Should you eat even if you're not hungry?

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2

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  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    I'm fairly sure that dessert is the most important meal of the day actually.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
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    I eat to meet my caloric goal regardless of hunger. If its a high intensity exercise day that can require that I eat more than I even feel comfortable eating but that is what I do to continue to fuel my workouts and keep my deficit stable.
  • LoupGarouTFTs
    LoupGarouTFTs Posts: 916 Member
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    I'm fairly sure that dessert is the most important meal of the day actually.

    Only if it consists of chocolate or caramel. Otherwise, it's optional.
  • FoxyLifter
    FoxyLifter Posts: 965 Member
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    I'm fairly sure that dessert is the most important meal of the day actually.

    QFT!

    To answer the OP's concern: meal timing is personal preference, but you do need to nourish your body.
  • Athena53
    Athena53 Posts: 717 Member
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    Who says breakfast is the most important meal of the day?

    I think it's the cereal industry!

    I've never been a breakfast eater. I remember my mother INSISTING that I eat something before I went off to school and usually it was toast with cinnamon and sugar. I really didn't want anything else. (In fairness to Mom, all 5 of us are now in our late 50s/early 60s and healthy and of normal weight, so it's not like she was always forcing us to eat- I'm sure they told her in Home Ec class that you HAD to have a good breakfast.) Anyway, I've been up for 2 hours and so far I've had a slice of plain toast, a banana, a handful of DH's homemade granola, and coffee. Lots of coffee.

    I try not to eat when I'm not hungry. It's hardest for me when we're having dinner and something delicious that DH made is still left in the serving dish after I know I've had enough. I back away from the table and put it in the refrigerator or freezer. Portion control is really important with me.
  • meganjcallaghan
    meganjcallaghan Posts: 949 Member
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    I'm fairly sure that dessert is the most important meal of the day actually.

    preach
  • xero2099
    xero2099 Posts: 49 Member
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    I tried to do multiple small meals through out the day and it never worked for me I now only do 3 meals a day and have had much more success with that
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
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    I tend to eat on a schedule as I'll end up starving later and reaching for snack foods. If I eat regularly, I make better choices.

    However, I also care more about my calories for the week rather than the day, so I'm 250 under for the day, I'll just carry it over to the next day.

    If I'm much more under than that, I'll eat a little more even if I'm not totally hungry. Otherwise I'll wake up too hungry and over eat at breakfast.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
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    I'm fairly sure that dessert is the most important meal of the day actually.

    Only if it consists of chocolate or caramel. Otherwise, it's optional.

    ^^This. I was having trouble meeting my iron requirement until I started working in dark chocolate again.
  • LoupGarouTFTs
    LoupGarouTFTs Posts: 916 Member
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    Only if it consists of chocolate or caramel. Otherwise, it's optional.

    ^^This. I was having trouble meeting my iron requirement until I started working in dark chocolate again.
    [/quote]

    Milky Way Dark . . . nature's perfect food.
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
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    I'm fairly sure that dessert is the most important meal of the day actually.

    Now, I can live with this one!
  • tracydr
    tracydr Posts: 528 Member
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    Eat when hungry. Part of why we get fat is because our society dictates three meals a day, snacks are relatively important and prevalent and mom's make their kids finish their plates. Part of this journey is to learn how to listen to your body signals and understand them.
    I also find that many obese people claim hypoglycemia, which I can never duplicate. Many are simply afraid of hunger pains and start to almost panic the minute their stomach feels empty if they don't have something to put in their mouth right away. They also eat their whole plate, with huge portion sizes.
    Try this-before eating anything try recording in a huger journal- the level of hunger, your feeling ( look up a list of "feelings" and use the list). Eat slowly, chew thoughtfully, sit at the table and no TV , IPAD or computer. Behavioral change is the most important thing to ensure long term success.
    Breakfast is an important meal as you've been fasting for possibly 12 hours. You can divide breakfast into two small snacks through the morning if that works better. No need to eat real breakfast food, either. Many studies show improved school performance in students that eat breakfast.
  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member
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    Nope. Unless you are consuming appetite suppressants or are on a low carb diet (ketosis suppresses appetite), in my non-medical, non-expert opinion, you should wait until you are hungry to eat. And if your boss doesn't like your midmorning meal break, go all low blood sugar rage until you are allowed to do what it is natural for humans to do.
  • Eoghann
    Eoghann Posts: 130 Member
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    As others have said it's not a requirement to eat breakfast or to eat on a schedule.

    It does work for some though. So it's really a case of trial and error for each person.

    For me personally, if I eat a small breakfast* that will actually make me hungry earlier, whereas if I don't eat breakfast I generally don't even think about food until lunchtime. And since I like to snack a lot in the evening, it makes staying under my calorie goals much easier.

    If you're experiencing issues with blood sugar levels then scheduled eating is more important. Otherwise I'm in favor of eat when you're hungry.

    *If I stuff myself with an IHOP size breakfast I'm probably good until dinner.
  • LoupGarouTFTs
    LoupGarouTFTs Posts: 916 Member
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    Eat when hungry. Part of why we get fat is because our society dictates three meals a day, snacks are relatively important and prevalent and mom's make their kids finish their plates. Part of this journey is to learn how to listen to your body signals and understand them.
    I also find that many obese people claim hypoglycemia, which I can never duplicate. Many are simply afraid of hunger pains and start to almost panic the minute their stomach feels empty if they don't have something to put in their mouth right away. They also eat their whole plate, with huge portion sizes.
    Try this-before eating anything try recording in a huger journal- the level of hunger, your feeling ( look up a list of "feelings" and use the list). Eat slowly, chew thoughtfully, sit at the table and no TV , IPAD or computer. Behavioral change is the most important thing to ensure long term success.
    Breakfast is an important meal as you've been fasting for possibly 12 hours. You can divide breakfast into two small snacks through the morning if that works better. No need to eat real breakfast food, either. Many studies show improved school performance in students that eat breakfast.

    Wow, I guess the lifetime of hypoglycemia that led to insulin resistance that eventually became Type II diabetes was all in my head then. Guess I should have kept a better "hunger journal."

    Please, support all of your claims with peer-reviewed research, or, even better, your medical degree. Lots of what you've posted there is simply out-dated and largely denounced psuedo-science.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    As long as you are meeting your calorie requirements and getting all your nutrients, then when you eat isn't important. However, if you are not hungry and you are also under-eating, this is a problem. Hunger (and lack of) is controlled by hormones, and the amount you eat (or not) affects these hormones.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
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    Eat when hungry. Part of why we get fat is because our society dictates three meals a day, snacks are relatively important and prevalent and mom's make their kids finish their plates. Part of this journey is to learn how to listen to your body signals and understand them.
    I also find that many obese people claim hypoglycemia, which I can never duplicate. Many are simply afraid of hunger pains and start to almost panic the minute their stomach feels empty if they don't have something to put in their mouth right away. They also eat their whole plate, with huge portion sizes.
    Try this-before eating anything try recording in a huger journal- the level of hunger, your feeling ( look up a list of "feelings" and use the list). Eat slowly, chew thoughtfully, sit at the table and no TV , IPAD or computer. Behavioral change is the most important thing to ensure long term success.
    Breakfast is an important meal as you've been fasting for possibly 12 hours. You can divide breakfast into two small snacks through the morning if that works better. No need to eat real breakfast food, either. Many studies show improved school performance in students that eat breakfast.

    When I was scary-thin, I'd shovel it down while reading a book. Not saying encouraging mindfulness isn't helpful when you are trying to lose, but it's not necessarily what makes people thin in the first place.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
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    Only if it consists of chocolate or caramel. Otherwise, it's optional.

    ^^This. I was having trouble meeting my iron requirement until I started working in dark chocolate again.

    Milky Way Dark . . . nature's perfect food.
    [/quote]

    Apparently somebody hasn't had the Theo Orange bar yet.
  • JazzFischer1989
    JazzFischer1989 Posts: 531 Member
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    I just eat when I'm hungry. My eating schedule is somewhat delayed after years of waking up super late in college so it's not unusual for my first meal of the day to be at 12-1pm even though I'm up by 9-10am nowadays. I tend to eat dinner around 8-9pm.
  • Athena53
    Athena53 Posts: 717 Member
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    For me personally, if I eat a small breakfast* that will actually make me hungry earlier, whereas if I don't eat breakfast I generally don't even think about food until lunchtime. And since I like to snack a lot in the evening, it makes staying under my calorie goals much easier.

    *If I stuff myself with an IHOP size breakfast I'm probably good until dinner.

    One interesting exception to my practice of not eating big breakfast was my business travels to India. Darn, I miss the Taj West End in Bangalore. I love Indian food and they had a fantastic breakfast buffet. Some idli (a type of thick pancake), some interesting relishes, a tomato-based soup with lentils, and hot coffee, enjoyed out on the back veranda with a copy of the Hindu Times and exotic flowers all around. Anyway- I did notice that I wasn't looking for snacks around 10 AM as I was at home. We usually ate lunch late (1 or 1:30 PM) because so many people worked late to accommodate business hours in North America and I was fine waiting that long. So, yes, breakfast can make a difference.

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