Should I eat if I’m not hungry?

[MangoAF]

Can I just caveat this by saying I am in the market for advice from people who just are moderate, eat OK and do a bit of exercise. I know there are lots of super fit super slim people on here and that’s not my goal. I’m obese and pre diabetic so my main aim is to sort out my blood glucose through healthy eating and some moderate exercise. Weight loss is a bonus if it happens.

So I’m currently eating
poached egg, 1 slice seedy toast for breakfast

salad for lunch with leaves/tomatoes/avocado/small bit of chorizo/30g cheese

afternoon snack of maybe 3 crackers with Boursin/carrots with hummus/apple with cheese/Greek yoghurt with nuts and berries

dinner - normal dinner - stew/curry/casserole/meat or fish with veg. I cook from scratch and eat healthily at dinner.

twice a week I have alcohol with a bag of crisps. That’s not making me feel great so probably going to cut it down to once a week

At the weekend I may plan to have a cooked breakfast/slice of cake/meal out but try to keep it sensible but enjoyable.

I have started a training plan through FIIT and am doing 3-4 25 min classes a week.

This has all been great and very doable but sometimes I don’t want to eat. So this morning for instance I’ve had a cup of tea, done my exercise class and now I would have my egg on toast. But I’m not hungry so I’ve sort of delayed it and it’s now 11am and if I have it now then I’m running into lunch etc…..
I would be quite happy now to wait until lunch and then have my salad but with maybe half a bagel thin on the side.
But I’m not sure if it’s sensible to eat only when hungry (in which case I might just start grazing, which isn’t ideal) or stick to my three meals a day regardless of how I feel?
I don’t want to follow a fasting regime or anything as it doesn’t fit with my working days and doesn’t feel right or natural to me, and above all this lifestyle change really needs to stick!
TIA

If you don't feel hungry , then don't eat , like you say add a little to your lunch if that feels right

A lot of people don't like to eat after exercise- in future having breakfast before might be better for your body

I don't understand why anyone would eat if they're not hungry.

Listen to your body always, because sometimes eating can be purely out of habit.

I don't understand why you'd eat if you weren't hungry apart from boredom / habit. But I certainly wouldn't eat when not hungry if I was trying to lose weight / sort out blood sugar.

Maybe just have a protein shake or something.

Well I’d eat because it’s eating time I suppose…. And also because of life - taking kids to football practice for 2 hours, working shifts where you can’t stop to eat when you want, driving somewhere for a long time, meeting friend at x time, so eating has to be fitted in at y time otherwise you won’t be able to eat for four hours (and you will be really hungry and a salad unlikely to do the trick at that point).

I’m on annual for a couple of weeks and kids are at school - so I can nail it down at the moment, I have plenty of time. I know diabetes advice is to eat smaller meals a bit more often through the day.

sort out my blood glucose

So much current dietary advice is based on the low fat model that the opposite seems to be very radical and extreme.

It is however how people 'used' to eat. Lots and lots of leafy green veg, small amounts of good quality meat and plenty of fat.

Sounds strange doesn't it but it will absolutely sort out your blood glucose. Have a look at the low carb blog camp threads here on MN.

And enjoy eating real food and not being hungry.

That's pretty much the same as most of us to be honest, but I still wouldn't eat when I'm not hungry.

Not sure what you mean about 'eating time' but you can always take a sandwich or something on a long journey.

I think you are programmed to eat at certain times and worry that if you don't you will be ravenous and overeat when you do feel hungry.

I've been using the 18/12 fasting /eating method for a few years now. I do have breakouts, but largely follow it.

I rarely feel very hungry. I often delay breakfast until lunchtime. If I'm not hungry and I'm going to be out and about I throw a yogurt and/or banana in my bag which would keep me going, I don't want to pass out from hunger either! But honestly I rarely get that hollow feeling of hunger much anymore. I just eat when I want to within the 12 hour eating window.

I do this eating plan to maintain a reasonable weight. It works for me.

Oh and I'm also pre-diabetic with an underactive thyroid.

Eat when you are hungry, not according to the clock. Eat until you are full, and then stop - even if it means you didn't eat the whole meal. We are in a country where if we become hungry at any given time, we're no more than a few minutes away from a reasonable food choice and we won't die of starvation, even if your body decides it's suddenly ravenous.

Unlearning food routines is one of the hardest things to do, but so central to health.