To get no joy from food anymore?

[nostigma]

I used to be quite overweight - 14 stone, 5 foot 4. I was a student for around 7 years and there was really no routine to my days/weeks. I'd get a lot of comfort from food, I would eat absolute shite until the moment I got up until the moment I went to bed and felt so awful and unhealthy.

The past year I have lost a lot of weight, I got a job after graduating (a very busy, stressful job) and I eat one meal a day (dinner) and exercise.

This is a good thing obviously but I now no longer get any joy from food. I see it purely as a fuel, I don't look forward to going out for dinner, I will buy chocolate and then not eat it. I rarely think about food.

It's just such a turn around from how much emotional comfort I got from food a year or two ago, to now being totally unbothered by it.

Is this a normal thing when you lose weight? Or is it because I've been doing OMAD for so long my body is just used to not thinking about food for most of the day?

I would like to still get some enjoyment from it, look forward to dinner or a nice meal out etc but just not feeling it at the moment. Aware this could change though.

Has anyone else any experience of this?

I have no experience of OMAD so can't comment on that.

How old are you?

I am in my 50s and have just worked out that not counting breakfast, I have had roughly 38,690 meals in my life so far. No wonder it has lost its appeal 😟.

It will be interesting to see what other reasons people have for losing their joy of food.

Yes. It happened to me too. I'm very pleased about it though, as food is fuel, isn't it? I've no wish to consider it as a source of joy, and as far as I'm concerned breaking any emotional link is only a good thing. I do still enjoy the food I do eat, but in the moment, I don't give it much thought before and after. Like you, I have a lot of other things going on now that fill that mental/emotional need.

I'm 30. I think that has a lot to do with it, so much other stuff going on that I don't feel this gaping hole that food needs to fill now. I suppose it is a good thing yea

Provided you're not developing an aversion to eating I'd honestly not worry about it. The idea of food as a source of joy is actually more likely to lead to an unhealthy attitude that just seeing it as something your body needs. I'm delighted my thinking has changed. It's set me free.

Same here OP, I often find myself wondering what to eat, nothing feels appealing really.

I had an eating disorder for a lot of years (decades even but not now) and I get no enjoyment from eating.
I do feel great knowing that I have fuelled my body with healthy stuff but the eating itself is just something that has to be achieved.
eating out is just a waste of money imo, always has been that way for me.

I don’t really see this as a problem. If you’re no longer dating your feelings surely that’s a good thing?

Eating your feelings *

I'm similar op.
Was naturally slim for years but in the last year menopause has hit, so the only way to remain as slim as I was is to eat very simply and not eat very much!

I feel like I've tricked my brain into thinking it doesn't like certain things (eg fast food, carb heavy meals) but if I really think about it I'd bloody love a massive take away!!