Question about exercise and eating

I don't want to overeat or anything today, but I did a LOT of exercise today, and I actually feel hungry.  I'm thinking I want to have a protein shake, which will make me full and is full of protein and I don't have to actually eat it.  I worked outside in the yard raking leaves, using the leafblower etc for about 5 hours.  My fitbit has over 6670 steps (first time EVER) and I just want to make sure that that I'm not thinking I'm hungry, but that I actually AM hungry.  Any suggestions?   Thanks so much!

The protein shake will send "medicine" to your muscles, so that's good. You also want to get some water in. Water is very important to muscle health.

Make sure you are not dehydrated which can sometimes mimic hunger.  You might just do a half scoop of protein and the res****er or half a shake and the res****er.

The fact that you are questioning it is good. You have tried to think if it is anything other than hunger, have chosen a healthy option, and have realized you have realistic reason to be hungry-so I say to eat (or drink the shake). Some days I am really hungry and I get in 800 calories. Some days I'm not hungry at all. Today I haven't been hungry, had under 500 and even had foamies and vomited my dinner (a little too excited to get veggies in). It shows me that we cannot use the same exact numbers every single day

I came to a time when I was about 3 months out where I kept feeling like I was possibly hungry but not sure and I didn't want to up my food if I didn't need to.  I wasn't sure if it was true hunger or head hunger.  I was not taking my PPI, so I went back to taking it and it was just acid in my stomach.  It is good that you are questioning it.  There are going to be days that you may feel hungrier than others.  If you really think you need to eat more, I personally don't think you can go wrong eating more dense protein and/or have a shake.  If you are going to up anything, up the protein and water.

Great job on the exercise!

It's so hard to figure out what's head hunger and what's not....and when to give into the "hunger" feelings.  I really got derailed from my track this past Saturday, so I'm now starting to question everything I do, to make sure it's the right thing.  It's hard though because I feel like I'm just confusing myself even more!  Thanks again for your advice!

If you got derailed this weekend, that could contribute to the hungry feeling also.  If I eat more unhealthy carbs then I do get hungrier faster.  I find for me, that I need to eat dense protein at each meal and then I am not hungry throughout the day.  If I eat softer proteins, then I get hungrier quicker.  Just stay on your plan and you will do okay.  You got this!