When you don’t feel well, your appetite is often the first thing to go. The flu, depression and morning sickness due to pregnancy all may cause loss of appetite, as can aging and medications including chemotherapy and antibiotics.
Don’t ignore loss of appetite. Not eating will affect your ability to recover and feel better. And even if you’re taking a GLP-1 for weight loss, which helps you feel full faster and hungry less often, you need to be sure you’re still eating a balanced diet to get the nutrients you need and maintain your muscle mass.
But what do you do when you’re not hungry or the very idea of food makes you nauseated? We asked UNC Health dietitian Colleen Fitzgerald for tips.
1. Eat small, frequent meals.
Most adults build their day around three large meals, but if you’re struggling with loss of appetite, aim for smaller, more frequent meals. Rather than waiting for a hunger cue, which may not come, eat on a set schedule.
“I recommend mini-meals on a routine. Every three hours is a good schedule,” Fitzgerald says. “Even a few bites every few hours will help to keep your strength up.”
For some of these meals, you may eat a smaller portion of what everyone else is eating; for others, it may be what you’d consider a snack, such as hummus and carrot sticks or yogurt and berries.
If you know you have times of the day when you feel better—maybe your pregnancy nausea eases in the evening—try for a slightly larger meal then, but don’t wait until then to eat something.
2. Focus on protein.
Try to make your mini-meals as full of nutrients as possible.
“With these smaller meals, it’s important to try to keep your protein level up,” Fitzgerald says. “Protein can help with nausea, but it also protects your muscle. It can help your body thrive, not just survive.”
Typically, dietitians recommend that you fill half your plate with nonstarchy vegetables, a quarter of your plate with protein and a quarter of your plate with carbs (fruits and grains). If you can achieve that goal using a smaller plate, great. If that’s still too much food, Fitzgerald recommends picking at least one source of protein for each mini-meal.
“I tell people to try to pick one protein and one other thing, like a vegetable, a healthy fat or fruit,” she says. “On your next mini-meal, have more protein and something else. With several mini-meals, you can usually even out the nutrition over the day.”
Think Greek yogurt with a piece of fruit, string cheese or a hardboiled egg with raw vegetables and a piece of turkey rolled around vegetables or avocado.
3. Work around new food aversions and taste changes.
Often, loss of appetite is accompanied by changes in how things taste or new aversions to food you previously loved; chemotherapy can cause food to taste metallic and morning sickness might make the smell or sight of meat or dairy unbearable.
“You may need to eat blander foods for a while,” Fitzgerald says. “Most people can find a ‘safe’ food for them that’s convenient, like a peanut butter sandwich.”
If you’re up for it, this can be a time of experimentation.
“You might play around with ways that will make food taste good to you,” she says. “Some people use more vinegar or lemon, because that tartness can help flavor. Sometimes these aversions change and go in waves, so try to roll with the punches.”
Candies or chews with ginger, mint or lemon can help change the taste in your mouth; if a metallic taste is overwhelming, try using plastic utensils.
4. Stock up on easy-to-prepare options.
If you typically cook for yourself or your family, losing your appetite can make that job harder. Look for shortcuts to make it easier.
“You need lots of easy-to-grab options on hand,” Fitzgerald says. “When you do feel up to cooking, I like to recommend that people make a big one-pot meal and then freeze the extra into individual portions for later.”
If you’re not the person cooking, it can be helpful to stay out of the kitchen when someone else is.
“Smells can be really triggering for some people’s nausea, and those tend to come out with heating food,” Fitzgerald says.
Smoothies are both easy to prepare and a good way to consume several nutrients at once. Yogurt, peanut butter, cottage cheese, nuts, hummus, dried fruit and pre-cut veggies are good options to have stocked. Keeping a list of easy-to-prepare food items you can tolerate can be helpful; if someone offers to help you during this time, you can send them to the grocery store with the list.
5. Distract yourself.
Most of the time, dietitians would prefer that you don’t multitask during your meal. You’ll be more in touch with your hunger cues and get more satisfaction from each bite when you focus on your food.
But if you’re struggling to eat, a little distraction is OK.
“It’s the opposite of what we usually teach, but putting on some music or a movie can help make a mini-meal more enjoyable,” Fitzgerald says. “It can take your mind off nausea and help stimulate the feeling of satisfaction.”
Changing scenery might also help—try eating outside or, if you’re able, go to a restaurant and share a few bites with your loved ones.
6. Be mindful about hydration.
Staying hydrated is important for your overall health, but if you’re struggling to eat, be mindful about when you drink water.
“Water takes up room in your stomach, so don’t drink a whole bottle of water and then try to eat,” Fitzgerald says. “Try not to drink 30 minutes before and after eating, and just take small sips during the mini-meal.”
Loss of appetite can be accompanied by diarrhea and vomiting, and if you’re experiencing those symptoms, it is important to focus on replenishing your fluids by drinking water as you’re able. If you can’t drink any water, you risk becoming dehydrated. Ask your healthcare provider for help if these symptoms are affecting your ability to stay hydrated.
7. Ask for help.
If you’re struggling with loss of appetite, talk to your doctor. They may be able to prescribe you medication for nausea, and they can refer you to a dietitian so that you can understand more about your specific nutritional needs.
“During your assessment, we learn more about your food preferences and challenges, and we help you set some goals,” Fitzgerald says. “We can help you troubleshoot these issues and connect you with resources and recipes that are realistic for you.”
It’s important to let your doctor know as soon as possible if you’ve been unable to eat for more than 24 hours or you’re showing any signs of dehydration. Let them know if you notice unintended weight loss or muscle loss or weakness.
If you have questions about your nutritional needs, talk to a doctor. If you need a doctor, find one near you.