to think that we are addicted to never feeling hungry?

[Teetik]

Recently, for various reasons, I had to stick to a really limited diet of three small meals a day, no snacks, water for a drink and one glass of wine in the evening with no food to accompany it (that was optional of course). I also did a lot of being outdoors, walked everywhere at the same time.

Usually if I don't eat for say more than a couple of hours, I start to feel a bit shaky. If I don't get a cup of tea, I feel something's missing. For this 5-day period, I felt nothing like that, nothing whatsoever. I managed absolutely fine with a coffee in the morning and NO SNACKS.

It just made me think that perhaps the reason why I'm 2 stone overweight is that I've tricked myself into thinking that if I'm ever even a tiny bit hungry, then something's WRONG and I have to correct it immediately. Cheap food is everywhere and I think we're being massively brainwashed into thinking we need more than we actually do. AIBU?

MrBloomsNursery, I've heard that delaying eating every day until say the late afternoon can have a terrible effect (long term, not over a month) on your health: massive weight gain, hair loss etc. It seems unnatural. I can't do it myself, I get shaky by 12pm if I don't eat.

I very rarely eat 3 meals a day, never have breakfast, skip lunch a lot of the time, and eat in the evening. I do find though if I am off work and have a breakfast, I don't stop eating all damn day.

Teetik - Don't worry, I haven't made a habit of it! But when I was working, I never had time for breakfast and most days would wake up at 6am, and not eat anything until lunch at about 12pm. You're also right, it DID affect my health - no weight gain or hair loss, but I lost alot of vital nutrients and I was exhausted after 2.5 years in that job...Fasting is alot different though, and it leaves me feeling more healthy than unhealthy.

I wish I could eat before lunch time but I just can't.

The food just bounces around in my mouth and I can't swallow it Lol

I also have a strict rule of only eating when you're hungry in our house. I don't force food on my DD who is nearly 4. She is asked if she is hungry and offered food. If she doesn't eat it, and I know she's eaten well during the day, I don't force her. Food should be enjoyed when you want it.

(wine is totally empty calories though isn't it?)

See, when I say "empty" calories, I really think I mean...pointless calories. If you've had a cup of tea and a bowl of cereal in the morning (for example) for breakfast; a massive fuck off latte at 11 am is totally unnecessary and therefore "empty" DYKWIM? You've had your lovely calcium and whatever from your 1/4 pint in your breakfast.

empty calories just means calories with little or no nutritional value. Like haribo.

It's just semantics probably. I'd say "unneccesary calories" if I didn't need whatever it was, not "empty".

I WILL FIGHT YOU.

The "is wine empty calories" question is totally serious though. Does wine have any nutritional value at all.

Curious minds want to know.

It must count as one of your 5 a day, being a grape an' all.

erm... I don't know. Isn't red wine supposed to fight cancer or something

after I did weightwatchers my appetite shrank
I look back at what I used to eat and wonder how I ate it without feeling sick

then again I must stop forcing my kids to clean their plates
if they are not hungry so be it - compost the food
I cannot reduce portions too much as they are at an age where some evenings they are ravenous

and yes, I'd be those magic 6 pounds lighter if I did not drink
but I LIKE wine.

it's not looking good for wine

I am meeting my DS's "girlfriend's" family this weekend for the first time.

I think I love the mum a bit she texted to ask me yesterday is a BOX of wine was going to be enough for us (the TWO OF US) for Saturday night!

x posted. It is totally pointless then.

No!! Wine isn't pointless!

It's erm. Socially beneficial?!

She sounds like a friend to nurture and cherish, shirley

She seems lovely. I was SURE she's a mumsnetter - she has "that" way about her but I did a creepy bracket in a text (as a secret MN code) and she didn't respond to it.

Other than to think I meant that I take cocaine.

I'm an idiot.

Wine is an essential part of weight loss regime

Basically it makes you too shit faced to eat anything

haha you scared her with your class a jokes shirl.

I know!

I did a and she thought that meant that I like a bit of Columbian marching powder I think, as she suddenly started telling me she's from the country and that she'd need to crack open the Jack Daniels to keep up with me.

I meant as in

worra - wine does tend to act as a laxative!

I watched a documentary with some top consultanty/ diet man doctor thing who said exactly this op. He said it is healthy to feel hungry have your stomach rumbling and we need to re educate teens about this. The latte /cake culture means I am pretty sure a lot of people don't get properly hungry. I spend my entire life hungry but am not underweight.

Really NotnOtter? Then I feel vindicated.
It was really enlightening to experience it in an enforced sort of way and to have the penny drop, iykwim. More effective than any amount of posters on the wall of the doctors' surgery.