Eating when you aren't hungry

LisaKay91
LisaKay91 Posts: 211 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm not sure how else to word this.

I preplan my meals and work 12 hour shifts on the weekends at a desk. I have already had 733 calories or 2 meals with multiple snacks (including a soup as a snack).

It's getting around 2030 and I leave at 2200.. I am not hungry for my last meal. I had planned on eating it around 1900.. then 1930... then 2030.. and now I am not sure if I want to eat it.


The meal would add 234 calories for the day and that is all I have logged... aside from a pre-logged ice cream (80cal) that I am going to take off for the night.

I'm on day 7 and the first few days I thought I was going to starve to death on 1400 calories but now I am feeling less hungry than ever.

Do you ever eat just to keep a minimum calorie goal, even if you are not hungry? Should I eat even if I am not hungry because my calories for the day are low?


*I am morbidly obese with my thyroid and a TSH over 150, my endocrinologist is overseeing my health and will do a weigh in on 8/17, and I am currently not working out VERY sedentary. I work a desk job 40 hours a week and I can only get up to relieve myself no exercise as of yet~ the usual answers to low calorie questions*

Replies

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Having a day once in awhile where you eat under your goal is fine. I wouldn't make it a habit on purpose to eat that low and I'd suggest being open to eating some of your unused calories tomorrow or the next day if you are extra hungry. But I don't see a need to force it tonight.
  • MsBuzzkillington
    MsBuzzkillington Posts: 171 Member
    I wouldn't make a habit of going so low under calories, since you're already at a deficit. Your body isn't always going to be trust worthy as to when you are hungry or when you're not. I would try to always hit your goals, even if you don't feel hungry.
  • LisaKay91
    LisaKay91 Posts: 211 Member
    Thank you.. I think tomorrow morning I will have a higher calorie brekkie to make up for it. It's been one of those sad days and I think that may be why I'm not feeling food at the moment. I just don't want to do something that is going to harm my progress in the long run... and I've been reading a ton of threads that nearly make me nervous to eat under 1500 per day
  • __leis__
    __leis__ Posts: 100 Member
    I just don't want to do something that is going to harm my progress in the long run... and I've been reading a ton of threads that nearly make me nervous to eat under 1500 per day [/quote]

    One day overeating or one day undereating won't harm your progress. I look at my calories over the week more than I look at a single day. I try to be at a 7,000 calorie deficit for the week to loose 2 lbs a week (I'm considered obese since I'm 5'6" and 197 lbs so 2 lbs a week is doable). Don't stress about not hitting your calorie goal or going over once in a while either, eating right is something you want to do for the rest of your life, the process will be a whole lot less enjoyable if you try to be perfect every day.
  • lalepepper
    lalepepper Posts: 447 Member
    While eating under your goal one day certainly won't hurt you, I've found that the day after days where I'm pretty far under and decide to not eat any more, I feel pretty tired and bleh.
  • 12Sarah2015
    12Sarah2015 Posts: 1,117 Member
    1400 cal is fine if ur sedentary
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    12Sarah2015 wrote: »
    1400 cal is fine if ur sedentary

    Yeah I wouldn't even worry about it either. You'll have to be more careful when you have less to lose but for now, not a huge deal, I think.
  • LisaKay91
    LisaKay91 Posts: 211 Member
    1400 is the max calories I am eating.. lately I seem to average 1100.. yesterday I did end up eating the meal (234 cals) before leaving work at getting around 987 calories for the day. I brought denser calorie foods to eat at work today so I can hit 1100-1200 for today instead of being low again. I won't freak out so much about not hitting my calorie goal because I try not to flip if I go over, thank you!
  • Purplebunnysarah
    Purplebunnysarah Posts: 3,252 Member
    edited May 2016
    A spoonful of peanut or almond butter before bed can help if you think your calories are too low for the day. Calorie dense but does not have a lot of volume if you aren't very hungry.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,053 Member
    edited May 2016
    My appetite fluctuates with my menstrual cycle. For example, when it goes up premenstrually, I switch to maintenance calories and eat more for a few days, and when it spikes back down about a week after my period starts I eat less.

    Appetites also change when people go from lots of hyper-palatable foods to more satiating foods.

    Chronic under-eating would be bad, but occasional not a big deal.

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