Type 2 can you eat too little??

fluffy123

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Hi! Just looking around on the forum (specifically lchf) and can't see anything on if there is actually a point where you eat too little? Just on some days I find myself not particularly hungry and pick here and there (to take metformin with food). If my bloods don't go low am I ok? Does eating too little increase bs at all? 3 months in, doing ok but don't want to sabotage my progress!!
 
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Finsky

Well-Known Member
Messages
437
Type of diabetes
Prefer not to say
Treatment type
Other
Hi! Just looking around on the forum (specifically lchf) and can't see anything on if there is actually a point where you eat too little? Just on some days I find myself not particularly hungry and pick here and there (to take metformin with food). If my bloods don't go low am I ok? Does eating too little increase bs at all? 3 months in, doing ok but don't want to sabotage my progress!!
Our body's are capable for so many weird things that giving definite answer is not always easy. I would say...listen you body. If you are not hungry and your blood sugars don't dip too low so you are not feeling 'ill'....then there is no point to eat for just sake of it.
If you are not underweight and have some spare energy stored =fat tissue....then your body will release energy from those stores....that's the theory anyway. As long as you are feeling ok, that's the main thing.
As for 'eating too little and bs goes up'. Yes, it can/does happen and that's down to your body releasing that stored energy but it is not bad thing unless you blood sugars go too high (but that is another story...)
If you decide not to eat because you don't feel hungry/need for it...that's called fasting...something that human body's are designed to cope with. We have here thread about fasting, lots of interesting info and experiences of people purposely withholding from eating food for different periods of time.
 
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Messages
6,107
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I agree with @Finsky but would like to point out that Metformin can act as an appetite suppressor as well as making food taste "funny". If that is what is happening then I think it is worth thinking about seeing your DN.
 

fluffy123

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Our body's are capable for so many weird things that giving definite answer is not always easy. I would say...listen you body. If you are not hungry and your blood sugars don't dip too low so you are not feeling 'ill'....then there is no point to eat for just sake of it.
If you are not underweight and have some spare energy stored =fat tissue....then your body will release energy from those stores....that's the theory anyway. As long as you are feeling ok, that's the main thing.
As for 'eating too little and bs goes up'. Yes, it can/does happen and that's down to your body releasing that stored energy but it is not bad thing unless you blood sugars go too high (but that is another story...)
If you decide not to eat because you don't feel hungry/need for it...that's called fasting...something that human body's are designed to cope with. We have here thread about fasting, lots of interesting info and experiences of people purposely withholding from eating food for different periods of time.
Thanks so much! I've plenty of fat stores!! It doesn't happen every day but will definitely look up some of the fasting threads.
 

fluffy123

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
I agree with @Finsky but would like to point out that Metformin can act as an appetite suppressor as well as making food taste "funny". If that is what is happening then I think it is worth thinking about seeing your DN.
Up with clinic next week so will definitely mention it. Thanks so much.
 

Mafat

Well-Known Member
Messages
45
fluffy123,

I have seen with my own experience that while practicing Fasting & LCHF and with success....its easy to get into anorexic state where you do not feel hungry at all. This state is not good & you have to keep the fire in your belly alive too.
 
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Pinkorchid

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,927
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
I certainly found that Metformin suppressed my appetite a lot and changed the taste of some foods. I am already skinny and I lost about 3lb because I was not eating enough. I saw my doctor and she reduced my dosage from 1000mg of the SR Metformin twice a day to 500mg twice a day. Now my appetite is almost back to normal except some foods still do not taste the same as they did one is plain greek yogurt I can't eat it now
 
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Finsky

Well-Known Member
Messages
437
Type of diabetes
Prefer not to say
Treatment type
Other
Thanks so much! I've plenty of fat stores!! It doesn't happen every day but will definitely look up some of the fasting threads.
When you start LCHF diet...the fat does what it supposed to do...it will 'kill' the hunger feeling. Carbs tend to make us hungry and we get so used to the 'need' of 'exercising' our jaws with constant 'grazing' that when the real sated feeling comes from eating properly, the alien feeling not needing to do so can be bit weird.
Many people have never even felt true 'not hungry' feeling before! I do skip meals now quite happily or maybe just have creamy coffee as 'meal replacement' and try only eat when truly in need for it.
If that 'not needing to eat' feeling is result of your diet....you are doing something right..;)
 
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SunnyExpat

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,230
Type of diabetes
Prefer not to say
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi! Just looking around on the forum (specifically lchf) and can't see anything on if there is actually a point where you eat too little? Just on some days I find myself not particularly hungry and pick here and there (to take metformin with food). If my bloods don't go low am I ok? Does eating too little increase bs at all? 3 months in, doing ok but don't want to sabotage my progress!!

If you are overweight, and don't feel hungry, don't eat.
It's a very good practice to get out of the habit of simply eating because there is food available.
 

fluffy123

Member
Messages
5
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Thank you all so much! Smaller portions of real food definitely keep me satisfied for far longer than I would have thought. I adore food and can see that this way of eating will still allow me to love my food, just the right ones! It's a nice feeling to not have cravings and hunger eating away at you every day. Thanks for your all of your thoughts and advise!
 

Kristin251

Expert
Messages
5,334
Type of diabetes
LADA
Treatment type
Insulin
I agree with smaller portions of quality real food keep me far more satisfied than larger meals. For me it's a digestive issue as well as keeping BS VERY steady and I have a hard time doing that with larger meals.
 
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adriangoatseye

Well-Known Member
Messages
63
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Dislikes
Banks
Hi! Just looking around on the forum (specifically lchf) and can't see anything on if there is actually a point where you eat too little? Just on some days I find myself not particularly hungry and pick here and there (to take metformin with food). If my bloods don't go low am I ok? Does eating too little increase bs at all? 3 months in, doing ok but don't want to sabotage my progress!!

I would have a rough idea of what calories you need to be on to sustain weight and try and undercut it by 300-500 cals. To me any more is a little too much. I generally aim for 1800 cals but don't worry if it creeps towards 2,000. I generally have two days a week of low cals (600-900). I have found that you are less hungry when a) You are focused on beating diabetes and b) You are low carbing
 
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