Loss of Appetite

laurenz2501

I've been experiencing a loss of appetite the past week or so. This is definitely new. I like it but I'm wondering if there's some underlying issue...I'm still meeting my calorie goal but I only feel hungry maybe once a day. In the morning I wake up around 5:45AM and I used to not get hungry until about 9AM. Now it's pushing 10AM by the time I eat. I feel like I have to eat in case I start feeling lightheaded soon but I'm not necessarily hungry. Once I do start eating out of necessity I like the food and I'm not turned off by it or anything...just weird. No new medications or anything. I'm not really complaining, just curious if others have experienced this. Yes I have searched the message boards about it but the majority of posts pertained to new medication. Calories set at 1340 by MFP. Tried this and it's much higher: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/. Sedentary lifestyle and job although I recently started working out regularly a few times per week. Not pregnant! :laugh: Thoughts??

(ETA: TMI I KNOW but very short/irregular cycle. 3 days.)

JesterMFP

Scooby's workshop will give you a higher number because it uses the TDEE method - basically, it includes all planned exercise in the calculation. MFP uses the NEAT method, and does not include exercise such as workouts. The expectation is that you log workouts, and eat those calories back - this will likely bring you to a calorie total close to what you get from Scooby's workshop.

It's actually not uncommon to experience a drop in appetite when you are under-eating (which you are obviously doing if you have some kind of calorie deficit.) Some people also find that cardio can suppress the appetite.

Also, there's nothing wrong with only eating once a day if that's what suits you, as long as you can get all your calories in that one meal. Experiment with meal timing and find what suits you best. I frequently don't eat until about 1pm, and I don't find that I get light headed at all.

laurenz2501

Thanks so much for your reply!! I don't know why but I never understood TDEE and that scooby site vs. MFP until your explanation! It all makes sense now.:flowerforyou: People have tried to explain it to me a million times and I still didn't get why the scooby calculator was higher. :laugh: I will try prolonging my breakfast time and see what happens. Or maybe just eat lunch and dinner. I've read that it isn't good to skip breakfast or any meal and that "people who eat breakfast tend to weigh less" but I agree that as long as I'm meeting my calorie goal it shouldn't matter. My morning coffee also suppresses my appetite but like I mentioned, usually until only 9AM so this "not feeling like eating" all day thing is definitely new.

JesterMFP

Haha you're welcome, I was thinking I hadn't made it very clear!

I believe some of that info comes from research by the National Weight Loss Registry that shows that those who are successful in maintaining a significant weight loss tend to be regular breakfast eaters. It's correlation though, it doesn't make it clear why this is the case. Perhaps it's because the people on the registry are, on average, a bit older (I have no idea, I'm speculating), coming from generations where breakfast eating was drummed into them? Perhaps the fact that they make sure to eat breakfast is just part of their all round high level of self-care, whereas a lot of people who skip breakfast are not so mindful of their health in general? Maybe it's just flawed research. I don't know...

Basically though, meal frequency or timing doesn't matter, not for weight loss anyway. If skipping breakfast makes you fail to eat enough, or makes you binge later, or makes you suffer from low energy or have blood sugar issues, then you probably should eat breakfast. A lot of people are very successful while not eating breakfast though. There are lots of different forms of Intermittent Fasting that might be worth checking out, for informational purposes as much as anything.

laurenz2501

Sorry it took me so long to respond to this but thanks for your reply again. I think part of it was nerves. I think I was more nervous about something than I thought I was :laugh: but I also think that overall eating healthier and eating more protein is leaving me more satiated. I guess I'm just learning the ropes here as I go along. I also agree with your statement that people who eat breakfast tend to weigh less because they are more mindful of their health and eating patterns.