How long would this food keep you going for?

[Enjoytheweethings]

Ate 3 boiled eggs for breakfast around 8am. A bowl with maybe 150g plain yogurt and a generous handful of blueberries.

Suddenly starving now and ate two handfuls of cashews and have wolfed down a load of tiny little crackers with peanut butter, hiking snack things. Apparently about 300 calories worth.

I thought nuts were high density when it comes to calories? Why am I so hungry?

Had a shit day at hospital appointment and seemed to go from no hunger to feeling queasy with a headache that eased after eating.

Would you feel ok eating this quantity of food?

Grief screws with your appetite, the receptors that notice what your body needs (like fuel) only get a bit of attention from your brain, I suppose because you're so overwhelmed with other sensations. Hang in there. x

My hormones feel messed up, my normal hunger signals and sated signals seem fucked up. I have autoimmune illnesses and wonder if something else is going on. Mentioned at my doctor today who couldn't care less about the hormones.

Sorry to hear of your autoimmunity - which particular of those beasts do you have? I do think that 'something' is going on as what you are experiencing isn't normal. You went to your doctor and told him/her because you know what you're experiencing isn't OK. Trust your instincts. Many doctors won't be much help though.

You are experiencing grief and that will definitely mess with your appetite, even after the first intense part is over.

Are you on any health forums for people who have similar illnesses? Health Unlocked is pretty good for support. I don't think most people on MN will understand.

OP I'm sorry for your loss. You are grieving - that will take over your entire life and it's normal for it to do so.

I think you are worrying too much over what you are eating right now. Eat what you want, when you want. If you want ice cream then eat ice cream.

This phase will pass and eventually you will have more mental energy to focus on your diet and your health. But for now, you need to get through the days.

You were hungry yesterday because you only ate a few eggs, a yoghurt and a handful of nuts - that's not very much food for a whole day even if they are calorie dense foods. Could you eat a little more of these foods?

Even if you can't, if this is a short term thing and you were eating OK before, I would say just go with it for now. You will eat normally again when you feel ready to.

OP - I'm eating significantly less than the 1500-2000 calories the average woman needs... Why am I hungry?!

Get a grip. And stop faking ignorance.

In answer to your question; you're hungry because you aren't eating enough calories.

I can't believe the number of people on here being really unpleasant to someone who is in the midst of grief. That's low, even for MN.

OP, please try to ignore the nasty comments and focus on what is helpful.

OP does not mention grief in her first post. Just lists 400 odd calories of food and ponders why she's feeling hungry. To which the blindingly obvious answer is: you're not eating enough.

I mean very, very obviously, you are hungry because you ate breakfast, but then no lunch or dinner.

This.

Yoghurt may have protein in it, but takes no time to digest so of course you feel hungry.

You need a proper lunch with plenty of fibre that takes longer to digest and will leave you feeling full. A few blueberries won't do it.

Then supper early evening, with protein and veggies at least. Chicken salad or bean stew or something.

You've gone a whole day without eating any veg at all.

OP, I think you’re subconsciously focusing on the food side to direct some of your attention away from your loss. It sounds as though this is very recent. The physical effects of grief are very real, and it’s natural that you don’t feel like eating.

For the moment, just treat food as fuel - you have to refill to keep going, but it doesn’t have to give you any enjoyment. It also doesn’t have to be the best food. Recognise that and don’t worry about what you’re eating so much. If ice cream is easy to eat, then eat it. You don’t have to be worrying about five a day and having things which are particularly nutritious. In the short term it doesn’t matter if you’re getting a balanced diet or you lose or gain a bit of weight.

When my best friend’s husband died suddenly, for the first couple of weeks I filled her fridge with all sorts of bits and pieces she could pick at without needing to cook or do anything more than heat something up - cooked sausages, a pork pie, fresh soup, cherry tomatoes, chocolates, some cooked chicken. If nobody is doing this for you, could you do an online order and have a delivery of snacks things you can just pick up and eat without thinking, at times when you know you should eat?

It will get better, but for now, it’s just about keeping going however you can.

"A generous handful of blueberries." This is a wind up.

You need to eat more regularly. You’re basically fasting.

(Eggs aren’t calorie dense)

So sorry to hear about your loss.

It's difficult to deal with when you lose the hunger feeling and only realise you should have eaten long ago when you feel weak. It will come back but until it does it might be handy to keep prepared things in the fridge and to remind yourself at various times of day that you need to eat. Something that worked for me was to have some supermarket pasta and pesto salad, and fruit always available and then easily prepared meals so that making the food didn't feel like too much of a burden.

Totally agree with this post

Ignore the horrible posters, you've explained why - grief overtakes. Obviously the sneerers have not experienced it.

How were the eggs cooked?
What you ate sounds BLAND - if I’m v hungry I want salt or sugar so bag of crisps or choc biscuit.
(once a day that is)
Id have ketchup with egg and toast or fried bread - lots of salt and pepper. bacon too.