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From 1 episode and 4 videos

How do I eat more food when I'm not hungry?

Answered by Nikkiey Stott and her guests · Updated

The short answer

Start smaller and simpler. Eat protein early, spread food across smaller meals, and use easy go-to foods and carbs that don't weigh you down. Nikkiey explains that low appetite is usually a sign of consistent under-eating. Women on the show say the stuffed feeling fades within a few weeks as real hunger comes back.

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  1. Nikkiey on why low morning appetite signals under-eating and how protein resets it

    Plays from 19:58 · Video: 5 Easy High-Protein Breakfasts for Women Over 40

  2. Jennifer on smaller meals, simple go-tos and planning protein earlier in the day

    Plays from 11:32 · Ep. 304: Losing Weight at 50 Without Giving Up Carbs

  3. Jill and the host on feeling stuffed in transition week, then suddenly starving

    Plays from 11:53 · Video: How a 47-Year-Old Nurse Lost 21 Pounds by Eating More

  4. Lisa on telling Nikkiey she couldn't eat it all, then asking for more every week

    Plays from 4:44 · Video: Toned at the Same Weight: More Carbs, Less Cardio

  5. Cheryl on carbs that don't fill you up or weigh you down

    Plays from 28:16 · Video: Building Muscle at 57 Eating 435g of Carbs: Cheryl's Story

The full answer

Nikkiey explains that not being hungry, especially in the morning, is almost always a sign that your hunger hormones are dysregulated from consistently under-eating. Your metabolism has adapted to less food. Eating protein early helps reset that pattern. She aims for 25 to 35 grams at breakfast and likes a protein oatmeal shake for mornings when you aren't hungry yet. If you're used to skipping breakfast, she says you may feel nauseous or have an upset stomach for the first week or two. Most women adapt within two to three weeks.

The guests' practical fixes are simple:

  • Go smaller and simpler. On Ep. 304, Jennifer, who doesn't like to cook, worked with her coach on smaller meals and manageable go-to options.
  • Plan the whole day. Spreading food out kept Jennifer from rushing to hit her protein at 8 p.m. when she didn't want it.
  • Choose carbs that don't fill you up. Cheryl spreads her carbs evenly through the day and uses applesauce, nectarines, pineapple, sugar-free jelly and rice cakes. As she puts it, rice and pasta are not the only carbs.

If it feels like too much at first, that's normal, and it doesn't last. After her first week, Lisa told Nikkiey she couldn't possibly eat all that food. From then on she asked for more every week, and her energy and mental clarity returned within two to four weeks. Jill was really full in her first weeks, then suddenly got so hungry she checked whether her macros had been changed by accident. The host notes that many women go through the same thing during the first transition week. Your appetite isn't broken. It adapted to a plan that underfed you, and it can adapt back.

From Nikkiey Stott and WarriorBabe's coaching. For education, not medical advice: talk to your doctor about your own health.

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