I have no appetite - HELP!

Hi all

I'm new to running (I've been doing it on and off since March though have only ran consistently since last month) and have only recently been capable of running 5k. I do this now 3/4 times a week. 

My problem is that running has seemed to decreased my appetite  I am literally having to force food into my mouth to ensure I'm getting the necessary calories. In literally all the articles I've read, it says running regularly should mean you have no trouble eating a hearty amount of food. This lack of appetite I've been experiencing has literally only been since I've started running 5k, so only the past couple of weeks.

I am significantly overweight. This will hopefully change soon but could I be pushing myself too hard? I am still a slow runner. 5k in just under 50 mins is the pace I'm at now but as a fat lady, I'm hardly Paula Radcliffe. I'm losing around 2lbs a week running and eating healthily so I'm pretty sure I'm getting a good workout. 

Is this normal at all? Do I need to see my doctor? I'm fed up of not enjoying my food.

Thanks

If you are overweight and your appetite has decreased I would say happy days!

It's not happy days when you have to force yourself to just eat the absolute minamum amount you need to not retain fat. 

Please don't take this the wrong way as I genuinely don't want to cause offence, but as a significantly overweight person, could it maybe just be that what you're used to thinking of as a 'normal' appetite is actually a bit skewed? Maybe your new healthy running plan and commitment to losing weight has re-jigged your appetite to a more reasonable level.

As long as your weight loss is a fairly steady 2lb or so per week, I don't think you should worry too much. Maybe try tempting yourself with some tasty healthy snacks - tropical fruits, fancy salad mixes, that sort of thing. Some days I just don't have much of an appetite either and I don't think about it too much.

No, it's not that. I can barely eat a thing. I have to force myself to consume 1500 calories a day. It's not reasonable to struggle with that amount, whatever your weight. 

Hi Julie - well done for taking up running.

Im not going to be much help but I too suffer from loss of appetite.  I am not overweight.  Last night I went on a 12 mile run (training for a marathon) - I had small bowl of cornflakes for b/fast, 1 small ham, tomato and cucumber sandwich and fruit corner for lunch. Early evening I went on a 12 mile run and then had to force myself to eat a bowl of porridge afterwards (I could of quite happily gone without!).  I run 4 times a week and I am always like this.  I know I dont eat enough before/after my long runs and I dont know what causes my loss of appetite either!  I have started taking Vitamin C tablets.  We usually have an Indian takeaway at the weekend do maybe that keeps me going for the week!!!!

If you're using more calories than you'e consuming, you won't simply 'retain fat'. The running will keep your metabolic rate chugging along. At some point your appetite should increase.I say be guided by your hunger. If you're genuinely not hungry don't eat. Some days I eat 1200 cals, others well over 2000. It balances out. As a  species we eat all the time now, seemingly ignorant of our body's hunger cues. 

Also, on the days I run, even my lsd, I tend to eat less.

Hi Julie, once again, well done for taking up running!

If you have only had a loss of appetite over the last couple of weeks i wouldnt worry unless it is causing you to be faint, lightheaded, lethargic or otherwise not well.

I embarked on marathon training this year, my first one, and was expecting to be starving all the time. Now while i did have weeks where i could have eaten a horse, there were also weeks where my appetite halved, and like yourself, just didnt feel like eating much at all. Not sure why, unless its that my body was getting used to the effort, or was re-jigging its metabolism or something.

Anyway, as Edinburghemma says, be guided by your hunger, don't be worried about listening to your body and what it needs.