Lately, I have been uninterested in food. The lady friend did a little check and I average between 500-1000 calories a day. Though I have the occasional 2-3K meal thrown in there on some weeks. I believe her words to were that I am text book how to eat to not lose weight and look and feel terrible (so sweet she is).
Anyway, I bring it up because I have definitely noticed my workouts are suffering. I am sleeping more, struggling to get out of bed in the mornings. Worst of all my grappling partners have commented I can’t hang with them like I used to (the real reason I am worried, of course). I understand the idea is to just eat more food but I honestly have no interest in food. I have coffee every morning. I try to grab some sort of processed Odwalla drink thing before or after a workout. Beer or wine at night. Otherwise I could take or leave food. Anyone else have these problems? Care to comment on ways to fix it? Pictures of starving children in Africa, a comment about “first world problems” or similar are also accepted.
Might want to see the doc and make sure Vitamin D levels are good. This time of year people can drop those (or it can be low year round) and that can cause some issues. The hubby has to supplement year round because his levels are below 30 even in August when he is out riding in full sun. He gets incredibly grouchy and just terrible when the time change hits so we double the supplement. Vit D is fat soluble so you don’t need to just start taking it, get the level first.
Also evaluate for depression. People that are depressed don’t eat and sleep a lot.
I can relate. For years I had no interest in food and considered eating a chore. A few crackers, carrots and gummi bears washed down with six liters of water is all I felt like consuming. Sometimes I would scarf down a plate of party food but that was rare. That went on for a few years. Things were worse when I found I had gastritis because everything burned. For some odd reason, the desire to eat more came about and all was good yet I am never hungry but eat out of necessity and for taste and have grown very picky as to what it is.
Can I ask your height and weight? I just look at those numbers and die. I’m 6’1" 175ish and I’m trying to envision being able to fall out the front door on 500-1000. I’m not one to rush to a doctor, but I’m not so sure this would be a bad move. Something has to be off inside unless you perhaps something else going on you are aware of…not asking you to divulge. I probably spend less time than you exercising each week, but my caloric intake probably surpasses yours by 10 am.
I’m 5’7 about 165. I have no problems divulging on an internet forum but truthfully I have no idea what is going on?
In terms of overall mood, biggest change has been a new job which I love but I certainly find more stressful (good stressful, I feel like the things I am worrying about and struggling with are worth fighting for and will actually make a difference). I have not had my vitamin levels checked but could certainly do that. Thanks all.
I can relate.** For years I had no interest in food and considered eating a chore**. A few crackers, carrots and gummi bears washed down with six liters of water is all I felt like consuming. Sometimes I would scarf down a plate of party food but that was rare. That went on for a few years. Things were worse when I found I had gastritis because everything burned. For some odd reason, the desire to eat more came about and all was good yet I am never hungry but eat out of necessity and for taste and have grown very picky as to what it is.
I don’t have a huge appetite- and sometimes I find if I am really busy it will be 3:30 and I realize that I have not eaten- but then I have to jam on work because the day is nearly over. I spoke to my doctor about it and he gave me a really helpful suggestion to carry a case of cereal bars that I like around in my car…That way I can grab one on a whim as I am shuttering kids around from activity to activity. This was very helpful during my ironman build last year. I also keep gels in my purse and snacks in my desk drawer. I think there was a point in there where I would fuel my day like a race… Calories on the :45 wash it down 'till the :00. There is just no way I could choke down a 1,200 calorie meal in one sitting. I would also cut out the alcohol and see what happens. Just my 2 cents.
I have a buddy who sounds similar to you. Thought he was fine until he passed out one morning in his kitchen and smashed his head on the floor destroying
some perfectly good teeth. Please go see a doc and level with them about what’s going on in your life. You don’t mention depression, but not eating is also a sign of that disease. Sometimes we are in the woods too deeply to see the forest. Let a professional evaluate you for your own sake.
My thoughts exactly. I’ve never suffered from not being interested in food.
Also evaluate for depression. People that are depressed don’t eat and sleep a lot.
Some people who are depressed eat a lot
~Matt
har har
Since I have been focusing on cycling I have dropped almost 7 lbs in off season. I am having to wake up and eat a snack at 2 a.m. sometimes because I am so hungry I can’t get back to sleep.
You are right though, some folks who are depressed do eat emotionally. I just eat so I don’t have to buy a completely new wardrobe. It is expensive enough having to get new cycling gear that fits. Shit’s expensive.
Your lack of appetite may be in part to your lack of eating. My wife has trained in the “body figure modeling” arena before, the key she was taught was to eat 5-6 meals per day 3 hours or so apart. You have to convince your body that you are not going to starve to death and when you do that your metabolism will kick in and you will be hungry all the time.
She is helping my lose weight this off season. Has me on the 5-6 meals per day plan. If I stick with it and eat clean I am fricken starving every 2 hours and 45 minutes. If I start eating junk or skip a few meals on a Saturday I immediately feel the slow down and the hunger slows down a lot too. Oh, and I quit losing weight.
If you think about primal man in nature, we were designed to hunt, eat like crazy when we got something, then shift to conservation mode until we made another kill. You are in conservation mode and your body is convinced you are a shit*y hunter.
Try forcing yourself to eat (clean) every 3 hours and see if you notice a change.
