What should I do?

Question
Hi Laura, I'm 16, 5'3" and I was 157 pounds but I lost about 17 pounds in two months eating a very nutritious and healthy vegetarian diet that was around 1500 calories a day. Then I plateaued for 9 weeks and finally broke free of it last week by starting to do med/high intensity interval training on an exercise bike as well has quite a lot of strength training. I'm getting the correct amount of nutrients, I'm drinking lots of water, I'm eating lots of protein and filling foods but I can't seem to stop feeling hungry. I eat and then 30 minutes later I'm starving. I don't mean 'oh I really want cake', no, I mean I'm hungry. I'm not mistaking it for thirst, I'm not bored when I feel that way. It just feels like my insides are being scrapped out. The inside of my body feels shaky and I just feel like I have no energy, like I have nothing left. I have a headache almost constantly, I just feel REALLY REALLY REALLY hungry! I boosted up my calorie intake to about 1700 per day but it still didn't do anything. My last period was about 3 weeks ago and this started two weeks ago so I don't think it has anything to do with that. It started after I began exercising more but I would imagine if my metabolism was in overdrive I'd have lost a lot more then a pound in two weeks so I just don't know what's going on. What should I do? Should I eat more? Any suggestions? Please help me, I'm just so hungry and I don't know how to stop it and I don't know if I should eat more or not. I just don't want to plateau again, it's such a difficult thing to get through. What should I do?

Answer
Dear Beth, You can't prevent a plateau, so don't plan your meals and work-outs around that. Continue with your present work-out because it works! If you are doing the med to high interval training, make sure you provide your body with essential protein to rebuild your muscles. It is very hard to to that on a vegetarian diet, so you must supplement with protein powders, etc. You need at least 100 grams or more of protein daily to rebuild the muscles you are breaking down with exercise. You also need healthy fats, low fat dairy, whole fruits and vegetables, and whole grain breads. If you are not feeling well, then you are overdoing it. You are only 16 years old, which means that your body is still growing and maturing, so don't over do it. Give your self a cheat day to see if you feel better. Some foods like carbohydrates are digested quickly causing hunger, where as other foods like proteins and fats, take longer to digest so they don't cause the hunger pangs. It might be the food you are eating, or drinking that is causing the excessive hunger pangs. Hope that helps, Laura Kraemer, Slimkids.com

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