Do you think it's possible to "forget to eat"??

[jekajekalynn]

I think it is very possible. But mostly we "turn off" our bodies signals telling us we're hungry so it's more possible to forget.

I learned this in my nutritioion/diet college class. This is like how it is for many of us who don't drink enough water because we have ignored our bodies signals for thirst for so long , we don't even notice them anymore. Which starts from when we are kids in school and told that we can't eat/drink anything until a specific time of day even if we're hungry/thirsty.

 

[C.Ann]

I forget to eat quite often - but it may be due to the fact that I drink a lot of coffee and drink a lot of Boost.. I'm only 102 lbs. to begin with, but it's never caused me to lose weight..

Also - when I'm very stressed out about something (like when my DH was so sick at the end there) I can literally go days and days without eating and I still don't lose weight..

Guess I just have a weird metabolism (and a weird brain to go with it - LOL)..

 

[agnes!]

I guess what I was trying to convey was that if someone constantly "forgets to eat" and is also considerably underweight for one's height like this wife is on "Dr. 90210" then that behavior probably is a symptom of some kind of underlying issue or problem.

agnes!

 

[Wishing on a star]

I think everybody understands getting very busy, and skipping lunch. That type of thing.

However, while many may not consider it an eating disorder. Unless it is a known side affect of medication, or something like that. I think that a complete suppression, or lack of, appetite is indeed an eating disorder.

I could not routinely just 'forget' to eat.

Same goes for forgetting to drink. I think this shows some kind of disconnect between the bodies normal healthy needs and the signals that a person is not getting or acknowledging/suppressing.

 

[NMAmy]

I think everybody understands getting very busy, and skipping lunch. That type of thing.

However, while many may not consider it an eating disorder. Unless it is a known side affect of medication, or something like that. I think that a complete suppression, or lack of, appetite is indeed an eating disorder.

I could not routinely just 'forget' to eat.

Same goes for forgetting to drink. I think this shows some kind of disconnect between the bodies normal healthy needs and the signals that a person is not getting or acknowledging/suppressing.

I'm curious as to why you would think that a complete lack of apetite means that someone has an eating disorder? I think that not eating if you're not hungry shows a connection between a "body's normal, healthy needs" and a person acknowledging that. Perhaps there are so many overweight people because those folks are eating because it's lunchtime--not because they're hungry.

I don't think not eating if you're not hungry automatically means someone has an eating disorder. I think it could show they are in tune with their body--regardless of their weight.

 

[Hillbeans]

I guess what I was trying to convey was that if someone constantly "forgets to eat" and is also considerably underweight for one's height like this wife is on "Dr. 90210" then that behavior probably is a symptom of some kind of underlying issue or problem.

agnes!

I completely agree with you Agnes, I guess that was the point I was trying to make. She's not forgetting to eat, she's just not eating.

 

[C.Ann]

I'm curious as to why you would think that a complete lack of apetite means that someone has an eating disorder? I think that not eating if you're not hungry shows a connection between a "body's normal, healthy needs" and a person acknowledging that. Perhaps there are so many overweight people because those folks are eating because it's lunchtime--not because they're hungry.

I don't think not eating if you're not hungry automatically means someone has an eating disorder. I think it could show they are in tune with their body--regardless of their weight.

-----------------------

I agree.. My doctor thinks I'm very healthy - considering how little I eat and the fact that I never lose any weight - just stay the same year after year.. On the charts I may be a little underweight for my height, but my doctors opinion carries more validity for me than a height and weight chart..

I've always been like this - even as a kid.. I simply don't require as much food as other people do so my body doesn't "tell me" I'm hungry..

 

[ashjohnson80]

I forget to eat sometimes. I actually forgot to eat anything yesterday until dinner. I just wasn't hungry. Not that you would ever know it though I'm still as big as a cow.

 

[Judy from Boise]

I have kept an ideal weight for the last 25 years by just eating when i am hungry, if i get past 2 pm and haven't eaten i will do so if I can, but i might go until 4 ish when i get home. Of course if i am hungry earlier i will eat! Stress will absolutely wipe out any hunger.

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

I often forget to eat - sometimes because I'm in the middle of something and I'm so focused that I'm not aware of my body at all, and sometimes because I'm just not hungry so I'm not aware that it's a meal time. I think it's a personality/temperament/style thing. Some people are very aware of their bodies, and others aren't. I'm so not aware of my body that I'm always walking into things and sometimes I'll suddenly realize that I've had a headache for awhile and didn't notice it until just then. I have a lot of bruises, cuts, scrapes, & bumps that I have no recollection of when I got them - I just suddenly notice them and think "hmmm, did I do that when I walked into the table or when I crashed into the door frame?"

My weight has been very stable, despite my random eating habits, except when I was on medication and I put on 30 pounds in about 10 months. One of my friends has struggled with her weight, and she had the issue of learning to only eat when she was hungry, and to stop eating when she was full. Another friend of mine would ignore cues that she was hungry because she didn't want to be bothered, so she had to learn to eat when she was hungry! I've occasionally ignored cues, but 99% of the time if I've forgotten to eat, I've genuinely forgotten and not been aware of time/hunger cues.

I do agree that some people use "I forgot to eat" as an excuse when they have an eating disorder, but I also think that we all have different bodies that work in different ways, and so we have different eating styles/needs. My pattern would be unhealthy for other people, but I'm very healthy and back down to being in the best weight range for my height and build. (Took me 2 years, but I did it! Woo hoo! )