I'm having a hard time wanting to eat, but I do, cause I can feel myself getting hungry or needing energy. I know this is a good thing, but it's amazing how difficult it is also.

I decided yesterday that I would just treat myself to yummier things today. Made up a pan of bacon, and only ate a couple pieces. I'm not full, I'm not hungry, I'm not satisfied, my stomach feels like it needs food and I don't want to feed it.

Put some cream in my coffee for a few extra cals.

Absolutely nothing sounds good right now.

Since a lot of people go through this, what are your suggestions? My carbs are usually between 20-30 at this time. I even ate half an apple yesterday. I also think it might help to just graze today, because when I sit down to a salad/veggies and meat, I can't seem to eat both.

I've been like this. I swear if I eat another egg, I'm going to start clucking!

For me it's a weird feeling not wanting to eat. It's also very weird for me not to be shaking or light-headed when I'm hungry. I'm guessing that's a blood-sugar thing. It's recommended that we eat at least every six hours. When I first read that I thought, "yeah, right, like I would ever go six hours without eating!" But I've found myself eating lunch at 2:00 because I lost track of time and not been hungry.

Grazing sounds like a good idea. I'm trying that today, cause I just couldn't scramble another egg for breakfast.

Maybe this is how "normal" people feel

Maybe its also bordom with eating the same sort of foods. Have you looked in the receipe section? Although I prefer whole food, have you tried protein shakes for the occassional meal/snack? Thats an easy way to get calories and nutrients.

Lesley

MacOSRules (cool name), what you wrote it exactly how I'm feeling. I've been eating lunches really late also. I'm not used to such a stable blood sugar,

Akiwican, I have been thinking that more variety would be good. I just have to work on it. A shake wouldn't be a bad idea, I haven't really looked into them.

I did just test with my ketostix and they measured at high. Now I also admit that I'm not yet well hydrated, being morning and all. But I'm usually not any more than a medium pink, never purple.

I also have a kid home sick with the flu, but I don't feel anything like that (but I'm scared to death now of getting it).

I am struggling with this too the last few days. At first, it was refreshing...but now I'm starting to get concerned because I still have a lot of weight to lose and I don't want to slow my metabolism by not taking in enough calories. I used to be a carb freak and now nothing sounds good to me. I work for a company that owns 20 grocery stores and there are always samples around at work. Even the Little Debbie snack cakes don't look good to me. Strange!

When I did Atkins it was the only time in my life I ever lost my desire to eat. Calp is a little different since I always mix veges with protein I don't get that sick feeling in my stomach. Maybe its because I eat 4 to 5 cups of veges most days and lower fat, it keeps everything in my digestive tract moving more.

That's just an observation on my part, my stomach does feel a lot better with more veges and less of the eggs, bacon, cheese and cream filling it up.

Hi Annette,

I know how you feel- I can remember being surprised when I looked up at the clock to see if it was almost lunchtime only to discover that it was 2:30 in the afternoon.

You should probably up your fluids (especially if there's a chance flu is in the air!).

I think grazing sounds like a very good idea, and more variety would probably help too. With me I would go along not feeling hungry at all and then suddenly I would get that weird feeling in my stomach and realize I was starving! On this WOE I just can't eat the quantities I used too, so grazing really helped me keep a stable food intake.

You're working out pretty hard, too.

Hope it gets better!

Grazing is definitely the right idea for those times when a meal sounds like torture! You don't have to eat a LOT every six hours, just something to prevent low blood sugar. Today, I had plenty of carbs available to me and wasn't feeling much interested in food, so I ate a handful of popcorn with cheese on it. (About 5 carbs, according to the bag, but I had room for more in case the bag lied.)

My son and I are working on a chocolate muffin recipe and we don't have it right, yet. It's going to be a bit higher carb than other low-carb breads, though far fewer than normal muffins. I figure I'll use it for a treat on those days when I'm really not hungry and need a pick-me-up. We have a version that is chocolatey and somewhat sweet, but I want it more sweet and more chocolatey before I'll call it a muffin.

I grazed all day yesterday, and laid in bed feeling my stomach growling, but not hurting, just moving around. I could have obviously used a bit more food.

I was also up 1.4 pounds but that doesn't bother me. I drank tons of water, and my entire body aches from sore worked out muscles. The muscles feel firm and tight so I know they are retaining that water.

Today's going to be a tough day. I have to chaperone for 10 hours at a chorus practice, and need to plan some foods to bring. Dinner out is at fast food (if I chose to do that).

Try splitting up your meals into a lot of smaller "snacks". When you first start LC it's sometimes difficult to face a big meal but quite manageable to eat 5 or 6 smaller ones.

Karen

My appetite has been absent lately...

...I sit down to dinner and I can barely get the food in my mouth. But I know I must eat so I do, only smaller quantities and more frequently. It's not a constant for me. I've wolfed down lunch all week, but since I tend to eat dinner according to the time on the clock rather than when I'm actually hungry, my appetite doesn't always seem to hear the dinner bell (I jest...we have no bell!).

You might want to try those smaller, snack size meals. And I always recommend enhancing your selection of recipes. When the foods start to get boring, you're more likely to eat things that aren't best for you.

Good luck!

Donald

I'm on the same track as Rolfe. I could go all day without eating!! (but I don't) My variety is good, I get excited and sit down to eat and have to force the food into my mouth!!

I've never had any trouble before. My stomach doesn't growl anymore and I never feel hungry.

I have been on Atkins a long time, and I am back on induction. Last time I did induction I didn't feel like this. I'd hate to screw it up by not eating enough.

Sometimes I think it doesn't really matter what I put in my mouth as long as I extinguish the hunger. But, recently we tried Donald's deep dish "pizza" and that was a meal that perked everybody up. I'm still on that learning curve toward more variety, I think. It's too easy to lazily choose the same kinds of meals each week. New foods ARE interesting. And, I do still get hungry.

Yet, even after 10 months on this way of life, I still have to give myself permission to eat - more than that, I have to remind myself to eat when I'm hungry because this is NOT a starvation diet. And, I'm still angry over publicity from hospitals that push low-fat diets for diabetics - two in the last two days. I wonder if I will ever fully adjust.

Freydis,

I agree!! My new doctor (got a new one because I moved) suggest I skip a few meals. I said but being diabetic don't I needto eat a few small meals a day? He said no, you can skip a few meals. IMAGINE??

Needless to say I left that office and never went back!