Do You Force Yourself to Eat if Under Calories

TyFit08

If you are significantly under your calorie goal for the day and you are not hungry, do you force yourself to eat? How important is it to you to hit that magic number? The last few days I have been active, running, swimming, etc, but I have had very little appetite. I am still full now from a meal I had six hours ago and now it is after midnight, so too late to really eat anything substantial. What do you guys do in this situation?

mgobluetx12

Focus more on your weekly numbers than a daily one. Eat more for the next few days to make up for it. If your lack of appetite persists, you should see your doctor.

MysticRealm

Depends on what your calories are and how often this is happening. If you calorie goal is 1200, and you eat well under a time or 2 a week, probably not good.
If you calories are 1900 and you eat well under a time or 2 a week, it's less bad.
If it's an often thing try to include things that are small but high in calories, like peanut butter, and don't use No Fat/Low Fat/ Low Calorie options.

TyFit08

I drink green tea daily. I think it is curbing my appetite. Normally if the day just flew by and I realized I was way below my calorie goal, I would eat something to hit my goal. But that is hard to do when you feel full. My goal is 1600, today I am at 1100 and I took a swimming class and I feel so full.

Pearlyladybug

if your hungry eat..if your not then don't. Im almost always under by about 200 cals and im soo full all the time and am getting really good results.

RonandDi

I am under almost every day, with the exception of the occasional day off. I have more energy and feel better now than I have in years. I am losing weight, but not much more than the 2lb/week. I am thinking that there is something wrong with my numbers, because I doubt I would lose any weight if I at as much as MFP says I can.

losinglbslovinglife

I eat when I'm hungry, if I'm under, I make an effort to eat more the next day.

queenhiphop

just listen to your body; if you're not hungry don't eat / if you're hungry eat

if you find you're ill a lot or feeling very tired but not hungry, go to a doctor

simpleeeeeeeeeees

contingencyplan

yup i do.

darrensurrey

I managed to eat 3000 before so I will force myself to meet my 2300 a day even if I am not hungry. Listening to my body got me my flab so I won't be trying that trick any time soon. And eating too little also didn't get the results I wanted.

chervil6

i never force my self to eat , diet or no diet

Vansy

No. If I'm not hungry, I don't eat. Sometimes I force myself NOT to eat when I'm over -- or like right now, I'm working night shifts so I quit eating around 12 or 1 and won't be "breakfast" until probably noon or so (really whenever I wake up...after I go to bed).

If you don't feel hungry, don't eat. I also concentrate on weeks as a whole -- I'll have some days where I net 1000 calories and I'll have other days where I net 1900; but the week as a whole I'll net on average about 1300 or 1350 (around my BMR).

Harlequin16

I do

88meli88

Im only on week 2, but I noticed that my appetite already adjusted tremendously. I was so hungry last week on 1200 cals, all I could think of was food. Then, I added exercise, drank loads of water, and I noticed that I am meeting the 1200 net calories much more easily. But I also pay attention to eat 3 full meals and fruit snacks. Also, last night I exercised more than planned so I had more space to eat and I asked myself what i would like to have with the extra calory spcae and opted for a glass of orange juice, considered a cookie but strangely, didnt feel like it.

suenewberry81

I can't understand how people can not eat 1200 or more calories I struggle keeping under 1600 :-( why not eat more full fat stuff not diet I.e butter etc... If your doing so much exercise you need to fuel your body

DonC2013

I struggle with this too. It doesn't happen often but if I work out later in the day I find it impossible to eat back my exercise calories. I am afraid of turning my metabolism down if I don't, however, which is what people say you will do......aughhh!

beachlover317

Think about what your body needs. If it takes my body 1700 - 1800 to fuel what I do during the day and my work out - I need to eat that much. It's important to your body that you get the correct amount of calories a day. If someone is eating bowl of veggies - you will never be hungry - but you will be denying your body the fuel it needs to operate. Try eating calorie dense foods to make sure your body gets what it needs. I love a spoonful of peanut butter at the end of the day if I need it.

Something else to think about - if you are restricting calories - and who isn't - research leptin. It's the hormone that controls when we feel hungry/full. It gets really screwed up when in calorie restriction. You will find you should never "rely" on your feelings of hunger or lack of hunger to determine when to eat.

PrincessNikkiBoo

i never force my self to eat , diet or no diet

This. I listen to my body and if I'm hungry I'll eat, if not then I'll 'bank them' for another day.

kingofcrunk

I would never force myself to eat if I'm under my calories for any reason. I know that one will I will have to go over my calorie goal and then it'll all even out. Sometimes its good for our bodies to have a bit less and sometimes a bit more!

Leslietheriot

If I'm hungry, I eat...if I'm not, I don't.

TyFit08

I like the eat when your hungry thinking. It is what I usually follow, but when I'm consistently low I wondered if I should do something about it. I gained weight eating just to eat, even though I wasn't hungry. So I'd rather trust my body and roll with it. If I feel full, energized and my workouts aren't suffering then I must be doing something right. And when I'm not, my body will let me know.