Using calories up too early in the day - see details?

jennk5309

I wake up at 5 and my work day is over by 2 pm. I have a strong morning appetite and a busy job, so I graze throughout my workday (and I need the fuel to function). Then I hardly have any calories left for dinner! I'd be fine eating something really light, but I like to make my family a nice meal and I don't want to be left out of eating it.

I do better on the weekends when I can sleep in. Night time eating is not my problem, it's mornings.

Suggestions please?

fitphoenix22

It may help to know what you're eating in the morning. I always try to opt for high-protein, low carb options first thing in the day so that I feel less hungry and have a lot of wiggle-room with my calories throughout the day. I like to eat an egg white omelet loaded with spinach, salsa, jalapenos, mushrooms and some cheese.

I would also try to incorporate bulk foods that are low in calories for your snacks - lots of green veggies! Try mixing plain non-fat greek yogurt with a packet of "ranch dip" mix, then keep that in your fridge at work. Keep celery and broccoli on hand to dip and snack on when you're hungry. It's very low in calories and high in protein - the best part is that it tastes EXACTLY like the real ranch dip!

callie006

Unfortunately, something has to give. You can either eat less during the work day or less at dinner. For me, the trick is to not graze and work on separating my eating habit from my actual fuel needs. If I have to perform surgery, I err on the side of caution and eat the extra calories. Otherwise, I try to stick to meals unless I feel shaky, and that rarely happens with well-planned meals. It may take some experimenting to find what works for you, but for me, eating a few larger meals works a lot better than grazing or small meals. Some people do better as grazers, but it has never worked long-term for me.

If you just really like to graze, you could also try just bringing in a container of celery and other fresh veggies. They might satisfy your need to graze without adding too many extra calories.

jennk5309

I usually make something quick for breakfast like a turkey sandwich or a packet of instant oatmeal. Yes, maybe if I had something like an omelet I'd stay fuller longer. I snack on things like yogurt and applesauce.

One thing I didn't mention is that I am currently on a bland diet for an ulcer and I'm not supposed to have raw fruits or vegetables (or whole wheat, spicy stuff, etc). I had less of a hard time when I could eat raw vegetables, because I'd have them for snacks. My stomach IS getting better though, and I'm gradually adding them back. So far I've been okay with simple green salads and apples. I might experiment with adding more back over the next week and see what happens.

chandanista

A look at your diary could help?

cwolfman13

outline your day in advance....

BarbieAS

Everyone has made good points. A couple more to consider - Do you do any exercise? Is your activity level set correctly?

One thing to consider would be adding or increasing cardio, to "earn" yourself some extra calories to eat at dinner. If you're done with work at 2pm, do you have a little time to squeeze in a walk or a gym session before your family gets home, at least a few days a week?

Another thing to consider is that if you have a physically demanding job, do you have you activity level set too low? If you're at sedentary or lightly active, but you say you're so active at work that you need extra fuel during that time, it's likely that it's too low. Increasing your settings in your goals/profile would get you a few hundred extra calories as well.

If you find it too difficult to change your eating habits, maybe you should either change or re-evaluate your activity.

jennk5309

Barbie AS- During the weekdays, I do PE with my special Ed students and push a heavy wheelchair around the track for at least a mile. I used to also use the elliptical once I got home, but I've felt so exhausted lately that I probably only do it once during weekdays and once on the weekends now.

I think I do need to push myself a little harder once again in that area. I'm also trying to conceive, so I get lax after I ovulate every month, worrying that heavy exercise will interfere with the little critter implanting and sticking. I know exercise is a good thing when trying to conceive, but I still get a little paranoid.

qtgonewild

It may help to know what you're eating in the morning. I always try to opt for high-protein, low carb options first thing in the day so that I feel less hungry and have a lot of wiggle-room with my calories throughout the day. I like to eat an egg white omelet loaded with spinach, salsa, jalapenos, mushrooms and some cheese.

I would also try to incorporate bulk foods that are low in calories for your snacks - lots of green veggies! Try mixing plain non-fat greek yogurt with a packet of "ranch dip" mix, then keep that in your fridge at work. Keep celery and broccoli on hand to dip and snack on when you're hungry. It's very low in calories and high in protein - the best part is that it tastes EXACTLY like the real ranch dip!

i second the dip. this is how i make my ranch. and its so good!!!
secondly, that omelet sounds fantastic.

Showcase_Brodown

You could start eating later in the day. You might be surprised how well you can "function."

cwolfman13

Barbie AS- During the weekdays, I do PE with my special Ed students and push a heavy wheelchair around the track for at least a mile. I used to also use the elliptical once I got home, but I've felt so exhausted lately that I probably only do it once during weekdays and once on the weekends now.

I think I do need to push myself a little harder once again in that area. I'm also trying to conceive, so I get lax after I ovulate every month, worrying that heavy exercise will interfere with the little critter implanting and sticking. I know exercise is a good thing when trying to conceive, but I still get a little paranoid.

But her point was, do you have your activity level set appropriately for that stuff...or do you just have it set to sedentary. Properly setting your activity level is going to determine how many calories you are allotted...also, how aggressive is your loss goal? I ask because most women just put themselves as sedentary (regardless of whether they really are or not) and then select 2 Lbs per week and get that super awesome 1200 calorie goal (not taking any account of how much they actually need to lose)....which is fine if you're exercising on top of your daily and earning extra calories...otherwise, it just isn't a whole lot of food and not generally sustainable for most.

You should accurately determine your activity level without exercise...it sounds like at minimum you're light active if you're pushing around wheel chairs and just being a teacher in general. Do whatever exercise you can and you log that and get to eat more food...it's a win win and far more sustainable long term.

BarbieAS

Barbie AS- During the weekdays, I do PE with my special Ed students and push a heavy wheelchair around the track for at least a mile. I used to also use the elliptical once I got home, but I've felt so exhausted lately that I probably only do it once during weekdays and once on the weekends now.

I think I do need to push myself a little harder once again in that area. I'm also trying to conceive, so I get lax after I ovulate every month, worrying that heavy exercise will interfere with the little critter implanting and sticking. I know exercise is a good thing when trying to conceive, but I still get a little paranoid.

But her point was, do you have your activity level set appropriately for that stuff...or do you just have it set to sedentary. Properly setting your activity level is going to determine how many calories you are allotted...also, how aggressive is your loss goal? I ask because most women just put themselves as sedentary (regardless of whether they really are or not) and then select 2 Lbs per week and get that super awesome 1200 calorie goal (not taking any account of how much they actually need to lose)....which is fine if you're exercising on top of your daily and earning extra calories...otherwise, it just isn't a whole lot of food and not generally sustainable for most.

You should accurately determine your activity level without exercise...it sounds like at minimum you're light active if you're pushing around wheel chairs and just being a teacher in general. Do whatever exercise you can and you log that and get to eat more food...it's a win win and far more sustainable long term.

Yep, exactly that. Not just pushing yourself to include extra activity, but making sure that you are accurately crediting yourself for the activity you're ALREADY doing is a key factor. And good point about the deficit settings as well. This is a concept I'm still working to learn, but sustainable weight loss isn't just about as eating as little as possible and going for the most aggressive goal you can. That works for some people, but the majority of us are better off with a slightly more gradual approach - something that truly sets us up for a lifetime of health and balance.

Sorry if I've veered a bit off topic here - yes, the solution to your problem absolutely might be as simple as tweaking your food choices during the day to allow yourself more room at night and your calorie goal absolutely might be totally appropriate for your situation. I just wanted to make sure that the other side of the coin (activity) was thrown out there as well - just some food for thought and other things to consider :flowerforyou: .