Is it necessary to eat when you're not hungry?

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nicolelaine
nicolelaine Posts: 7 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've only consumed about 800 calories today (my goal is 1200), but I am completely full. I always make sure to be completely hydrated (I drink at least 5 water bottles a day, and don't drink soda). Also, I have exercised, so my net total is about 600 calories. Is it necessary to eat more, even if I'm not hungry?

Sidenote: If I eat too much or when I'm not hungry, my stomach gets upset.

Thanks!

Replies

  • Rachiepie6
    Rachiepie6 Posts: 423 Member
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    Yes, you should probably eat some more.
    Try introducing small snacks between meals.

    Eating smaller sizes more frequently will help your stomach.

    NOTE: THIS IS ALL JUST PROBABLY, MIGHT NOT WORK FOR YOU
    worth giving it a go though :D
  • fatboypup
    fatboypup Posts: 1,873 Member
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    yes 1200 minimum or youll wither away into nothing
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    Once you have reached your body composition goals and maintained for a number of months, trust your gut feel (no pun intended). Until then, go by the numbers.
  • TinaLRoman
    TinaLRoman Posts: 41 Member
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    No, if you're not hungry there is no need to force yourself to eat. It's not going to do you any good to force yourself to eat and then feel sick.

    Also, try not to count your exercise calories in your net calories. Eat less to drop the weight, exercise to maintain the muscle you have. Any calories burned from exercise should be counted as bonus, not as an excuse to eat more.

    You're better off assuming you've eaten more than you think, and burned less calories than you think.
  • 1smemae94
    1smemae94 Posts: 365 Member
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    Maybe just do a piece of bread with peanut butter. It has healthy fats, protein and is high calorie. I would definitively eat more for now even if you aren't hungry.
  • SusanMcAvoy
    SusanMcAvoy Posts: 445 Member
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    I say.. NO. I think for people to eat when not hungry is crazy. I'm sure you'll make up for it tomorrow. That's my opinion anyway. I would never eat if I'm not hungry. I want to lose weight. One or two days below 1200 isn't going to put you into starvation mode. I refuse to believe that but some people really think it's bad. I'm healthy and have lost 40 pounds .... and I often go below 1200. Take a multivitamin every day with Fish oil. You'll be fine. Good luck!! :flowerforyou:
  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
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    you really should try to reach 1200 - peanut butter toast, or some nuts.
    i agree with suzan that one or two days below 1200 wont be horrible. but ifyou get into that habit day after day it will do you no good.
    tbh i have a hard time wrapping my head around being full on less than 800 calories. most days i eat close to 2000...
  • warmachinejt
    warmachinejt Posts: 2,167 Member
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    I've only consumed about 800 calories today (my goal is 1200), but I am completely full. I always make sure to be completely hydrated (I drink at least 5 water bottles a day, and don't drink soda). Also, I have exercised, so my net total is about 600 calories. Is it necessary to eat more, even if I'm not hungry?

    Sidenote: If I eat too much or when I'm not hungry, my stomach gets upset.

    Thanks!
    if you don't want to harm your body and lose weight, then yes eat at least 1200.
  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
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    No, if you're not hungry there is no need to force yourself to eat. It's not going to do you any good to force yourself to eat and then feel sick.

    Also, try not to count your exercise calories in your net calories. Eat less to drop the weight, exercise to maintain the muscle you have. Any calories burned from exercise should be counted as bonus, not as an excuse to eat more.

    You're better off assuming you've eaten more than you think, and burned less calories than you think.
    thats not really the way mfp is set up.. the deficit they give is based on you not doing exercise. when you DO exercise you NEED to eat those calories back to keep your body functioning properly and you metabolism up. its not an excuse to eat more. its the way the site was designed to help people lose weight with or without exercise. when your daily goal is only 1200 its even more important to eat your exercise calories.
  • LabRat529
    LabRat529 Posts: 1,323 Member
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    I once went to see a registered dietitian. She shared this wisdom with me:

    Hunger signals break.

    You can retrain them to work right again, but until they're working correctly, you need to watch your calorie count and you need to eat your alloted calories daily. Don't eat too much, but don't eat too little.

    Think about it. In times of famine, where you simply can't get enough food, what's the advantage of feeling hungry all the time? Would it help you survive? No. It would just make you miserable, so you're body turns the signal off so you can focus on other things that actually will help you survive.

    So I'm really not surprised that you don't feel hungry when you've chronically been depriving yourself of food. Your body thinks its in a famine... its going to shut down those signals.

    Very low calorie diets (and I'd classify less than 800 calories a day as very low) are dangerous and you should not do them without a doctor's express consent and supervision. If nothing else, you'll metabolize muscle as well as fat. Do you really want to do that???? You sorta need that muscle for every-day living.

    Eat. Grab some almonds. They're great- high calorie, high nutrient, low volume. They won't make you feel too full.

    Seriously, you won't regret it.
  • Rachiepie6
    Rachiepie6 Posts: 423 Member
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    Also, try not to count your exercise calories in your net calories. Eat less to drop the weight, exercise to maintain the muscle you have. Any calories burned from exercise should be counted as bonus, not as an excuse to eat more.

    You're better off assuming you've eaten more than you think, and burned less calories than you think.

    THAT IS WRONG! http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    It is not an excuse to eat more, it is a reason to put some more fuel into your body.
  • britkip
    britkip Posts: 49
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    Don't eat. I'm right there with you I am always way under my calories for intake and I'm just not hungry enough to eat I've tried and most of the time it makes me feel blotted! (not fun) so I just eat when I'm hungry my Calorie intake is usually around 1000 a day except on the weekends cause I eat whatever I want then but during the week I'm all healthy and my calorie intake is low, and I'm not a skinny rail I have muscle ... So just eat when you know your body needs it and make sure it's healthy!

    Stay fit. ♥ brit
  • clementine_76
    clementine_76 Posts: 2
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    I've only consumed about 800 calories today (my goal is 1200), but I am completely full. I always make sure to be completely hydrated (I drink at least 5 water bottles a day, and don't drink soda). Also, I have exercised, so my net total is about 600 calories. Is it necessary to eat more, even if I'm not hungry?

    Sidenote: If I eat too much or when I'm not hungry, my stomach gets upset.

    Thanks!

    I have the same problem. My calorie intake is always under the goal, but I'm just not that hungry most days. Plus, it hurts my belly.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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    I've only consumed about 800 calories today (my goal is 1200), but I am completely full. I always make sure to be completely hydrated (I drink at least 5 water bottles a day, and don't drink soda). Also, I have exercised, so my net total is about 600 calories. Is it necessary to eat more, even if I'm not hungry?

    Sidenote: If I eat too much or when I'm not hungry, my stomach gets upset.

    Thanks!

    Empty calories are nice too!
    Also how big are you?
    Height
    Weight
    Goal?
  • TinaLRoman
    TinaLRoman Posts: 41 Member
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    THAT IS WRONG! http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    It is not an excuse to eat more, it is a reason to put some more fuel into your body.

    Not wrong, just a different way of viewing things. I've dropped 20+ lbs and don't eat to 1200 everyday, most days I am at 1000 or less with Saturday being my day up to BMR (about 1300, though sometimes I'll eat more). I eat on average 6000 - 7000 calories each week. The deficit that exercise creates means my body is using the excess fat stored in my body as fuel to burn.

    If I eat 1000 calories and burn 200 with exercise, my net would be 800. I don't have to eat another 200 calories to get back up to 1000, especially if I'm not hungry.

    You can do all of the exercise you want, but if you eat too many calories you're not going to lose weight. That is why I say, eat to drop pounds, and lift weights to maintain the muscle you have. You cannot out-train a bad diet.

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