What are your 'challenge times' during the day, and how do you strategize to deal with them?

brownels

For me, it's always late afternoon. I am super hungry, and fruit or veggies don't do it. I want the carb&protein combo, but don't want to borrow from dinner cals. Unfortunately sometimes the result is: I overeat twice, not once!

brb2008

I actually had the same struggle! So I decided to use intermittent fasting as a way to work around it. Basically I now skip breakfast in favor of a big coffee or tea, and can have my calories spread over less meals therefore making each meal more satisfying to my stomach and soul. After adjusting to waiting until at least noon (my fasting window is 8pm-Noon), I was able to wait even a little more until 1 or so. Mostly this was so I could eat while children are napping and have some peace to eat slowly. This later and bigger lunch keeps me full until dinner. Obviously not a solution for everyone, I do feel quite hungry every once in a while but I handle that feeling pretty well and it doesn't bother me for too long. But that's what works for me!

Adding: I should say it was harder to deal with the hunger between breakfast and lunch than it is between breakfast and dinner, but I find if I don't start eating I don't get AS hungry. If that makes sense.

Machka9

Used to be difficult a couple times a week between about 11:30 and 12:30. At 12:30, I head out for a walk and when I return I make my lunch ... but there are a lot of people making lunch between 11:30 and 12:30, and the smell of their food would make me hungry.

Now 2/3 of the office has moved out into a new building so it's not an issue anymore.

More frequently it is between about 4 and 6 pm. Lunch is digested and I'm ready for dinner ... but it's only a couple hours so I have some fruit and some cottage cheese and I get through.

crazyjerseygirl

After dinner for me. I knit!

Keep the hand busy and they wouldn't bust themselves with food!

MelaniaTrump

Open your diary. You might not be getting enough lean proteins and fiber for breakfast and lunch.

arditarose

I struggle in the mid afternoon as well. I'm tired. And lately I've been kind of blue on top of that. I live in NYC and have a long lunch break and I'm like drooling as I walk past all the bakeries. I usually have calories but I REALLY prefer to leave them for dinner/dessert.

What I'll usually do is treat myself to a coffee from a really good coffee shop, with cream and sugar. The place I go to has some wild coffee bean flavors, my favorite being chocolate chip pancake.

mylittlerainbow

An hour before each meal is due is my time - sometimes I drink water, sometimes I just tough it out with thoughts of what I'm going to eat (all preplanned/prelogged). I can deal with the evening by flossing, brushing, and then rinsing for the night - can't eat after THAT! LOL

Zoejohnse91

brb2008 wrote: »

I actually had the same struggle! So I decided to use intermittent fasting as a way to work around it. Basically I now skip breakfast in favor of a big coffee or tea, and can have my calories spread over less meals therefore making each meal more satisfying to my stomach and soul. After adjusting to waiting until at least noon (my fasting window is 8pm-Noon), I was able to wait even a little more until 1 or so. Mostly this was so I could eat while children are napping and have some peace to eat slowly. This later and bigger lunch keeps me full until dinner. Obviously not a solution for everyone, I do feel quite hungry every once in a while but I handle that feeling pretty well and it doesn't bother me for too long. But that's what works for me!

Adding: I should say it was harder to deal with the hunger between breakfast and lunch than it is between breakfast and dinner, but I find if I don't start eating I don't get AS hungry. If that makes sense.

This! ^ I usually skip breakfast for a cup of tea and I find I can have something around 10 or 11 which moves my calories round to counter my evening munchies. And my son starts to wake about 4 am... eugh. . I'd be out of them by lunch!

melonaulait

I definitely can over-eat at every meal, I don't know how to combat that. But I have been experimenting with only having my breakfast after 9AM, that helps just a tiny bit.

cbelc2

Mine was nighttime nibbling. I stopped!!!!! My tv room is now a no-calorie zone. Everything must be eaten from a plate with utersils at a set table, and cleaned up afterwards, with nothing electronic. Popcorn lost its sppeal.

Jruzer

Late at night. I now structure my diet so that I have a large amount of calories (1000+) in the late evening.

mkakids

Nights. I intentionally save most of my calories for after 5pm its 2pm right now, and ive had under 100 calories.

I love being abke to eat whatever i want after 5pm, so it works great for me!

Unknown

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jgnatca

Late afternoon hungries, just like you. I save half a protein bar and eat that before I get home. As it's fairly balanced macro-wise, it tends to kill the cravings.

jgnatca

Evenings are reserved for boredom/automatic eating. I can divert it with sparkling water.

Lounmoun

brownels wrote: »

For me, it's always late afternoon. I am super hungry, and fruit or veggies don't do it. I want the carb&protein combo, but don't want to borrow from dinner cals. Unfortunately sometimes the result is: I overeat twice, not once!

I want a snack around 3-4 PM and 9 PM. I prelog my food and just budget 100-300 calories for snacks each day. I eat a small breakfast so most of my calories get eaten after noon.

hapa11

Same as you, late afternoon. If I can get out of the house and run an errand or get on the treadmill for a bit, it helps.

noobletmcnugget

Late afternoon as well for me! I usually make a coffee and chew gum and just remember that it's not long until dinner.

Rabidrunner

Late afternoon for me for sure. I moved my run up from going in the morning before work, to doing it at lunchtime instead and it really helps. Now, instead of getting the munchies at 3:30 (danger zone) I get the munchies at 5:30. Since it's so much closer to dinner it's not so hard to resist.

threadmad

Mid morning for me, no matter what I have for breakfast. Late afternoons and evenings I seem to have no desire to eat, but make myself eat the rest of my calories.