Getting a handle on my hunger :D

nikkitodhunter

OK I'll keep this brief, I'm generally a grazer when it comes to eating.

I used to get hungry basically on cue - I'd eat breakfast when I got up at 7-8am, be hungry at 10\11ish, sometimes hold on til lunch at 12 but usually gave in and had a small snack. Then lunch at 12-1ish, hungry again for a snack at 3, hungry again at 6. I had to be in bed by ten or else I'd need a snack then too!!

I realise people say this is a good way to eat, but for me, it was frustrating and led to me eating more calories (I'm on a 1300 goal at the moment.) Especially as I don't control what time we have dinner, so if dinner wasn't ready by 6 - sometimes not til 8 - I'd get annoyed and frustrated because it forced me to snack or feel literally faint with hunger.

HOWEVER. A few days ago, I decided 'screw it, I'm having a bigger lunch than usual.' I had my lunch....then...lo and behold was just comfortably hungry by 6:15 and ready for dinner, not fidgety and lightheaded due to starving!

Since then, I've had my usual breakfast, then a biggish lunch - usually around 400-500 cals - and not needed a snack before dinner. If I do feel the stirrings of hunger around 3, I go for a run and that fixes everything!

I now find it really easy to go the whole day on 3 meals, haven't snacked in days, and have ended several days with about 150 cals to spare at the end of the day which I've had to make an effort to make up!

People say to eat til you feel 80% full then stop....but when I used to do this for lunch, I was hungry not 2 and a half hours later. Now, when I finish my lunch fee;ling FULL (not stuffeedd, just contentedly full, wouldn't want another bite) I don't need a snack a few hours later.

I'm not saying grazing is a bad thing, and if this stops working for me I'll try something else. But it's so great to not dread the clock rolling round to 3pm because I'll have to seek out some piddly snack that'll barely satisfy me til dinner and make me short on cals!
(and before people ask, I was eating well for all my meals and snacks, plenty of protein and fibre)

Yesterday I had toast and peanut butter for breakfast, pasta, courgette, mange tout and chicken breast with tomato sauce for lunch (small serving of pasta, plenty of the rest ) and a fish and chip dinner! And I still came in bang on my calorie goal. Hurrah!

nxd10

Congratulations!

I wind up eating a big breakfast, good size lunch, and light dinner. If I don't eat enough early I do like you do - graze all day and overeat at dinner.

So much to learn about ourselves!