Not hungry, not eating all my calories

JoyousMN

Hi all,

Please don't throw things at me for asking this, because I know from much past experience that it will end, but I'm finding that I'm not terribly hungry and I'm having difficulty eating all my calories.

Now I'm sure this will pass, and I will wish I could get it back, but I'm just asking because I want to learn. MFP is the first place where I've heard people say that you NEED to eat enough food so you don't trigger your body into thinking it is starving so hang it needs to hang on those fat cells for dear life.

So my question is, when you trigger this stage are the symptoms like mine where you just aren't that hungry? And if this is the case, should I force myself to eat all my food? I set a high calorie intake (1/2lb per week) so I'd have some leeway, so I keep telling myself I'm eating enough, I'll just lose faster.

Anyway, if anyone has any answers I'd be curious what you think. I read all the FAQs but I didn't see this specific question.

Thanks for any help and happy Friday all.

mrstilly515

I think starvation mode (or conservation mode, as I like to call it) is more of a long term thing. If you are eating fewer calories here or there because you aren't hungry, it won't hurt you. If you are restricting your diet, especially to under 1200 or 1300 net calories over a long period of time, your metabolism will slow and you will lose weight at a slower rate.

There are a lot of things to consider here: how many calories are you "supposed" to eat, how many are you eating now, how much are you exercising and are you eating those calories back, etc... It does sound like you have some leeway if your MFP settings are to lose 1/2 pound per week.

I'm also a big fan of eating when you are hungry until you are not hungry. I feel like that is the healthiest way to approach food, and it takes time to learn when you are getting hungry before you are starving and when you aren't really hungry or are full. Many people function off an eating schedule and overeat because they aren't really hungry or can't put down the yummy food. Or they go so long between eating that they are starving and overeat because they don't realize they are getting full until after.

FireBrand80

how many total calories are you eating a day?

JoyousMN

I'm eating around 1200 calories (not net calories).

I agree about not letting yourself get too hungry. I'm eating 6 meals a day and I think that helps me.

I guess I was just wondering when you can tell it you are not eating enough calories, and if conservation mode also includes not feeling hungry?

_VoV

how many total calories are you eating a day?

This is a highly relevant question. Eating too few calories (carbs in particular) can throw you into ketosis which will remove your hunger, but it's not a desirable state for your body.

FireBrand80

I'm eating around 1200 calories (not net calories).

I agree about not letting yourself get too hungry. I'm eating 6 meals a day and I think that helps me.

I guess I was just wondering when you can tell it you are not eating enough calories, and if conservation mode also includes not feeling hungry?

I don't see 1200 calories as a problem. If you do start to feel especially hungry and lethargic, I would recommend taking a week off from dieting and eat at maintenece level.

As to the second part of your question, starvation mode is a myth. Your body can't create energy/fat storage out of thin air.

JoyousMN

Thanks all, for your helpful replies.

I doubt I'm in ketosis. I've done very low carb dieting before and I had to keep carbs under 50g per day to stay in ketosis. I'm now eating 150g or so per day. But it feels a bit like ketosis in that I'm just not very hungry.

When you say starvation mode is a myth....I'm not sure what you mean. I thought it was when you eat too few calories and your metabolism turns down lower and lower, really slowing any weight loss. Maybe we are talking about two different ideas.

WendyTerry420

Try eating more high calorie items like nuts.

lifescircle

If you have food, you shouldn't wait until you're hungry to eat.

You should be providing your body with the necessary nutrients for a healthy life.

Look at it as providing what your body needs... it's not about "I'm not hungry so I'm not going to eat". Fuel your body properly and it'll get rid of the excess.

Of course, I think we all have had days where we just don't feel like eating.

AthenaArcher

Ok I am working with a group of people and I had this same question. Because I was only eating about 1200 calories a day.I also work,walk my dogs every day,cook and do things like house work which all use more calories than you might think.The main people who are in charge of my group said the reason that I stopped losing weight was because I was burning a lot more calories than I was taking in, when you are trying to lose weight you want to eat less calories than you burn but if you don't have enough calories to support your metabolism your body is running on empty by the end of the day.When you filled out your profile you put in stuff like what you do for work,how much you weigh,how tall you are, stuff like that.And then MFP. came up with the minimum calories your body needs to get through the day with out a crash.I think that It is better to be under your daily calorie intake if you are eating food that is good for you like nuts,fruits and veggies than eating donuts and chips just to get the extra calories.A good book to check out that can give you more info on this subject is the eat clean diet by tosca reno.I hope that this helps you!

luvmypwds

My view is to eat when you're hungry and stop when you're not.

ETA: but you have to be able to distinguish between physical and emotional hunger.

JoyousMN

Thanks! I'll check it out.

I think the other thing I need to do is read more about the way MFP calculates calories. I think I don't understand it well enough yet.