Do you force yourself to eat?

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AmberBlamberMamber
AmberBlamberMamber Posts: 66 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have my calories set at 1300, Some days, I'm just NOT hungry. MFP "yelled" at me the other day because I was so far below my count. I had eaten 5 meals that day, I felt great, but I did a bit of working out, which gave me more calories.

So, do you force yourself to eat to meet your calorie intake? Even if you don't eat back exercise calories?
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Replies

  • fishshark
    fishshark Posts: 1,886 Member
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    i have to force myself to stop eating.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    I have never had that problem but if I did I would hit the ice cream. Lucky you!
  • AmberBlamberMamber
    AmberBlamberMamber Posts: 66 Member
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    queenliz99 wrote: »
    I have never had that problem but if I did I would hit the ice cream. Lucky you!

    I guess that's what I have to do!

    Before I started this whole losing weight thing, I had to force myself to stop eating as well. Idk if it's an adjustment period, or what...
  • ccollier302
    ccollier302 Posts: 5 Member
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    I would love to hear some thoughts on this as well. Recently, I'm not that hungry and forcing myself to eat makes me feel miserable and regretting my decision. OP, I stopped forcing myself because the outcome has never been positive, but that doesn't make what I'm doing right.
  • adoette
    adoette Posts: 181 Member
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    AmberBlamberMamber wrote: »
    I have my calories set at 1300, Some days, I'm just NOT hungry. MFP "yelled" at me the other day because I was so far below my count. I had eaten 5 meals that day, I felt great, but I did a bit of working out, which gave me more calories.

    MFP will only yell at you (as a woman) if your calories in are less than 1000. Grab a little extra snack or something to push you over that and you'll be fine.

    It doesn't count your calories out against its yelling thing, so exercise shouldn't effect it.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    ccollier302 wrote: »
    I would love to hear some thoughts on this as well. Recently, I'm not that hungry and forcing myself to eat makes me feel miserable and regretting my decision. OP, I stopped forcing myself because the outcome has never been positive, but that doesn't make what I'm doing right.

    Under eating - by how much? and how often?

    A hundred here or a hundred there....when you have a reasonable weekly weight loss goal, is not a big deal. Under eating regularly, to the point of getting "yelled at" by MFP......means plan meals and snacks better. MFP wants you to reach a minimum of 1200 NET calories for nutritional purposes.

    More (deficit) is not necessarily better. Are you meeting protein & fat goals? Sometimes when people start a diet, they drop many calorie dense foods. Fats are calorie dense. Nuts, nut butters, avocado, and olive oil are healthy fats. Small portions will bump up your calories.

    A large deficit can make it hard for your body to support existing lean muscle mass. Moderate paced weight loss is generally healthier.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    Last night I had that problem for the first time. I had home-made beef stew for lunch, it was delicious, and plenty of leftovers. I had fresh vegetables in abundance in the fridge. I had a fresh-baked banana bread and a chocolate-caramel torte to choose from. I had many choices and didn't want any of them. I didn't want any thing. Yet, I knew I had to do something so I started with some frozen blueberries. I measured out 20 grams and chewed on the topic while I sucked on them. I eventually picked a few low-sodium things that could quickly get my calories up to a level that I wanted and went to bed victorious.
  • abadvat
    abadvat Posts: 1,241 Member
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    at 4000+ calories yes - i force myself - anything below that is easy peasy!
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    I have to make myself not want to go over my calories everyday, so no I never have to make my self eat. I have the appetite of an elephant!

    OP is this something swirling around in your head that tells you to "not eat that because you are dieting? etc.

    Use your calorie bank and eat all of them. Trust me not eating them is very counter productive to the the whole process. You are doing something positive for yourself, so go ahead and enjoy it as much as you can.
  • abadvat
    abadvat Posts: 1,241 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I will never understand how people get into a position of needing to lose weight but are suddenly unable to eat anything when they start MFP.

    MFP mindfucks way too many people...!
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    I can't remember ever needing to force myself to eat. I generally don't eat when not hungry but sometimes I will if I know I'm going to be burning a lot of calories and won't have a chance to eat again for many hours.
  • ccollier302
    ccollier302 Posts: 5 Member
    edited August 2016
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    TeaBea wrote: »
    ccollier302 wrote: »
    I would love to hear some thoughts on this as well. Recently, I'm not that hungry and forcing myself to eat makes me feel miserable and regretting my decision. OP, I stopped forcing myself because the outcome has never been positive, but that doesn't make what I'm doing right.

    Under eating - by how much? and how often?

    A hundred here or a hundred there....when you have a reasonable weekly weight loss goal, is not a big deal. Under eating regularly, to the point of getting "yelled at" by MFP......means plan meals and snacks better. MFP wants you to reach a minimum of 1200 NET calories for nutritional purposes.

    More (deficit) is not necessarily better. Are you meeting protein & fat goals? Sometimes when people start a diet, they drop many calorie dense foods. Fats are calorie dense. Nuts, nut butters, avocado, and olive oil are healthy fats. Small portions will bump up your calories.

    A large deficit can make it hard for your body to support existing lean muscle mass. Moderate paced weight loss is generally healthier.

    Oh no, I would NEVER drop out nut butters, nuts, avocados (my favorite). I'm eating roughly 1850 calories per day and for some strange reason some days I can have a meal or two and then not want to touch another thing. I have no idea why, but stop forcing myself because I usually find myself feeling really ill if I force myself. Typically I'm off about 500 calories, which means I could squeeze in another meal, but I just can't. And this is coming from a person that tries to fit hot wings into my macros on the days I am eating.

    I would say some weeks I lose a pound other weeks I stay the same, so no real complaints there. My only concern is that I do lift weights and at times heavy weights, for me anyway. I know I need to eat to make progress, but I cannot force myself to do it.

    ADDITIONAL INFO: This is also a new thing for me. Maybe about two months. I'm hoping it's a phase and I can get back to normal.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I will never understand how people get into a position of needing to lose weight but are suddenly unable to eat anything when they start MFP.

    Nope.

    Not eating enough has never been a problem for me!
  • AmberBlamberMamber
    AmberBlamberMamber Posts: 66 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I will never understand how people get into a position of needing to lose weight but are suddenly unable to eat anything when they start MFP.

    I eat 5 times a day. It's not about not eating, it's about having trouble meeting my calorie requirements.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    AmberBlamberMamber wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I will never understand how people get into a position of needing to lose weight but are suddenly unable to eat anything when they start MFP.

    I eat 5 times a day. It's not about not eating, it's about having trouble meeting my calorie requirements.

    So eat more calorie dense foods. There's more to proper nutrition than just a bunch of fruits and vegetables and whatnot...dietary fat is your friend and a requirement for a nutritious and balanced diet.

    Again...you somehow got to the point of needing to lose weight...so you were obviously eating way more than 1300 calories.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    AmberBlamberMamber wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I will never understand how people get into a position of needing to lose weight but are suddenly unable to eat anything when they start MFP.

    I eat 5 times a day. It's not about not eating, it's about having trouble meeting my calorie requirements.

    'Eating' and 'meeting calorie requirements' should be the same thing, no?

    Oh, and, peanut butter.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited August 2016
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    AmberBlamberMamber wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I will never understand how people get into a position of needing to lose weight but are suddenly unable to eat anything when they start MFP.

    I eat 5 times a day. It's not about not eating, it's about having trouble meeting my calorie requirements.

    What types of food are you choosing though? If you are eating non-fat dairy, start eating full fat or at least 2%. If you are eating light dressings, choose regular ones. Add calorie dense foods back in (if you are not eating them now).

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10142490/a-list-of-calorie-dense-foods/p1

    I used to diet "old school," all non-fat and lots of high volume (low calorie) veggies. These foods are filling for many people. However, often they don't do enough for meeting nutritional needs. Lettuce, cukes & celery don't fuel existing lean muscle mass. It's not just staying full. Are you meeting protein & fat goals every day?
  • AmberBlamberMamber
    AmberBlamberMamber Posts: 66 Member
    edited August 2016
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    TeaBea wrote: »


    What types of food are you choosing though? If you are eating non-fat dairy, start eating full fat or at least 2%. If you are eating light dressings, choose regular ones. Add calorie dense foods back in (if you are not eating them now).

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10142490/a-list-of-calorie-dense-foods/p1

    I used to diet "old school," all non-fat and lots of high volume veggies. These foods are filling for many people. However, often they don't do enough for meeting nutritional needs. It's not just staying full. Are you meeting protein & fat goals every day?

    Lunch is usually something protein rich since I eat after my workout, so tuna salad, salmon patty, etc. Breakfast is carbs and protein, snacks are the same, dinner varies, sometimes carb heavy, sometimes not. I don't do a lot of fruits and veggies, Veggies more than fruit, but my fruit intake is usually in my afternoon snack, which has typically been a full fat yogurt with blueberries, or a cup or 2 of cut up melon.


    I didn't realize this was such a controversial topic.

  • SueSueDio
    SueSueDio Posts: 4,796 Member
    edited August 2016
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I will never understand how people get into a position of needing to lose weight but are suddenly unable to eat anything when they start MFP.

    I admit I've thought this myself sometimes, and I wonder if perhaps some people get themselves into the mindset that they must eat "healthily" or "clean" or "low fat", or whatever other way of eating they think is the best way to lose weight. Then they can't find enough food options that fit those goals and end up struggling to get in enough calories.

    That said, although I rarely have trouble meeting my own goal and am often a little bit over, I have had a few days recently where I actually didn't feel hungry and had more food purely to get my intake up to 1200. Not wanting food is a new feeling for me, but I'm seeing it as a positive thing and being under 1200 is very rare so I don't think it's a problem.

    The OP said she's actually not hungry for more food, though, so I'm not sure what to suggest - it depends on individual circumstances, but I'd guess it's not too much of a problem if it's just an occasional thing since it probably all balances out over the course of a week or so. If it's a regular occurrence, though, then you might want to look at what you're actually eating and see if you can include some more calorie-dense options. There's a list on the forums somewhere, I found it for someone a couple of weeks back and will see if I can track it down for you!

    Edit: Here you go! It was in the "most helpful" stickied post. :)

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10142490/a-list-of-calorie-dense-foods/p1

    Second edit: I see @TeaBea beat me to it! ;)

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