Is lack of hunger normal?

[DueAndy]

My husband and I have been on the whole30 for 21 days now. First attempt. Everything is going fine so far. Breakfast is an issue, as it seems to be for many people. We try to eat leftovers now and then to break up the monotony of just eggs, and we can get slack on the veggies part at breakfast, but thank goodness for omelettes.

Our issue lately is odd swings regarding hunger. Some mornings, we wake up and are raring for breakfast--not starving but ready to eat. Neither of us has really been a big breakfast person (brunch yes . . .), so when that happens, it's great. But often, we're just not hungry. And, on several occasions we have had to force ourselves to remember to eat lunch or dinner. THe good news, I guess, is that we do tend to eat less than we used to at a meal. Some of the meals that really would have been one meal in the past have now becomes two (or three).

I guess I am just wondering if this is at all typical. I don't really snack. At most a chomps meat stick after a workout or a handfull of nuts, but again, on the days we don't feel as hungry there are no snacks. And overall I, at least, am feeling fuller faster. I even told a friend who asked how the program was going that I sometimes feel all I do is eat (because 3 meals a day is a new thing).

I am committed to this way of eating because, even though I keep waiting for that "lion's blood" you guys talk about (I have never awakened feeling ready to storm the day, so I have been doubtful that would happen), I have noticed some benefits--weight dropping, and mostly I have been able to cut way back on my acid-reflux meds--almost in half.

[SugarcubeOD]

It's not usual to split what would be a normal meal into two or three meals, no... can you list out what you've been eating with quantity/portion sizes?  Not eating enough can actually reduce your appetite to where you don't eat as much which then reduces your appetite.... The meal template 3 x a day is the minimum an adult human should be eating... on top of pre and post workout meals.  The fact that you're both experiencing the same thing tells me you're probably both eating the same (too small) amount of food in general... 

[DueAndy]

Well, I guess what I meant by one meal becoming 2-3 is that we both tended to eat a lot before, when we were only eating 2 meals a day. So, for example,  there is a recipe in one of the w30 cookbooks for chicken with tomato curry and cauliflower rice. It says it serves 4, generously. We got three meals out of it (so it served 6). Before starting we would have eaten way more the first night and had maybe a second meal. The book also talked about leftovers being common, and I doubted we would have any because typically we finish everything. A couple nights ago We had walnut crusted pork loin with asparagus, and we didn't finish either--very full. So we had the rest the next day.

I'm wondering if part of the issue is that we, or especially I, just ate bigger portions before because we tended to eat 1-2 times a day (yes, sometimes if I was busy, I might "snack" throughout the day but only have one regular meal--so I often felt very hungry when I got to it).

A typical meal for dinner now could be a piece of salmon, roasted potatoes and spinach. For lunch we usually have chicken salad with lettuce and other veggies, or a salad with grilled chicken strips added. And often we add a piece of fruit with lunch.

I really don't think we're eating too little--I feel full at every meal. I've just noticed that we have to remind each other to eat and when we do, we're not really driven to do so. During the first 2 weeks, there were times when I was quite hungry and ready for that next meal, but over the last week, my hunger has diminished. Once I sit down to eat, I am able to eat well, I think. But that pressing need to eat is not as palpable. I don't feel my stomach growling. COuld it be that we are just starting to not experience cravings like we did before?

This past Saturday we went out of town for the day. We made sure to have a good breakfast and brought some meat sticks as emergency snacks. Because we went on a museum tour, we didn't get to eat until 2, almost 7 hours after we had breakfast, and we had to find a restaurant where we could get what we wanted. That day I felt hunger, but even then it was not as bad. In the past, I would be ravenous and probably cranky. This time I was fine--had a very large and delicious salad with grilled Ahi tuna, veggies, and oil and vinegar that I added.

Sorry to ramble on. It's just that I guess I hoped this was a good thing. Before I felt more like a slave to that hunger. Now it's like, Oh it's time to eat.

[SugarcubeOD]

Okay so it sounds like what you're describing could be fat adaptation... where you eat at regular intervals and you don't turn into a ragey, stabby beast before you get there... (otherwise known as hangry).  I did note that you're not listing fat in your meals tho so without that, it would become hard to be fat adapted... what do you eat for fat?  Are you making your meals match the template?  If so and you're eating 4-5 hours apart with good energy, good mental focus, stable mood then I think you're doing okay...

[DueAndy]

Aside from cooking fats (ghee or Olive Oil), we use coconut milk or cream in our curry and I make gaucamole and/or put avacados in my salads. Sorry I didn't mention that. I usually top my omelette with some guac. My other half is Italian, as in we spend time each year with his family in Tuscany, so we have olive oil on almost all vegetables--not just cooked in it, added at the end.  And yes, we are pretty regular with our eating,  Thank you for the feedback.