Eat even if I'm not hungry

ElizabethNJ
ElizabethNJ Posts: 32 Member
edited November 2014 in Health and Weight Loss
Most of the time I don't get hungry until noon/lunch time. If I do eat a breakfast, which would usually be eggs, or veggie omelet, or oatmeal, I stay full during lunch. I don't want to skip meals but when I make myself eat, even if it's small like oatmeal, a small soup or salad, then I feel stuffed like I ate too much.

Should I eat breakfast even I'm not hungry in the morning or should I just go with when my body is hungry?
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Replies

  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    I don't believe in meal replacements, but you could try a protein bar. I also don't know how new you are, but if you can keep this up for a long time, you should check with a therapist.
  • Asherah29
    Asherah29 Posts: 354 Member
    edited November 2014
    If you're not hungry I see no reason to stuff yourself as long as you are consuming enough calories throughout the day.
  • jstout365
    jstout365 Posts: 1,686 Member
    Personally, I would listen to your body, just make sure you are getting enough calories in during the day to support your current goals.
  • I say eat when you are hungry. Your body metabolize different food at different rates. More fiber and protein, the longer it will take to metabolize.
  • numinousnymph
    numinousnymph Posts: 249 Member
    edited November 2014
    You should keep your caloric intake at the very minimum that is recommended, which is usually around 1200. Try to eat calorie-dense foods like nuts, avocado, or nut butter, which may not make you feel as full but give you enough calories? A meal replacement shake or protein bar is a feasible option too, if they don't make you feel too full. They do have a bit more volume than nuts/nut butter.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
    Nope, eat your first meal when you're hungry.
  • ElizabethNJ
    ElizabethNJ Posts: 32 Member
    Ok, thanks for all the input. At work I take my lunch break at about 12:30, and have my tea with a small snack, usually nuts around 3pm, then dinner after I get home about 6:30. If I'm hungry in the morning I do eat, but otherwise, I'll just listen to when my body tells me to feed it. If I had done that in the first place years ago I probably wouldn't need to lose weight lol.
  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
    I have found I can train my body when to be hungry by eating consistently and at the same times. I never used to eat breakfast but now I wake up starving. I do some 5:30am workouts though so I find it imperative to eat a good breakfast after that.

    As long as you are eating a balanced diet (calorie and nutrition wise) and not eating breakfast isn't causing you to overeat later - you should be just fine.
  • JosieRawr
    JosieRawr Posts: 788 Member
    I don't eat breakfast. Even on days when I eat 3500 calories the most I have in the morning is a cup of milk with my vitamins. If I'm hungry or having an issue with my calorie balance for the week I'll have a protein shake with a meal.
  • Amanda4change
    Amanda4change Posts: 620 Member
    Ever since I was pregnant with my oldest child I don't do well with food before noon. However I'm hypoglycemic so I have to eat or my sugar levels are to low. The compromise that I made was protein shakes in the morning. However I don't think that it is necessary for most people to eat on a schedule, as long as you are getting enough calories (to meet your goal) it doesn't matter when you get those calories.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    As you can see, it depends.

    For some people, if they wait until they actually feel hungry, they might make poor choices and overeat.

    For others, skipping a meal can help them control their total calorie intake.

    As long as you are meeting your goals, do what feels comfortable for you.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    I've had experts admonish me for years not to skip breakfast. First of all, diabetics can't skip. The goal is even blood sugars all day. But here's a study that backs you up.

    http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/277728.php
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    edited November 2014
    Medical issues aside, most of the studies supporting eating breakfast for weight loss did not actually study weight loss. They polled large populations and most of the normal weight people ate breakfast, so breakfast was deemed to have an important role in weight control.

    ETA: I am a breakfast eater, or at least a morning snack (both, if I get up early enough), I am just laying out the facts.
  • panzerduff
    panzerduff Posts: 21 Member
    Eat when you're hungry. Your body doesn't *kitten* you.
  • silentKayak
    silentKayak Posts: 658 Member
    You don't need to eat breakfast if you're not hungry.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    panzerduff wrote: »
    Eat when you're hungry. Your body doesn't *kitten* you.

    Actually, it does. Hunger Is a trained response that's based on hormones and your specific eating habit. It's why most people tend to feel hungry about the time they normally eat. This is why "feeling hungry" is a terrible method of determining appropriate food intake.
  • nicsflyingcircus
    nicsflyingcircus Posts: 2,367 Member
    I eat two meals a day, generally mid-day and supper. If my work schedule is weird (start between 10am and 12pm) I will eat before I go, because it's physically demanding (lots of walking, climbing ladders, lifting and lowering bikes, etc).
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,449 Member
    tigersword wrote: »
    panzerduff wrote: »
    Eat when you're hungry. Your body doesn't *kitten* you.

    Actually, it does. Hunger Is a trained response that's based on hormones and your specific eating habit. It's why most people tend to feel hungry about the time they normally eat. This is why "feeling hungry" is a terrible method of determining appropriate food intake.

    Yes! This was a revelation to me, and has been very important for me to know in controlling my weight.

    OP, as others have said, I think it depends. I know slim people who don't eat breakfast. Personally, I prefer to eat at mealtimes, hungry or not, and that seems to work for me. (I have days when I seem to be hungry all the time, and other days, where I don't have much appetite at all, so going by what I feel just doesn't seem to work).

  • ThePhoenixIsRising
    ThePhoenixIsRising Posts: 781 Member
    As long as it isn't negatively impacting your day, or stopping you from eating enough food to support your health, when you break your fast doesn't matter.
  • Iwishyouwell
    Iwishyouwell Posts: 1,888 Member
    Eat when you want. Unlike many here state, I've always found that my actual hunger cues (vs cravings) don't lead me astray.

    Smallest I ever was in my entire adult life was back when I typically ate when I was hungry. Didn't even realize what I was doing. I don't get hungry at the same time every day.