Timing of meals/snacks?

[ShannonM816]

I'm trying to follow the plan exactly, including not snacking, but I get hungry in the afternoon. Really hungry, not just I'm-bored-and-want-to-eat hungry. But if I ate my third meal at that point, I'm pretty sure I'd end up ravenously hungry right before bed time -- and unfortunately, I can't really go to bed any earlier just at the moment due to work. I know part of this may just be a learning curve, figuring out how much I need to eat at each meal to not be hungry so soon, but honestly, I'm really full at the end of each meal as I try to do that. I'm also coming to this from Medifast, which emphasizes 6 small meals a day, so part of it may also be that my body is just used to food every 2 to 3 hours and will eventually adjust. I also have a lot of weight to lose, so while weight loss is not the only thing I'm focusing on here, I'll definitely be annoyed if I get to the end of the 30 days and have gained, so I'd rather avoid that.

 

So this is what today looks like so far:

Breakfast around 8:30 or 9 am -- egg muffins (made with eggs, prosciutto, and sauteed leeks, mushrooms, & garlic), about 3 eggs' worth, with a bunch of chopped veggies, a little fruit, and today some macadamia nuts

Lunch around 1 pm -- mixed salad greens (enough that my 7 cup container was pretty full, but they weren't packed in there, maybe 1-2 cups? with some carrots, celery, and snow peas, with roast chicken and olive oil and lemon juice for a dressing

 

Now it's 5 pm, and I'm having a snack of chopped mixed veggies and fruit (carrots, celery, jicama, blueberries, plum, zucchini), about 1/2-1 cup, roast chicken, and a few macadamia nuts.

 

I won't be able to eat dinner until probably 9 pm tonight, bed around 11 or 11:30 (although I just gave up coffee starting today, and if I could go home right now, I might just skip dinner and crawl into bed, but since I can't leave the office yet, that's not an option).

 

Anway, does this all sound reasonable? Is it too much food? Too much of a particular kind of food? (if it helps, there are pictures of day one and day two meals on my blog, www.healthyhappyshannon.com). I think maybe I'm so used to measuring and weighing everything, I can't quite wrap my head around just eating and not worrying about that. Also, the whole add fat at every meal thing is just so foreign to everything I've been told (but it does taste really good!). And I might have a teeny bit of a tendency to overthink things, so, there's that too.

[Psirene]

The amount of food looks good, although perhaps a little light. I think you definitely need more fat, though. Cut out the nuts and include some avocado or homemade mayo. 

 

Oh, also - starchy carbs! It looks like you're eating none at all (at least from what you've shown here). Have a sweet potato (half or whole, as is comfortable for you) slathered in ghee and salt. With dinner (or lunch or whatever). 

 

Are you hungry when you're done with your meals?

[amberino21]

Hi Shannon

Your meal timing is actually ok as your day is so long - if you were eating dinner earlier and getting to bed earlier I'd suggest your meals may not be big enough but you've spaced your meals out fine.

Your 5pm food is also a proper mini meal with protein fat and vegies so that's ok too! I have a few long days like you, and if I'm not training (so getting pre and postWO food) ill also plan a 4th meal

Don't be afraid of the fat though - perhaps you could add some avo or mayo to lunch , keep the nuts in to breakfast (or add something else) and don't forget to add it to dinner either

[ShannonM816]

I'm not hungry when I'm done with my meals, I do feel a little hungry about two hours after breakfast, but not bad, and by then I'm at work and it doesn't bother me enough to interfere with that. After lunch, I'm good for about four hours or so.

 

I have to admit, I'm a little afraid of adding starchy carbs, again, it's just against everything I've ever been told before -- same with the fat. I'm so worried I'll overdo them, I may be skimping a little. But I love sweet potatoes, so I'll definitely try it. I have been eyeing some sweet potato hash recipes with fried eggs, maybe it's time to try one of those.

 

Thank you for your reply. I think I just need to hear someone say that it's really not too much food, and I"m not going to suddenly gain 20 lbs overnight eating this way.

[Mom2A&M]

It's tough to change your mindset after restricting calories has been the " norm" for so long. You need to nourish your body, feed it nutrient dense food and it will be happy. Don't be afraid of healthy foods...c'mon, sweet potatoes are your friend!! And fat, delicious, nutritious fat....yummmmmm!!