Calories vs. Hunger

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mustnothrowcantelopes
mustnothrowcantelopes Posts: 116 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I wasn't sure which sub board to post this in, so I do hope it's in the right place. I had this weird situation today where I only consumed like 600 calories and due to my job being the way it is my two meals for the day were about 6 hours apart, which isn't healthy at all, but I didn't really get to eat before I left the house and unfortunately, my lunch break was at the mercy of my employers. When I finally did get it, I ate and then like 10 minutes later felt really hungry, but eventually it subsided. I didn't get home until 11 PM and I knew I should eat something, but it was late and I didn't want to eat late and again, I was also not feeling hungry.

My conundrum is this: Eating too few calories can put your body into starvation mode and slow down your metabolism, in essence making you gain weight, not loose it, but eating when you're not hungry just because you have to eat something can train your body , at least I think, to form an unhealthy habit of constant snacking or something like that. I'm having a hard time explaining what I mean. I'm pretty sure whatever it is not good. Like if someone was bored and watching tv and weren't really hungry and just ate anyway because they were bored or whatever, that can develop into a habit of wanting to eat more often when you don't have to.

So....how do you balance the two? I don't want to put my body into starvation mode, but I don't want to make myself eat when I don't feel the need to.

Replies

  • skinimin
    skinimin Posts: 252 Member
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    I struggle with this too. I'm not an expert but I was struggling to meet my 1200 calories per day (which I really need to because anything less is not enough) and just had to add more high calorie HEALTHY foods to my diet. So if you have another day like this again, add an avocado to your lunch or eat one when you get home (not so much food that you're forcing yourself but it's not like you're snacking really, just trying to get some nutrients!), nuts are another good one, specifically nut bars. Yes they have honey and a few added sugars in them but better than nothing when you've eaten so little! And you won't go into starvation mode unless you eat like you did today for a few months-HA good luck with that one, carrots and lettuce for life haha.
  • kkellam1
    kkellam1 Posts: 182 Member
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    I am not a big supporter of the starvation mode stuff. I know that it's possible, but I think we can place too much emphasis on it and be worried where we don't need to be. I have seen a lot that points to it being a bigger problem for lean people than it is for people like me with a lot of body fat to burn off. Also, I don't believe that day here or a day there will make any difference...it's long stretches of low cal that would trigger it. Listen to your body, not a formula. It sounds like you know the benefits of eating on a regular schedule and make an effort to do so most of the time.
  • CallejaFairey
    CallejaFairey Posts: 391 Member
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    i think part of the problem with not eating even if you aren't hungry, is that, you may only think you aren't hungry because you were ignoring the hunger you did have, so it's like your body gave up on trying to tel you that you are hungry. lol

    i think as long as it doesn't happen often, you are fine, but if it happens a lot, then maybe considering keeping preportioned baggies of healthy snacks like nuts or sliced veggies handy. so even if you can sit down to a meal, you can still eat.

    i used to eat once, maybe twice a day, and my body got used to it for sure. i would be hungry around the times i usually ate, but that was it. i wasn't eating anywhere near enough, but my body wasn't telling me to eat cause when it did, i usually ignored it. now that i am eating better, and more, i am hungry every 2-3 hours.

    i know everyone is different, and you need to find the thing that works for you, but i wouldn't worry too much about training your body to want to snack even if it's not hungry.
  • digby765
    digby765 Posts: 163
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    We all have days when we don't have an appetite to eat what it says we should, but our bodies are marvelous things, listen to your own, if you really can't face those extra calories one day then let it be, the odd day of going under, or over for that matter won't have such a huge impact, i believe it's a prolonged period of eating too few calories that brings on the 'starvation mode' Look at the bigger picture, and continue to aim for your goals..all the best :happy:
  • flynowhawk
    flynowhawk Posts: 4
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    I have just started this a week ago, but it seems to me that the calories that they are suggesting that I eat is more then I have been eating. Since I gained a 1lb this week even with exercise I am hoping that with time this will balance out.

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