Is it normal not to feel hungry at all when starting a workout program?

[TallMan1]

On Christmas, I started on a keto style diet. I got my Surge this past weekend. I started working out about 45 minutes and walking three miles a night. My problem is that I'm getting less and less hungry. The past two days since I've been able to actually see how little I'm eating, my calorie intake is around 1200 with today being 800. My burn cals are up around 4300. I'm a big guy at 6'4" and 305lb so I know I need way more calories but I'm just not hungry and can't even think about eating anymore. It makes me nauscious. Is this normal and has anyone else had this experience?

[TallMan1]

I think I might have the answer but others are welcome for any more suggestions. I think I'm doing too much too soon and getting dehydrated.

[FrogMystic]

A lot of people report loss of appetite on very low carb diets. Part of it is that carbs are what help drive appetite. You may be right that dehydration is also a partial factor. Too much exercise too soon can also lead to feelings of nausea. The stress hormone cortisol comes into play both when we fairly drastically reduce our calorie intake AND when we exercise a lot more than we have previously. When it's functioning normally in the body, it helps regulate appetite. When it's out of balance, it plays havock with it.

Maybe up your carb intake just a little bit and see if that helps stimulate your appetite without bringing you out of ketosis. It can take time to find that fine balance point, and each individual has a different threshold. Also maybe back down a little on the exercise at first to give your body a chance to adjust to the numerous changes you've made in a short time.

[A_Lurker]

@TallMan1- yep, you're likely doing too much on too little fuel (food).  I always suggest that people with more weight to lose start with higher calories.  I just did a longer post (and need to go off and do some chores) but here's some additional info.  I have nothing specifically against a keto diet (not my thing, but everyone has to find what works for them).  However, an eating plan that you can't eat enough and makes you nauseous... well, maybe it just isn't for you. 

Quick details if you didn't read my other long winded post - down 100 pounds in a year, and eating more now than I was when I started.  Don't be in a hurry to eat lower calories, it will come.

[Dominique]

You said you started your keto diet at Christmas. That’s 7 weeks ago. Regardless of the fact you only got your Surge one week ago, what has been your eating like since Christmas (I can’t believe you have been eating 800-1200 calories daily ever since) and what has happened to your weight during that period?

Your calculated BMR (using this calculator) is 2645 calories, so you should be eating at least that amount. Also note your Surge may be overestimating your energy expenditure (calories burned). Many people have reported this is often the case with HR-enabled Fitbits. According to the above mentioned calculator, you would need an activity level close the the highest (out of 5), the one labeled as "Extreme Activity (Very Hard Exercise 6/7 Days/Week)".

[TallMan1]

@DominiqueThanks for the headsup about the over-estimation on the burned calories.

Since Christmas, I put myself on a strict 1800 cal per day diet to jump start things. As far as eating on a regular basis usually is a 1lb steak with cauliflower for breakfast (not a traditional eater 🙂 Then protein shake for lunch then a salad for dinner with nothing after 5pm. The weight loss has been 15lbs since then with 7lbs. this week on fitbit. Yeah, now that I write and see this it's a lot in a short amount of time. My stats:  Weekly Totals  80,412 steps 19 floors 39.8 miles 29,061 calories.

[TallMan1]

@FrogMysticThanks, and I think you're right. I'll up my carbs to about 25% and see if that helps.

[TallMan1]

@A_LurkerCongrats on the 100lbs in a year. That's where I want to be too. You're right too as I wanted to go all out and eat at the calorie intake of where I wanted to be at 210lb so I could get use it faster. Maybe not so smart. Thanks for the advice!

[Dominique]

Yes, 7 lbs in a week is a lot, even if some of it may be water. One thing to note with water is that since you started a ketogenic diet, a large portion of your initial weight loss was hidden by the water loss typically observed at the beginning of a low-carb/keto diet.

While I understand the wish to "jump start" things, it’s going to be a long journey, so you should ponder what’s sustainable and what’s not.

[AndyDandyPandy]

I think you're just too obsessed about weight loss that it's overpowering your appetite. I used to feel the same. It's normal. As long as you're at a deficit you'll see success. The bigger the deficit the faster you will lose weight until your body catches up to it then you'll still lose weight but not as quick.

Huge deficit is not that bad. I remember when I first started my journey I lost 1 lb almost every single day for like almost 2 month before it slowed down.

Just make sure you never gain any of the fat back that you worked so hard to lose. But weight will always fluctuate so f**k the scale. Don't let it tell you that you didn't have any progress. Be consistent and dont fall off track. So sad to see people who worked so hard to lose weight then gain it back.