I'm early on in Atkins, making great progress, but I've run into one thing that I could use advice on. My appetite has waned to such a degree that sometimes I feel nauseated when I try to eat.

I realize that protein tends to curb the appetite, and all of the advice I've seen is to try to eat regardless so your body doesn't go into starvation mode. But sometimes it's really unpleasant to eat, and nothing seems appetizing because I'm just not hungry.

Has anyone else run into this? Any ideas for how to stimulate an appetite so I can at least eat 3 times a day without feeling ill?

Any ideas are appreciated.

Wow! I'd take it as a blessing and listen to your body for the most part. I guess you do have to watch though - not eating can lower metabolism. Do you exercise regularly? My appetite really goes up a few hours after a tough workout.

This response may raise some brows, but I say if you're not hungry, don't eat. While you might feel a little lightheaded, it certainly won't kill you short term.

Most of us spent years, even decades, stuffing ourselves when we weren't hungry. I know I didn't get as fat as I did by denying myself.

When your hunger picks up after a day or so, you'll be ravenous and find that your LC food tastes delicious!

i asked this same question yesterday, i feel weird too when i eat when i dont want to,

so today i made a batch of peanut butter cups, and doubled the recipe so they are 4 grams carbs each one,

i eat one or 2 throughout the day when im not so hungry, just to keep something in me

I occasionally have the same problem. I find that when I'm not hungry I just don't eat as much, but eventually my appetite returns and I'm eating again. Try and follow what your body tells you, that is of course you continue to have no appetite for a lengthy period of time! Then you should seek help.

Ive had that problem lately also. Im not very hungry that much anymore, well, hungry like i used to be. I put my foods into fitday.com but I never have alot of calories, but im also not starving myself. I eat when I want to, and I eat the low carb foods.

It kind of freaks me out how often and how much I'm eating these days. I'm ALWAYS hungry. I exercise in massive, massive amounts though and I guess I need. But I'm in the best shape of my life and not getting fatter so I think its alright.

The key for me is not to eat so much that I get that bloated, need to undue my belt buckle feeling that was so commonplace and I knew so well in my fatazz days.

Redegg, I went through this in my early days on the plan, too. I followed Dr. Atkins advice to the letter, and if it was five hours since I last ate, I ate something. I'd have a few bites of meat with a fair bit of fat of some kind, but I would not eat much. Call it a snack size bit of food. This keeps your blood sugar levels on an even keel, which prevents serious hunger pangs later on.

Eventually I came to recognize my hunger signals and they are pretty subtle. I used to get absolutely ravenous when my body wanted food. Now, I can feel a very minor urge to eat, centered in my stomach, which signals that I am hungry. After nine months on this plan, I sure listen to my body much better than I used to. I am on OWL now, so I am gradually adding in foods, and listening to what my body says about what that food is doing to me.

Hope that helps some.

Thanks for all the great responses, they're very encouraging. My main concern with not eating is going into starvation mode, but maybe if I just add some smaller snacks throughout the day instead of going for three big squares, that will work better.

I appreciate all the feedback!

-- Lesa

I would have to believe you would feel hungry prior to going into starvation mode. Either that, or you are ALREADY in starvation mode and this is why you are not hungry anymore. IF this is the case, you're weight loss will slow and you'll feel tired a lot. IN which case, it would maybe help to jump start yourself with a little carb cycling.