Help with timing of meals please....

[FuzzeeNavel]

I am having an issue right now with properly spacing my meals and I'm looking for some assistance. I'm also looking to see if my typical meals appear okay.

I am up at 4:00 am, then walk the dogs, get ready and out the door by 5:00am. I commute 2 hrs by train so no eating allowed there. My first real break is around 9:00 or 10:00 and then lunch at 1:00. I am home and eating dinner around 6:30pm. I know that I am supposed to eat within an hour of waking, but if I eat my breakfast at say 4:30 that is about 8 1/2 hours until my lunch at 1:00. I can usually go about 4 hrs before my tummy starts grumbling but 8 hrs might be pushing it . What I have been doing right now is waiting until 9:00am to eat my breakfast. I have completed one whole30 with a lot of great results and followed all of the 'rules'but I want to do another round as I am really struggling with cravings during reintroduction and I think that I need a little more time to work on some past emotional food issues that seem to be hanging on for dear life. I want to make sure that I am doing everything that I can to be successful this go around as well and the meal spacing seems to be the only thing that is 'off plan'. Below is a sample of what my typical meals look like.

MEAL 1: Frittata (approx 1 1/2 eggs, 1/2 cup ground pork, 1 cup of broccoli, mushrooms and onions) with cubed sweet potato (approx 1/2 cup) with dollop of homemade mayo mixed with salsa. 1 cup black coffee. (I think I've eaten this same breakfast for about a month and still not tired if it .

MEAL 2: chicken salad wraps (roasted chicken, ranch mayo, celery, green onion and romaine lettuce) with 2 cups roasted veggies (usually carrots and broccoli roasted in ghee)

OR: 1 can of tuna mixed with mayo, celery and green onion with 2 cups spinach and avocado.

MEAL 3: ground turkey or pork mixed with braised cabbage with dressing ( rice vinegar, coconut aminos and a little sesame oil) with roasted veggies (usually Brussels sprouts and carrots or squash roasted in ghee) 1 cup of decaf coffee.

B12 supplement in the morning

Digestive enzymes with each meal

Natural Calm before bed

40 Oz water ( I know this needs to be more and I am working on it but it's a struggle

I don't eat any fruit, nuts or red meat only because I don't really like them. Am I missing any nutrients there?

What I really like about the Whole30 is that it has eliminated my need to snack with only eating the three meals a day. In the past I was a chronic snacker so this has helped a lot with that. I appreciate any suggestions:) thanks

[jmcbn]

Your meals look pretty good, however eating within an hour of wakening is pretty much in getting your hormones back in check. I'd suggest having at least something like a mini meal before you leave the house - some chicken & mayo/olives, or a hard boiled egg  maybe? Just to signal to your body that you're up, you're awake & food is on the way...

Either that or have a full meal one before you leave & then a snack around 9 - again same kind of thing - a mini meal with at least two of the three macronutrients.

And yep, you defintely need more water!

[FuzzeeNavel]

Thanks so much for your response. I was really hoping to not stray from the three meals a day, but I think what you have suggested is the best thing to do based on the structure of my day. And I definitely want happy hormones . I'll be going home tonight to hard boil me up some eggs! I'll try that first thing and then keep my Meal 1 for 10:00. Should I be adding some fat to the egg or is it okay to just eat on it's own?

And I'm on my way right now to go fill up my water bottle.... and i'm not even going to pretend to like it

Thanks for your help

[jmcbn]

I'd say you've a big enough gap between meals to justify adding some fat. Either that or have two eggs....