Help!!! Can't make myself eat...

[momof3innc]

Is there anything I can do to make me want to eat? I did this the first time on Atkins back in March too. After about a week or so, I lose all interest in eating.. Nothing smells good, nothing looks good...
I have only eaten a small (maybe 3 tablespoons) of taco salad all day long. I used vegetarian recipe crumbles, iceberg lettuce and a teaspoon of grated cheese and that has been it all day. I even had to make myself eat that much. Is this normal on Atkins? Are there other folks out there who have this problem too?
I am on week 3 of an extended induction and have lost a total of 14.4 pounds.. I know that is awesome but I feel like I need to be eating something for energy... Or will this pass?
I do take a vitamin at night, so I know I am getting some nutrients... but feel like I need to be eating...Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

[ceemarie]

Re: Help!!! Can't make myself eat...

It is not healthy to be exsisting on such a low calorie count. Try adding 1 egg in the morning or a cheese stick as snacks during the day.

[redfoxglove]

Re: Help!!! Can't make myself eat...

I am wondering if you are preparing interesting and tasty meals or just existing on meat and cheese. Are you trying new vegetables, like maybe some of the recipes in the back of the book or on Linda's Low Carb website? Maybe you aren't hungry because you are bored. Iceberg lettuce, ick, I can't stomach it. Have you read on the Ongoing Weight Loss forum and found out how to advance to OWL? You'll learn how to add things into your menu.

Variety is the spice of life. Also eating consistently causes you to have an appetite. Eating erratically causes you to get fat. For me it's every 3-4 hours. When I eat a snack every 3-4 hours, I get hungry in 3-4 more hours. When I was on Induction after about 10 days I wasn't hungry but it was because I was eating so well. In a couple more days the appetite was working fine again.

If you're having a normally active life and eating consistently, you'll be hungry for interesting and tasty foods. Enough said by me.

[redfoxglove]

Re: Help!!! Can't make myself eat...

Um. Preparing "interesting and tasty meals" doesn't need to have anything to do with it. If they're a *week* into it, they should still be eating induction, not moving on to OWL until the end of the 14 days.

To top it off, eating erratically does not cause you to get fat.

Sorry, but I lead a normally active life, and make delicious meals for me to eat and still have troubles with being hungry.

She said she was into 3 weeks of Induction. Also, check your science. Eating erratically causes spikes and lows in blood sugar. This leads to cravings, eating foods that are ill advised, and insulin that stores more calories than it allows you to burn, regardless of your activity level. Yeah, that makes you fat.

[redfoxglove]

Re: Help!!! Can't make myself eat...

Sorry, I saw the part about having the trouble after the first week...

Thanks for the help, I'll be sure to check my science figures. I think eating junk makes you fat, not eating at different times during the day. Dr. Atkins said 6 hours, not 3-4, if I eat within 3 hours one day an 5 hours the next, I think that's erratic and pretty sure it's not going to adversely affect me. I'm sure if I stick to your plan I'll have much more success than I've already had.

You know, I don't think it matters so much, 3 hours, 5 hours, 6 hours. Or even a mix of it all. I just figure out of roughly 16 hours of waking time I gotta get in 3 meals and 3 snacks a day. The idea is to eat throughout the day, even if it's just a small snack, and to aim for this kind of pattern day after day. After 4-5 hours the blood sugar starts dropping. The whole idea is to try to keep your blood sugar as even as possible. So that's not, eating nothing since last night's dinner until 2pm, then a snack on the run and then nothing til dinner or later.

I know that the hunger thing is a big deal for lots of people who get on this forum, and it has been a challenge for me too, but temporarily. I just think anybody can eat a 1oz cheese stick between bfast and lunch, and hopefully they get motivated to carry around with them some veggie slices to go with it, and have a good lunch, and then a snack after lunch, and then another snack after dinner if they are staying up late.

Other refinements, a person ought to eat within 30 minutes of rising. That's to get the metabolism burning fuel. There's a reason it's called "break your fast"...

Anyway more than enough said by me, I'm sure. Good luck and good vibes.

[momof3innc]

Re: Help!!! Can't make myself eat...

I just wanted to update you on the eating progress I have made.. I decided to not make myself eat unless I was hungry and then it was only a bite or two before I felt like I was going to throw up. I did this for about a week and a half and then all of a sudden my appetite returned and I have been eating like crazy.. AND the best part is that I have lost even more weight since starting back eating.... A total of 17.4 pounds as of this morning... I started at 202 back on September 27, so that is an awesome amount to lose in a little over a month... My energy level is thru the roof and I feel awesome... Today I got in a pair of size 12 capri's and they are loose!!!!! I am so happy that I have stuck this out for as long as I have.. Usually I would stop at the point where I couldn't eat, but I went right on thru that phase and now am losing about 6-8 oz. a day or up to a pound on some days... I don't post much, with homeschool and just life here in NC, I just don't have the time, BUT I do read some when I get the chance... Thanks for everyone's support and I hope to put my picture in the success stories in about 6 months or so. Good luck to everyone in the STAC group...
Margaret

[Lyssie]

Re: Help!!! Can't make myself eat...

Congratulations!!!!!

[redfoxglove]

Re: Help!!! Can't make myself eat...

Wow Margaret, that is so inspiring! What a cool thing, to see such positive change after hanging in there in the challenging times. I'm so glad you kept at it even though your appetite was changing. It would be so cool if someone could do some research about this appetite thing, but for now I'm going to file your success story in my head for inspiration when I get sidetracked. Good job!

p.s. Maybe you would have time to look into the OWL ways of doing things? It keeps life so much more interesting to add back foods into your menu...I've added spaghetti squash and tomato sauce....yummmmm....

[momtomany1]

Re: Help!!! Can't make myself eat...

Momof3, you have done well. Congrats!

Just want to say something in defense of OWLing.. because I have been following rungs slowly, carefully, I discovered berries speed my weight loss. Redfoxglove is gently encouraging you to try moving up a bit, and I want to add my support to this. You can do induction for quite a while, but there is a lot to be said about being able to snack on almonds before your workout, or strawberries and cream as a decadent snack! And it is so useful to find out what foods don't help you, and what foods do help you. Just a thought!

[Tamarind]

Re: Help!!! Can't make myself eat...

Do you know why berries might speed the weight loss? I think I'm experiencing the same thing except with inches and I can't figure out if it's because I'm eating more fat (I have them with cream) or the berries themself.

[momtomany1]

Re: Help!!! Can't make myself eat...

I have no idea, but I was already using cream before I started eating the berries. So for me it can't be the cream. I have tossed blueberries or strawberries in shakes with a little milk and protein powder, eaten them with cream...

or if you really want to indulge... get a carton of Greek yogurt (finally found some at WalMart) and slice berries into that!

But I have had one or the other every day since starting OWL and my rate of loss at the moment is like a pound every 2 days. That is faster than it was before. And my tummy is so, so happy.

You can't not be hungry for strawberries, after all!

The member HappyHeFoundMe also reported that the week she started berries, she lost 4.2 pounds!

[Tamarind]

Re: Help!!! Can't make myself eat...

Ooooh! What's the brand of Greek yogurt that you found? I avoided yogurt because so many have sugar or other carbs.

[redfoxglove]

Re: Help!!! Can't make myself eat...

Ooooh! What's the brand of Greek yogurt that you found? I avoided yogurt because so many have sugar or other carbs.

You have to get the yogurt that is "plain" and add your own berries and sugar substitute. Most commercial yogurts are loaded with sugar or corn syrup...avoid! IF you want to keep on the plan that is.

And in case you're curious, it's the full fat content of Greek yogurt that makes it so satisfying, and also makes it best for our way of eating, b/c the fat content keeps the carb content from being metabolized quickly, which raises your blood sugar (spikes it) which then is followed by a blood sugar drop,,,,,,,what we want is a relatively level blood sugar over time.

I can't remember the name brand of the one we have in the NW, but I'll bet that regional brands are the rule in the case of Greek yogurt so, check around in your local groceries especially ones that are not national chains and cater to a more...affluent? customer...cuz it ain't cheap.

I could eat my weight in yogurt every day....

have fun!

[momtomany1]

Re: Help!!! Can't make myself eat...

The one I found in WalMart was Oikos, and it wasn't full fat which was disappointing. However, it is delicious. I used a half carton for starter and made more yogurt too which worked fine. It is pricey, about 3 times the cost your regular yogurts!

[Tamarind]

Re: Help!!! Can't make myself eat...

Ahh I see, I have eaten that before but didn't know that walmart sold it. Yeah I like full fat yogurt myself. Low fat is just so unsatisfying. The only one I could tolerate was Wallaby yogurt. I've felt that way even before I started atkins. Want a really fatty yogurt? Try water-buffalo yogurt*, it's like a lighter version of cheese cake. Of course it's too carby for me to eat now although I could only eat half a container at a time.

(*Disclaimer: I enjoy trying weird and exotic foods hahaha but other than that i'm normal)