I am getting appetite once a day after diet change. Why?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am not sure if this is serious, but last year, I stopped eating breakfast since I did not have time to eat. So, I ate only lunch and dinner. But latter, I stopped eating lunch because I wanted to get fit and it became a hobby of mine. But yesterday, I discovered that when I eat something at this time, I cannot eat again for 24 hours. Like if I eat lunch, eating dinner is making me really full and nauseous, and food seems to be so bland. But my appetite comes back after 24 hours or in the next dinner. Is this serious?

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have read your query and though it is not too serious at the moment it can become so after some time. Basically, your body has shrunk and when it is made to accommodate more it cannot handle it.

A balanced diet at regular times is necessary for hormonal functions too. Since you are 15, I am not sure if you have had your first period or not and are regular or not, but that is the first system this will affect. So if you continue with only dinner, long term there will be a host of problems you will face in your 20s to 30s. However, it can be managed.

Try very small portions and build from there. Like a banana with or without a glass of milk, one slice of bread with whatever you want, half a bowl of cereal, etc, every six hours with your regular dinner. Once you can tolerate this for two weeks, increase the quantity for the next two weeks. If this works too, keep the same portions for breakfast and try normal portions for lunch. Hopefully, this will get resolved. If however, apart from the food aspect, you feel at the end of the month that there is a psychological aspect to it too, then I would suggest you consult someone too.