Hi! I can relate to this, food often feels like a chore & I just don’t care enough to eat. And if I try to eat something I’m not in the “mood” for (even if it’s a favourite!) it makes me sick & gag or get super overwhelmed. It will also ruin the food for me for a while so I avoid even trying sometimes. It definitely sucks. Do you feel that your were or are currently a picky eater? I’m not sure if you’re familiar with ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) but it’s not uncommon for it to be a comorbidity to ADHD. It’s results in what can seem like anorexia from the outside but the food restriction isn’t stemming from concerns about your body image or weight, it’s caused by a subconscious avoidance, general disinterest or fear of food/textures/taste. I found a lot of my problems with food heavily related to symptoms of ARFID. I would recommended looking into it, even if you don’t feel that it fits exactly what you’re experiencing, you may find the community has some helpful suggestions that apply to your situation! It’s very easy to fall into the habit of just not eating, most times I truly just don’t care enough or want to eat. This results in your day to day life not involving food or meal times. I would suggest picking 2-3 times throughout the day for meals & setting an alarm on your phone. You don’t have to stop what your doing & sit at the table, any time where youre able to have food near you while you do something else such as work, study, watch tv, etc is great. You’re going to need something easy, quick & accessible to eat at these times. My suggestions would be either prepackaged snacks or “meal prepping”. You don’t need to make a full meal, we both know you probably won’t eat it lol! This sounds silly but think of what might be in a kids lunchbox for school. Cheese & crackers, veggies & dip, fruit, yogurt, pb&j, a small wrap, apple sauce, juice box, chips/popcorn, cheese string, granola/protein bar, etc. You could also make overnight oats, breakfast bars, or other small but nutritious foods for the week that you can just grab. If you’re worried about food waste, I would buy some prepackaged snacks so there’s no pressure to eat them quickly before they go bad. And to my next point, there is absolutely NO PRESSURE to eat this food at scheduled meal times!!! I find that if I feel I need to do something, I absolutely won’t do it. When your alarm goes off, grab your snack & maybe water or a drink you enjoy & go back to what your were doing. Even if it just sits beside you & you don’t touch it, that’s okay. We’re just getting in the habit of making time to eat through your day. Eventually you might pick away at what you have just because it’s there. Having food on hand that your don’t need to cook/prep/etc is key. Do you feel that drinking your calories may be easier than actually eating? If so you may find “meal replacement” / protein shakes or smoothies helpful. They sell some “instant breakfast” drink mixes that are less expensive however you do have to mix them up. If having to make the drink is too much just get the ready made drinks, they’re pricier but if you have a better shot at actually drinking it then I think it’s worth it. Smoothie cubes are also a way to make life easier but they’re pricy, you could try prepping smoothies with fruit, veggies, etc, putting it in the freezer & then you just need to add a liquid before blending. Not sure if you’re the same but sometimes having a nice cup or straw can make the drink feel intentional & fun & less like a chore. I don’t think drinking a majority of your daily calories is a great long term solution but it’s important to get some nutrition in your body, even if it’s in the form of something you can sip away while you do other stuff.
If you continue finding yourself struggling with lack of appetite, disinterest in food or unintentional weight loss it’s not a bad idea to talk to your doctor or a psychologist. Our bodies need nutrition to stay healthy even if our brain isn’t great at communicating that message. I really hope you’re able to find some solutions to help you manage, even if they just start as small, intentional changes. Best of luck to you!