Height: 5 10 ( I hate being taller than all the cute guys!!!)
Should I eat a meal if I am not hungry?
Hi Chicks
I have been doing Atkins again and I love it, but I do have a question. Now that the sugar is out of my system and I am over the cravings, I don't feel hungry. I know, that's a good thing! I used to be hungery every second of the day. But now, Im just not, so I don't eat. But should I? Is it ok to skip a meal or a scheduled snack if Im not hungry? What do you think???
I agree with Tanee, I wound't skip it. There have been times that I haven't felt hungry at meal times, but I always eat anyway for two reasons: 1. that's my plan and I am sticking to my plan because the only time my plan fails is when I don't stick to it, and 2. I might get raging hungry later and be a totally miserable person to be around, and I don't want to do that to my friends and family.
It was explained to me like this: Your body is like a fire in the fireplace. If you keep the fire stoked, it will be easy to keep the fire going with just a little fuel (food) at a time. However, if you let the fire die down, it takes a lot more fuel to get it started again.
This is really common in the first few weeks of almost any restrictive diet. I know how you feel, because I spent some time forcing myself to eat meals. Trust me, though, it's worth it to force yourself to eat all your planned meals. If you want to skip a snack, make sure you revise you plan and you're still getting what you need.
In the book Dr. Atkins says you need to eat at least every six hours while you're awake, to keep your metabolism functioning. I know it can be hard since the low-carbing suppresses your appetite, but it's really important to eat regularly.
The way I understand it, you should never feel hungry or thirsty to begin with. Once you are thirsty you are already dehydrated and something along the same lines for hunger. Once you are truly hungry, you've already waited to long to eat. If you are on a schedule, that's great, stick to it. Unless you are feeling physically ill, eat a snack. Doesnt have to be huge, but you need to keep re-fuelling. I believe you should eat 6 small meals, one every 3 hours, but that is JMO.
I agree with skip a snack but not a meal...it can be empowering to not eat when you're not hungry, thus skipping a snack, but you don't want to encourage bad habits either, such as suddenly starting to skip meals and maybe not eating as healthy.....which can then spiral into "I am so hungry I don't care" and eating something you shouldn't eat at all, or dropping out of the diet altogether because you deprived yourself too much.
I've cut out night time snacking, because I do find I'm not hungry. It is probably helping me lose, but doesn't take away from the meals I eat during the day.
Good question.. My dad had a stroke on Tuesday and I have been back and forth from home to hospital and having so much trouble making myself eat. I get so sick at my stomach and can not make much food go down. I am sure its just my nerves.. Heck this is new for me ...in the past I always wanted to eat when I was stressed..
I am doing all I can to get in my meals .. But I know I am not eating enough.. I hope it will be better today.
I think we need to listen to our bodies and not eat unless we are truly hungry. Now as said above you can't just not eat and go below a safe level. I think by eating the way we have we have thrown our bodies out of sync by eating whatever and whenever. Now we need to retrain ourselves to listen to the natural signs that our body gives us. If we can do this I think once we get to goal we would be able to maintain easier than if we did not learn to listen and just eat by a set plan.
Should I eat a meal if I am not hungry?
