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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To just not really eat?

94 replies

NoCapes · 14/10/2016 20:51

Ive never been a massive eater and have always had issues with keeping weight on, I have to really think about eating, it isn't just a normal part of life to me, I have to really remind myself to do it, if that makes sense?
But I've been a single parent for a month now and I've noticed now more than ever I'm just not really eating

I don't have time for breakfast with getting me and all the kids up and ready for school, just tea and occasionally a cereal bar or banana
I've never been a lunch person, I just don't like lunch foods, and running around after a very boisterous baby all day I don't particularly have time
I'll have a brew and a biscuit with the kids after school
Then if I've meal planned something 'proper' I'll eat with the kids, but on those crazy days when they end up with beans on toast or something then I don't eat with them
Might snack on something at night when kids are in bed - cereal/crisps/toast etc, but not always

Thing is though I'm just not hungry
Even when I am eating it's more because I feel I should, not because I actually want it

AIBU & odd? Or does anyone else just not really 'do' food?

OP posts:
SpeckledyBanana · 14/10/2016 20:52

Christ no. But that's probably why I'm overweight.

Onedaftmonkey · 14/10/2016 20:54

Not odd. Bloody lucky. I wish I could never be hungry. Your alive. Your healthy. Go for it.

SaintsFever · 14/10/2016 20:55

Jeez wish I had that! More like counting down to the next meal

ClaudiaJean2016 · 14/10/2016 20:56

I wish I was like that! I have to think about not eating.

HumphreyCobblers · 14/10/2016 20:57

Are you healthy though OP? Or are you underweight and tired?

It really doesn't sound ideal. It also sounds as if you have had a very tough time lately. Flowers

Artandco · 14/10/2016 20:59

I am similar. I have to make sure I eat three meals a day otherwise I loose too much weight. I'm around 7 st'10. I very very rarely ever feel hunger though so the whole eat when hungry wouldn't work at all as I could go days without eating if I did that. I just eat breakfast because it's breakfast, Lunch because it's lunch etc. I do eat fairly healthily though now as usually eat the same as my children.

Wolfiefan · 14/10/2016 21:00

You need to eat to provide the nutrition your body needs. You know that right? Protein and vitamins. Etc.

Haffdonga · 14/10/2016 21:00

Don't be so stupid daftmonkey. Not eating is not healthy or safe. FFS Angry And Nocapes is not lucky that thanks to the the shitty situation her ex has put her in (temporarily), she has lost her appetite.

Nocapes it doesn't matter what you eat, if you don't like lunch food then eat breakfast food at lunch. If you prefer fish and chips at breakfast then fine. Make sure you eat with your dcs. They need to see you looking after yourself . Thanks

Just eat something my dear.

Wigeon · 14/10/2016 21:00

That does sound really odd to me actually. So some days you have

A cup of tea
Another cup of tea and a biscuit
A bowl of cereal

And that's it? Do you have any other odd symptoms as well as loss of appetite? Personally I would feel sick and dizzy if I only ate that in a day. I have literally never missed breakfast in my entire life (and I'm a very healthy weight).

Is there anything else going on in your life which might explain your loss of appetite?

SnipSnipMrBurgess · 14/10/2016 21:01

Im eating a bag of chips and 2 potato pies as I type OP.

So no.

Original poster
NoCapes · 14/10/2016 21:02

I'm not underweight at the moment Humphrey no, BMI of 21
And I am tired yes, but I suspect that is more to do with the non-sleeping baby

I wish I was more like the people counting down to the next meal tbh, I'd love to really want and fancy food - I'm inly ever like that when I'm pregnant, then I eat the whoolllleee world Grin

OP posts:
Wigeon · 14/10/2016 21:03

Sorry, just realised that you said you have recently become a single parent. If the split was difficult, that could definitely be an explanation. When my mum left my dad (acrimoniously), her weight absolutely plumeted.

Have you got RL support re the split?

HerSpookyFattyness · 14/10/2016 21:03

I'm like that. Unfortunately through mobility issues and forcing myself to eat, and finish what has been dished up to me (because that's what I thought was right) I've ended up obese. It's partly my fault for not listening to my body, I know that, so I'm going to listen to it from now on. I know I was eating waaaaay more than I needed. I knew it while I was doing it to. But now it's time to stop. I've already lost 5lb from doing so. If I'm hungry my body will tell me and if I'm not I'm not going to eat and I don't care if people get upset with me for wasting food.

Original poster
NoCapes · 14/10/2016 21:03

Oh major x post there

OP posts:
Original poster
NoCapes · 14/10/2016 21:07

The break up has been a factor and I'm eating less now, but tbh I've always been a bit like this
Especially breakfast and lunch, I only ever ate one or the other of these even from being a little girl
Just not a hungry kind of person
When I've lost too much weight and made myself eat to gain it back I've always found eating so many times in a day just such a chore!

OP posts:
Lorelei76 · 14/10/2016 21:08

I wish i had your problem

I wouldn't worry about it if you feel fine. My dad was very committed to his work, never ate breakfast, occasionally had a sarnie at lunch if his colleagues nudged him, or chips in the pub, then ate a very small dinner. His drive and energy came from within. If you are like that then great.

only thing I would think of is osteoporosis, if you can bear to chug down a yogurt smoothie or something? I'm hyper conscious as it runs in my family though.

I wish I was like you - trying to lose weight atm and really noticing how much boredom at work impacts on what I eat.

TheRedCarWon · 14/10/2016 21:08

I'm overweight, and currently trying to lose it, because I feel hungry all the time and would eat non stop throughout the day off I could.
When I've watched supersize vs superskinny the thin person is airways like you: too busy to eat; can't be bothered to cook; don't like a lot of food etc etc but when they start to force themselves to eat more than they're comfortable with they begin to find an appetite. I wonder if that could happen with you? Failing that, in your position I'd still force myself to eat at set times of day regardless because you need to eat and your children need to see you eat and look after yourself.

Danglyweed · 14/10/2016 21:10

I was exactly like that, bit better now.

Never ate breakfast, rarely did lunch but always made a proper dinner mainly for the dc sakes but we had it too as dh is a bit of a glutton. My mum was the same...

Now i sometimes do lunch and always have a well balanced dinner.
Dh is away this weekend, i imagine i'll not be arsed and just have toast for dinner

sortthetacheoutbernard · 14/10/2016 21:12

It may catch up with you though. Not getting any nutrients.

Eating can be a habit. If I were you I'd try to get into it. If only to set a reasonable example to your dc.

Artandco · 14/10/2016 21:14

The red - I don't think that's the issue here. I do like cooking, and almost all foods. Dh and I cook at every meal and eat with our children, so it's usually always nutritious blah blah. But like I said, if I was away and busy I could go days without eating as I wouldn't actually feel hunger.
I ate roast chicken, potatoes, broccoli and cabbage with gravy at 7.30pm with everyone, wasn't at all hungry

Lorelei76 · 14/10/2016 21:20

Sort "Eating can be a habit. If I were you I'd try to get into it."

can't help laughing as I am trying hard to get out of it. I'm overjoyed when I feel like I don't need to eat a meal - it is happening as I am losing weight now.

BestZebbie · 14/10/2016 21:23

I suspect that if you wrote down everything that passes your mouth during a week on My Fitness Pal or similar, it would turn out that you are actually eating quite a reasonable number of calories - just that half of them are in the form of snacks (the biscuit with your tea, the crisps at night).
This is not actually the same as "not really eating" - it just means you are eating crap instead of healthy, useful foods and kidding yourself about it.

If you are fairly short and slim you might not actually need that many calories per day to sustain yourself and could quite easily reach them on one meal, a couple of hot drinks and some snacking.

Sleeperandthespindle · 14/10/2016 21:23

I've been starting to worry about this recently, worrying that maybe I'm setting myself up for major health problems in the future. I have a similar eating pattern to you, although always eat a 'proper' evening meal as DH cooks it. I can easily not eat all day (no breakfast or lunch) maybe, but not always, grab a banana or chocolate bar on the way home. We eat dinner late - 8ish is normal. I will have cups of tea/ coffee during the day.

I eat 3 meals a day at the weekend and during holidays. It's just the normal working week that I don't. I'm not currently anxious but think it may be a stress control thing for me. I don't get hungry though and genuinely forget to eat. But also I hate making or even thinking about food in the morning to eat later on.

Original poster
NoCapes · 14/10/2016 21:23

Yes Art we sound quite similar

I eat with the kids more nights that I don't, and it's generally healthy stuff, but I never sit down to the table and go 'oooo yes dinner' it's just more - 'kids are hungry, I made food, I guess I'll eat it now'
I ate lunch today because my Mum brought some round, it was nice but I didn't feel massively satisfied afterwards, I just felt 'OK that's done, now I've got two plates to wash'

OP posts:
Original poster
NoCapes · 14/10/2016 21:25

I keep x posting, my thumbs are slow tonight Blush

OP posts: