Not feeling hungry anymore

ShinyCubone

Hi everyone!
This is my first time posting on here. Hoping someone can help me with this.

I’ve always been a little icky about my weight, always thinking I’m too heavy and because of it always on and off different kinds of diets. Name ‘em, I’ve done ‘em. Right now I’m at my heaviest ever, 161cm 73kg.

I started dieting about 10 days ago and lost almost 2kg. I’m at 71kg right now. But what I’m finding is that I don’t feel hungry anymore? I calculated my BMR which is around 1500kcal a day, so that’s my kcal goal everyday but on a lot of days I eat around 1100kcal. Today I’ve only had breakfast and a few coffees. This doesn’t sound healthy to me. Am I doing something wrong?

Thank you!

no1racefan2

I can't help much because I've never in my life stopped getting hungry or struggled to eat enough calories... BUT for the people that can help--they will probably ask what do you mean by 'dieting'?

ShinyCubone

I’m eating at a kcal deficit right now 🤗

frhaberl

It can take some time for our bodies to adjust to changes in the type and amount of food we consume, as well as changes in activity levels. It can also take some time for us to figure out what "normal" should feel like, especially if a glance in the mirror influences our "hunger" level.
One thing I have found helpful is to remind myself that what I eat is about fueling my body. I work towards a place of wanting a healthy body more than I want a thin body. If I focus on healthy, thin will come eventually. If I focus on thin, it's likely that I'll likely be an unhealthy thin.
With this in mind, my suggestion is to focus fueling your body, even if your hunger cues haven't caught up. I still find myself needing to do that at times. For example, I had dental work last night which moved my dinner time 1.5 hrs later than usual, so when it came time for my usual evening snack I wasn't hungry. I could have skipped it and "banked" the calories, but I wouldn't have hit my calorie, protein, or fiber targets. So I ate enough to get in range for those "fuel" targets, and still saw a weight loss this morning. The other key benefit I have found (for me) from doing that is that I have less craving days. I may not feel hungry on the below target calories for a period of time, but then I get slammed with a day or two of "hungry" days when all I can think about is food.

AnnPT77

So, for other 'murcans like me, you are 5'3" and weigh 156.5 pounds, BMI 27.7, technically mid-range overweight, not obese.

I understand and appreciate that you're heavier than you'd like to be. Here's the thing, though: Losing weight fast isn't necessarily a good thing. Losing weight too fast can increase health risk.

The tough thing is that 10 days isn't enough time to establish a valid average weight trend.

I don't know how old you are, but at your size, if you were age 30, we'd expect you to need around 1700-1800 calories to maintain your current weight, if you're sedentary in daily life and not exercising. Your BMR would be estimated around 1500 calories, but your BMR is the number of calories you'd burn lying in bed in a coma.

If you're sedentary and not exercising, 1500 could be a reasonable calorie goal, but 1100 is pretty low. Eating way too little can make it literally impossible to get adequate nutrition. That's true even if we hit the macro percentage goals precisely. We need certain actual minimum amounts.

If it were me, I'd make it a point to eat more.

Many of us become overweight because our hunger cues are awry. Many people change their eating habits/style when cutting calories, and sometimes that new way of eating is more filling at first. On top of that, there can be a "honeymoon phase" of calorie cutting when one isn't very hungry on low calories (though the opposite can also happen).

I'm advising eating more for 2 reasons:

1. Like I said, if you actually end up under-eating, it's not the most healthy choice.
2. In the early 4-6 weeks of a calorie-counting regimen, sticking close to calorie goal (like maybe +/- 50 calories daily on average) makes it easier to figure out whether our calorie needs match the MFP or other calculator estimates, or are different. (The estimates are basically an average for superficially similar people, but we're each unique individuals. It's not common to be far from those averages, but it's absolutely possible.)

Can you add some snacks that will fill out your nutrition and calories, but that aren't too filling? Things like nuts, seeds, nut butters, avocados, oil/butter will tend to be calorie-dense and not very filling. Some people find that drinking calories, such as in a smoothie, is not as filling as food one chews.

To be clear, I'm not saying you're for sure in a danger zone. It's too soon to know. But if I were you, I'd try to stick closer to the 1500 for 4-6 weeks (whole menstrual period if that applies), then assess whether your actual average weekly weight loss is sensibly moderate.

Best wishes!

kshama2001

Sometimes there is a honeymoon phase.

Sometimes people start eating foods that are more satiating to them and their hunger decreases.

Often, people are eating more than they think. You'll know if this is the case if after a full month (or menstrual cycle, if that applies) your weight loss isn't inline with your weekly calorie goal. IOW, if you're trying to lose a pound a week, after a month you've lost considerably less than 4 pounds, you're likely eating more than you think. If you have menstrual cycles, give it a full cycle rather than just a month.

Do throw out the first week to account for a first week water weight loss. So, actually go by five weeks, or a week plus a menstrual cycle.

herringboxes

In my OPINION

If
1– you have no history of or risk of eating disorder

and

2– you are indeed feeling just fine

I wouldn’t worry about it.

Appetite can wax and wane for various reasons including hormones, and sometimes changing the way you eat can also do it.

You’ll probably have a bigger appetite again soon.

Do be aware that your initial 2kg loss will likely not continue as a trend, which is good. So when the loss slows, you’re still doing it right 👍

loulee997

A temporary decline in appetite is fine. It could be weather, hormone fluctuation, or body adjustment.

If you feel good and are not hungry, then leave it be (if you DO NOT have a history of eating disorders). If you start losing too fast (more than 2 pounds a week) or your weight drops too fast--then worry.

Give a few weeks or a few months---if your appetite doesn't return, your overall health starts to decline, or if you start losing drastically---then you have a problem and should address it.

If it is a temporary decline of appetite over a few weeks---that is a blip. If the decline continues over months and is accompanied by other issues such as tiredness, weakness, or too drastic weight loss---then you address.

I'd give it a few more weeks and see if your appetite returns. Personally, I lose my appetite when it is really hot out. Food and extreme heat--bleh.

Most likely your appetite will adjust.

Good luck.
Take care.