[downsizer55]

I have been eating healthy since Dec '10. I have been slowly losing but have
changed a lot of bad habits as far as eating goes. I used the South Beach Diet principles and have settled on a 1.5 phase. I know that the "bottom line" is calorie deficit but I chose to use the SBD because it has resolved
the blood sugar drop issue I had been having. I have been on plan through the 7 months with only a minor glitch or two along the way. My question is,
Knowing that it's best to "refuel" on a regular or scheduled basis, will it
REALLY hurt not to eat "on time" if I am not hungry? I don't know if it's the heat - which I don't care for so much - or whatever but I am just not hungry.
I know it sounds like a dumb question.....cuz it is, actually, but I value your
opinions.
I have learned SO much from reading the posts here!!!

[slenderella]

This is just my opinion, but I don't think that you should force yourself to eat when you're not hungry. That said, I think you do need to stay aware that you are eating enough calories each day. If you're not hungry enough for a full meat and salad dinner that doesn't mean that you shouldn't have something healthy yet lighter in bulk, like a fruit and some nuts and cottage cheese. I don't think that you just shouldn't eat at all, but I also don't think everyone has to eat their meals at 9, 12 and 5pm.

Sue

[berryblondeboys]

I've been doing a lot of research on blood sugar levels and the timing of eating. The old (and still held to) principle is that eating every 2-3 hours is important to keep blood sugars stable. This, however, is assuming people are eating a higher carbohydrate diet. When you eat a high carb diet, you sugars spike, insulin kicks in and you drop. To keep it from spiking and dropping they devised this idea to keep it more stable by always keeping blood sugars 'stable' but that stable is actually a slightly high blood sugar level.

Low carbers (one hundred net grams and under in a day) don't usually get the spiked blood sugars, so insulin doesn't kick in as much, so if the blood sugar never spikes, it also doesn't bottom out. Your blood sugar levels stay lower because of the diet - and that is really good for someone with blood sugar issues.

I wish I had saved the links I read, but it was fascinating. I read blogs, doctor's research and so on and basically, eating when you are hungry (and only when you are hungry) is better for your blood sugar levels overall when you eat lower carb meals. So, instead of spending much of the day with your blood sugars elevated to around 120 from breakfast to two hours after dinner, you keep at at, let's say 100, then drop to 80... keep it there until lunch, and it rises slightly, and then comes back to 80 and so on. So, most of the day your blood sugars remain around 80 which is GREAT!!!

They are 'beginning' to pressure the ADA to change their diet recs, but they are slow to change. My doctor told me low carb and I went from out of control diabetes numbers on the A1C test to normal range 3 months later by eating lower carb and exercising and just eating when I was hungry - not on a time table.

That would be VERY different if I ate pancakes with syrup for breakfast... I would need to eat in 2-3 hours to keep from a sugar crash... I just don't eat like that!

[one small bowl]

Listen to your body for cues. I don't eat when not hungry, but my body tends to like routine and I am usually hungry before a meal. If I am not I am either sick, tired, or I ate more than I needed at the previous meal. All kinds of factors can cause a lack of appetite, but it rarely lasts long. If it continues and is bothersome, do see a doctor or health practitioner, it could be a medical issue.