Should You Eat If You’re Not Hungry?

In this article: 

• It’s normal to wonder whether you should eat if it’s mealtime but you’re not hungry. 
• Reasons for not being hungry can include a recent meal, jet lag, a cold or other illness, or nervousness. 
• Use a visual analog scale (VAS) to learn and respond to your body’s hunger and fullness cues.
• You may need to eat for medical reasons, like managing diabetes or taking medications safely.
• Lark is available 24/7 to help you eat healthier and achieve your health and weight loss goals with or without GLP-1 medications.

‍

It’s normal to wonder if you should eat even if you’re not hungry. Is it better to try to get some nutrients in you, or is it better to respect your body’s hunger cues? The answer is that it depends on the specific situation. Sometimes it’s better to eat, sometimes it’s better to wait, and sometimes it can be good to have just a little. Here are some considerations when deciding whether you should eat when you’re not hungry. 

Reasons Why You May Not Be Hungry

Can you think of some times when it may have seemed like a sensible time to eat, but you weren’t very hungry? Here are some examples. 

• Your routine has changed for some reason. For example, after traveling to a different time zone and being on jet lag, the clock may say it’s time for a meal, but your body may say it’s not
• You’ve eaten recently. For example, when you’re out with friends and you spontaneously go to a restaurant or coffee shop together, but you’d eaten before meeting up with your friends
• The clock says it’s time to eat. For example, your workout is scheduled to start in an hour, and you normally have a snack to fuel it, but you’re not hungry
• You’re ill. For example, a cold or stomach bug can keep you from feeling hungry
• You’re dehydrated. For example, you’re feeling some hunger pangs, but no food sounds good to you. Instead, you’re craving water
• You’re nervous or preoccupied. For example, you had a long and intense conversation with a family member, and by lunchtime, you’re feeling anxious and more ready for a walk than hungry for a meal
• It’s not your usual time to eat. For example, a colleague from work ordered pizza to celebrate a successful project, but it’s mid-afternoon and you’re not hungry

‍

Are there times when you haven’t been hungry, and you’ve wondered whether you should eat or not?

A Consistent Routine for Detecting Changes in Hunger

Your body thrives on routine. Just like a regular sleep schedule allows your body to adapt, so that you feel sleepy at bedtime and awake during the day, a regular eating schedule also enables your body to adapt. Hormonal changes can make you feel hungry around meal and snack times, and satisfied soon afterwards. With a consistent eating schedule, it’s easy to notice hunger and maintain energy and blood sugar levels.

‍

Another benefit of following a routine is that it’s easier to notice changes in hunger and appetite. For example, if you don’t normally eat a mid-morning snack, but you find yourself starving mid-morning one day, you might stop to wonder why. Similarly, if you normally eat lunch at noon, but noontime comes and you’re not hungry, it may be time to think about why your hunger level is lower than normal. Following a routine makes self-awareness easier. 

The Visual Analog Scale to Assess Hunger

The visual analog scale (VAS) is a simple tool that you can use to check hunger levels. The check-in only takes a few seconds, and you can do it without any preparation. The VAS goes from 1-10. Here’s what the numbers represent.

• 1: Starving. You’re so hungry that you feel dizzy, shaky, or lightheaded. Your stomach may be growling or hurting, and you can be irritable. 
• 2-3: Very hungry. Your stomach may be growling, and you’re only thinking about food. You’re ready to eat anything you can find.
• 4-5: Gently hungry. You’re starting to feel hungry. Your stomach may be asking for food, but you’re able to delay it if you want. This is a good time to think about planning healthy options to eat.
• 6-7: Satisfied. You feel comfortably full, but energized. It’s a good time to stop eating because your body has the fuel it needs for a while.
• 8-9: Full. You are feeling a bit stuffed or lethargic. It may start to feel uncomfortable, or you may feel heavy.
• 10: Stuffed. This is uncomfortable. You may feel bloated, and you’ve probably eaten more than you need. 

‍

The goal of using a VAS is to increase self-awareness. It can guide you on when to eat and when to stop eating. It can also help you identify times when you may be eating without being very hungry. 

Should You Eat If You’re Not Hungry?

Sometimes you should eat if you’re not hungry. Other times, you should not eat. Here’s more information.

Times When It’s Important to Eat

It’s important to eat in some cases. Here are some examples.

• If you have diabetes and need to have consistent, predetermined amounts of carbohydrates and calories. 
• If your diabetes medications include insulin, sulfonylureas, or meglitinides
• Some medications, like certain antibiotics, hypertension medications, cholesterol-lowering medications, and NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), need to be taken with food.
• If you have low blood sugar and need to raise it for safety reasons or to address symptoms
• If you are planning to exercise soon and you have a history of getting low blood sugar during your workout, or your healthcare provider has warned you to eat before working out

‍

Ask your healthcare provider if you’re not sure. 

Times When It May Be Okay Not to Eat

There are many times when it’s okay not to eat if you’re not hungry if you have no underlying health conditions related to food or blood sugar. Here are some examples. 

• If you’re at a restaurant with friends but you just ate and aren’t hungry, it’s okay not to eat. Just enjoy their company and order some water if that’s all you want.
• If you have a mild cold or minor illness, and you don’t have diabetes or another underlying health condition, your doctor may say it’s okay not to eat full meals. Some juice and plenty of fluids may be enough. Ask your doctor. 
• If you’re experiencing jet lag and your body says it’s not time to eat, it’s okay not to eat, as long as you have no underlying health conditions and you know you’ll be able to eat later when you get hungry. 

Smaller Snacks to Consider

A smaller snack may be a good idea for times when you’re not as hungry as usual or you’re not hungry for a full meal. Choose nutritious foods to fuel you and support your health. Here are some examples. 

• Fresh fruit, like an apple, banana, orange, or some berries
• Low-fat string cheese stick
• ½-1 ounce of almonds, walnuts, or other nuts
• Hard-boiled egg
• ½ cup of low-fat cottage cheese
• Raw vegetables with 1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter or 2-4 tablespoons of hummus
• Pouch of tuna or chicken

‍

Remember to include a source of carbohydrates if your healthcare provider recommends it. That’s likely if you have diabetes. 

‍

Stay away from highly processed, low-nutrient foods if you’re not very hungry. Sweets, fried foods, processed meats, and chips are examples. 

How Lark Can Help

It’s smart to check in with your body to see if you’re hungry, and then act appropriately to manage hunger, energy, and health. Lark can help you make more small changes to improve heart health, lose weight, and manage or prevent chronic conditions. Your Lark coach is available 24/7 for encouragement, nutrition and physical activity coaching, and habit tracking. Lark can help you make healthy choices and establish habits that fit into your lifestyle so you can lose weight and keep it off with or without GLP-1 medications. 

‍

Click here to see if you may be eligible to join Lark today!

‍