How early to eat first meal?

[crewgirl]

Hi,

I am on Day 3 and so far, so good. Today I woke up at 6:15 and I am hungry (it is now 6:38). However, I typically don't eat breakfast until about 8 AM. On days I go to work, I eat when I get there (I have a 15-month old so I have to get her up and to daycare in the morning leaving no time to make breakfast). Today I will be at home so I can eat at any time, but I worry that if I eat this early, I won't make it to lunch. I've been reading about people eating breakfast pretty early, so is that one of the guidelines?

Would it be okay to eat something small, like a HB egg, and then eat the rest of breakfast an hour later? Or does that defeat the point?

Thanks.

[Tom Denham]

We recommend eating breakfast within one hour of waking. Breakfast plays an important role in establishing a good hormonal rhythm, so it is important to eat soon after waking. Many people do not eat enough breakfast, but when you learn, you find that going 5 or even 6 hours until your next meal is not difficult. My standard breakfast that works well for me is 4 scrambled eggs and a side of cold sauerkraut. 

[crewgirl]

Thanks Tom. Today I had coffee with coconut milk before I had my breakfast. I ate a two-egg omelet with sauteed peppers and onions in about 1 TB of ghee and 1/2 avocado. This will hold me until lunch. I will try to wait 5 hours from breakfast to lunch. Not snacking is a challenge! I work at an office where I'm at my desk most of the day and sometimes I get the urge to munch. I'll try drinking water or hot tea instead. I actually thought initally that the Whole 30 just meant eating compliant foods, but it seems like it's equally important to space meals and avoid snacking.

[Tom Denham]

Getting hungry between meals is often a good sign that you need to eat more at meals. When I am eating as much as I need, I almost never get hungry between meals. That said, I drink herbal tea or water all day long. Not quite one mug per hour, but frequently one mug every other hour. 

[Robin Strathdee]

 I actually thought initally that the Whole 30 just meant eating compliant foods, but it seems like it's equally important to space meals and avoid snacking.

 

There's a fine line between the actual program guidelines (the foods you do and don't eat) and the "best practices" recommendations we make (meal timing, meal template, etc).  What we've discovered is that the food is important, but the folks who see the really stellar results pay as much attention to the context as they do the composition.  Long story short: You can do a Whole30 by just eating the "right" food, but you will get the best possible results by following the recommendations