Small meals and ALWAYS thinking about food

honu18

Hey everyone!

So I've typically been a grazer for much of my life, which is perhaps what got me here in the first place. Unless I was structured (like in high school and whatever), I never ate lunch..but rather would just snack whenever I was hungry or throughout the day. In losing weight, I've kept this attitude, as I heard it's better for your metabolism to eat small and frequent meals. However, I cannot stop thinking about food. I'm always thinking about when I can eat next and looking at the clock saying "I can't eat until this time, etc", even if I feel hungry. I purposely limit my planned meals to pretty low calorie so I have room for all the snacking I'll evidently do. I'm on a 1,200 calorie limit right now--no exercise cals at the moment because i've been very sick, but will eat most of them back when I do. I typically eat about 250 for breakfast, and then about 250 for lunch. I try to only eat 500-600 from the time I get up (7:30) til when I eat dinner, which is typically 4:30-5 pm. I then try to have a good 300-400 calorie dinner, and then save 200 for the snacking I'll end up doing later in the night. But, during this time, I constantly think about food! I'm constantly checking my diary and seeing if I have room to eat more. It's gotten to the point where I just see oh I have cals left over? yay, I get to eat. Or no I don't, I can't eat. I always always think about if/when I can eat.

That's why I'm wondering if any of you have tried only eating 3 bigger meals a day? Should I try to do an even 400 calorie breakfast lunch and dinner? I feel like maybe if I eat satisfying meals, I may be less apt to think about food. But I'm scared I'll do that AND keep snacking! Does anyone have any experience in this? Do you think this may work?

chubbychristianchick

I tried 3 bigger meals. I actually did 3 500 calorie meals.... I tried this for a week or so, but it wasn't working with my life style... I can't always sit down and eat 500 calories of filling and healthy food... I can eat and apple on the go or a hand full of nuts... so depending on how your lifestyle is may determine if it works... but why not try it for a week or two and see if it works for you!

DJmom44

It depends on what kinds of foods you're eating. You're diary is closed, so we can't see what kinds of calories. The advice you get will be better with the more information we have to help you.

daj150

This is a really tough one because a lot of it is a mental game. I have tried everything and I have basically come to this conclusion: I eat when I am hungry, and stop eating when I am satisfied, but not full. On some days this means 3 full meals only. Other days it means 3 main meals (but small) and snacks between each. Although, most nutritionists will recommend that you be consistent.

I personally feel you need to get over the mental part before you can really get to be consistent enough not to psych yourself out.

Oh, also to add...I generally eat more protein and fiber type snacks, allowing me to not be as hungry as often...as opposed to sugars and carbs.

auntied

I seem to eat all day! And stay right where I'm supposed to. It helps me if I'm busy tho. I drink alot of green tea! You can look at my diary if you want. I couldn't just eat 3 times a day!

lottycat

Bump. I'm the same as you, food constantly on the brain and lots of snacking. Would be curious to know if three larger meals are better.

Although I think a lot of my 'hunger' is more boredom or being cold etc. I work in a little shop mostly alone, it's really chilly, and I often eat hot snack food to warm me up, or to make the day go faster if we're really quiet.

fitaliciag

i think for one, you may not be eating enough for YOU. everyone is different. and you may need more. also, if you are eating a lot of refined carbs, you will be craving more....which obviously makes you more hungry. Eat whole foods, lots of veggies and drink A LOT of water to help curb the cravings.

you also need to decipher if this is just mental. is it that HABIT? or are you HUNGRY? if you are hungry and you have already eaten all your calories for the day, then have a protein shake, veggies, or just a cup of skim milk. that always helps me. but my net is 1600 cals a day.

maybe you are just obsessing.....at first, I was very obsessive myself. break the habits and see where you stand.

fitaliciag

This is a really tough one because a lot of it is a mental game. I have tried everything and I have basically come to this conclusion: I eat when I am hungry, and stop eating when I am satisfied, but not full. On some days this means 3 full meals only. Other days it means 3 main meals (but small) and snacks between each. Although, most nutritionists will recommend that you be consistent.

I personally feel you need to get over the mental part before you can really get to be consistent enough not to psych yourself out.

Oh, also to add...I generally eat more protein and fiber type snacks, allowing me to not be as hungry as often...as opposed to sugars and carbs.

^^^ this^^^

tinacrane

I am at 1200 calories also and do look forward to my next meal as well. I usually do a light breakfast, 2 larger meals and save at least 150 calories for an evening snack. I find that I really need my larger lunch and dinner . Sometimes lunch may be 300-400 calories, leaving around 400-500 for the evening meal. Seems to work best for me-grazing never fills me up and I fear I may overgraze.

SPheonix22

Try to make sure you eat things that will stabilize your blood sugar and for protein to fill you up. Try a piece of whole grain bread with peanut butter.

lunula76

You sound like me. I haven't figured out a complete fix yet but I can tell you some things that have helped a lot.

One - I have worked hard to get more into my breakfast and lunches. Daytime is when you need more energy so give it to yourself! Don't waste your calories on stuff that won't fuel you. Protein is for breakfast and lunch! Beans at lunch time will help you feel satiated longer. I am also doing 1200 a day and I typically leave room for a 3-400 calories dinner (more if exercise allows).

2- Plan snacks ahead! I find on days when I don't have a snack to fit any mood (ie sweet, crunchy, salt, etc) then I go hunting for stuff I shouldn't be eating. I convince myself that I need something else. If I can allow myself a little chocolate or a few chips when I am craving them then I am not as likely to spend the day fantasizing about peanut butter cup ice cream.

3- Once you are able to exercise - Aerobic activity takes my hunger away bigtime. If there are peckish times of day for me (3-7) I know that I should be exercising then so that I will not want to eat.

4- Explore your produce aisle. There are lots of great foods we rarely think of as snack items but are really low in calories and very satisfying. Kohlrabi or turnips are crunchy and refreshing. Quick brined celery and carrots are ridiculously tasty. Things like sauerkraut and pickles are satisfying and also not a flavor that leaves you wanting other flavors too.

5- water water water. I never really believed folks who said sometimes what you think is hunger is really thirst but I have noticed I almost never lose control of my calories on days when I am very well hydrated. I aim for 10 c of water a day.

I hope this helps

cramernh

I dont always think food, Im CONSTANTLY thinking about food because I work as a chef for a living! ROFLMAO! I do know though that planning my next meal is so important because I know if I dont eat enough prior to getting to work, Im going to start getting the shakes, the dizzy spells, and thankfully I have management backing me up if I need to sit down with a few slices of cucumbers or something to hold me over until my meal break.

I think how we view food and how much it is actually part of our lives is actually mind-blowing really. We celebrate with it, share it with family and friends, when we mourn the death of someone, when we drink, when we are bored... you name it, its there!

But, I think we tend to forget that food does not rule us. Its a matter of realizing that we do need food no matter what, but food does not have the final say...we do...

marycmeadows

I think about what to eat often - but it's mostly because I'm trying to figure out what kind of exciting healthy stuff I can come up with..... 1200 calories (though that's what this site seems to put most people on) is not really enough I don't think. You should figure out what your bmr is and go from there.

Acg67

Hey everyone!

So I've typically been a grazer for much of my life, which is perhaps what got me here in the first place. Unless I was structured (like in high school and whatever), I never ate lunch..but rather would just snack whenever I was hungry or throughout the day. In losing weight, I've kept this attitude, as I heard it's better for your metabolism to eat small and frequent meals. However, I cannot stop thinking about food. I'm always thinking about when I can eat next and looking at the clock saying "I can't eat until this time, etc", even if I feel hungry. I purposely limit my planned meals to pretty low calorie so I have room for all the snacking I'll evidently do. I'm on a 1,200 calorie limit right now--no exercise cals at the moment because i've been very sick, but will eat most of them back when I do. I typically eat about 250 for breakfast, and then about 250 for lunch. I try to only eat 500-600 from the time I get up (7:30) til when I eat dinner, which is typically 4:30-5 pm. I then try to have a good 300-400 calorie dinner, and then save 200 for the snacking I'll end up doing later in the night. But, during this time, I constantly think about food! I'm constantly checking my diary and seeing if I have room to eat more. It's gotten to the point where I just see oh I have cals left over? yay, I get to eat. Or no I don't, I can't eat. I always always think about if/when I can eat.

That's why I'm wondering if any of you have tried only eating 3 bigger meals a day? Should I try to do an even 400 calorie breakfast lunch and dinner? I feel like maybe if I eat satisfying meals, I may be less apt to think about food. But I'm scared I'll do that AND keep snacking! Does anyone have any experience in this? Do you think this may work?

first eating more frequently does not boost offer a metabolic advantage over less frequent eating

and i typically eat 1 large meal a day and 2 smallish meals, works perfectly fine for me

bbabs99

As Acg67 said, there are no proven metabolic benefits to eating more frequently, so don't feel like you need to eat every couple of hours because of it. Second, grazing doesn't work for some people, and maybe that's what contributed to your weight gain. If you were never full and continuously overate when you were gaining, it might just not be a style that satiates you.

It doesn't work for me either. I eat my breakfast/lunch to fuel my workouts and replenish, and have a snack in between post-workout and dinner and then dinner. They're essentially four reasonably sized (anywhere from 300-600) meals a day, with a night time snack if I'm hungry. Obviously, I eat more than you (I'm 6 1, 215 18yr old male), but you should mess around with different schedules until you find one that clicks.

honu18

It depends on what kinds of foods you're eating. You're diary is closed, so we can't see what kinds of calories. The advice you get will be better with the more information we have to help you.

I can open it, although what's on there recently is not representative, because I've been home sick with mono. I do make my meals in the day basically consist of protein/fiber, and eat a protein/fiber packed breakfast (Kashi Go lean original!). I typically eat like Luna bars, fruit, or chobani for my lunch, and then salad and some sort of protein (grilled chicken, veggie burger, something) for dinner, if that helps.

honu18

i think for one, you may not be eating enough for YOU. everyone is different. and you may need more. also, if you are eating a lot of refined carbs, you will be craving more....which obviously makes you more hungry. Eat whole foods, lots of veggies and drink A LOT of water to help curb the cravings.

you also need to decipher if this is just mental. is it that HABIT? or are you HUNGRY? if you are hungry and you have already eaten all your calories for the day, then have a protein shake, veggies, or just a cup of skim milk. that always helps me. but my net is 1600 cals a day.

maybe you are just obsessing.....at first, I was very obsessive myself. break the habits and see where you stand.

Not eating refined carbs: i eat a lot of protein/fiber as well as fresh fruits and veggies, when I can. And I drink on average, likely about 2.5-3 liters of water a day. I feel like I shouldn't always be this hungry--but I feel like I am! I almost never feel full. The only time I did was on my birthday, because I just ate anything and everything because I never get to do that. But literally, I don't think I've felt fully satiated/full/satisfied very often in a period of like 4 months! I thought it would go away over time, but it hasn't. Maybe I'm just not eating enough. I did up my caloric intake last week when I was sick--and ate more, but it seemed like it just ramped up my appetite and because I could eat more, I wanted to eat more.

msterlitz

When we eat food in small amounts every three hours the metabolism is stimulated (your burning calories!) so in the long run you WILL lose weight. When we don't eat past four hours, the body reaches starvation mode; this is when your body thinks no more calories are available so it hangs on to every fatty tissue you have to use it for energy afterwords.

So eat a small meal every three hours and AVOID starvation mode because this SLOWS THE METABOLISM AND HALTS fat loss. When I say "Small Meal" I mean enough food to make you not feel hungry anymore...do not get to the feeling of fullness...just satisfaction as in no more hunger.

With that being said, the answer can only be found within each individual. The truth is, the more times a day you sit down to eat a meal or snack, the more opportunities you have to overeat; this can be a serious problem for some people. If you are someone who has a difficult time eating a small amount at a meal or snack (you have a hard time stopping once you get started), then it's quite possible that, for you, eating five or six times a day isn't the best way to go.

nolachick

Hey everyone!

So I've typically been a grazer for much of my life, which is perhaps what got me here in the first place. Unless I was structured (like in high school and whatever), I never ate lunch..but rather would just snack whenever I was hungry or throughout the day. In losing weight, I've kept this attitude, as I heard it's better for your metabolism to eat small and frequent meals. However, I cannot stop thinking about food. I'm always thinking about when I can eat next and looking at the clock saying "I can't eat until this time, etc", even if I feel hungry. I purposely limit my planned meals to pretty low calorie so I have room for all the snacking I'll evidently do. I'm on a 1,200 calorie limit right now--no exercise cals at the moment because i've been very sick, but will eat most of them back when I do. I typically eat about 250 for breakfast, and then about 250 for lunch. I try to only eat 500-600 from the time I get up (7:30) til when I eat dinner, which is typically 4:30-5 pm. I then try to have a good 300-400 calorie dinner, and then save 200 for the snacking I'll end up doing later in the night. But, during this time, I constantly think about food! I'm constantly checking my diary and seeing if I have room to eat more. It's gotten to the point where I just see oh I have cals left over? yay, I get to eat. Or no I don't, I can't eat. I always always think about if/when I can eat.

That's why I'm wondering if any of you have tried only eating 3 bigger meals a day? Should I try to do an even 400 calorie breakfast lunch and dinner? I feel like maybe if I eat satisfying meals, I may be less apt to think about food. But I'm scared I'll do that AND keep snacking! Does anyone have any experience in this? Do you think this may work?

I know exactly what you mean and I HATE this! this is the reason sometimes i have to take MFP breaks because I get obsessed and end up eating more and get on a plateau. soon as i stop logging and let my mind at ease i'll lose weight on my own and not have to worry. this time i stayed away a little too long and the lbs are creeping back (yikes!)

i have no advice except i know exactly how u feel and u can PM me if u ever wanna chat.

gp79

As you mentioned, I have always been a grazer. For a year straight I changed the frequency and size of my meals (5-6 per day) and, like you, I always thought about food and it eventually led to me caving in and snacking between such frequent meals. I was turned on to Intermittent Fasting where the fast is 16 hours, followed by 8 hours of feeding. After being on this for over two weeks, I'm not hungry while in the fasted state and I'm almost always full in the fed state.

Within the 8 hour window I consume 3 meals. You choose what works best for you in those 8 hours. Personally, I start at 12pm and my last meal is at 8pm. You can look at it like I'm skipping breakfast, but I'm getting to eat big meals and one meal is late in the evening. Going to bed full is great and this time of the day was one of my biggest challenges when I would eat 5-6 times per day. The late night snacking. I simply don't have the urge to do that since I'm eating at 8 and i'm full when finished.

My first meal is 50% of my daily calories
My 2nd and 3rd are approximately 25% of my daily calories. You can adjust as it fits into your schedule.

I would just suggest that the diet you consume be balanced. Roughly 1g protein per lb of body weight, .4 g of fat per lb of body weight and the rest complex carbohydrates.

I first read about this (IF 16/8) on Martin Berkhan's Website www.leangains.com

Painten

I think the thinking about food is a mental thing.

I eat 3 meals a day though not all the same size, breakfast is a lot smaller than the other 2. I find i'm less hungry in a morning though anyway. I think about food all the time, unless i am too busy which is very rare i'm too busy to think about food. It's something i've just learned to live with. I know that i can't eat every time i think about food or i'll never lose weight and will just continue to gain.

nolachick

this food thinking is definately getting to me. i had gone without breakfast for a while and at lunch i wasnt so hungry but i'd eat anyway. now i'm having breakfast at 8am and starving by 11am. luckily i'm eating low cal stuff hoping this works.

to the fasting/eating diet, that sounds crazy but hey if it works for u go for it, u've obvioulsy lost a lot of weight. for me i'd think it wud n't work tho.