I have no appetite. None. Nada.
Falyesai
Posts: 41
I know this isn't healthy. Or at least that is what everyone tells me. I can go without eating all day until it gets dark. I have no hunger, no desire to eat. Now I will drink water all day long, but where I used to snack all day, I don't anymore. I just stay busy. And when I do eat in the evenings, it is small portions.
I have been like this for years. So naturally I am worried that if I start forcing myself to eat, my body is going to say "Woah this isn't normal, store it". And at 200 lbs, I don't need to store anything else.
I have a low sugar tolerance, I noticed that if I eat something carb filled, it's a guarantee that I will be 4 lbs heavier later that week. So I tend to stick to low, no carb. Unless I have a sweet tea once a day.
What is the verdict? What is truth? Should I be eating something all the time? Will that kick start my metabolism? Or has the past 10 years of habit developed my bodies mindset to be the way that it is?
I have been like this for years. So naturally I am worried that if I start forcing myself to eat, my body is going to say "Woah this isn't normal, store it". And at 200 lbs, I don't need to store anything else.
I have a low sugar tolerance, I noticed that if I eat something carb filled, it's a guarantee that I will be 4 lbs heavier later that week. So I tend to stick to low, no carb. Unless I have a sweet tea once a day.
What is the verdict? What is truth? Should I be eating something all the time? Will that kick start my metabolism? Or has the past 10 years of habit developed my bodies mindset to be the way that it is?
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Replies
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Carbs really drive my appetite....
If I cut back on them, I don't feel as hungry....
If I start eating carbs, I just get hungrier.0 -
Since I can't have a lot of sugar, would protein bars be a good start to introduce into my system to get it out of it's lull?0
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Carbs really drive my appetite....
If I cut back on them, I don't feel as hungry....
If I start eating carbs, I just get hungrier.
See that's the thing, when I eat carbs it all goes into storage. So I phased out most if not all my carbs. (Have no desire for fast food, rice every now and then) I wonder if it could be because of my ADHD medicine. I have to take Adderall to keep me on track all the time being a mom who homeschools. (Been on this type of medication since I was in high school)0 -
Your body will only tell you it's hungry for so long before it decides there's no food available and adjusts itself to cope with the amount you are eating. My guess is you either have a medical condition, or you've done this for so long you are just used to it.
I would recommend visiting your doctor and explaining how you feel. Aside from that, there's nothing you can do other than to eat more. And yes, you will gain weight initially, but that's something you cannot avoid and is worth it in the long run.
Try drinking high calorie shakes, if you really can't manage the food, Make eating a routine, rather than an inconvenience. You also probably haven't got a carb intolerance. Carbs are mostly high in calories, so I should imagine it's going from eating very little to having the occasional high calorie meal that's making you 'gain' that 4lb.. Something else to discuss with your doctor, anyway.0 -
I have a low sugar tolerance, I noticed that if I eat something carb filled, it's a guarantee that I will be 4 lbs heavier later that week. So I tend to stick to low, no carb. Unless I have a sweet tea once a day.
To be honest, your body is reacting as it should
Carbs draw in and hold water, so if you eat carbs, and then jump 4 lbs, that is most likely only water.....and the reason it is so noticeable is prolly due to the fact that you take in very little carbs daily.
So when you do ingest the carbs, they suck up water and hold it.
A lot of physique competitors use a similar strategy when they get ready to go on stage...
They will drop carbs or cycle them in order to get shredded, and then a day or so before they take the stage, they will hit some carbs, so the water will come in and make them look "fuller".....make their muscles pop.0 -
My experience is that if you don't tell your body it will have good food and plenty of it, it will go into starvation mode.
Eating every few hours controls your sugar and your metabolism nicely.
It sounds like a LOT of food, but your body will not believe you are not starving until you show it you will feed it every few hours. Your metabolism will punch in a few days later and you'll feel amazing. It really only took me two days until I felt GREAT.
Good luck!0 -
What about eating high calorie foods like nuts, avocado, olive oil, etc...things that fill you up in small portions?0
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Carbs really drive my appetite....
If I cut back on them, I don't feel as hungry....
If I start eating carbs, I just get hungrier.
See that's the thing, when I eat carbs it all goes into storage. So I phased out most if not all my carbs. (Have no desire for fast food, rice every now and then) I wonder if it could be because of my ADHD medicine. I have to take Adderall to keep me on track all the time being a mom who homeschools. (Been on this type of medication since I was in high school)
Adderral is known for surpressing appetite. Talk to your doctor.0 -
That is what I feared is that my body has gone into starvation mode. I have had my thyroids checked, blood work done, all came back normal.
My body has been in starvation mode then for so long that the mere thought of food just makes me think ugh. And I am far from anorexic that is for sure.
I would eat nuts and such, but sad thing is, it does a doosy on my IBS. I may start tying the meal replacement shakes to see if that kick starts my metabolism. At least I would be getting something into my system that won't make my IBS go crazy.0 -
Adderral is known for surpressing appetite. Talk to your doctor.
That is the thing, we have tried every other medication for ADHD. Strattera made me apathetic to the point it almost caused me a divorce, Vyvanse made my heart feel like it was going to explode, Concerta did nothing. All that was left was Adderall which has worked, but that appetite suppressant part is what is getting me.
So in a rock and a hard place regarding medication wise.0 -
in so this shows in my newsfeed....
oh and you are not in starvation mode.0 -
So you only eat in the evenings, then? That's not really a problem... unless you go kerazy to make up for a day's lack of calories. Check out intermittent fasting. Go 16 hours without eating, then eat within an 8 hour window. You will still get fat if you overeat during the eating window...
You don't even need to eat breakfast. Or porridge. I don't know which swine has been spreading rumours that you need to eat porridge for breakfast but the local Tesco is always out of the cheap porridge because people want to have a "healthy" breakfast. :grumble: (I only eat porridge because I'm on a bulk.)0 -
If you don,t have an appetite and hardly eat during the day, how did you get to be 200#? Or where you a lot more and have gotten down to 200 from the lack of appetite? Is there a medical condition present that changes calorie intake and burning requirements?
Some people eat all their calories at once and are fine with it, so it's probably OK to not eat all day as long as you get your calories eaten in the evening, or whenever.
I rely on protein shakes and protein bars because I often don,t have an appetite for much but can get a protein bar eaten. (Something about Ohio, last time. I lived here, it was the same-no appetite and I got super skinny. TOO skinny! Unhealthy skinny. We just got back from 5 yrs in Cali where I gained the weight, moving back to Ohio and being here MFP, the extra weight is off and am at a good normal weight and realize. I have to force protein/meal,supplements down me to keep from going back to unhealthy-skinny)
Can you add oils? Olive oil, coconut oil, etc to foods? Have you figured out your TDEE/BMR (calories needed to maintain as is/bare minimal calories required to just stay alive)?
Edit-PS- if you have been under eating for a while, your body will temporarily gain weight when you get back to normal eating, but it will even put and you will lose weight again when you are eating the required fuel for it.0 -
So you only eat in the evenings, then? That's not really a problem... unless you go kerazy to make up for a day's lack of calories. Check out intermittent fasting. Go 16 hours without eating, then eat within an 8 hour window. You will still get fat if you overeat during the eating window...
You don't even need to eat breakfast. Or porridge. I don't know which swine has been spreading rumours that you need to eat porridge for breakfast but the local Tesco is always out of the cheap porridge because people want to have a "healthy" breakfast. :grumble: (I only eat porridge because I'm on a bulk.)
Nope, don't go crazy eating thankfully. I just eat a small portion of meat or salad, then I am good to go.0 -
If you don,t have an appetite and hardly eat during the day, how did you get to be 200#? Or where you a lot more and have gotten down to 200 from the lack of appetite? Is there a medical condition present that changes calorie intake and burning requirements?
Some people eat all their calories at once and are fine with it, so it's probably OK to not eat all day as long as you get your calories eaten in the evening, or whenever.
I rely on protein shakes and protein bars because I often don,t have an appetite for much but can get a protein bar eaten. (Something about Ohio, last time. I lived here, it was the same-no appetite and I got super skinny. TOO skinny! Unhealthy skinny. We just got back from 5 yrs in Cali where I gained the weight, moving back to Ohio and being here MFP, the extra weight is off and am at a good normal weight and realize. I have to force protein/meal,supplements down me to keep from going back to unhealthy-skinny)
Can you add oils? Olive oil, coconut oil, etc to foods? Have you figured out your TDEE/BMR (calories needed to maintain as is/bare minimal calories required to just stay alive)?
Edit-PS- if you have been under eating for a while, your body will temporarily gain weight when you get back to normal eating, but it will even put and you will lose weight again when you are eating the required fuel for it.
Actually, to explain my weight its very simple. I have led a very VERY sedentary lifestyle until recently. The weight has creeped up on me slowly. After pulling up my fitday that I installed years ago, in 2006 I was 168lbs. That was the year my father in law died. After he passed, I delved back into working on computers, fixing them, building websites etc. I did not exercise. At all. Mentally I am fit as a fiddle, but physically all that sitting slowly put on the lbs. Now that we are going into the year of 2014, I can account that it seems for each year I gained: 4lbs per year. Not much, but after 7 years its a dramatic change.
It is one of the reasons why I never really noticed the weight gain in the mirror. This is the most I have ever weighed. And I refuse to allow it to go higher. In the past week, I have started walking my puppy four times up and down the road (at least 2 hours worth of walking) when it isn't raining. I have recently joined a gym, and am working with weights to rebuild my muscles up. Since I have started to be more active, I fear I am now not intaking enough calories. I realize at night, I am purely exhausted and find falling asleep to be a breeze.
I know I need to feed my body more since I have begun making the physical part work, not just the mental part. Just don't want to start on the wrong foot, and really want my body to accept the changes.
Edit: As for oils, I take fish oil and glucosamine to ease joint pain and help make them more fluid. As for doctor reports, the only thing abnormal is my LDL cholesterol (too high) and HDL (too low) which he states I needed to become more physically active. All other bloodwork has come back normal as well as any tests have come back normal.0 -
Adderral is known for surpressing appetite. Talk to your doctor.
That is the thing, we have tried every other medication for ADHD. Strattera made me apathetic to the point it almost caused me a divorce, Vyvanse made my heart feel like it was going to explode, Concerta did nothing. All that was left was Adderall which has worked, but that appetite suppressant part is what is getting me.
So in a rock and a hard place regarding medication wise.
Getting the food in front of you is half the battle. I take Adderall and have no appetite. Until it starts to wear off and then I do, and all I want is fat and sugar RIGHT NAO! I have to make myself eat during the day, even if I don't think I'm hungry. It's hard to motivate myself to get a meal ready when I really don't want to eat, so having some things ready in advance really helps. And once I start eating, I find that I'm enjoying it and it's no longer forced. You're going to have to work on it and make it a part of your routine. I've tried other meds and the other stimulants also suppress appetite. Good luck!0 -
So you only eat in the evenings, then? That's not really a problem... unless you go kerazy to make up for a day's lack of calories. Check out intermittent fasting. Go 16 hours without eating, then eat within an 8 hour window. You will still get fat if you overeat during the eating window...
You don't even need to eat breakfast. Or porridge. I don't know which swine has been spreading rumours that you need to eat porridge for breakfast but the local Tesco is always out of the cheap porridge because people want to have a "healthy" breakfast. :grumble: (I only eat porridge because I'm on a bulk.)
Nope, don't go crazy eating thankfully. I just eat a small portion of meat or salad, then I am good to go.
Then if you're still moving towards your goal, keep going. :-)
If things go awry then check out the sexypants thread for what seems to be a sensible solution for long term weight management: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants0 -
Carbs really drive my appetite....
If I cut back on them, I don't feel as hungry....
If I start eating carbs, I just get hungrier.
See that's the thing, when I eat carbs it all goes into storage. So I phased out most if not all my carbs. (Have no desire for fast food, rice every now and then) I wonder if it could be because of my ADHD medicine. I have to take Adderall to keep me on track all the time being a mom who homeschools. (Been on this type of medication since I was in high school)
How long have you been taking the adderall? When I first started it I had a hard time choking down 500 calories a day. I was just never hungry. It gradually got better but it took about a month.0 -
Getting the food in front of you is half the battle. I take Adderall and have no appetite. Until it starts to wear off and then I do, and all I want is fat and sugar RIGHT NAO! I have to make myself eat during the day, even if I don't think I'm hungry. It's hard to motivate myself to get a meal ready when I really don't want to eat, so having some things ready in advance really helps. And once I start eating, I find that I'm enjoying it and it's no longer forced. You're going to have to work on it and make it a part of your routine. I've tried other meds and the other stimulants also suppress appetite. Good luck!
That's my battle right now, I am during the day thinking "Food? Blech." I have to take my son to the orthodontic doctor today, so going to stop by a local nutrition shop and look into meal replacement shakes. At least something to get into my system to at least force calories and nutrients in, so I don't literally neglect my body since I have started to work out.0 -
How long have you been taking the adderall? When I first started it I had a hard time choking down 500 calories a day. I was just never hungry. It gradually got better but it took about a month.
Oh wow, I am 35 now, when we finally got to Adderall being the best solution for me, that was about two years ago. Was taking different ADHD meds beginning in 1998 I think? Then finally hit the correct type and dosage that wasn't too much for my heart, but was enough to keep my mind in line with the workload I was doing. So instead of my mind being all over the place, which bless my husbands heart was slowly driving him insane, I can focus on projects, schoolwork, etc without looking out the window and going "SQUIRREL!"0 -
Number one there is no such thing as starvation mode...
Number two it doesn't matter when you eat the food...as long as you eat in a reasonable calorie deficet.
Number 3 I have no appetite either but get hungry....not wanting food and actually needing food are two different things.0 -
I'm no expert, but the protein shakes really do sound like a good fit for you. Maybe mixed with IF (intermittent fasting) since you seem to have a window in which you ARE hungry. I don't know which to suggest, though, as I make my own at home. I know there are pre-mades out there and from all the ones I've seen, Shakeology seems good. But I've never used it. I literally buy a bag of whey protein isolate and make my own shakes. For me, usually 2 hand fulls of spinach, a hand full of blueberries, 1/2c of Fage Greek yogurt, 1/2 to 1c almond milk, scoop of protein powder and ice. Sometimes I add in other things and mix it up -- I like variety. lol Other times I just mix the powder with coffee and milk or something because I'd rather have that. Or, PB and chocolate. Just depends on my mood. But from the sounds of your issues, shakes may be a good idea for ease. I would recommend talking to your doc about it and see what he says or even better, getting a recommendation for a nutrionist. Also, even if you don't think you are eating much, track EVERY THING on here just to see where you are calorie wise at the end of a week or two. I actually like the phone app for that much better because it gives you the average. You may initially gain some but that is no big deal and it will pass. Right now, your body isn't in starvation mode (that term is thrown around a lot and really doesn't mean you're starving) but maybe stalled out from several things. Just know that you can get back on track slowly and get where you want if you don't give up and are willing to tweak things after some time.
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Number one there is no such thing as starvation mode...
Number two it doesn't matter when you eat the food...as long as you eat in a reasonable calorie deficet.
Number 3 I have no appetite either but get hungry....not wanting food and actually needing food are two different things.
thanks, I am at the moment not making a dent in my caloric intake. It's more of me concerned about needing food to supplement my workouts. To feed the muscles. 0 -
I'm no expert, but the protein shakes really do sound like a good fit for you. Maybe mixed with IF (intermittent fasting) since you seem to have a window in which you ARE hungry. I don't know which to suggest, though, as I make my own at home. I know there are pre-mades out there and from all the ones I've seen, Shakeology seems good. But I've never used it. I literally buy a bag of whey protein isolate and make my own shakes. For me, usually 2 hand fulls of spinach, a hand full of blueberries, 1/2c of Fage Greek yogurt, 1/2 to 1c almond milk, scoop of protein powder and ice. Sometimes I add in other things and mix it up -- I like variety. lol Other times I just mix the powder with coffee and milk or something because I'd rather have that. Or, PB and chocolate. Just depends on my mood. But from the sounds of your issues, shakes may be a good idea for ease. I would recommend talking to your doc about it and see what he says or even better, getting a recommendation for a nutrionist. Also, even if you don't think you are eating much, track EVERY THING on here just to see where you are calorie wise at the end of a week or two. I actually like the phone app for that much better because it gives you the average. You may initially gain some but that is no big deal and it will pass. Right now, your body isn't in starvation mode (that term is thrown around a lot and really doesn't mean you're starving) but maybe stalled out from several things. Just know that you can get back on track slowly and get where you want if you don't give up and are willing to tweak things after some time.
Thanks! I will give that a shot as well. I know our insurance covers a nutrionist, so I may look into that as well. I probably should have said my body has stalled out rather than starvation mode. Or better yet it had adjusted to my sedentary lifestyle. Now to get it OUT of sedentary lifestyle mode lol.0 -
set an alarm at various times of the day to remind yourself to eat. then eat.0
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Getting the food in front of you is half the battle. I take Adderall and have no appetite. Until it starts to wear off and then I do, and all I want is fat and sugar RIGHT NAO! I have to make myself eat during the day, even if I don't think I'm hungry. It's hard to motivate myself to get a meal ready when I really don't want to eat, so having some things ready in advance really helps. And once I start eating, I find that I'm enjoying it and it's no longer forced. You're going to have to work on it and make it a part of your routine. I've tried other meds and the other stimulants also suppress appetite. Good luck!
That's my battle right now, I am during the day thinking "Food? Blech." I have to take my son to the orthodontic doctor today, so going to stop by a local nutrition shop and look into meal replacement shakes. At least something to get into my system to at least force calories and nutrients in, so I don't literally neglect my body since I have started to work out.
That's a good option, but don't rely on shakes alone. Eat an apple in the morning and snack on some carrots and celery in the afternoon. You might even consider switching from XR to the regular Adderall. I just did about a month ago and I'm hungry (and ADD) by lunchtime. I take my second one and eat lunch and I'm back in business in 30 min or so.0 -
in so this shows in my newsfeed....
oh and you are not in starvation mode.
Ditto
You are not in starvation mode. Your body has enough extra fuel reserves it's not concerned that food isn't always coming in every X hours (& therefore hoarding what food you give it) because you have excess fueled stored up already.
Being sedentary and just sitting around working on computers doesn't make you gain weight. Eating more calories than you burn makes you gain eight (being sedentary just makes you burn less calories)
Eating won't kick start your metabolism, but exercise, esp weight/strength training will cause you to burn more.
Some good advice for using MFP that I got was to log everything you eat, eatery thing. Weigh your food, on a food scale, log everything you eat. And MFP over estimates calorie burns, so if you are using the exercise method you may want to only record 1/2-2/3 your exercise calories.
** read your protein shake labels! some are really high in sodium and/or sugars.0 -
Adderral is known for surpressing appetite. Talk to your doctor.
That is the thing, we have tried every other medication for ADHD. Strattera made me apathetic to the point it almost caused me a divorce, Vyvanse made my heart feel like it was going to explode, Concerta did nothing. All that was left was Adderall which has worked, but that appetite suppressant part is what is getting me.
So in a rock and a hard place regarding medication wise.
Can you eat breakfast in the morning before you take your meds for the day?
My son takes Focalin XR and it kil//ls his appetite within 10 minutes of taking it. He eats breakfast beforehand or he can't/won't eat until much later in the day.0 -
Carbs really drive my appetite....
If I cut back on them, I don't feel as hungry....
If I start eating carbs, I just get hungrier.
See that's the thing, when I eat carbs it all goes into storage. So I phased out most if not all my carbs. (Have no desire for fast food, rice every now and then) I wonder if it could be because of my ADHD medicine. I have to take Adderall to keep me on track all the time being a mom who homeschools. (Been on this type of medication since I was in high school)
Edited as I read more of the thread
I'm on Concerta and like most adults I have found it has not suppressed appetite too much (unfortunately). Except when I don't have it and experience x10 appetite. Its also not as effective as other medications, which you said yourself. Which is why I'm on internet forums/reading Perez Hilton/fidgeting like crazy right now rather than focusing on work. I recently got put on another medication as well that is supposed to help indirectly with concentration. Keep forgetting to take it though.
I'm no doctor, but I know that as someone who is well over 200 pounds and obese, and not looking to bulk up, it matters a lot more how much I eat over the entire day than when I eat it. Even if I did that by a 650 calorie breakfast and then a 700 calorie dinner.
ALSO if any members do have ADHD its likely have one of the MANY co-morbid (? think that's the word) conditions, i.e depression, bipolar, anxiety. Just a quick note on this- I noticed that when I have avoided carbs I have lost those few kgs of water weight but I have at the same time experienced greater anxiety, lower concentration (with or without medication) and mood swings. This is obviously only my own experience but something I wanted to share because there seems to be a few of us on here with attention deficits.0 -
Been eating something, even if it is something little before taking my morning meds. Seems to help a bit. Doesn't help that been running around for Christmas stuff that I haven't had a chance to exercise. =(
Going to get all this stuff taken care of so I can go back to burning it off.
I appreciate everyone's input and I have purchased some meal replacement shakes to incorporate during my day to get my body and metabolism back on track.0
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