excited and terrified! ill miss my sugar free creamer!!!: )

[ginjaswag]

HELLOOOO all! Been checking out this site for pretty much the entire day and I keep finding more and more great stuff!!!  Tomorrow will be day one. honestly....im scared. I am a pretty healthy person. but I can already feel myself getting overwhelmed with the whole paleo thing. The idea of NONE of something freaks me out. I have been looking up tons of recipes which is why I think im overwhelmed. Im horrible at keeping things simple. im thinking for the first week I will just eat very basic meals.

 

A few questions! I am training for a marathon. I read about the PWO meals. So does that mean on days I run 5 to 15 miles and or lift-Have an extra snack before AND after??? are we only supposed to have 3 meals no snacks??

 

Also- I work in a hospital and my days are LONG 7 am to 7 pm Im very worried about when to eat my meals, the times. and should I have snacks?? I leave my house at 630 am and get home around 8 pm

 

Im sorry if these questions have been asked before. Theres so much info on this site I may not have stumbled upon it yet. But if you have any ANYTHING to tell me, offer me, guide me, its all welcomed!

[amberino21]

Hi ginja!

Don't be scared - instead of thinking about things you'll not have, think of all the things you will have!! Better health, more energy, start developing a better relationship with food etc.

If you're training, pre and PostWO meals are there to help you refuel and recover. You need these! Pre is protein and fat, post is lean protein and starchy vegie carbs. Snacking at other times is discouraged - you want to try and avoid eating just because. If you are starving between meals, have a mini meal of protein, fats and vegies.

There are plenty of people on the forums who also work long shifts - a search may give you their insights and tips as to meal timing. You might want to consider 4 meals a day on the days you don't workout - I have days similar and wouldn't be able to get by on 3 meals!

[JJB]

I work the same schedule as you. I eat breakfast at 6 AM, lunch at 12:30, a snack at 5 PM, and dinner at 8. You might need a snack between breakfast and lunch in the beginning (if you wait as long as me), but the need for that should diminish over time. You can try pumping up your breakfast to make it last longer. I don't even try to go from lunch to dinner without a snack...it's just too long for me.

 

You might find having none of something will make the process easier. For me, there was always that gray area of how much/how often was acceptable. I usually ended up eating more of whatever it was than I should have. Just knowing the option is off the table can make things much less stressful!

[ArcheoGator]

I found that none of something is working best for me as well. Even with coffee, I have one cup a day, black. I used to add two tsp. of sugar plus sweetened creamer (yeah, wonder where those high morning glucose's came from). I switched to black, thinking if I did not like it, I would just stop drinking it. I know many put coconut milk in theirs for their added fat. My thinking was that I would like to get used to black anyway, that way I can still have coffee when there is no coconut milk around (friends' house, etc.).

 

For your first week, seriously, keep in simple. Just cook some meat or fish with whatever method you want and add a ton of vegetables. That is what worked for me. Now, in my second week, I am looking at recipes little by little because I want to learn how to do this for life.

 

With 12 hour shifts, it helps if you have a round-about time for meals. My wife, an RN, does not always have the luxury of a lunch break. Make sure your breakfasts are substantial, then give your schedule a look over to see if you are able to time meals. You may go through a snack phase until you can nail down some meal times. Just follow ISWF guidelines for snacks.

[Bet]

I used to be a half and half girl. Now I love coconut milk in coffee. It's da bomb! I am trying to figure out a way to carry it around with me if I go out for breakfast and want coffee without having the creamer.

 

My work schedule is similar. I eat breakfast about 6:30. I get to work at 9 and eat lunch at about noon. Before W30, I would have a banana once I get to work, but would still get hungry before lunch. After being on W30, I can make it to noon easily and sometimes I am so busy at work that I 'forget' to eat at noon and no hunger pangs or low blood sugar issues. I do try to eat a snack (usually some meat left over from my lunch and some nuts) at about 4. I then usually get home about 6:30-7 and then have to make dinner (I have a long commute). While I'm hungry when I get home, it's not the unbearable hunger I used to have. I think my blood sugar is now much more regulated and I'm eating enough at meals (including fat) to keep me going for much longer between meals. That's the key.

[J&Z'sMom]

I think putting a different spin on the creamer might help--in the whole scheme of your whole life, it's just coffee creamer.  You've had it before & you can have it again.     I struggled with a similar CHOCOLATE issue....(ok still struggling) but I have had it before & I can have it again (and I WILL).  I'm choosing to see what my body feels like without it.  My choice!