Lose weight by eating only when hungry

June 23 2015 by in Weight loss

Do you want to lose weight? I’m currently updating my page with tips on How to Lose Weight. The first three tips are to choose a low-carb diet, eat when hungry and to eat real food.

This fourth piece of advice is one of the most controversial – and most important – things to keep in mind.

Eat Only When Hungry

Reduce unnecessary snacking

On a low-carb diet you should aim to eat when hungry, until you are satisfied… but just as important if you want to become lean: Don’t eat if you’re not hungry. Needless snacking will stall your weight loss.

This can be a problem on LCHF too. Some things you eat unnecessarily just because they’re tasty and easily available. Here are three common traps to watch out for on LCHF:

Dairy products such as cream and cheeses. – They work well in cooking as they satisfy. The problem is if you’re munching a lot of cheese in front of the TV in the evening… without being hungry. Be careful with that. Or lots of cream with dessert, when you’re actually already full and just keep eating because it tastes good. Or another common culprit: loads of cream in the coffee, many times per day.
Nuts. It’s very easy to eat until the nuts are gone, regardless of how full you are. A tip: According to science, salted nuts are harder to stop eating than unsalted nuts. Salted nuts tempt you to more overeating. Good to know. Another tip: Avoid bringing the entire bag to the couch, preferably choose a small bowl instead. I at least often eat all the nuts in front of me, whether I’m hungry or not.
LCHF baking. Even if you’re only using almond flour and sweeteners snacking on baked goods and cookies usually provides extra eating when you’re not hungry… and yes, this will slow down weight loss.

Feel free to skip meals

Do you have to eat breakfast? No, of course not. Don’t eat if you’re not hungry. And this goes for any meal.

On a strict LCHF diet the hunger and urge to eat tends to decrease a lot, especially if you have excess weight to lose. Your body may be happily burning your fat stores, reducing the need to eat.

If this happens, be happy! Don’t fight it by eating food you don’t want. Instead wait for the hunger to return before you eat again. This will save you both time and money, while speeding up your weight loss.

Some people fear that they will lose control if they don’t eat every three hours, thus making them eat thousands of calories and blowing their diets completely. So they snack obsessively all the time.

This obsessive snacking may be necessary to control hunger cravings on a diet high in sugar and processed carbs, but it’s usually completely unnecessary on an LCHF diet. Hunger will only return slowly and you’ll have plenty of time to prepare food or grab a snack.

Summary

To lose weight quickly and sustainably: Eat when you’re hungry – but only when you’re hungry. Forget the clock and listen to your body instead.

All 16 tips on the page How to Lose Weight.

57 comments

Top comment

Reply to comment #6 by Holly
murray
June 24 2015 8
You might do well to read Dr. Jason Fung's blog and watch his Youtube videos on intermittent fasting diets versus calorie restriction as primary (CRAP) diets.

Intermittent fasting actually increases the metabolic rate, whereas caloric restriction decreases it over time. The critical concept is that hormones function properly in pulses. So better to have episodes of full calories followed by episodes of sharply reduced calories, than to try for modestly reduced calories for prolonged periods.

https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/caloric-reduction-vs-fasting-p...

None of this calls into question the advice to not eat if not hungry.

Read more →

All comments

1
Christoph
June 23 2015 1
"Eat only when hungry."

is one of the most important ideas in my opinion because it describes the basis of the "calories are useless" - way of thinking in LCHF. They are useless because ONLY your BODY knows the perfect number, no way it's you, so why should YOU even consider them?
Definitely not everybody will gain weight if you overshoot, but... if you've got more than enough energy inside of your stomach... why should your body eat from your reserves?
2
Kati
June 23 2015 1
Being on lchf is the best, only problem at the moment is my issue with my thyroid and adrenal gland. Is it ok to be on a lchf lifestyle or should i take more carbs to avoid the stress what everyone say would come when being on low carb? And does the stresslevel increase if i eat only twice a day? On lchf i dont feel hunger the same way i used to ?

Replies: #5, #9
3
Penny
June 23 2015 3
Such simple advice, but so true! For me eating became a hobby. It was my friend and my entertainment. I had forgotten what hunger even felt like. Now I ask myself; am I truly hungry? Thirsty or just plain bored? Thank you for all your great advice!
4
jane
June 23 2015 3
But Doc, this is the toughest one!
5
Reply to comment #2 by Kati
Christoph
June 23 2015 2
Increased stress on lchf? Can't imagine who should claim such a thing. In my opinion you should only increase carb intake if you get severe health problems. Might happen to 1 out of 1000 people.

If you have less hunger, then congrats! Means your body snacks from the hips. ;)
6
Holly
June 23 2015 1
I'm still rather new to this whole "life-style". I'm shocked at the drastic hunger reduction. It's a great feeling, yet I'm still struggling with skipping meals (I'm fearful, and tend to eat since I feel it's been too long since I ate last). What is the difference between calorie reduction (dieting) and not eating (when not hungry) in which the body knows whether to continue burning fat, versus entering starvation mode and slowing the metabolism? Or is the idea of a slowing metabolism a farce concept if you have enough fat on your body to burn?

Replies: #10, #13
7
Dee
June 23 2015 1
I love not being controlled by my hunger and cavings since I have been LCHFing! However, I'm not loosing weight like I wish I could. If I'm not eating unless I'm hungry, could the low amount of calories be slowing down my metabolism? I've been reducing my carbs (less than 20g per day & only from veggies) for 3 months, & have only lost 10 lbs.

Reply: #8
8
Reply to comment #7 by Dee
Zepp
June 23 2015 1
10 pounds in 3 moths is fast!

Its a calorie reduction of 400 Kcal a day!

Keep up that good work.. dont interfere whit a wining concept!

There are two major ways to lose weight, surgery or calorie reduction.. which do you prefer?

It means that your body burn 400 extra calories a day.. whitout hunger and cravings.. becuse you treat your body right!
9
Reply to comment #2 by Kati
Zepp
June 23 2015 2
Rather the opposit.. eating to often stresses your body.. make it relax betwen meals.. or do other things then eat!

There can be some extra stress in transitation stage.. but that is like starting exercise.. in the beging its mostly stress!
10
Reply to comment #6 by Holly
Zepp
June 23 2015 1
Dieting whit calorie reduction and hunger is a bad way.. its not sustanible and one can fetch Cronic Dieting Syndrome!

Its affect mostly ones mind.. and then all efforts and thought comes to be about calories, weight and about food!

Whit LCHF and eating when hungry you listen to your body and its signaling about calories!

We all have an buildt in calorie counter.. one have to learn to listen to that!

But it only works if you eat what it is made to react on.

But let us be frank.. we are social creaturs.. and eat togheter.. then one adjust portion size for those planned meals.

Its a good compromise!
11
Simon Thompson
June 23 2015 3
I would add another hint. Sometimes when you feel flat, you are actually a little low on salt- so a cup of bone broth/stock is a great pick-me-up. This is superior to just having a glass of water. LCHF eating intermittently reduces the salt intake as you are having less meals. The optimal salt intake is about 5 g a day for most people.
12
Dee
June 24 2015 1
Thanks for the reply. I definitely love how I feel eating LCHF. But, I thought that by eating less than 1000 per day (due to no appetite) & exercising at least 3 x per week (intense 45+ min) and eating LCHF, my weight loss would be significantly more. I'm worried that my body thinks I'm 'starving ' it and slowing down my metabolism.

Replies: #21, #22, #52
13
Reply to comment #6 by Holly
murray
June 24 2015 8
You might do well to read Dr. Jason Fung's blog and watch his Youtube videos on intermittent fasting diets versus calorie restriction as primary (CRAP) diets.

Intermittent fasting actually increases the metabolic rate, whereas caloric restriction decreases it over time. The critical concept is that hormones function properly in pulses. So better to have episodes of full calories followed by episodes of sharply reduced calories, than to try for modestly reduced calories for prolonged periods.

https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/caloric-reduction-vs-fasting-p...

None of this calls into question the advice to not eat if not hungry.
14
Eric
June 24 2015 1
Second, he references to Doctor Fung and the concept of periodic fasting!

What is the consequence of the food we eat insulin, glucose, ketone, hunger weight? When these are considered the answer of eat whole foods seems to be the answer.

For the many who are carbohydrate intolerant
Or insulin resistance
Following the works of Dr's Richard K Bernstein and Jason Fung seems to be a great start.
15
Jennifer Snow
June 24 2015 1
I have problems with low blood sugar due to pronounced over-production of insulin, and most of the time I don't get hungry, I get TIRED. If I only ate when I felt hungry, I'd turn into a zombie that sleeps 16 hours a day. I've done it before, and it was awful.

I've found that if I eat a little IMMEDIATELY when I get up, I can do all right for the rest of the day. But skipping breakfast because I'm not hungry is a disaster for me.
16
Lee
June 24 2015 3
I'm a type 2 diabetic, I have been frustrated with how our doctors and health professionals have been, feeding us the wrong info for Almost 40 years, why has it taken so many lives and years for the world to start waking up, to the fact that today's food guidelines are killing us, I came across this site and boy! am I glad I did, I am entering my second fast as I write this and so far I feel great, my blood sugar has leveled out, I'm still high usual fasting 8.0 but I'm still obese, and apparently this will come down with weight loss, my doctor keeps telling me to keep increasing my Insulin dose until my blood sugar hits 4.0 upon waking. on my journey into the LCHF lifestyle I have noticed a lot of angry feedback from Vegans, why do they have to attack everything that does not conform with their lifestyle, on you- tube there is this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlVe9mWYI_E
It is provided by A very disgruntled Vegan, who has the desire to tell the world how stupid all the doctors and people are who promote or go on LCHF, in all honesty I have yet to meet a happy Vegan who keeps his/her way of life to themselves instead of acting like a bible basher and shoving their beliefs in our face, I have also come across a few 70's sheep who still think low fat high carb is the way, my roommate yelled at me and came close to having a stroke by being so worked up at what I was eating the other day, and told me to stop this craziness as he was concerned i was going to kill myself, in his words he said that he has been properly educated since he was a teenager (Mid 1970's) that fat will kill you and cause heart attacks and to remember the more calories in the more you have to exorcize calories out, he even went on to say that fat free is a way better lifestyle but it takes willpower to keep on it, and I should stop this craziness and do that instead, ( he has had 2 major heart attacks 3 stents put in and has had a stroke but still believes his way of eating is healthy!)I have only been ridiculed like this before and that was when I was a smoker, people look at me like I'm nuts and need therapy when I tell them I eat LCHF. anyway I could go on forever
but I have one question to ask, I have bought as recommended full fat yogurt, but I noticed the carb count is very high 20 gr per 3/4 cup, so do i make this my only carb for the day? I really need help on this.
cheers Lee

Replies: #17, #18
17
Reply to comment #16 by Lee
Christoph
June 24 2015 1
I'm absolutely with you. The most unhealthy people always tell you that YOU are wrong because they can't accept that knowledge changes. ANY science changes...

The carb grams seem high (10% Greek Yoghurt is about 3.5g per 100 for example). Be careful to not buy crap with ADDED sugar. Always choose the natural ones. The more natural, the better.
But yes, you shouldn't overshoot the 20g to much while in the losing-phase for maximum effects (but anyway: some will lose weight even at 50g or even a bit higher, you have to experiment a bit what fits the best for YOU).
18
Reply to comment #16 by Lee
Murray
June 24 2015 3
Lee, your observations about the disproportionate negative emotions in people's reactions to LCHF is spot on. I have noticed the same, time and again. Obviously the dietary principles they cling to serve some deeper psychological need or economic dependency they have. Engaging in debate with such people is futile because you won't make progress without resolving the underlying psychological need or economic dependency. At best you could aim to diffuse the situation by indicating you are not not asking them to change and you are not just carelessly indulging in self-neglect and you have adopted lchf after reading the clinical experience of a lot of physicians and the calls by a growing number of academics and researchers to change the anti-fat guidelines and recommend low-carb as a first response to diagnosis of diabetes.

Negotiating the irrational behaviour of others is one of the greater challenges of lchf. I never had any problem whatsoever from my perspective: it is fitting in well with other people's habits and prejudices that is a challenge.

By the way, only buy plain, full-fat yoghurt. Flavoured yoghurt always increases the sugar content significantly. Sometimes the number of grams of carbs shown on the label of plain yoghurt is the number of grams of carbs in the milk before fermentation, so the actual number in the yoghurt is less. I favour sheep's milk yoghurt from local artisans. Sheep's milk has more fat, generally around 6.5%.
19
Cindy
June 24 2015 1
I was only eating 800-1200 cal a day and every one was telling me that is not enough (perfect macros though!) and under 20g carbs. So it is ok then to only eat when hungry - even if it is only 800-1200 cal a day? People were saying that was why my weight loss was slow, as not enough calories........
20
Cindy
June 24 2015 1
Oh I will add to my above comment, that I am doing 16:8 fasting as well - and physically I just cant eat more than 1000 cal in lunch and dinner - on an odd occasion I can get it up to 1400 cal, but usually that's by adding in LCHF cheesecakes and other sweet treats that I don't really need or want anymore....I don't drink coffee for that drink they drink, and I don't like fat in fat bombs s finding adding cals hard!
21
Reply to comment #12 by Dee
Ron
June 24 2015 2
Dee
You are correct to think that you should be losing more than 10 pounds in 3 months on lchf. I noticed that you mentioned that you were performing 3 45 minute high intensity workouts each week. In my experience with patients high intensity workouts combined with a reduced calorie lchf diet does not lead to efficient fat loss. You are not eating in a manner to fuel high intensity performance . The human body can burn fat efficiently 1-2 pounds per week or it can perform and adapt to high intensity workout and the myriad benefits they contain but not both at the same time. So choose your primary goal, if it's fat loss than do lower intensity workouts-yoga, Pilates, weight training are all good choices , if the primary goal is fitness than consume more calories within your lchf diet. Once you have lost your excess fat than ramp up both calories and exercise intensity . Hope this helps
22
Reply to comment #12 by Dee
Zepp
June 24 2015 2
It means that your body use 1400 Kcal a day.. its merely your BMR!

It could be a problem, dont go under that for long times!
23
Nancy
June 24 2015
I thought I was doing very well on lchf and enjoying the foods. I wasn't losing weight, but had brought my sugars down to eliminate medication and the colestrol was down to 201. Now on my 6 month check up, my colestrol has jumped up two 269 and I have started gaining weight.
I often go with coffee in the AM with a spoon of butter and then don't get hungry until late afternoon. More often it is not hunger but a kind of woozy feeling. Something akin to low blood sugar. I may have by breakfast at that time, 2 eggs and a bit of cheese, and I am good until 9 PM. If I eat again, is that to close to bedtime? This is the meal that I eat most of my meat. So why the jump in colestrol?
24
tz
June 24 2015
This is what I do but I have one caution.

Make sure you have nutrient dense food with enough variety for when you are hungry. You won't need the fat, but will need the protein, vitamins, and minerals. Sometimes you aren't truly hungry but may get a craving, usually because you are missing something and will eat too much if you don't have the right foods.

I may only eat one small meal per day, but that is with eggs, meat, and lots of different vegetables, often cooking with real grass-fed butter (orange from the fat-soluble Vitamin A). I drink some beverages with vitamins as well, and coffee with real cream (not even half-and-half), but only when I'm thirsty for it. I've also taken supplements before (e.g. Vitamin D in winter when I'm getting no sun) but try to avoid them in favor of eating right.
25
Dennis
June 25 2015
Agree 100%. After much trial & error, I learned that snacking on cheese & more than a handful of nuts was sabotaging my weightloss efforts. So I cut out the cheese and limit the nuts to one handful per day. My LCHF -18/6 fasting routine is humming along very well and so far have lost 33 lbs. since last Jan. or about 6 months. However, trying to get the rest of the family onboard with their weightloss struggles has proved to be difficult. I suppose each of us must learn in our own time, so I just try to be a positive influence while explaining what works for me.
26
Eric
June 28 2015
Too much cream (zero is an option)
Too many nuts
Too much cheese

These are all things Richard K Bernstein and others have noted can and do subvert patients diets.

On the other hand periodic fasting and control of protein and carbohydrate consumption along with the use of traditional fats while avoiding modern highly processed seed oils like corn, canola, cotton seed, etcetera support diets and health.
Eric
27
ncscot
July 8 2015
I am 64 and have been on low carb since my 20's. Atkins didn't invent the diet. He just put a spin on it. Anyway I eat when I am hungry and eat small meals around 6 times a day. I wouldn't call them snacks because that seems to be a nasty word in this thread. I have kept my weight off for 40 years. Before we moved to the cities way back when and before we all became obese we ate 6 times a day. Then we moved and went to work in factories or wherever. And the owners of those places weren't going to put up with that eating schedule. So eventually it became just 3 meals a day and we have been fat ever since.
28
Mike S.
July 18 2015
This is the one I have the most trouble with - mostly because I still have trouble telling the difference between hungry and "snacky".

I had been eating lots of cheese (mostly mozzarella string cheese - not the imitation kind), which I had to stop doing because it was causing constipation issues even when I took regular probiotics. I thought that was causing my "hunger confusion" as well, but apparently not as the problem's continuing.

Could it be artificial sweeteners? I use artificially sweetened drink mixes to help me drink enough water (I try for 3 to 5 quarts per day; if I drop below 2 or 3 it causes various problems, and without flavoring I have trouble even drinking one). I use one flavoring packet per quart instead of two, but that might still add up.

Still, closing in on ten weeks of LCHF, I'm down 22.7 pounds and have lost 3-1/2 inches off my belly, so I'm certainly not killing my progress, maybe just slowing it a bit.
29
Cate
July 19 2015
ncscot, the trouble is today that while it might be 'technically' three meals per day, that is not what people stick to - the snacking and over consumption of food between meals and the size of the three meals is the road to obesity. Morning and afternoon tea break of biscuits/cakes, travelling home after work to have their 'third' meal, there is a soft drink/beer and snack bars/crisps, etc. Insulin never gets a chance to decrease...result, fat bodies.
30
Isabella Garotti
October 16 2015
Sometimes if don't snack and wait till I am hungry I end up binging. I am not overweight but want to lose some vanity weight. How can I avoid Binges? I especially binge on sugar and fat.

Reply: #31
31
Reply to comment #30 by Isabella Garotti
Bjarte Bakke Team Diet Doctor
October 19 2015
Isabella,

Here's a trick I learnt from my wife: When you are ready to start binging, say to yourself; "Yes! Now I'm going to eat whatever I want! I'm totally hungry! First, I'm going to eat loads of high fat low-carb foods. Then I'm going to eat whatever else I want!".

This tricks your brain. Once you've eaten, maybe even binged, on the healthy food, you will feel a lot less hungry and your desire for unhealthy binging goes way down/disappears.

This has worked for my wife and many people I know and I highly recommend it. :)
32
wendi
February 3 2016
But...but...but.. here's what happens. I'm not hungry when I first wake up, so I eat yogurt, nuts, fruit and some starch at the mid-morning break. So I'm not hungry at "lunchtime". I'm hungry about 2:00 p.m., but I'm scheduled for a meeting--and everyone else expects me to work. So I grab a snack that holds me for an hour or so. I end up eating my lunch near the end of my workday. And then I'm supposed to go work out, but I have a full stomach. So I drive home, make dinner for everyone else, and feel stupid sitting at the table during the family meal, not eating. But if I do, I'm eating when I'm not hungry, and I'm too full to work out. So I don't eat, do my workout, eat late, and end up going to bed with the full stomach--and get reflux.

That's just one example. The problem with eating when you're hungry is that often our lives DO follow a schedule. And we're not always in charge of that schedule.
33
margaret
February 5 2016
Margaret
I am in myseventies and have been on lchf for five weeks and have lost five kilos. My problem is that I am now experiencing debilitating nausea, fatigue and dizziness. I am finding it very difficult to eat anything, particularly fat. I have increased my salt intake aiming for five grams per day, and have today had yoghurt and blueberries for breakfast. I was previously fasting from 7pm to lunch at12midday.
I'm hoping to face a small ceaser salad for lunch . I certainly am not experiencing any energy increase.... quite the opposite in fact. I would welcome advice if anyone has had a similar experience.

Reply: #35
34
damaris cajina
April 4 2016
I'm insomnia and I wake up at 3 o'clock in the afternoon I'm up all night I fell asleep at around 5 to 6:30 and I wake up at 3 a.m. afternoon and I have breakfast at that time egg white with spinach and cottage cheese and decaffeinated coffee then I can't I don't get hungry all the rest of the day what do I do I can't live out of egg whites and cottage cheese and spinach and Skip breakfast and dinner because when I eat but I think I'd consider is breakfast at 3 o'clock in the afternoon and alls I have big portions of egg white spinach and cottage cheese I get hungry at 10 o'clock at night or sometimes I'm not hungry and I get hungry at 3 o'clock in the morning I don't know what to do anymore I've lost some weight but I don't think it's that I think it's lots of water game I'm still 295 pounds from 3:48 eating this way drinking lots of water coconut water pom pom juicepomegranatelots of water sometimes I forget to drink water and I drink natural juices I have a juicer juice celery beets Ginger apples just in case because I'm not eating properly I use the juices which everyone tells me I'm leaving the hurt behind so I went and bought me a the bullet which I don't have to do that just to sit and drink the fiber and everything I want to see if that works if I eat less I have an appointment with my doctor on the 12th of April insomnia I got it from my mother she suffered in some information many years and my whole family suffers from insomnia we don't get sleepy during the night we're very active and hungry when it hits 5:30 in the morning is when you're hungry and then we go to bed then we sleep till 3 o'clock I know there's something wrong and someone please help
35
Reply to comment #33 by margaret
Jacob
April 4 2016
In your 70's? You're wasting. Just eat and keep eating. Eat for the hobby of it. Grandmother started to waist when she went on a diet fad. Lost her desire to eat regularly and starved to death. Been close to wasting myself as a young man. Shutting himself in and losing appetite not finding the need to get out. My suggestion, if you're elderly excess fat is good. People come to the point of dying in their house simply from lack of outside care from others and their growing malnutrition, because they can't find the will to get up and care for themselves. Very sad.
36
Mo
May 25 2016
Hi I tried this, I only eat breakfast (oats) and am not hungry all day. Should I carry on not eating all day or should I have something?
37
APotter
July 12 2016
Losing weight is easier than keeping it low. The first time I realized I have a weight problem I decided to starve myself by eating only when really hungry - low carb food, too. That did help lose weight efficiently but I gained twice as much afterwords. What I'm doing now and is working for me, is, as many people recommend, eat many meals a day but try to keep each meal as small as possible. Mix it up with fruits, skip one, add one.. basically make the body wonder. Exercise is a vital part in this process. Even a small amount of exercise will have visible results pretty quickly.
I don't deny my body treats, I just keep the amount low, eventually it gets used to smaller portions and is happy with it.
No alcohol. At least in my case, I had to completely sober up to do what I had to do. Alcohol makes you eat carbs, makes you tired, depressed and generally makes you wanna just lie down and relax.
38
alex
July 20 2016
Well I only feel hungry if I don't eat for 2 days... so should I never eat then!?

Reply: #42
39
Lauren
August 19 2016
This is bull, don't freaking skip meals. The "Doctor" who rote this needs to go back to school!!
40
shabdali mehra
October 3 2016
why you should not eat anything when you are actually hungry. You might be wondering whether this is really true?

Never Eat Anything When You Are Actually Hungry!: http://crb-tech-reviews.blogspot.in/2016/08/Never-Eat-Anything-when-y...

When you eat too much before bed, your body is much more likely to store those calorie consumption as fat," says dietician Brother Villacorta, R.D., a representative for the United states Dietetic Organization.

8 Bed Time Food to Lose Weight: http://crb-tech-reviews.blogspot.in/2016/09/8-bed-time-food-to-lose-w...
41
Brenda G.P.
January 24 2017
I've always been a fan of this idea of eating only when you're hungry, unfortunately for me, its like even though I knew, and liked that way of eating, I couldn't follow it myself. I have a teenage niece and small nephew and I will fed them when they're hungry (not like the middle of the night, but any time before before 9:30 or so), and they're allowed to stop eating if full--snacks are the exceptions, I do limit the intake of those. Not allowed too early in the day, or too late, and not too many. I think forcing kids to eat when they're no longer hungry forms an unhealthy relationship with food which can affect you all the way into adulthood, which is why many people of my generation with some kind of eating disorder, myself included.

I am severely obese, was 280lbs just a month ago, and while relatively healthy considering all things, I was starting to get sick more often now. I decided after a surgery in December that enough was enough, and decided to start doing the ketogenic lifestyle. Thankfully I have an obsessive personality--because of my ADHD I would assume, or maybe its just me--so when I put my mind to something I go into it full force. I don't like to do things uninformed or half-assed. So I started an LCHF diet the first week of January 2017, the biggest reasons behind my choice, besides obesity, was depression, anxiety, ADHD, and hypoglycemia. First week was hell, felt sick all the time, and kind of got more depressed, but at about the middle of the second week, I found I was suddenly really happy, if not happy, content. I wanted to leave my house earlier in the day, I actually completed errands I've been putting off, or forgetting about for weeks. Besides not being "hungry" all the time, I also didn't crave, or woefully think about, the snacks at Starbucks, or all the candy at the checkout line. My skin also has cleared out, which for someone who has suffered from acne their whole lives, its a God send. Not to mention I am now able to go to bed at a reasonable time (11-12am) and wake up at reasonable time (7-9am). So who could ask for more.

As for snacks, I got small baggies and separated the nuts into about half an ounce snack portions. I find this satisfying, since I can finish the bag, but its a small bag. As for cheese, I buy cheese sticks, but only really eat one a day. I find that I now only have maybe 2 snacks a day, and since I pre-make the snack portions to be adequate, I don't over eat during those 2 snacks. So far, this has worked for me. This and daily exercise, in the morning and in the afternoon, which I know is not for everyone, but because of my ADHD, is necessarily to keep me focus, and bring down all my anxious energy to a manageable level. For the average person I would guess every other day would do on the exercise front.

Anyhow, so far all of this has worked for me. I'm about 20 days into my new LCHF lifestyle and I feel like a million bucks, and have lost 11lbs.

Anyhow, good article.
42
Reply to comment #38 by alex
Brenda G.P.
January 24 2017
If you're not hungry for 2 days, something's wrong, and you probably see a doctor.
43
sheila
July 9 2017
I have been doing keto for 7 months. Lost 2 pants sizes but have moved up and down between 260 and 267 lbs. I IF and do liquid fasting. My longest days of fasting was 8 days. On the days of fasting I had cream, Kerrygold butter MCT oil and homemade bone broth and lemon and ACV. I got down to 258 lbs. The moment I broke the fast I went back to dinner to dinner meals. I began to gain the weight back. I am 52 years old and have been post menopausal for 12 years. I carry my weight in hips and thighs and buttocks. At the 2 month mark my toilet seat turned blue when I increased my fat. I lost 1 cup bra size after this blue toilet seat syndrome. My breasts had been sore and painful many years. I am thinking that maybe I have an estrogen dominance situation and cortisol problem too. So now as I write this, I am on another liquid fast for 14 days. But last night I ate about 3 oz of grass-fed beef with a 10oz organic mixed greens salad. This morning as I was loading up on ACV and lemon water to rehydrate, I weighed myself and noticed I gained 1 pound. I love keto and I am not giving up yet. I have kept track of everything through cronometer. The most weight lost was during fasting was 7 pounds and the caloric intake from cream, butter and MCT oil was nothing over 700 calories of total fat. I really believe I am Insulin resistant And My insulin does not lower until the fasting. It does not bother me to fast a lot as I don't miss eating now. I will be requesting a full lab from my doctor on July 20 to see if I am insulin resistant/ pre-diabetic and if my liver alts have done down. I suspect 118 alt may possibly be non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. I have been reading Dr Fungs books on intermittent and extended fasting and feel safe to keep fasting on liquid and stop to do a dinner to dinner IF. After all low insulin =fat burn. My glucose is 75 on fasting and 88 when I do dinner to dinner. It used to be 180. Please any advice on how to get over this back and forth plateau. 7 months is a long time on keto to not losing weight.
44
Kim
July 25 2017
I just started this low carb diet. I rarly get hungry anyways. I feel like i have to force myself to eat & when I do I feel so bloated & fat. Three months ago I went 5 days without eating because I wasnt hungry then I ended up in severe pain with my gall bladder. Is it ok to go a whole day without eating?
45
Neil
July 27 2017
Neil
Lost two stone in 14 weeks only eating when I'm hungry , difficult at first during the first couple of weeks but got easier as time progresses . I'm actually eating quite a lot less than I was prior to my lifestyle change but getting more enjoyment from the food when I do eat
46
Mimi the Mermaid
November 14 2017
I have been on moderate LCHF diet for 6 weeks and lost 11lbs. Many useful diet management tips and balance suggestions available on linked searched when I typed in question tonight "avoiding late night hunger on LCHF diet" that's how I found you on this useful blog. KEEP reading and self educating, you will find what works for your individual needs, 2 tips: eat when hungry only, snack on cArb heavy snack 1.5 hours before bedtime, look up why on the Worldwide Web! Hope the answer helps you, returning your kind information share with us! Happy reading, success in your weight reduction planning!
47
Michelle
November 16 2017
I think it’s bullshit that not eating enough ruins your metabolism. Anorexics lose weight. People in concentration camps with little food weight. People on Survivor lose weight. Lol. I really would like to JUST EAT when I’m hungry but people are constantly saying to eat all frogging day... I don’t want to eat all day. I want to eat when my tummy growls. I’m not sure what the answer is so many different opinions!!! I’m currently OVER WEIGHT and over 40 and it’s piling ON!! I want to just stop eating altogether I clearly don’t need to!!!

Reply: #51
48
Eric
November 18 2017
Not good
Why not use our circadian rhythm?
Eat once per day?
Eat sleep move with our circadian rhythm
Eric
49
Eric
November 18 2017
Look at research on time restricted feeding
Salk institute
Satchin Pandas lab
50
Corey Rippeto
August 9 2018
Unless you're eating in a healthy manner, tracking calories and eating nutritious foods, this is HORRIBLE advice.

You should update this thread with some additional information so people don't just wanderlessly "eat only when hungry" and end up eating 1000 calories below their caloric maintenance goal.

It's unhealthy to eat beyond a 500 caloric deficit. If you call yourself a Doctor, you should be ashamed of yourself for not letting people know that.

Sure, "eating only when hungry" may be easier than tracking calories/macronutrients. But what the hell is the point is you're robbing your body of proper nutrition? You hurt yourself in the long wrong. Please be more informative on such an impactful subject. Otherwise, you could really lead people down an unhealthy road.
51
Reply to comment #47 by Michelle
Mandy
October 19 2018
I feel exactly like you! How's it going for you? I know this is an old comment. Did you ever discover weather is okay to only eat when you were hungry?
52
Reply to comment #12 by Dee
JayJay
February 14 2019
Your metabolism is likely slowed, less than 1,000 cal a day is too low unless recommended and overseen by a medical professional. Your body will start to not feel hungry after going for a while with not enough food.
53
Garry
March 7 2019
Old School:-
When I was a child, we had egg & chips every evening, cooked In lard & occasionally with beans, this is the 70's. Watch films from the 70's, not many over weight people about. Fast food, lazy people & supermarkets are to blame as well as yourself for encouraging them, life's fast lane is not to be confused with an excuse to eat unhealthy. Your choice, no gyms about in the 70's, why ? People were not over weight, you are encouraging over priced exercise, its all about money. Stop the gym, walk to work and cook a healthy meal (Lol, egg and chips every day done me no harm), cheaper and more beneficial in losing weight.
Eat only when you're hungry ! Top advice.
Food is fuel, your body will tell you when it needs fuel, not the smell of the burger or urge to eat just because someone said its lunchtime.
In reality we can talk about cars, when your car needs fuel you put some in, if your car is full, would you continue to put fuel in ? Didn't think so. So why do it to your body ?
So here we are, 2019, my biggest observation is that women in general are getting huge, men always used to be bigger, not in 2019. Women would normally be able to wear dresses and heals, not 2019, they wear trousers, talk about gender bender, they do not look sexy any more, what has gone wrong ? Food, technology and god damn laziness. And before someone comments, I'm not a chauvinistic pig.
Women should look like women, not lumberjacks or bricklayers, no wonder there are so many gay men.
Over-weight = You're eating too much V's the calories your burning.
Feel the need to go to the gym, sorry it is too late, damage is already done, food wins.
54
Ella
April 14 2019
I have lost 20kg in a year . I eat 3 meals a day with 3 dance / Zumba classes . I now maintain what I have lost . Simple porridge made with water , full fat Greek yogurt, fruit and 1 cup of instant coffee with a teaspoon of sugar . Usually walk 1km to work. Lunch is cottage cheese with salad . Dinner is 3 egg ham omelette. Veg not potato and a handful
of nuts . Maybe a low cal fruit drink but mainly water . I also blend mountains of veg into a cup a soup for quick meal and eat canned tuna / lean chicken . Track on MyFitnessPal. Works for me . I am 59 and weigh 62kg .
55
Sam Robinson
November 2 2019
Are there any recommendations or steps to take for knowing how to tell when you’re ‘truely hungry’?

Reply: #56
56
Reply to comment #55 by Sam Robinson
Shirley
February 17 2020
Sam,
If you're questioning your hunger, you're not hungry.
57
Charles
January 16
If you think you may be hungry but not sure, do a test by thinking of plain rice. If your mouth doesn’t water, you aren’t hungry.

Reduce unnecessary snacking

Feel free to skip meals

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