What happens to your body when you stop eating?

Hey. I’m back to dealing with my diet again. At 5'4", I used to be about 117 lbs—which was thin, sure, but it felt fine. Then, after just two months, I dropped down to 103 lbs... mostly because work stress and relationship issues made me completely lose my appetite. At my job, if I didn't eat when I was actually hungry, I'd just wait until I had a free moment, but by then, I wasn't even hungry anymore.

....With everything else going on, I just couldn't bring myself to eat. Or if I did, it was such a tiny amount that it wasn't enough to actually keep my body running properly. When I went to see my doctor about it before, she just told me, "You'll gain weight once you get pregnant..." and well... here we are.

...I honestly don't know how I still have the energy to show up to work, but lately, it's making me so irritable and moody. Food has basically become my worst enemy; whenever I try to eat, I feel like I'm going to throw up the second I put something in my mouth.

...If anyone else has dealt with something like this, please reach out. Thanks in advance...

Honestly, it’s all just stress talking. I’ve got a good four inches on you, and let me tell you, I’m absolutely over the moon whenever I manage to hit the 115-pound mark. That was pretty much my peak, too. Once the summer rolled around and I finally took a break from work, actually eating regular meals without being constantly wound up by the grind, I "gained weight" almost instantly. And honestly? I couldn't be happier about it. 😁
But the second I get back into the swing of things at the office, it’s all going to go straight down the drain. 😢Between the daily commute, working crazy shifts, and the constant irritation of it all... that’s basically the whole story.

Look, if it helps, I’m 5'4" and barely 100 pounds. Honestly, eating is a chore for me—I always feel stuffed after just a few bites, so I just eat as little as possible.

Your stomach basically knots itself up from not eating enough, which triggers that lack of appetite and makes you feel genuinely nauseated by the thought of food... You have to gradually ramp up your intake to get that miserable stomach back to a normal baseline... if you can't manage it on your own, just go pick up some appetite stimulants at the pharmacy...

Look, I used to have a totally normal weight—around 105 lbs at 5'3"—but after dealing with a mountain of stress over the last year, I dropped down to 95 kg. Between work and everything else, I barely had a second to breathe, let alone eat. I’d end up having one single meal late at night, and even then, I could barely force anything down because my stomach just wouldn't handle a big amount all at once... now that summer is winding down, I'm trying to get back into the habit of eating three full meals a day. It's true that your stomach shrinks, so you basically have to retrain it to stretch out again, right? I honestly think the whole trick is just not skipping meals. You really just have to force yourself to keep chewing something constantly... it'll definitely get easier once this heatwave finally breaks.

I haven’t eaten a real meal in a month—actually, probably longer. All I can stomach is water, juice, or a white coffee in the morning... I’ve been carrying a chocolate bar in my bag for two weeks that I used to absolutely love, but now it’s just a crushed mess at the bottom of my purse.

I honestly can't face any food. I can't even bring myself to touch my favorite dishes anymore...

You’ve gotta figure out what actually tastes good to you and find a way to make eating something you can actually enjoy... maybe pair it with something else too. Honestly, I find it a hell of a lot easier to eat when I just whip everything up myself... I’m not even a big fruit person, but since it’s easy and packed with vitamins, maybe I'll just grab some on the go.

Oh man, I am right there with you on this one.
I just have zero appetite. Like, none at all. I’m basically eating just to stay upright.
Honestly, sitting down for a meal feels like such a chore and a total waste of my time; I don't get any joy out of it, and if I could just
stuff myself with enough calories in one massive sitting to last me an entire week, I’d be thrilled to finally ditch this daily obligation.
It’s probably all tied up in my headspace, but whenever I try to bring it up, people just don't seem to get it.
They just give me this blank, pale stare like I’m speaking a foreign language...
But hey, at least I can see I'm not the only one dealing with this!

I might have a slightly more expensive solution for you, but it’s how I personally managed to fix my own underweight issues caused by work stress. Just forget about those weight gain supplements or trying to force-feed yourself home-cooked meals when you can barely stomach the idea of cooking in the first place 😉. Set aside some extra cash and treat yourself to dining out every single day at restaurants where you can order larger portions. Why? Because you won't have to deal with the exhaustion of meal prep. You’ll consistently be served high-quality, diverse meals, which will make you feel better and eliminate that sense of nausea, given that restaurant food is rarely unpalatable. My advice is to use this initial phase to expand your appetite; once your energy levels return, you can go back to cooking for yourself. But right now, with all that stress at the office, how are you supposed to find the time or the mental capacity to prepare quality meals that you won't revolt against? Besides, when you're sitting in a restaurant, there’s a psychological sense of obligation to finish everything on your plate. And if you're out with good company, it’s even easier because your mind is diverted from the act of eating itself.

The most critical thing is to rediscover your love for food 😉, and how else can you achieve that if you don't discover the best flavors within it? 🙂 As long as you view food as nothing more than a tedious chore required to keep functioning, you will never truly get back to your old self in the long run. You might gain weight now by forcing yourself to eat, but the moment stress hits again, you'll find yourself right back on the same old path.

I suppose I could pick up the tab if that’s what it takes, haha.

Honestly, reading through these posts, while I truly feel for everyone involved, I can’t help but think about all those fitness influencers who would give just about anything to be able to skip meals or maintain your current weight effortlessly.
I really believe that a lack of appetite is a significant hurdle and is definitely something that should be managed in close consultation with a doctor. While all the suggestions regarding how to rediscover an interest in food or specific dietary choices are certainly helpful, I also think there is plenty of room for discussing appetite stimulants or various vitamin supplements. In my experience, B vitamins can be quite effective at boosting appetite for many people. It might also be beneficial to plan out a full menu a day in advance and have everything prepped so you can focus on eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day.
That being said, I really must emphasize—please go seek professional medical advice!