'Ello everyone.
Okay so I have a question for a friend of mine. She's been trying to lose weight for some time now but she seems to be having some trouble. She's 21, 5 foot 5 inches about 206 pounds... The main thing is that she never really eats.

She only eats when she is hungry, but she never really gets hungry, and when she is hungry she only need about 3 bites of something...anything... and she's full. It's very rare for her to have more than 1000 caloires a day. She has to force herslef to eat sometimes, even though she feels stuffed from the little bit she has eaten.

She knows that she needs to eat at least 1200 (or more) calories a day, to eat 4-5 small meals, but we are both confused...should you eat if you're not hungry? Should you eat even though you feel stuffed after the first few bites?

She workes out about a hour A day, mostly cardio, and has been watching what she eats, and yet she hasn't lost much at all ahd we both wonder if it because she dosn't eat enough calories.

She feels she's eating too much because she is full after such little food. Is it bad to eat if you're not hungry? or should she eat to get enough calories?

My suggestion is maybe she should go to a doctor and get evaluated. Perhaps she has some kind of stomach issue, maybe a food absorbtion issue even. I'm not a doc of course so I am just taking a stab in the dark.

I'd say nobody should try to force themselves to eat if they are full feeling, but it's not the norm to be full after 2 or 3 bites of food I think, unless they have an extra small stomach (like with gastric bypass surgery).

If she's not getting enough food in her body, perhaps that's why she's gaining. Her body may be trying to hold on to what it has. So she's in a bit of a bind there. it's a catch 22. Consider the doctor's advice perhaps.

I should add too that she may have some other reason why she has gained weight, such as a hormonal issue/thyroid problem, that sort of thing. I went to a doc before I started my diet, just to be sure all was okay to move forward. Knowledge is power, as they say.

My mom has this issue and she has been borderline anorexic my entire life. I honestly think that your friend needs to eat more, needs to make sure that she is getting her 1200 calories in in a day no matter what. This will make so many problems later if she does not. So I would say yes eat even if you are not hungry to get up to the 1200 calories.

have some blood work done, check thyroid.
I think 1200 cal is too low for anyone. Have her start at 1600 and just stay there, the weight might come off slow but slow is best.
Also she could see a nutrionist. I did and saw how my portions were not what I thought they were, plus I was eating way too many carbs, she wants my carb around 180-220 ( complex)