What do you do when you're not hungry?

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Replies

  • SeaAnita
    SeaAnita Posts: 9 Member
    SeaAnita wrote: »

    Oh, the body will never hold on to food or fat if you're not eating enough calories. Starvation mode is a complete debunked myth. Make sure you're weighing all the solid and semi solid foods in grams on a good scale to ensure accurate calorie counting.. If you're not losing, it is possible that eithe food calories have been underestimated, or exercise calories have been overestimated. Measuring cups/spoons and guessing portions is a guaranteed way to eat extra calories unintentionally. Weigh all foods, even nut butter/butter/mayo.

    I don't log exercise, because I can't do it....not even water aerobics. Both my knees need replaced and are severely arthritic, so even water aerobics causes great pain. Just walking around my house is painful. Unfortunately, I get my medical care through the VA and they won't replace my knees until I get my weight down more...so I'm in a vicious circle.
  • SeaAnita
    SeaAnita Posts: 9 Member
    pcpop7 wrote: »
    Where to start on this one. So how do you think you got overweight ? Seriously ?

    Your either going to get real with yourself or your not. Just now you sound like you might be in denial.

    I asked what others do/advice...I did not ask to be judged and criticized!

    1) I had a hysterectomy at an early age and the loss of hormones helped contribute to the weight
    2) One year after the hysterectomy, I tore my ACL (which the military never repaired), so I wasn't able to be as active as I used to be.
    3) I was put on a medicine known to cause weight gain.

    That's how I gained the weight. Hell, before all this, I was fine....had two babies and went home wearing regular clothes because I didn't gain more than 14 with the first and 19 with the second, so pregnancy didn't even get me to this point.

    I'm not in denial. I weight/measure everything I eat. I avoid fast food, fried foods, sugar, etc. I don't do fad diets (because they just fail as soon as you go back to eating normally). Over the years I have changed the way I eat...stopped frying foods, eating more vegetables, that sort of thing. I'm allergic to dairy now, so I'm not eating cheese, ice cream, etc. I don't crave chocolate or desserts.

    I'm losing weight, but very, very slowly. Without exercise, my metabolism is super low. What I have lost stays off, but my knees are wearing out quicker than I'm losing (I've lost 45 lbs since 2004 and it has stayed off).
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Oh please. I just eat...all the time. Mostly when I'm hungry and sometimes when I'm not.

    And no, you're not holding onto fat because you're "not eating enough". Strictly log your food, using a food scale, for two weeks at least.
  • SeaAnita
    SeaAnita Posts: 9 Member
    Here's a sample of my average day. I'm under my calories (I never said I was starving myself, just not getting the recommended amount).
    07c6de33vsdp.jpg

    z132ch3bspst.jpg

  • pcpop7
    pcpop7 Posts: 161 Member
    edited May 2016
    SeaAnita wrote: »
    Here's a sample of my average day. I'm under my calories (I never said I was starving myself, just not getting the recommended amount).
    07c6de33vsdp.jpg

    z132ch3bspst.jpg

    I see lots of cups and tablespoons. Get a good scale and weigh everything in grams. Measuring the way you are you will be eating more than you think you are.
  • lemonychild
    lemonychild Posts: 654 Member
    U eat when you're hungry. Who's to say that breakfast is at 6 and not 11. Do you, forget everyone else
  • MsAmandaNJ
    MsAmandaNJ Posts: 1,248 Member
    If I'm not hungry at mealtime, I still eat, just a lot less. It's a rare occasion, but when it happens, I save the leftovers for later. Breakfast is tough, I usually make myself a chocolate milk and call it done.
  • Cohalligan
    Cohalligan Posts: 26 Member
    What I am also noticing - for you as a diabetic, you are eating very small amounts of protein and relatively high amounts of carbohydrates without accompanying protein to offset the insulin spike. You should be eating significantly more protein throughout the day and protein should comprise a part of every meal and snack due to your diabetes.
  • SeaAnita
    SeaAnita Posts: 9 Member
    Cohalligan wrote: »
    What I am also noticing - for you as a diabetic, you are eating very small amounts of protein and relatively high amounts of carbohydrates without accompanying protein to offset the insulin spike. You should be eating significantly more protein throughout the day and protein should comprise a part of every meal and snack due to your diabetes.

    Believe it or not, but my diabetes is well controlled. The kashi I have for breakfast has the same amount of protein as an egg (and I dislike eggs, especially those with a hard yolk).
  • richardgavel
    richardgavel Posts: 1,001 Member
    I eat before I get hungry, not wait until I do. For one thing, I might not meet my calorie goals if I only eat when I'm hungry. Also, who says you're going to be in a position to eat (or eat properly) when you're hungry? Now there's a difference between eating when not hungry and literally forcing food into your mouth. To put it another way, a runner might stretch regularly to prevent tight muscles, they won't wait until they feel tight to stretch (or they shouldn't).
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    pcpop7 wrote: »
    SeaAnita wrote: »
    Here's a sample of my average day. I'm under my calories (I never said I was starving myself, just not getting the recommended amount).
    07c6de33vsdp.jpg

    z132ch3bspst.jpg

    I see lots of cups and tablespoons. Get a good scale and weigh everything in grams. Measuring the way you are you will be eating more than you think you are.

    Just because her diary shows foods in Imperial measurements doesn't mean she's not weighing her food. She probably does what I do - make sure the nutritional info is correct for what she's eating, weighs it in grams to the serving listed, logs using math (ie: 1.15 servings of 42 grams of bread [bread weighed at 49 grams]), and doesn't want to go change every food entry to show grams.
  • pcpop7
    pcpop7 Posts: 161 Member
    edited May 2016
    zyxst wrote: »
    pcpop7 wrote: »
    SeaAnita wrote: »
    Here's a sample of my average day. I'm under my calories (I never said I was starving myself, just not getting the recommended amount).
    07c6de33vsdp.jpg

    z132ch3bspst.jpg

    I see lots of cups and tablespoons. Get a good scale and weigh everything in grams. Measuring the way you are you will be eating more than you think you are.

    Just because her diary shows foods in Imperial measurements doesn't mean she's not weighing her food. She probably does what I do - make sure the nutritional info is correct for what she's eating, weighs it in grams to the serving listed, logs using math (ie: 1.15 servings of 42 grams of bread [bread weighed at 49 grams]), and doesn't want to go change every food entry to show grams.

    1 sachet and 2 pcs and about 14 pcs are not imperial measure and for that matter neither is 1.15 servings. Imperial would be oz, lb and stone.
  • Evelinejedwab
    Evelinejedwab Posts: 11 Member
    Sorry to say but I'm mostly always hungry. That said, if you don't want to eat breakfast, don't eat breakfast. The notion that breakfast is the most important meal of the day is just BS. If you're often not hungry try to eat in an eight hour window.
  • abatonfan
    abatonfan Posts: 1,120 Member
    SeaAnita wrote: »
    I should have mentioned, I'm diabetic, so not eating in the morning is not an option, otherwise, I would crash from low blood sugar (after taking my morning insulin).

    Have you contacted your endo? If your insulin doses are tuned in correctly (accurate basal insulin dose if you're on Lantus/Levimir or basal rate if you're pumping, only taking bolus insulin like Novolog/Humalog/Aprida when you're eating, or are you on a Regular/NPH combo where the peaks of that regimen forces you to eat at specific times?), then you should be able to skip meals without facing lows. If you're not hungry for breakfast, it's important for the endo to know that, because your insulin doses may need to be modified to prevent lows.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    SeaAnita wrote: »
    I should have mentioned, I'm diabetic, so not eating in the morning is not an option, otherwise, I would crash from low blood sugar (after taking my morning insulin).

    If you need to eat something, then you should eat something whether you feel hunger or not. I would suggest talking to your doctor about what would be the best options for you. Or your nutritionist, if you have one as part of your treatment plan.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Cohalligan wrote: »
    What I am also noticing - for you as a diabetic, you are eating very small amounts of protein and relatively high amounts of carbohydrates without accompanying protein to offset the insulin spike. You should be eating significantly more protein throughout the day and protein should comprise a part of every meal and snack due to your diabetes.
    SeaAnita wrote: »
    Believe it or not, but my diabetes is well controlled. The kashi I have for breakfast has the same amount of protein as an egg (and I dislike eggs, especially those with a hard yolk).

    The point the poster was trying to make was about protein in relationship to carbs. Yes, kashi has 12 g of protein, but that comes with 40 grams of carbs.

    I'm not taking a stand on this one way or the other - it's something to discuss with your medical team if you want.

    I'm with the VA as well - have you done the MOVE or TeleMOVE program? Because of it, I LOST weight over the holidays last year instead of gaining. I check in with an RN and a dietitian is available.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    edited May 2016
    SeaAnita wrote: »

    Oh, the body will never hold on to food or fat if you're not eating enough calories. Starvation mode is a complete debunked myth. Make sure you're weighing all the solid and semi solid foods in grams on a good scale to ensure accurate calorie counting.. If you're not losing, it is possible that eithe food calories have been underestimated, or exercise calories have been overestimated. Measuring cups/spoons and guessing portions is a guaranteed way to eat extra calories unintentionally. Weigh all foods, even nut butter/butter/mayo.

    I don't log exercise, because I can't do it....not even water aerobics. Both my knees need replaced and are severely arthritic, so even water aerobics causes great pain. Just walking around my house is painful. Unfortunately, I get my medical care through the VA and they won't replace my knees until I get my weight down more...so I'm in a vicious circle.

    I started with MFP because at that time I was unable to exercise due to knee pain. I'm with the VA too - did you get these knee strengthening exercises? Did you get a referral for PT?

    5k6yno2wntyk.jpg

    While I still can't do squats with weights, I am otherwise happy with the amount of exercise I can do after strengthening my knees and gradually working up.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    pcpop7 wrote: »
    zyxst wrote: »
    pcpop7 wrote: »
    SeaAnita wrote: »
    Here's a sample of my average day. I'm under my calories (I never said I was starving myself, just not getting the recommended amount).
    07c6de33vsdp.jpg

    z132ch3bspst.jpg

    I see lots of cups and tablespoons. Get a good scale and weigh everything in grams. Measuring the way you are you will be eating more than you think you are.

    Just because her diary shows foods in Imperial measurements doesn't mean she's not weighing her food. She probably does what I do - make sure the nutritional info is correct for what she's eating, weighs it in grams to the serving listed, logs using math (ie: 1.15 servings of 42 grams of bread [bread weighed at 49 grams]), and doesn't want to go change every food entry to show grams.

    1 sachet and 2 pcs and about 14 pcs are not imperial measure and for that matter neither is 1.15 servings. Imperial would be oz, lb and stone.

    As an example, 2 pieces = 30 grams and OP weighs out 30 grams. Why change the database entry for that food because it doesn't show metric measurements when OP knows she's weighed it correctly for a serving and the nutritional info is correct to the package?

    Using my supper tonight: I had 2 slices of bread. Package says 2 slices = 42 grams. I weighed out 2 slices which showed 60 grams. I logged it as 1.43 servings and that comes out to 60.06 grams. The Greek yogurt was 30 grams or .18 [logs as 31.5g] of 175 grams or 3/4ths of a cup. The chewy granola bar says 31 grams per bar. My bar weighed 33 grams and got logged as 1.07 (33.17 g) of a bar.
  • pcpop7
    pcpop7 Posts: 161 Member
    zyxst wrote: »
    pcpop7 wrote: »
    zyxst wrote: »
    pcpop7 wrote: »
    SeaAnita wrote: »
    Here's a sample of my average day. I'm under my calories (I never said I was starving myself, just not getting the recommended amount).
    07c6de33vsdp.jpg

    z132ch3bspst.jpg

    I see lots of cups and tablespoons. Get a good scale and weigh everything in grams. Measuring the way you are you will be eating more than you think you are.

    Just because her diary shows foods in Imperial measurements doesn't mean she's not weighing her food. She probably does what I do - make sure the nutritional info is correct for what she's eating, weighs it in grams to the serving listed, logs using math (ie: 1.15 servings of 42 grams of bread [bread weighed at 49 grams]), and doesn't want to go change every food entry to show grams.

    1 sachet and 2 pcs and about 14 pcs are not imperial measure and for that matter neither is 1.15 servings. Imperial would be oz, lb and stone.

    As an example, 2 pieces = 30 grams and OP weighs out 30 grams. Why change the database entry for that food because it doesn't show metric measurements when OP knows she's weighed it correctly for a serving and the nutritional info is correct to the package?

    Using my supper tonight: I had 2 slices of bread. Package says 2 slices = 42 grams. I weighed out 2 slices which showed 60 grams. I logged it as 1.43 servings and that comes out to 60.06 grams. The Greek yogurt was 30 grams or .18 [logs as 31.5g] of 175 grams or 3/4ths of a cup. The chewy granola bar says 31 grams per bar. My bar weighed 33 grams and got logged as 1.07 (33.17 g) of a bar.

    Well good for you, but that still does not make anything you have said imperial measures.
  • SeaAnita
    SeaAnita Posts: 9 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    SeaAnita wrote: »

    I started with MFP because at that time I was unable to exercise due to knee pain. I'm with the VA too - did you get these knee strengthening exercises? Did you get a referral for PT?

    While I still can't do squats with weights, I am otherwise happy with the amount of exercise I can do after strengthening my knees and gradually working up.

    Thanks for the knee/leg exercises! I was trying to find them on the myHealtheVet site, but couldn't find them.
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,338 Member
    edited May 2016
    pcpop7 wrote: »
    SeaAnita wrote: »
    Here's a sample of my average day. I'm under my calories (I never said I was starving myself, just not getting the recommended amount).
    07c6de33vsdp.jpg

    z132ch3bspst.jpg

    I see lots of cups and tablespoons. Get a good scale and weigh everything in grams. Measuring the way you are you will be eating more than you think you are.

    I actually only one see one vegetable and one fruit consumed in those two days...celery and a banana!!!! You may want to think about incorporating vegetables into almost every meal. I try to make the veggies cover a third of my plate, if not half. Balance can help you to feel hungry at more appropriate intervals, and also to fuel you so you CAN workout more, and create a bigger daily deficit, thereby ENSURING faster weightloss. Also..what everyone said above about weighing with a scale and logging is true. Being consistent for the first while is key. And I did see you say that you weigh everything, but do you weigh your lean cuisines and packaged foods, as they are notorious for having incorrect labelling. In the end, it comes down to Calories In need to be less than Calories you burn....regardless of medication, stress, injury....the math is still the same. When losing weight, I try to make sure to create a deficit of at least 500-600 every day...by doing this I almost guarantee a 1 lb a week loss, every single time. I do that with walking/running/body resistance workouts/kettlebells. While it's very doable to create a deficit on rest days, I find this way makes more sense to me.

    And I quoted the wrong post!
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,338 Member
    Oo..and another thing I was thinking..lol. Why do you use the words "force myself" to eat breakfast. I understand you may not be starving, but why are you thinking about it as a chore as opposed to something one does to be healthy? You brush your teeth every morning, right? Do you think about it as "forcing yourself" to brush your teeth, or is it something you do because you know you need to? A lot of the problems around weightloss are mental for many people. Once you start thinking more about how to become a healthier person, and less about being deprived, or being "forced" to do something, it becomes much easier to sustain. Just gotta wrap your head around it......My two cents..and good luck, you can do this!!
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
    being diabetic can change things.

    are your blood sugar levels under tight control, either by diet/exercise or medication? and do you weigh - not measure - all solid foods?
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,111 Member
    I hate eating in the morning but needed to space my intake out to stop night binges. What I did was started making a high fiber protein shake every morning that I drink on my way to work. Im getting more nutrients and feeding my body more regularly. You have to find what works for you.
  • pvju
    pvju Posts: 115 Member
    edited May 2016
    There are a lot of myths out there about under-eating and holding onto weight - to truly enter starvation mode you need to do a lot more than slightly under eat. I agree with other folks - you are consuming more than you realize.

    On days where I feel like I've barely eaten I've actually gone over my calories at times. I'm a grazer. Problem is with grazing you never feel full or like you've had an actual meal and yet you can seriously over do it on calories over the course of a day.

    However, if you've lost weight before you may now require fewer calories to maintain and lose weight. Last week the New York Times released a story on a study done of weight loss show contestants over a period of several years. The results: Losing weight resets the body to require less calories permanently. So, I'm afraid if you've yo-yo'ed you might need a bigger deficit than another person your size to lose.

    I know the feeling of doing everything right and still not losing weight - I was convinced I had some freak metabolic hex on me. In truth - I was eating more than I realized and eating the wrong things so I rarely felt satiated. Experiment with meticulous weighing and logging for a few weeks and see what you find out.

    If I were you, especially being diabetic, I would try to bump up the protein and fats and avoid processed carbs.
  • awinner_au
    awinner_au Posts: 249 Member
    What is your weight? You mentioned they wont do surgery on your knees till you lose weight, yet you eat ~1300cals a day and don't lose weight?