# Do you have to remind yourself to eat? Or make yourelf eat when you don't feel like it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 21, 2012, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-or-make-yourelf-eat-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/628934 "2012-07-21T06:29:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2012, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-or-make-yourelf-eat-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/628934/21 "2012-07-21T18:01:06Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > No, I have to remind myself \*not \*to eat, lest I gain weight. Me too. (Looks down at tummy). ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2012, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-or-make-yourelf-eat-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/628934/22 "2012-07-21T20:08:00Z")
> [@chizzuk](#): > > Yes, I often have to make myself eat. I have a lousy appetite that completely dies at the slightest stress or illness. I don’t get hungry often or at normal times and when I do get hungry, I have to act immediately or the sensation passes within minutes and doesn’t resurface for hours. And I fill up pretty quickly and will sometimes be halfway through my plate and totally lose interest. Frequently I’ll get around to 7pm not having had anything to eat that day. I haven’t eaten breakfast in 10 years. My eating schedule consists pretty much of dinner, usually a late-night snack, and inconsistently something in the afternoon which may or may not qualify as “lunch” depending on when/what/how much it is. > > I don’t know why this is. I just have a crummy appetite and I also hate to cook. If it’s something I didn’t prepare myself, chances are I’ll eat more. It’s nice to know someone else does this also. I could have written this exact post, with the exception that I do actually \*try \*to eat lunch/afternoon food regularly. I’m never hungry for it, but I find that if I do eat, I sleep better and eat less later at night. ---
**Author:** ![Tracyfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f14d63/32.png) [@Tracyfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tracyfish)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2012, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-or-make-yourelf-eat-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/628934/23 "2012-07-21T20:12:18Z")
> [@LouisB](#): > > Eating bores me and the idea of cooking drives me insane. I’d be perfectly happy to never eat again. This describes me as well. I just don’t have much interest in food. If someone invested a pill that gave all of the nutrients needed for the day, I’d take it. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2012, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-or-make-yourelf-eat-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/628934/24 "2012-07-21T20:26:50Z")
Before my [gastric bypass surgery](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=619485), in 2010, I was 85 pounds heavier and I had the opposite problem. Now, I often have to remind myself to eat. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2012, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-or-make-yourelf-eat-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/628934/25 "2012-07-21T20:27:21Z")
> [@LouisB](#): > > Eating bores me and the idea of cooking drives me insane. I’d be perfectly happy to never eat again. This is why I’ve started drinking Slimfast for breakfast - one less meal I have to bother eating. I’m contemplating drinking it for lunch too. And I haven’t gotten hungry normally for about a year. It started two or three days before I got a Lyme rash last July and my appetite never really came back the same way even after I finished all the antibiotics and no longer felt queasy from them. I mean, my stomach still growls when I’m hungry, but being hungry doesn’t feel uncomfortable like it used to, so it’s easy to ignore until it’s been close to a day without eating and I’m _finally_ so hungry it hurts. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2012, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-or-make-yourelf-eat-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/628934/26 "2012-07-21T20:44:56Z")
This is going to sound really lame and my nerd may show a bit, but this happens to me when I get a new video game that I am REALLY into. I don’t feel hungry, and I am so engrossed that feeding myself almost feels like a chore so I put it off for as long as possible. Also, when I’m working on game-related projects (mods, map making, etc), the same can apply. I have to honestly remind myself to take a break and go eat. Otherwise, not at all. In fact, in order to maintain a healthy weight, I am often fighting feelings of hunger hours a day. ---
**Author:** ![scootergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e99b99/32.png) [@scootergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scootergirl)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2012, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-or-make-yourelf-eat-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/628934/27 "2012-07-21T21:50:18Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I eat when I get hungry. This…for the most part. When I used to eat at any time whether hungry or not, I weighed about 40 more lbs. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2012, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-or-make-yourelf-eat-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/628934/28 "2012-07-21T23:30:25Z")
I have to eat a large amount to maintain my current weight, so I do not eat to satisfy hunger - I am always thinking ahead, meal-planning, and trying to get in some extra. I chose ‘make myself eat’. I usually can’t go without calories for long without experiencing intense hunger, and normally I snack constantly (working with food FTW) and also eat two large meals during the day. I do lose my appetite completely when my depression and anxiety flare up, but those episodes are thankfully rare these days. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2012, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-or-make-yourelf-eat-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/628934/29 "2012-07-21T23:38:10Z")
With my IBS, sometimes I have to force myself to eat something even though I know it’ll hurt later. (Eating anything usually causes me at least some pain) And sometimes I have to remind myself to eat because I’ve completely forgotten. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-or-make-yourelf-eat-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/628934/30 "2012-07-22T02:02:09Z")
Recovering from Knee surgery, (new knee). The pain killers really messed me up. It was like being sea sick for 60 days. I ate not because I was hungery, but because I knew I would get sicker if I did not eat. Sometimes I just jamed as much food down as I could. I ended up loosing over 30 pounds. Next time the Drs and I will sit down to diiscuss pain management and what they are going to do different, or I will continue tolimp around. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-or-make-yourelf-eat-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/628934/31 "2012-07-22T02:14:43Z")
I both have to remind myself to eat and make myself eat. But then I just had WLS. ---
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-or-make-yourelf-eat-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/628934/32 "2012-07-22T02:52:54Z")
Love food, love eating and it shows. I find being hungry a really uncomfortable feeling. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-or-make-yourelf-eat-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/628934/33 "2012-07-22T03:32:39Z")
I only eat one meal a day, usually in the evening. Even then, I’m not usually “hungry,” but I certainly am not going to forget, and I don’t need to remind myself or to persuade myself. I love food! I even love boring, bad food! Chef Boy-Ar-Dee canned stuff is just fine with me! ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-or-make-yourelf-eat-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/628934/34 "2012-07-22T05:03:38Z")
When I’m in trial I frequently have to literally force myself to eat, like shove a cup of yogurt or a sandwich I have absolutely no appetite for into my mouth and choke it down. I don’t miss any meals but I may still lose a couple of pounds. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-or-make-yourelf-eat-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/628934/35 "2012-07-22T05:16:47Z")
It does happen to me when I’m totally engrossed in a task. For example, a couple weeks ago we adopted a 9-month-old pitbull from the shelter, and I was charged with training it and getting it used to the household. I had to take it out every hour and a half or two hours at first to teach it to go pee and crap outside, took it out on three 1.5-2 mile walks a day, trained it basic commands, bought a crate to crate train it, etc. Every day for that first two week period, I had to remind myself to eat. It’d be 2 p.m., I’d be in a daze and wondering why I was feeling faint, only to realize that I hadn’t eaten any breakfast or lunch. Stuff like this would happen in college, too, during finals week or any other intense, sleep-deprived periods of time. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2012, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-or-make-yourelf-eat-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/628934/36 "2012-07-22T05:18:36Z")
These days, I usually find that I’m hungry for lunch, eat a normal meal, and then have to more or less force myself to eat dinner. A couple of times this week, I ate lunch at noon but only ate dinner around 8:30 pm - not because I was hungry but because I knew I’d be feeling it later (like when I’m going to bed) if I didn’t eat now. It’s really annoying, I’d much rather just be hungry again at 6 pm, make dinner and eat. I do that about 70% of the time, probably. But forcing myself to eat because I know I should is a pretty common occurrence. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-or-make-yourelf-eat-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/628934/37 "2012-07-23T01:14:22Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Wish I had that problem. Me too. If I am nervous about something I have to remind myself to stop eating. ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2012, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-or-make-yourelf-eat-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/628934/38 "2012-07-23T01:27:41Z")
Vast majority of the time, I have to remind myself. Also, I’m really fat. I’m thinking maybe I should stop reminding myself. ---
**Author:** ![perfectparanoia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@perfectparanoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/perfectparanoia)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-or-make-yourelf-eat-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/628934/39 "2012-07-24T19:05:07Z")
If I am really focussed on something, I hate stopping to eat. Or pee. Or drink. That’s why I make sure there is someone around when I am working outside in the heat. Left to my own devices, I will suffer heatstroke. When I am not focussed on something, the effect is the exact opposite. I will constantly want to eat even though I shouldn’t. That is why one of my weight management tools is a good book. If I don’t want to put it down, I won’t waste time eating. (I don’t know why. I can snack in front of a tv show but not while reading a book.) ---
**Author:** ![Scubaqueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@Scubaqueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scubaqueen)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2012, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-or-make-yourelf-eat-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/628934/40 "2012-07-24T19:24:34Z")
Coupled with the ongoing colitis problem, my appetite went out the window the day I was put on cymbalta for my arthritis. Because I cannot take anti-inflammatories due to kidney issues, the doc suggested the cymbalta. Presto-chango, not only does the drug work well on me, the only side effect I’ve noticed is a dead appetite. So far, i’ve dropped about 30 pounds - pounds that clearly needed to go since i was carrrying near 200 on a 5’9" frame. I look better and I feel better as a result - despite the colitis - which is still not under control, but I’m working on it. Now the real challenge will be to maintain a proper weight when I don’t have an appetite and am still dealing with colitis! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-or-make-yourelf-eat-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/628934.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-have-to-remind-yourself-to-eat-or-make-yourelf-eat-when-you-dont-feel-like-it/628934.md?page=3)