Do you ever just NOT feel hungry?

ShannonKirton

So as some of you know I've been paleo since July this year. I started out my transition with great meals of whole foods (organic and/or pasture raised meats when possible) and all the great fats from avocados etc. I used to eat snacks as well until my body decided it was no longer necessary.

I've recently been able to relax with my food, not having to log every day and constantly stressing myself out with macros and calories. My body seems to have settled at it's own weight which is anywhere between 155 and 158 most days. I had originally gotten down to 148, but I don't think that my body is meant to be there, so I'm not angry with it!

Since relaxing with my logging and counting calories and macros, I find that most days I'm just not hungry. I don't usually feel for breakfast, but I do get hungry around lunch. However, I usually can't eat very much and most days it's pretty basic stuff. Some days it's all meat for lunch just because that's what I feel for and other days I'll just pack a few hard boiled eggs and some meat or something similar.

Dinner after the gym can vary from a nice creamy coconut milk and fruit protein smoothie, to a 3 egg omelet with veggies and sometimes a few pieces of bacon or organic sausage. If I log these items, they usually don't add up to much on MFP, but I'm always full but not overly so, and I'm happy to carry on my day (or night) after I'm done. The weekends are usually a little more calorie dense but sometimes not by much.

Even after I finished my running this weekend at Run Barbados, I was not ready to eat food for quite some time after and I was quite happy with just a banana and some grapes after my run. I went home and ate breakfast anyway because I figured my body could do with a re-fuel, but I'm not convinced I was really hungry in the first place.

Has this happened with anyone else, and should I be worried or just listen to my natural hunger signals?

Akimajuktuq

You do not NEED to eat breakfast if you are not hungry. My body loves intermittent fasting and I don't question it at all. I do have issues if I do a morning work out (6:30 am), then my body gets hungry at 10am instead of noon. So, I try to remember to eat before leaving for work, but often forget and then have much trouble making it to noon (nausea and dizziness). On weekends I usually have an even smaller eating window. For instance yesterday I did not eat anything until 2 pm, and I think I did the same on Saturday.

I say listen to your hunger signals.

ShannonKirton

Thanks Akima. That's what I was thinking because I figure if my body really is hungry then it will call for food. Otherwise, it won't. I still like to check in with my friends on these things though, just in case my thinking is off! lol

Dragonwolf

Just make sure you're eating enough to fuel yourself properly. That's the biggest issue I had with IF when I tried it. For a while, I was like you - just not hungry.

IF is great, and like Akima said, you don't need breakfast, usually. Just make sure you're getting enough food in the rest of the day. When I did IF, I couldn't eat enough the rest of the day to properly fuel my body, and I was getting sluggish and taking longer to recover from workouts, because I wasn't getting enough food.

If you're feeling good, though, go for it. Worst case scenario, it doesn't work out for you and you start doing something for breakfast.

Akimajuktuq

As Dragonwolf said, do NOT undereat. One day, no biggie but chronically under-eating is not beneficial. I might only eat a couple of meals, but they are very nutrient dense (high fat, high calories). However, if one is really listening to the body, under-eating shouldn't occur.

ShannonKirton

I don't think that I'm really under eating, but I'm not eating as much as I used to, and I used to find that I was eating as much as I was, simply to fulfill the numbers on MFP but most of the times I was over full.

I know everyone's body is different, and everyone runs on different amounts of calories etc. but I must admit that I don't feel bad, my workouts are still at the level they always were (if not better) and my recovery time is pretty good.

For example, yesterday I had nothing for breakfast, some nice sausage for lunch and a coffee, and for dinner I had a great coconut milk, banana, protein and peanut butter shake (I know it was a bit naughty) but I felt great and content after each meal and right now...today, I'm feeling a little more hunger than yesterday so I'm here thinking of a place I could go for lunch to get something yummy because I didn't have anything at home that I wanted to bring with me.

I guess each day varies, so I'll just keep rolling with it!

primalkiwi

I think the great thing about eating this way is that we learn to really tune into our bodies and listen to what is happening. I've just had 2 days in a row where I've come home from work (very physical job) and not eaten dinner as I simply was not hungry and just too tired to eat. I thought I would wake up ravenous in the middle of the night but no, my body was just telling me that sleep was way more important than anything else. I listened, had a total of 25 hours sleep over those 2 nights and now feel great.
My appetite has been greatly reduced since I began primal a couple of years ago. My theory is that a well nourished body needs less food and we are used to filling up on great quantities of nutritionally empty food so our bodies keep sending hunger signals until they get what they need.
The only meal I force myself to eat is breakfast on weekdays. Not easy at 5am when I'm half asleep but it's my only chance to eat until midday and I need the fuel to get through the physical work.
Just tune in to your body and how you feel.

ShannonKirton

Well all the responses seem to be on track with my thinking. Just listen to your body! Actually my appetite does come and go. Last night I had a great meal of grilled lamb and oven baked sweet potato. It was delicious and filling. This morning was cold and rainy so I just had a coffee and a yoghurt. I've got a little something for lunch and a snack in case I get hungry. But next week sometime, I'm likely not to be into food at least 3 out of 7 days. It just seems that my body calls for more when it requires it, and otherwise it's pretty easy going!

Thanks for all the feedback so far people!!

Fit_in_Folsom

I am finding that Paleo style eating is making me far less hungry in general. I am not forcing myself to eat, but not eating half as much as I used to....

pattyproulx

I also don't eat breakfast. I'm not hungry in the mornings usually.

As others have said, listen to your body. If you think you're severely undereating then maybe have a look at what you're eating, but if you're feeling good and your body doesn't need to eat, that's great!

ShannonKirton

I also don't eat breakfast. I'm not hungry in the mornings usually.

As others have said, listen to your body. If you think you're severely undereating then maybe have a look at what you're eating, but if you're feeling good and your body doesn't need to eat, that's great!

I think my body is pretty happy with what it gets. I find these days I'm a lot more hungry at night which might be due to my evening work outs, but I'm happy to supply it with the food which it may or may not have received earlier in the day. But surely no under eating going on here. I love my food!!