Famished at 3! What do you do?

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melodyis4reals
melodyis4reals Posts: 186 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Okay people!
Three meals a day doesn't cut it for me, what do I do? I am a teacher and I am famished at 3 or 4pm.
I eat breakfast at 6:45, lunch at 12, dinner at 6.
How can I create an eating schedule that works with my schedule?
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Replies

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    Mess with your meals and calories. Basically you need a snack at 3 or 4. What would help you? 100 calories of cheese, yogurt? Etc. Then find a way to subtract those out of the rest of your day. Or exercise more.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
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    Eat more than 3x a day? That or eat more calories at lunch/each meal and/or more fat and protein for more satiety.
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
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    Are you eating enough calories in general? Maybe you need to up your calories so you can eat a larger lunch. Or maybe switch your macros around a bit to include more fat which keeps you satiated between meals. If you're eating enough calories and are eating satiating foods have you tried just being hungry until dinner for awhile? It doesn't take long for your body to adjust to your eating patterns and you'll get hungry on schedule.
  • funjen1972
    funjen1972 Posts: 949 Member
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    Carrot slices and hummus at 3pm...I do it almost every day!
  • melodyis4reals
    melodyis4reals Posts: 186 Member
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    I probably need to eat more fat and have a snack. I struggle with the snack because I often go overboard because I am so hungry!
  • giannigreco83
    giannigreco83 Posts: 282 Member
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    Have a Quest bar at 3pm and you'll be fine...trust me
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
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    melodyis4reals wrote: »
    I probably need to eat more fat and have a snack. I struggle with the snack because I often go overboard because I am so hungry!

    Then you're probably not eating enough calories and/or eating too little fat/protien compared to your carbohydrate intake.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    Have a small snack at that time. Carrots, piece of fruit, cheese, nuts, beef jerky, hard boiled egg, granola bar, etc.
    Change up your earlier meals so you get more protein, fat and fiber foods.
    Drink water and see if the feeling passes. Chew some gum and see if the feeling passes.
  • MoiAussi93
    MoiAussi93 Posts: 1,948 Member
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    If you're famished only three hours after lunch, you either need to eat more at lunch, or you need to eat more filling foods at lunch. If your lunch has a lot of carbs, switch it out for fat and protein. Both will keep you full for hours.

    If it's already mainly protein and fat, then you probably are just not eating enough food in general. Increase your calories. Yes, a small snack could help till dinner...but you shouldn't consistently be that hungry only three hours after eating.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    MoiAussi93 wrote: »
    If you're famished only three hours after lunch, you either need to eat more at lunch, or you need to eat more filling foods at lunch. If your lunch has a lot of carbs, switch it out for fat and protein. Both will keep you full for hours.

    If it's already mainly protein and fat, then you probably are just not eating enough food in general. Increase your calories. Yes, a small snack could help till dinner...but you shouldn't consistently be that hungry only three hours after eating.

    I'm hungry about every three hours. I find it normal. I guess I like to eat smaller meals, and more often though.
  • MoiAussi93
    MoiAussi93 Posts: 1,948 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    MoiAussi93 wrote: »
    If you're famished only three hours after lunch, you either need to eat more at lunch, or you need to eat more filling foods at lunch. If your lunch has a lot of carbs, switch it out for fat and protein. Both will keep you full for hours.

    If it's already mainly protein and fat, then you probably are just not eating enough food in general. Increase your calories. Yes, a small snack could help till dinner...but you shouldn't consistently be that hungry only three hours after eating.

    I'm hungry about every three hours. I find it normal. I guess I like to eat smaller meals, and more often though.
    Then in your case that makes sense...less food at one time means you won't stay full as long. But OP seems to just do three larger meals.
  • kellyjellybellyjelly
    kellyjellybellyjelly Posts: 9,480 Member
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    Are you hungry at 6:45 or in the morning time in general? If you're not hungry around that time you could save some more calories for your lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, & later snack.

    I've been skipping breakfast the past few days since I find that I'm not truly hungry in the morning & start my meals around 9-11 depending on work breaks.

    What's your calories set at? Could you be netting to low?

  • melodyis4reals
    melodyis4reals Posts: 186 Member
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    Thanks for your input everyone. I went to the store and bought the makings for hummus and a container of cottage cheese to get a protein heavy, filling, and low calorie snack at 3! I'm not too into bars because I'm cheap, lol!
  • melodyis4reals
    melodyis4reals Posts: 186 Member
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    I also got chewing gum and seltzer!
  • kellyjellybellyjelly
    kellyjellybellyjelly Posts: 9,480 Member
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    melodyis4reals wrote: »
    Thanks for your input everyone. I went to the store and bought the makings for hummus and a container of cottage cheese to get a protein heavy, filling, and low calorie snack at 3! I'm not too into bars because I'm cheap, lol!

    You can get protein powder pretty cheap at Wal-Mart & most brands I'm sure are pretty good price wise for the servings you get for protein.
  • lyrical_melody
    lyrical_melody Posts: 242 Member
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    I always eat at least every two hours. I wouldn't survive otherwise! I usually eat some kind of egg or oatmeal for breakfast. Two hours later I snack on a fruit. For lunch I have some type of protein or soup or salad. Two hours after that I usually chow down on some oatmeal or some type of protein (since I hit the gym after work). Then...about three hours later I eat dinner. Sometimes I will have a sixth small meal in there...but I would suggest you split up your food. Pack some almonds that you could nibble on while theyre doing assignments? Or chopped up veggies or dry cereal? Whatever your taste buds want!
  • CrabNebula
    CrabNebula Posts: 1,119 Member
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    kellyjellybellyjelly wrote: »
    melodyis4reals wrote: »
    Thanks for your input everyone. I went to the store and bought the makings for hummus and a container of cottage cheese to get a protein heavy, filling, and low calorie snack at 3! I'm not too into bars because I'm cheap, lol!

    You can get protein powder pretty cheap at Wal-Mart & most brands I'm sure are pretty good price wise for the servings you get for protein.

    IDK, most bars I buy are .89-1.25 a piece. The powders I buy are around the same price per serving. I guess if all you were doing was buying Quest bars before, I could see how it is significantly cheaper to get a powder, but otherwise?
  • lulucitron
    lulucitron Posts: 366 Member
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    I make my own protein bars. Quick and easy to make. I have an amazing recipe for hummus too.
  • never2bstopped
    never2bstopped Posts: 438 Member
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    I find a glass of buttermilk with some salt and pepper to be quite an easy and satisfying treat.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,661 Member
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    If I have more than 35g of simple carbs at a single sitting I am famished 3 hours later. Its because my blood glucose spikes, followed by an insulin spike, with blood glucose that is too low a few hours later. Low blood sugar makes me ravenous and crave carbs. See if reducing high glycemic carbs (bread and potatoes) and increasing protein helps.

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