I follow my programs calorie guide very strictly & the excitement to eat food has made it easy to keep up with that. I'm now 3 months out, that excitement had faded a bit & for a week or so I was 100 cals under my goal (800cals) - now I'm 200cals under my goal.

How do you make sure to eat when you're truly just -not- hungry?

Edited December 23, 20223 yr by bbykitty

Your hunger will come back eventually but if you are truly having a hard time getting in calories maybe try adding healthy fats to increase calories without increasing portions. Things like oils and dressings or avacado and nuts (if you can have them) or nut butters will increase your calories pretty quick.

Edited December 23, 20223 yr by ShoppGirl

I started to eat to a routine, eating meals at approximately the same time every day. (Still do this most of the time.) I didn’t mind if I didn’t eat all my portion just made sure I ate something. I ate because I knew I needed to for my health & well being. Changed a lot about how I looked at food. Mind you I was barely eating 900 calories at 6 month.

Even at 3.5 years I have periods of time when I don’t feel all that hungry or feel like eating (hungry but not hungry & don’t finish meals). I’m going through this at the moment (sometimes wish it happened more frequently ?). Maybe you are too. Have a chat with your dietician if you’re concerned for ideas on how to boost your calories.

Edited December 24, 20223 yr by Arabesque

I was told to add milk, nuts or cheese to increase calories as they all help with proteins too. There are many times when I am still not hungry, especially if I am travelling or busy. I always carry a protein bar in my bag for these days. If I am home then a protein yogurt has enough protein in to substitute for the skipped meal. A handful of nuts are easy to eat and are calorific

My team would like me to up my calories to 1200 now so I mostly do it but twice this pre Christmas week, I have been so busy that I have failed both protein and calorie quotas. I feel my energy drop if I do this too.

18 hours ago, bbykitty said:

I follow my programs calorie guide very strictly & the excitement to eat food has made it easy to keep up with that. I'm now 3 months out, that excitement had faded a bit & for a week or so I was 100 cals under my goal (800cals) - now I'm 200cals under my goal.

How do you make sure to eat when you're truly just -not- hungry?

What to do when you don't want to eat?

Honestly, i Just won't. During weight loss phase, if i didn't want to eat, i didn't (still employ this tactic today at 4 yrs out). And yes, i was way under calorie goals too. I had labs done at least 4 times the first 6 months post and there was zero concern from the team (or from myself) about the state of my health.

What does YOUR team say?

What to do when you don't want to eat?

Honestly, i Just won't. During weight loss phase, if i didn't want to eat, i didn't (still employ this tactic today at 4 yrs out). And yes, i was way under calorie goals too. I had labs done at least 4 times the first 6 months post and there was zero concern from the team (or from myself) about the state of my health.
What does YOUR team say?

100% Same. The appetite will come back to some degree anyway. I take regular blood tests to make sure I am getting my nutrition, and I take my supplements. I ride each wave as they come in. I'm always thankful when I am not hungry lol.

Are you meeting your protein and fluid goals? And getting your vitamins? If so I would just go with it. I was never told to hit any particular calorie goal, and what I learned about protein I learned here, LOL. If you're meeting your other goals then you should be OK. If you really want to hit all the goals set for you (and looking at your amazing loss so far I can see the incentive to do that!!!) then I would echo adding healthy fats. I used to eat nut butter from the jar for supper sometimes if I had had a non-hungry day. Best of luck, you're doing brilliantly!

Due to my specific surgery I have to eat every couple of hours or my stomach gets f-ed up (if I wait to eat until I'm actually hungry then my bowels decide to punish me and I literally empty everything in there and I'm in and out of the bathroom for around an hour. And this usually happens after just a few bits of food after not eating for 7+ hours. Bright side of this is that if I get constipated I know how to solve it lol. TMI, sorry). So even if I'm not hungry, I'll munch on a rice cake. They're 50 calories and at least I'm putting something in my stomach so I don't end up angry at myself later for the stomach ache.

Thanks guys. I do hit all my nutritional goals! I've been paranoid about not following everything exactly as the book says. A few days of eating less shouldn't hurt. ? & I'll add avocado on a day where I get a little TOO low.

Edited December 26, 20223 yr by bbykitty

I usually have a couple of snacks that I allow myself in the form of healthy snacks in small amounts, but I usually do my favorite hobby. This is probably the easiest option when hungry, for me it's reading books, someone is into handicrafts.

If I'm not hungry I don't eat. Simple as that. Just had major bloodwork ran and all my numbers are super great. Doc was pleased with my progress and my numbers. I went from being an almost on insulin diabetic to a A1C of of 5.1 without medicine. Cholesterol is within normal limits; vitamins are within normal limits. I'm off all the medication I had to take before I had the surgery for medical reasons since I left the hospital. Heck I've even reduced some of my mental meds. I've started listening to my body like I didn't before, and I don't force-feed UNLESS it's the 2nd meal I've skipped then I'll at least eat a string cheese or yogurt or something small since it's usually me skipping lunch and dinner and I don't want to wake up at 11pm hangry.

I'm not one to skip breakfast because I know I'll be hangry around 2nd period and not really be able to do much about it. It's almost impossible to concentrate when my new tiny tummy demands to be fed... it seems louder and more persistent than my older, bigger one ?.

Edited to add: Also felt it necessary to say that I don't skip meals often... some days may be smaller meals than others but it's not very often that I skip a meal unless I am just flat out, not hungry, the thought of eating makes me feel nauseous (and that can be because of emotions or exhaustion as much as anything else). Otherwise, especially when I'm working, I'm on a pretty good breakfast, lunch, dinner schedule and I eat when it's time to eat and I eat until I'm no longer hungry which can change the amount. The recent successful bloodwork makes me feel like I'm on the right path.

Edited December 31, 20223 yr by flamingolady1408
Forgot to "say" something

Honestly I’m on day 5 and I force myself to eat. Not hungry at all.