Do you eat when you're not hungry?

I'm in my 2nd week of my low calorie plan and have lost 2.8 pounds.  The hunger pangs have passed for the most part and I am enjoying the broad selection of healthy foods available.

I have found I am not hungry very often.  I have made myself eat a piece of fruit or have a yogurt, but have not eaten the meal I had originally planned for that time. I really could have skipped the whole meal.

Is it okay to eat smaller amounts and not force yourself to eat when you're not hungry?  I am still keeping my calories where they should be, between 1200-1300 for the most part.

Thanks for the suggestions, I'm still new at this.

i have to, sometimes.  i eat small meals, and usually get hungry every three to four hours, but if i can't eat immediately, my hunger tends to go away.  so--yeah--if it's seven o'clock and i haven't eaten since one or two, i'll eat, even if i'm not hungry.

i think the bigger problem that people run into is that they think the size of the meal should be proportionate to the degree of hunger they feel.  that's a problem.  being very hungry doesn't mean we need to eat more.

If I'm not hungry for breakfast I make myself eat something.  Doesn't have to be alot but it does have to be something just to get everything moving for the day. Like this morning, I probably could have just skipped breakfast altogether but that's not good so I ate 3/4 cup of cereal.  Enough to give my body something to work on but not so much that I was full.  That's really the only time I eat when I'm not hungry, it's usually the breakfast situation.

i eat all the time when i am not hungry. when i am bored at work.... i eat. there is nothing else to do. i could have just eaten a large lunch yet still get back to my desk and am bored so i eat. grrrrrrrrrrrrr.................i could be miserably stuffed yet still want to eat! AHHHHHHHHHHH

I tend to eat when I am bored. It is my major downfall. Since I have been counting I have realized that without all those needless snacks I actually don't eat enough. I am having to remind myself to eat when I need to regardless if I am hungry or not.

For a while I was only at 1000 calorie days wich is not good for anyone. So now I just try and eat an apple or yogurt in between meals to ensure that I get ENOUGH calories for the day.

I have also discovered that I need to make breakfast and lunch bigger meals rather than dinner that way I don't feel like I am trying to make up a whole bunch of calories at the end of the day when I am my least active.

Good luck and Great job on the 2.8 lbs.!

I used to

but not since i started my diet

hahaha i can always eat

even when im full

but ive trained myself to realize when im hungry and when im not :)

everyone has different eating patterns, if eating smaller meals throughout the day rather than 3 big meals works for you . Then thats great!

As long as you are getting your recommended cals and nutrition, keep it up!
As well, if you need more cals and are not hungry ..try more calorie dense foods such as nuts / raisons etc.

Congrats on your weight loss, keep it up!

I eat every two hours. Even if I am not physically hungry, my brain always wants food!!! I never eat enough to be stuffed, and I look forward to the times I eat so it keeps me sane. So yes, I do eat when I'm not necessarily hungry, but I'm not forcing myself, I want to. I just love all the (healthy) food I eat, I suppose!

Original Post by jbrewing:

I have also discovered that I need to make breakfast and lunch bigger meals rather than dinner that way I don't feel like I am trying to make up a whole bunch of calories at the end of the day when I am my least active.

 i know what you mean... i keep telling myself i'm going to eat more at breakfast but since i'm a total porridge-addict, and it's so filling, that i struggle to finish the whole bowl as it is, and then i don't have much of an appetite during the day and thus by the time i get home and should really be eating dinner, i often can't be bothered to find a healthy option so just end up having steamed veggies- not enough cals, i suppose, but i hate going to bed feeling really full!!