Question about Eating

arp1217

Hi everyone! I am so excited about this lifestyle change I am embarking on but I do have a quick question. I know because I am working out harder right now, I should be eating enough calories so my body doesn't go into starvation mode but should I eat a snack if I am not hungry? I am confused about this one. Today I ate a good size lunch but didn't eat a snack and was fine until dinner, I did eat under my calorie range today but wasn't that hungry. Is that going to mess up my metabolism rate?

Thanks in advance for the suggestions!

NavySailor

Yes! Big breakfast pretty soon after you wake up...snack a couple hours later (whether you are hungry or not)...lunch.....snack...dinner....snack....

Three meals, three snacks! Your snacks can be apples, banana's, carrot sticks, yogurt, nuts (walnuts and almonds with no salt or flavoring are the best)...lots of choices out there...good luck to you!

25anniversary2011

You should always eat your minimum calories. Have a small snack even though you are not hungry if it is helping you reach your calorie goal, especially if it is early in the day. I don't always reach my minimum but try to 90% of the time. I believe that eating my snacks is helping a great deal.

Amarillo_NDN

Best thing is to graze so to speak.. 5 times a day is best. if you snack when not hungry, then you won't get real hungry and eat more than you should. As for me, I eat 6 times a day. breakfast, brunch, lunch, after noon snack, dinner, then an evening before snack..

KimSchnizleinWECHANGED

The easiest answer to your question is that you shouldn't drop below 1200 cals on a routine basis. Since you didn't mention what your cal intake is/day ... That's the best thing to say. You would have to eat below 1200 cals on a regular basis to throw your body into starvation mode, and therefore, mess with your metabolism. IMHO I wouldn't eat if you're not hungry. Snacks are really just an addition to stave off hunger between 2 meals .... They aren't a necessary part of your diet plan. If you eat 3 balanced meals a day, and consume at least 1200 cals/day ... You should be fine. Don't get me wrong ... I'm not knocking snacks ... I usually have one every day.

fitterpam

I know that I'm the way I am because I don't really KNOW what hungry feels like. I tend to wait until I'm starving and then wolf down every biteful. After about 2 weeks of eating 3 mid-sized meals and 3 snacks a day, I know that my body is looking for food at those specific times from me (in my case 5:30, 9, 11:30, 3, 6, 8). Anytime I feel "hunger" that's not during those times, it's really thirst. Snacking actually helps stabilize your blood sugar so that you're body isn't taking energy from the wrong sources. Some people have more sensitive blood sugar than others (i.e. diabetics and those with insulin resistance) but blood sugar spikes, like those caused by eating larger meals, often lead to blood sugar crashes which can leave you feeling tired, sluggish, give you headaches and mood swings.

Relearning to read the signs from my body has been one of the biggest adjustments for me and I think one of the most critical learnings that I've made. I'm never "starving" anymore. And I plan my day out in advance - spacing out my calorie intake so I'm not short at the end of the day or having to eat a huge snack to compensate - when I stick to the plan of course, not tonight. By forcing yourself to eat at a fairly regular schedule for at least 2 weeks your body will adjust to the new habits and you'll "know" when it's time to eat.

Generally my meals are about 350 calories each. And my snacks are between 50 and 100 calories each. Protein and fibre at each snack, fruit with at least one of the meals and veggies at the other two. You mentioned that you're working out harder, I would also suggest that your snacks are higher in protein to help you repair muscle tissue.

**edited to add: If you have adequately spaced out your calories for the day and are genuinely not hungry at the end of the day, and it happens more than a few days in a row, I'd probably seek out medical advice. Often times when it happens to me, I'm actually coming down with something and it's the first sign. Also, if you're not sick, your doctor might be able to recommend a nutritionist for you. They can help you go through your food diary and see if there are better choices (sometimes higher calorie foods) that you can be making.

If it only happens once in a while, you can also look at your caloric intake from a weekly perspective. As long as you're taking in the recommended calories for the week (so sometimes more than the recommended and sometimes less) that's fine too.

BeingFit4GOD

I enjoy protein drinks, but they cut my appetite. Most times I don't feel like eating those 5 meals a day.

LotusF1ower

Hi everyone! I am so excited about this lifestyle change I am embarking on but I do have a quick question. I know because I am working out harder right now, I should be eating enough calories so my body doesn't go into starvation mode but should I eat a snack if I am not hungry? I am confused about this one. Today I ate a good size lunch but didn't eat a snack and was fine until dinner, I did eat under my calorie range today but wasn't that hungry. Is that going to mess up my metabolism rate?

Thanks in advance for the suggestions!

It was eating when I wasn't hungry that got me overweight in the first place.

Personally, I have three meals per day and that is it. On the odd occasion, when I have felt ravenous, I have had a banana as a snack. Other than that I never forcefeed myself - ever!

akaDumbo

I was diagnosed with diabetes a few months ago and since then I have been following the recommendations for a diabetic (3meals and 2 or 3 snacks a day) I have also followed their recommendations for the amount of carbs/protein/fat/fruit/veg etc.

Have I lost weight doing this?
Yes but I was losing weight anyway through diet and a very small amount of exercise

Has my blood sugar improved?
No, on the contrary it is now much worse

Yesterday a book I had ordered arrived called Mastering Leptin (Leptin and insulin work hand in hand). I have not read the whole book yet (over 400 pages) or put it to the test but it does seem to be well researched and referenced. It specifically tells you not to snack and explains the reasons why. It claims you should eat 3 meals a day 5 or 6 hours apart and that there should be 12 hours between eating your dinner and having breakfast. It also says how if you eat snacks your body will learn to expect them and how this affects the way your body works. The arguments used certainly seem plausible but are far too extensive to write here. It also explains why so many people have cravings in the evening and how this is the beginning of leptin resistance which can be a precursur of insulin resistance.

Like I said I haven't put this book to the test yet but as all the medical advise I have had has not only not worked but on the whole has made me fatter, I am pretty sure that when I have finished the book I will be giving it a try

fitterpam

I was diagnosed with diabetes a few months ago and since then I have been following the recommendations for a diabetic (3meals and 2 or 3 snacks a day) I have also followed their recommendations for the amount of carbs/protein/fat/fruit/veg etc.

Have I lost weight doing this?
Yes but I was losing weight anyway through diet and a very small amount of exercise

Has my blood sugar improved?
No, on the contrary it is now much worse

Yesterday a book I had ordered arrived called Mastering Leptin (Leptin and insulin work hand in hand). I have not read the whole book yet (over 400 pages) or put it to the test but it does seem to be well researched and referenced. It specifically tells you not to snack and explains the reasons why. It claims you should eat 3 meals a day 5 or 6 hours apart and that there should be 12 hours between eating your dinner and having breakfast. It also says how if you eat snacks your body will learn to expect them and how this affects the way your body works. The arguments used certainly seem plausible but are far too extensive to write here. It also explains why so many people have cravings in the evening and how this is the beginning of leptin resistance which can be a precursur of insulin resistance.

Like I said I haven't put this book to the test yet but as all the medical advise I have had has not only not worked but on the whole has made me fatter, I am pretty sure that when I have finished the book I will be giving it a try

Sounds interesting. I'm going to see if I can get my hands on this book too. I know I saw a doctor a few years ago who is quite well renowned in his field that told me that if people actually followed the food pyramids put out by government nutritionists, their calories would be way over where they should be and they would actually get fat from it so I'm interested in reading more about different ways of doing things.

akaDumbo

Sounds interesting. I'm going to see if I can get my hands on this book too. I know I saw a doctor a few years ago who is quite well renowned in his field that told me that if people actually followed the food pyramids put out by government nutritionists, their calories would be way over where they should be and they would actually get fat from it so I'm interested in reading more about different ways of doing things.

Funny you should say that 1 of the chapters in the book is entitled "Eat like a pyramid, look like a pyramid"