>Proteins and fats are turning me off a lot of the time. Should I be making myself eat them anyway?
So these are exactly the foods we do need to eat, they are essential nutrition. Our bodies have access to calories/energy in our body fat, but we don’t store, can’t make, and otherwise need to consume many of the nutrients we need to feel and function our best. We need protein and fats as protein and fats. The body has a whole process getting first dibs at them for growing hair, maintaining muscles, regulating hormones, etc, and only after that does it break those down for energy.
The calorie guidelines of 1200/1500 with a reasonably balanced diet are designed to ensure the average adult is getting the essential nutrition they need most days.
Good on you for recognizing that this isn’t physically and mentally sustainable. Hell, it’s not even great from a weight loss perspective if that’s your goal - you end up tanking your NEAT - notice how you’re overly tired - and doing more cutting for less results.
I go through phases like that, where I really don’t want to eat meat. I think it’s my body telling me that it doesn’t want to digest anything heavy. But I can always convince myself to eat a low-carb, high-protein bar or a protein shake, yogurt, scrambled eggs, and cheese. Find those foods that you like and that are higher in protein but easier on your system and focus on those when you’re not feeling like eating a lot. You don’t have to wolf down 1500-2000 calories in one sitting, but try to consume as close to it as you can during your mealtimes.
Yes you should be making sure you get proteins and fats, and sufficient calories. A small green salad isn’t a healthy weight loss plan, sorry! It’s hard when you don’t feel hungry but try to make sure you eat what your body needs. You don’t wanna cause your body to crash or create problems down the line. You gotta aim to make this sustainable for yourself. Wish you all the best.
What are some healthy but high calorie/protein/fats/carbs foods that you love? (E.g mine are avocados, salmon, noodles). Since you’re eating so much less, go to town and listen to your (healthy) cravings!
What about protein powder? When I’m super stressed I lose my appetite. I guess I stress fast. My acupuncturist recommends Greeb Vibrance. Billions of probiotics and then I just add it with juice or kombucha.
I have also had appetite issues since IF and one thing that I noticed that helped was to open my window with some nuts. 1- they are calorie dense so it is easy to get a good amount of calories with a small amount of food and 2- if I wait about 30-60 minutes after I eat them, I notice that I am much more hungry for a meal than I am if I just jump right to eating my meal. Having that 200-300 snack of nuts seems to turn on my hunger.
Yes, sometimes we need to make ourselves eat, whether we want to or not.
I am 15 weeks, now, with no taste or smell. The first couple of weeks, I did not eat much, at all, and then I couldn’t eat meat, as it was gross being in my mouth and chewing it and not being able to taste it. But I knew that I needed to eat and I needed protein, so eased myself into it.
Not eating enough protein is going to cause you to lose muscle.
Eggs are a good source of protein but one does not provide enough.
You can add some chicken to your salad. Or eat a hamburger patty with it.