry you could look at me from quite a distance and see the ***** vibe oozing out. Fri Jun 20 11:04:20 -0700 2008 3759782 92426 ktmoomau 1 3805009 Oh my yes. Actually, I get migraines if I skip meals or wait too late to eat. But like other people have mentioned, the worse I feel, the less I want to eat. Vicious circle. Mon Jun 23 09:53:41 -0700 2008 3759782 157998 Petrichor 1 3809994 I get very crabby, as does my sister and my niece. The 3 of us were on a car trip with my SO and my sister's SO. I said I was hungry, my niece replied, me too. And my sister then agreed. And immediately the two guys were scanning out the window desparately looking for a place to eat. Neither wanted a car full of crabby wimin. I will eventually progress from crabby to nauseous and even to vomiting...lovely on an empty stomach. The best thing at that point is a high sugar food that is easy to digest. Tue Jun 24 13:51:28 -0700 2008 3759782 139219 Sooeygun 1 3810074 It's dependent on who you're asking and when. If you ask me, I'd quickly deny being extra-snarky when I'm hungry. My body does loudly announce otherwise (loud stomach-grinding girgles, whining whimpers, noisy lip-smacking are just some auditory symptoms) especially if a bakery is blasting their fans into the oncoming foot traffic. SWMBO, all three of my daughter-units, and my MIL all vigorously avoid me when I've missed a meal. Go figure. Tue Jun 24 14:10:43 -0700 2008 3759782 11175 The Ranger 1 3837188 Oh yeah, very crabby. And don't even suggest a candy bar or something sweet, that is I mean if you don't want to lose your head. I need something really good to eat then, even if it's a salad. Thu Jul 03 14:22:20 -0700 2008 3759782 50431 chef chicklet 1 3843517 Yes! My fiance can go all day without eating, and so he doesn't understand that I get really woozy when I don't have breakfast. It can also trigger headaches/migraines for me if I don't eat for a long period of time. It can be frustrating when he doesn't understand, but I know he doesn't do it on purpose. Sometimes I have to eat an apple if I'm going with other people to dinner just in case it's a while before we eat and I haven't eaten in a while, otherwise I get anxious and woozy. Sun Jul 06 18:44:49 -0700 2008 3759782 144298 Erinmck 1 3862857 Geesh. I'm one of those insufferable people who has no problem identifying this kind of thing in others, but who is competely oblivious when it comes to figuring it out for myself. I've had emplyees who have gotten cranky and uncooperative, and one of the first questions I ask is "When did you eat last?" In many cases I'm met with stares of incomprehension, so I sit them down in the break room, get them a bottle of water (dehydration being one of the other things that causes this behavior) and go make them a little something. I never ask what they want -- in a kitchen we all quickly get to know eachother's likes and dislikes), but I will make sure someone brings it to them and makes them eat it. Other people are easy. Me? Another story alltogether. I don't "forget" to eat. I think about cooking and eating all of the time, but I guess I'm actually focussed on "other people" eating all the time. There are days - even multiple days in a row, when I don't eat a single meal. A bite here, a bite there. Eventually I realize that my decision-making process isn't working quite right, and that my creativity is on the fritz, which makes it impossible for me to decide what, exactly, I have any desire to eat. So I don't want anything. I think I might get cranky at that point. Which is ridiculous, because I've got some great food here. At that point I realize that I'm freaking starving and haven't had protein (no less a decent meal) in a few days. Sometimes the only thing I can do is go to a restaurant where I know the chef and say "Just bring me something." This has always baffled and disturbed me. It wasn't until reading this thread that I twigged to what my problem is -- and have some better ideas about how to prevent it from happening again. Thanks, 'Hounds! Sat Jul 12 13:43:43 -0700 2008 3759782 76279 chefbeth 2 3863164 "There are days - even multiple days in a row, when I don't eat a single meal." does. not. compute. does. not. compute. does not compute. doesnotcomputedoesnotcomputedoesnotcompute. hey! shut me down, will ya?! Sat Jul 12 16:09:01 -0700 2008 3862857 105717 alkapal 3 3864377 Hah! I get ya, alka! It doesn't make any sense to me either -- but it seems to happen alot anyway. Like I said, I get so wrapped up in what other people are eating (or what I want them to eat) that the idea of feeding myself becomes an afterthought. I'll obsess for an entire day about what brilliant five-course meal I want to create for a client, do the shopping, the prep, then serve it and clean up -- then get home to find that I've got no energy left to cook for me. You'd think I'd be forward thinking enough to just set aside a portion for myself, but it never works that way. I'm so focused on the event itself that I don't even consider taking any food home with me. I guess I eat vicariously -- and once the guests are sated, the praise is in, the bill paid and the dishes are done, I'm over that particular meal. I'm already thinking about the next meal I want to make for another client. I'll have a glass of wine and go to bed. I have learned that, for me at this point in my life, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. My breakfasts are rather elaborate (but how complicated can breakfast be?). Tea, fruit, filled omelette or poached eggs (btw, the best advice I ever got on how to poach an egg came from CHOW, and it has never failed me, whether doing an egg or two for myself or for 150 people -- and it didn't come from the video, but from one of the posters), toast or English Muffin. Breakfast is really the only time I sit down and eat. But three days out of seven, I'm in too much of a hurry to do so. Sun Jul 13 08:47:57 -0700 2008 3863164 76279 chefbeth 1 3866243 completely me! and I have a camel for a husband; he says it came from being in the military. He is slowly learning to check whether I have eaten... I had a nutritionist say I had reactive hypoglycemia, and a doctor tell me there is no such thing... But I did have a file drawer full of food when I was still working :-) After 2 months in Israel, I am learning that just eating won't do it - you also have to have enough to drink! Mon Jul 14 02:38:06 -0700 2008 3759782 208045 Cowprintrabbit 1 3871004 My fiance and I are very different when it comes to food. He can eat or not eat, and it really doesn't change his mood at all. I'm super jealous of him! When I was younger, I was able to go the whole day from breakfast till dinner without something to eat. Sure, I'd get kinda crabby, but nothing like I am now. In the last 5 or 6 years its progressively become worse - It started out with just feeling crabby and irritable, but I would eat something and it would POOF go away. I've never been a breakfast person - only over the last year do I wake up hungry. Now it's just HORRIBLE. I'm hungry in the morning, and if I don't eat something before lunch I become so sick and weak that I can't eat anymore. It makes me not just crabby, but physically ill. I've actually vomitted from not eating, which makes no sense to me considering the fact that there is nothing in my stomach. If I get to the point of becoming REALLY sick and weak, I force myself to eat something, even just a couple of bites, and the nausea will eventually disappate. Once the nausea is gone, I can continue with eating a whole meal. This is seriously one of the most horrible things to deal with - I mean, I LOVE sleep, and I sometimes don't wake up in time to have breakfast. Now I kinda have to force myself to get up early and at least have a bowl of cereal. One thing I've discovered helps with hunger throughout the day is PROTEIN. Snacks or meals with carbs will satisfy your hunger for a while, but when the hunger comes back I'm in real trouble because my hunger is even worse than before, at least for me. Carbs also make my energy level crash at about 10:00 AM or 2:00 PM if I only have carbs for breakfast or lunch. I've found that protein helps my energy level and makes me feel full for longer. Although I'm not a fan of chicken, having chicken on a salad for lunch can make all the difference when the dinner hunger pangs come around. Peanut Butter is also a great snack option - even those cheap peanut butter crackers you can get in vending machines help me from getting sick. I keep peanut butter and apples at my work - what a great snack! Does anyone else get physically ill like I do? Tue Jul 15 12:42:17 -0700 2008 3759782 210065 spcebaby 1 3874871 Yes. Also when I am satiated. Wed Jul 16 14:17:10 -0700 2008 3759782 12296 steakman55 1 3876287 I don't necessarily become crabby, but there comes a point when I can't concentrate on doing anything else unless I eat first. So I do become somewhat debilitated. I get pretty bad hunger pangs. I work shift work (about to finish a midnight-8:30 am shift right now!) so I can eat at all times of the day or night. I usually wake up very hungry. Thu Jul 17 04:38:04 -0700 2008 3759782 66556 Solstice444 1 3884543 OMG - yes! Reading this thread feels like being in a support group. :) My sister has recognized for years that the first step for me is I get quiet and unfocused. She immediately starts looking for food. My husband (who can go all day without eating) doesn't notice a thing. He also doesn't seem to notice when I say "I have to eat NOW!". So I keep Luna bars and nuts with me at all times. I also always have my "adult sippy cup" full of water with me, since I noticed that the less hydrated I am the more lethargic I am. My doctor doesn't think it's worth testing for hypoglycemia and just recommends eating every 3 hours, including protein in each meal. Seems to work. I am also a carbaholic (currently trying to up my protein, lower my cards). Wonder if it's all related? Sat Jul 19 22:01:03 -0700 2008 3759782 12513 Divamac 1 3900611 "My husband (who can go all day without eating) doesn't notice a thing. He also doesn't seem to notice when I say "I have to eat NOW!". divamac, i think it is a man thing. i don't know of any woman (save one on this thread, the nice personal chef), who can go all day without eating. and....is oblivious to those loved ones who are (subtly -- and not subtly) saying they need to eat. for future reference to you oblivi-ites: when we say we'd like to get something to eat, we are not referring to some indefinite date in the future!! Fri Jul 25 08:17:55 -0700 2008 3759782 105717 alkapal 2 3909478 I have to eat something every three or four hours. Might just be a piece of fruit or a few crackers, a handful of nuts, but something. If not I get headachy and shaky. My blood sugar is fine, no history of diabetes in my family, but I know how it feels when my blood sugar is really dropping. I try to eat a little something before it gets too bad. My SO can go all day without eating a thing and he's fine, so maybe there's something to the gender difference. Mon Jul 28 16:38:02 -0700 2008 3900611 178560 SharaMcG 2 3957170 I know girls (in like their teens-twenties) that skip lunch or breakfast or both on most days! Maybe in an effort to lose weight? I don't know. Only that I would never survive! Thu Aug 14 11:31:38 -0700 2008 3900611 175330 Halie 1 4106440 I fixed a very nice meal last night. I hadn't eaten much, all day. As soon as we sat down SO picked up the pepper grinder and I said (in a not too pleasant voice), "don't put pepper on that without tasting it!" That didn't help... she was furious with me, and I with her. Wed Oct 15 12:31:41 -0700 2008 3759782 137946 Scargod 1 4107212 Good Lord, yes!! I get headaches and a little dizzy if I go more than 2 hours without eating anything so I always have snacks with me. Any longer than that and I'm like that plant in Little Shop of Hours. Feeeed Meeeee Seymourrrrrr!!!! Wed Oct 15 17:29:21 -0700 2008 3759782 227643 Luvfriedokra