Eat when You're Hungry but Don't Feel Like Eating

We've all had the feeling before; you're most definitely hungry, but don't feel like actually eating anything. The causes for something like this are plenty; for some, it may be illness. For others, it may be circumstantial issues or depression. In any case, if you've found yourself feeling like this, there are lots of things, both mental and physical, you can do to get your appetite to catch up with the rest of you.

Steps

Working Yourself Up Physically

1. Wait a little while. Having no appetite while technically hungry is usually a temporary thing. Regardless of the reasons why you might be feeling this way, there should come a time where your appetite finally catches up with the rest of your body. If you don't need to eat right this instant, you're better off holding off on it until you're at such a point where you can enjoy your meal in earnest.
2. Have a nap. It's quite possible that your body is in fact too tired to send proper signals of hunger to your brain. If you're feeling drowsy at all, it' a good idea to get a quick nap to help replenish your energy. Even a power nap as short as half an hour should do well to get your appetite going again.
3. Do some moderate exercise. Nothing whets the appetite like a walk or a decent jog. Going for some moderate exercise will help stimulate your body and remind you what you need the energy from food for.
   • Granted, if you have no appetite, it may feel be that you're not feeling good in other areas. Exercise is recommended in a lot of cases, but if you're feeling sick, it may be best just to have a nap instead.
4. Drink lots of water. Arguably the best possible thing you can do to stimulate your hunger is to drink water. This will fill your stomach for a short time and hopefully stimulate you for more to come.
5. Opt for a light meal. If you've done what you can and still feel dubious towards eating something, the best possible advice is to start small, and eat slow. Even if it's just serving a fraction of your meal to yourself at a time, the manageable portions will prove far less daunting than a full meal.
   • Make sure you're as relaxed as possible; if you're feeling tense and really don't want to eat, your gag reflex might work up as you're trying to eat.

Overcoming Psychological Hurdles

1. Figure out the reasons why you might not want to eat. While having little to do with the act of eating per se, it will help your eating progress if you acknowledge and understand the specific reasons why you may be feeling this way. Feeling blue may be caused by a load of things. Likewise, there may be biological factors at work which play into depression. The mere act of contextualizing these feelings and actively working through them will make the act of eating seem all the easier.
   • It's just as important of a psychological step to remember the practical (and necessary) health benefits of eating food. If you see eating as an absolute necessity, you may feel more inclined towards eating.
2. Try eating in front of the TV. Watching TV while eating is often seen as a bad thing and a cause for why people overeat. You may actually find a benefit to watching TV, as you will be able to eat food without it being taking of your attention.
3. Savour every morsel of food you taste. If you're having a hard time eating a lot, you can always start out really small. Instead of seeing it as a chore, try to see eating the food as a sensory experience. Find a food you love to eat, and approach it purely with the intent of judging and appreciating the taste and sensation of it.

Tips

• Once food hits the stomach, people tend to feel a lot hungrier. Once you get through the first few spoonfuls, you may not even feel it's a struggle anymore!

Warnings

• Not eating while hungry is a sign of depression. If you think this might be the case for you, it's recommended you talk to a trusted friend or a medical professional to give you the help you deserve.

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Sources and Citations

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