Eating early breakfast. Starving throughout the whole day

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intrepidelephant
intrepidelephant Posts: 100 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
I know I'm supposed to eat breakfast first thing, but if I eat even a big breakfast at 6 AM, I am literally starving by 10AM and I can't eat lunch until at least 12PM (and then dinner again at 6). I find 6 hours is way too long for me to wait between meals. The only time eating breakfast works for me if I'm active through the day like if I'm hiking or shopping or travelling, it's OK. Unfortunately, I have a desk job now, so I'm stuck sitting down most of the day, including commuting 1.5 hours each way.

I used to eat breakfast at 9AM at work, lunch at 1:30, dinner at 6, and a little snack before bed (with a coffee first thing, of course) and I would rarely be hungry between meals. Can I do this? If I eat breakfast first thing, I'm just fighting hunger all day.
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Replies

  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
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    If you are hungry, eat. There's nothing wrong with having a snack at 10 AM and another snack in between lunch and dinner. As long as it fits within your calorie goal, you will lose weight.
  • cblue315
    cblue315 Posts: 3,836 Member
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    You know what you need to do, so do it. I switched from 3 to 6 meals a day to make it work for me.
  • intrepidelephant
    intrepidelephant Posts: 100 Member
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    FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »
    If you are hungry, eat. There's nothing wrong with having a snack at 10 AM and another snack in between lunch and dinner. As long as it fits within your calorie goal, you will lose weight.

    But eating the early breakfast means I just eat more throughout the day since I'm essentially adding an extra meal. I'm not really even hungry when I wake up.
  • cblue315
    cblue315 Posts: 3,836 Member
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    So... You know what you need to do, so do it.
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
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    So don't eat early if you are not hungry then! Meal time has absolutely NO influence on weight loss....
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
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    intrepidelephant wrote: »
    FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »
    If you are hungry, eat. There's nothing wrong with having a snack at 10 AM and another snack in between lunch and dinner. As long as it fits within your calorie goal, you will lose weight.

    But eating the early breakfast means I just eat more throughout the day since I'm essentially adding an extra meal. I'm not really even hungry when I wake up.

    If you aren't hungry when you wake up, then wait until you are hungry. Pack a breakfast to take with you to work… Like oatmeal with flaxseed and berries or a bagel with PB.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,624 Member
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    Either eat later or eat a larger breakfast. E.g. I have to eat a third or a quarter of my calories (depends on whether I'm in maintenance or not) per meal. I eat breakfast around 7am, and can go as late as 2pm or even 3pm before needing to eat if I am eating enough food. Also if I'm eating a good carb/protein/fat ratio (I eat most of my carbs in the evening otherwise I'm starving all day even with lots of cals).
  • sodakat
    sodakat Posts: 1,126 Member
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    You absolutely do NOT have to eat an early breakfast. Do whatever works for you. There are no rules about when you must eat. In fact there are threads here by people who only eat 1 or 2 meals a day because they prefer eating large amounts twice, instead of small amounts more often.

    Also, why do you say, "I know I'm supposed to eat breakfast first thing"? Who says you must?

    Most days I get up at 5:45 but don't eat breakfast until 9:30 because I prefer to eat after my first bus route of the day (I drive school bus). There are lots of threads on MFP from people who eat only twice or once a day, because it works for them. You have to do you.

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  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
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    intrepidelephant wrote: »
    I know I'm supposed to eat breakfast first thing

    Says who?

    Eat on whatever schedule suits you. Calories don't know or care what time it is.
  • JazzFischer1989
    JazzFischer1989 Posts: 531 Member
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    Yeah, you're going without food for four hours! The only difference between now and before is that it's still morning when you get hungry. But you don't have to eat breakfast first thing in the morning if you don't want to. It doesn't really matter.

    But I used to work 6-2 at my old job (and I work 8-4 at my current one) and was famished in the morning so what I would do is sort of split up my breakfast. I'd have a bowl of cereal, toast, oatmeal or some cream of wheat and some scrambled eggs when I got to work, then maybe a yogurt, 100-calorie bar and some fruit a couples hours later (9-10am). This would hold me over til lunch. Then I'd have some small snacks here and there and a normal sized dinner. Voila!
  • zenner22
    zenner22 Posts: 33 Member
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    Don't eat your first meal of the day until you are hungry. Regardless of what time it is. I dutifuly ate my "most important meal of the day" breakfast first thing in the morning for years and I'm fat. I no longer think its wise to eat at prescribed times.
  • fitcrt
    fitcrt Posts: 76 Member
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    Eat a small breakfast - say 200 calories (1 egg & low carb toast) & then have a snack for around 100 calories (yogurt, nuts or jerky).
  • habit365
    habit365 Posts: 174
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    If possible, I would go back to the eating schedule that was working for you. Meal timing and frequency are usually a matter of personal preference.
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,287 Member
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    I don't know why you'd try to force an early breakfast if it's not working for you? I personally don't eat breakfast, it just doesn't work for me so my first food is usually around 11. You've got to do what works for you or you won't be able to resist all the crappy snacks that will cross your path.....
  • arlenem1974
    arlenem1974 Posts: 437 Member
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    I don't know why people think you sshould only eat 3 times a day. Back when I was logging regularly I would eat 6 or 7 times. Day and I would still lose weight.
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
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    You do not have to eat breakfast if the timing doesn't work for you.
  • FaylinaMeir
    FaylinaMeir Posts: 661 Member
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    I try to think in terms of if I had to go out and gather/hunt my food I probably wouldn't eat for atleast a few hours, so why should I have to wake up now and shove cereal in my face if I'm not hungry? Wake up, drink a glass of water to get the system running and eat when you're hungry. Not hard.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    Skip breakfast. The body cares about how much you eat -- not what time.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,547 Member
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    arlenem1974 wrote: »
    I don't know why people think you sshould only eat 3 times a day. Back when I was logging regularly I would eat 6 or 7 times. Day and I would still lose weight.
    Whether one eats 1,2 or 6 times a day, it really doesn't matter as long as calorie limit isn't exceeded for weight loss. It's a matter of preference and differs from person to person.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • DaniTronMcNally
    DaniTronMcNally Posts: 44 Member
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    I have brekkie about an hour after I get up, then it takes me 2 hours to get to work so i have second breakfast then, then im ok till lunch, then an afternoon snack then dinner, and sometimes hot cocoa

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