Appetite

[DGB11]

Hello,

I am doing a very low carb diet for about 2 and a half weeks now, more towards the Rapid Fat Loss (quite low calories, and trying to hit protein and vitamins/minerals) rather than Keto. I am also doing intermittent fasting daily with varying windows (16-8, 18-6, 20-4).

When i started i had a 27.7 BMI which would put me at 22-23% bodyfat and thus Category 2, which means i can keep calories low for 2-6 weeks if i am not mistaken.

I have noticed that my appetite is VERY low and i have to force myself to eat oftentimes (my stomach feels acidic, i usually drink water).
I was wondering which of the above factors are the cause of this? Is it reduced stomach size cause of the intermittent fasting? Is it the fat adaptation due to the very low carbs in the diet (using the body stores more efficiently for energy thus not FEELING hunger)?
Would i not have this reduced appetite if my diet consisted of protein and carbs instead of protein and fats ? Should i listen to this hunger signal and keep doing it till the cravings/hunger starts to ramp up?

Thank you !

[lylemcdonald]

This isn't unusual and appetite/hunger is way too complex to put on any one thing.

Just be happy it's happening and be done with it. Most would kill to have a blunted appetite while dieting.

[asmcriminal]

Originally Posted by DGB11

Hello,

I am doing a very low carb diet for about 2 and a half weeks now, more towards the Rapid Fat Loss (quite low calories, and trying to hit protein and vitamins/minerals) rather than Keto. I am also doing intermittent fasting daily with varying windows (16-8, 18-6, 20-4).

When i started i had a 27.7 BMI which would put me at 22-23% bodyfat and thus Category 2, which means i can keep calories low for 2-6 weeks if i am not mistaken.

I have noticed that my appetite is VERY low and i have to force myself to eat oftentimes (my stomach feels acidic, i usually drink water).
I was wondering which of the above factors are the cause of this? Is it reduced stomach size cause of the intermittent fasting? Is it the fat adaptation due to the very low carbs in the diet (using the body stores more efficiently for energy thus not FEELING hunger)?
Would i not have this reduced appetite if my diet consisted of protein and carbs instead of protein and fats ? Should i listen to this hunger signal and keep doing it till the cravings/hunger starts to ramp up?

Thank you !

As Lyle stated, it is a complex issue and you should not really worry about it. What I have noticed with myself is that when I do keto, hunger is not really blunted too much. In regards to intermittent fasting... It helps you feel fuller with fewer calories. I would not necessarily say it is a hunger blunting effect. One part of satiety is how much your stomach expands. There are receptors that detect how much your stomach expands. The other part of satiety is nutritional/caloric content. You need both to some extent to feel full.

Previously, I stated that hunger is not blunted too much for me on keto, but I do notice that it does have some moderate effect. It depends on how long I have been on keto.

I just know that if I limit processed foods for a while I do better with satiety. In the end, it really does not matter. What matters is that you are achieving healthy results in a safe sustainable way.

My issue as a person who was formerly obese is that I have a lot of bad eating habits. I still struggle with it at times. I do believe that if you "force" yourself you're just supporting and enabling bad eating habits. I do not know your personal history or your situation. I just know the more often you do something the easier it is to do.

A quick note on keto, my issue with keto is the higher fat content. It has very little volume for a number of calories you need to achieve your goals. I rather do something closer inline with RFL.

To answer your question about comparing a ketosih diet to a higher carb diet. I would say that you probably would be hungrier on a higher carb diet. Protein is more satiating than carbohydrates.

ETA: When i said keto does not blunt my hunger too much, I was comparing low carb and keto. Comparing high carb and keto, I would definitely say lower carb/keto is much better for me in terms of satiety.

[DGB11]

Thank you for the replies guys !

[davidjr74]

Originally Posted by lylemcdonald

This isn't unusual and appetite/hunger is way too complex to put on any one thing.

Just be happy it's happening and be done with it. Most would kill to have a blunted appetite while dieting.

It is a great problem to have.