Eating When You're Not Hungry: The Surplus Challenge

Most nutrition advice assumes you eat too much. But what if your problem is the opposite?

You're trying to gain muscle. You know you need a surplus. But you're just... not hungry. The food doesn't appeal. Finishing meals feels like a chore.

This is a real problem that requires real strategies.

---

Why Some People Struggle to Eat

Naturally Small Appetite

Appetite has a genetic component. Some people are naturally less hungry. Their satiety signals fire early and loud.

This was probably protective in environments where food was scarce. In a modern context where eating enough supports muscle growth, it becomes a hindrance.

Fast Metabolism

A faster metabolism burns more at rest. This means you need more food to gain—but a faster metabolism doesn't automatically increase appetite to match.

Training Suppresses Appetite

Intense exercise can suppress hunger hormones for hours afterward. If you're training hard, the window for eating might close before hunger arrives.

Clean Eating Creates Volume

Healthy foods—vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains—are high volume, low calorie density. You might feel stuffed while still under target.

Stress and Distraction

Work stress, anxiety, and general life chaos can suppress appetite. You forget to eat or don't feel like it.

---

Why This Matters for Muscle Building

Muscle building requires:

1. Training stimulus
2. Adequate protein
3. Sufficient calories

You can train perfectly and hit protein targets, but without enough total calories, your body lacks the energy surplus needed to construct new tissue.

Research consistently shows that calorie surplus accelerates muscle gain [1]. You can build some muscle at maintenance, but it's slower and harder.

If you're not gaining weight, you're probably not in a surplus—regardless of what the calculator said. And if you're not in a surplus, you're limiting your muscle-building potential.

---

Strategies That Work

Liquid Calories

This is the single most effective tool for people who struggle to eat.

Drinks bypass many of the fullness signals that solid food triggers. A 600-calorie shake can go down when 600 calories of chicken and rice feels impossible.

A simple high-calorie shake:

• 2 scoops protein powder (50g protein)
• 1 banana
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 cup oats (blended fine)
• 300ml whole milk

This provides roughly 800 calories and 60g protein in a few minutes of drinking.

When to use it:

• Between meals
• Post-workout (when appetite is suppressed)
• Before bed if you're short on calories

Calorie-Dense Foods

Volume is the enemy when you need more calories. Choose foods that pack energy into small packages.

High-calorie, low-volume options:

• Nuts and nut butters (160-200 cal per 30g)
• Olive oil and avocado (120 cal per tablespoon)
• Dried fruit (concentrated sugar without water)
• Whole eggs instead of whites
• Full-fat dairy
• Granola instead of plain oats
• Dark chocolate

Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a meal: +120 calories with no additional fullness.

Eat More Frequently

If large meals are hard, eat smaller ones more often.

Example structure:

• Breakfast: 7am
• Snack: 10am
• Lunch: 12:30pm
• Snack: 3:30pm
• Dinner: 7pm
• Evening snack: 9pm

Six eating occasions of 400-500 calories each = 2,400-3,000 without any overwhelming meal.

Front-Load Calories

Many people's appetite peaks in the morning and fades throughout the day.

If that's you, flip the traditional pattern:

• Heavy breakfast (700-800 cal)
• Heavy lunch (700-800 cal)
• Moderate dinner (500-600 cal)
• Light evening snack (200-300 cal)

Get the calories in while appetite exists.

Eat by the Clock, Not by Hunger

Sometimes you have to eat when you're not hungry. Set scheduled eating times and eat then regardless of hunger signals.

This is the opposite of intuitive eating advice—and for good reason. Your intuition is calibrated for a different goal.

---

Making Food Appealing

Variety

Eating the same foods repeatedly gets boring. Boredom kills appetite.

Rotate proteins. Vary carb sources. Change seasonings. Make food interesting.

Flavour Intensity

Bland food is hard to finish when you're not hungry. Salt, spices, sauces, and seasonings make eating easier.

Texture Preferences

Some people find certain textures easier. Smooth shakes? Crunchy granola? Tender meat? Know your preferences and lean into them.

Temperature

Some people prefer hot meals, others cold. Some find room temperature easier. Experiment.

Make Food Convenient

If eating is already a chore, preparation friction makes it worse.

• Meal prep in advance
• Keep snacks accessible
• Have shakes pre-mixed in the fridge
• Use easy options when motivation is low

---

When to Lower Targets

If you've tried every strategy and consistently fall 500+ calories short, consider:

Your Target May Be Wrong

Calculator estimates are just estimates. Maybe your maintenance is lower than predicted. Maybe a 300-calorie surplus is achievable while 500 isn't.

Some progress at a smaller surplus beats no progress because you can't hit an unrealistic target.

Your Goal May Need Adjusting

If eating enough for rapid muscle gain is unsustainable, aim for slower gains. Body recomposition—eating near maintenance while training hard—is slower but requires less food.

Temporary vs. Permanent

Can't eat enough during a stressful period? Ride it out, maintain what you can, and push surplus when life calms down.

Not every phase of life suits aggressive bulking.

---

Psychological Considerations

Permission to Eat "Unhealthy" Foods

Sometimes clean eating is the problem. If you're struggling to eat enough, adding some calorie-dense "unhealthy" foods isn't going to hurt you.

A bowl of ice cream adds 300 easy calories. A handful of biscuits with your shake adds 200 more. During a muscle-building phase, this is fine.

Reframing Eating as Training

Training is doing something you might not feel like doing because it serves your goals.

Eating in a surplus is the same. You're eating for your goals, not just your appetite. It's part of the process.

Managing Discomfort

Eating when not hungry is uncomfortable. But so is training hard. Accept some discomfort as part of the process.

---

Signs You're Getting Enough

Positive indicators:

• Weight trending up (0.2-0.5 kg per week)
• Strength increasing
• Energy stable
• Recovery good
• Sleep unaffected

Signs you've gone too far:

• Gaining faster than 0.5-0.75 kg per week (excess fat)
• Feeling uncomfortably full constantly
• Digestive issues
• Sluggishness

---

References

1. Slater GJ, et al. Is an Energy Surplus Required to Maximize Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy Associated With Resistance Training. Front Nutr. 2019;6:131. doi:10.3389/fnut.2019.00131

2. Iraki J, et al. Nutrition Recommendations for Bodybuilders in the Off-Season: A Narrative Review. Sports. 2019;7(7):154. doi:10.3390/sports7070154

---

TrainingFuel tracks your calorie intake and alerts you when you're consistently under target, suggesting specific strategies to bridge the gap.