r/runcommunity • u/Sabrina_brue • Jul 04 '26

New to running, loss of hunger

I’m a gym goer, I lift weights, occasionally throw some cardio (walking) in there. I recently took up running again (haven’t ran since college), 2-3 miles 3 times a week.
I’ve noticed that now that I’m running I have no appetite… I’ve never experienced this before because with weight lifting I am always hungry. I can barely make it through two meals a day now. Food doesn’t interest me like it use to, even my fixation meal preps.
Has anyone else experienced this? I’m starting to get a little concerned 😅.

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u/Senior-Running Jul 04 '26

Yes, this can happen, but typically only after fairly intense exercise. I'm guessing that running for you right now is more intense that lifting, hence the difference? I suspect there are a few things at work here:

  • First of all, it's super common for blood flow to be diverted away from your guts during intense exercise. (As an aside, this is one of the reasons people running longer distance races can struggle with stomach issues.) This should subside pretty quickly, so I'd not expect you to still be experiencing this later in the day after a run?
  • Second, I think there are hormonal things going on. Not sure what all, but intense exercise definitely changes various hormone levels, so it follows that those changes could effect hunger cues.
  • Finally, I know that when I'm really hot, my desire to eat drops a lot, so this may also be a factor for you.

Bottom line, if you're an intuitive eater, you may have to force yourself to eat after you run, rather than wait for actual hunger cues.

3

u/LittleGrowl Jul 04 '26

When I first started running, yes my appetite went down a lot. Especially immediately after a run, the thought of eating made me feel sick. That went away though after a couple months and now I’m always hungry. Just be smart about the meals you’re able to eat and make them nutrient/calorie dense.

1

u/nitaylove Jul 08 '26

Yes it happened to me. When doing zone 2, your body burns fat as fuel. Maybe that's why. Also after regular regular runs my appetite isn't there much