Working at the Office

BFlowers2

For those of you who work in an office (or don't but find yourself in similar situations), how do you eat lunch? Do you eat your lunch all at once, or do you space it out over the course of the afternoon to help with some of those afternoon cravings?

I tend to be a bored eater, and on a slow day...especially like today as my bosses have never came in...I find I want to just eat, or that I am more hungry than I really should be. What do you do?

xxthoroughbred

Breakfast at 6:30 am
Snack at 10 am
Lunch around 11 am - 12 pm
Maybe a small snack at 3 pm
Dinner around 6 pm

Water all throughout the day. When I eat, I make sure I'm hungry and not just bored. I usually only bring enough food for the day so I'm not snacking unncessarily.

Ajasper83

I am fortunate enough I can drive home for lunch (provided I'm not too busy) and I eat my full lunch there, or bring it to work with me. I generally bring a snack so around 2:30-3-ish I am not hungry. I work out after work so the snack is important so I am not on an empty stomach. I am a bored eater as well so I make sure if I am going to zone out and eat, it is stuff like carrots or other fruits/veggies.

ggcat

Breakfast at 6:30 am
Snack at 10 am
Lunch around 11 am - 12 pm
Maybe a small snack at 3 pm
Dinner around 6 pm

Water all throughout the day. When I eat, I make sure I'm hungry and not just bored. I usually only bring enough food for the day so I'm not snacking unncessarily.

Me too for the most part! I also have another snack later in the evening. I eat 6 small meals throughout the entire day!

Clumz27

Breakfast at 6:30 am
Snack at 10 am
Lunch around 11 am - 12 pm
Maybe a small snack at 3 pm
Dinner around 6 pm

Water all throughout the day. When I eat, I make sure I'm hungry and not just bored. I usually only bring enough food for the day so I'm not snacking unncessarily.

Me too for the most part! I also have another snack later in the evening. I eat 6 small meals throughout the entire day!

This is what I do too

Phatgirl420

I usually eat breakfast at 8:30, have a mid morning snack around 10:30-11, eat lunch at 12:30, mid afternoon snack around 2:30, dinner around 6, then a small evening snack around 8 or so

spangey13

I eat because I'm bored. But I know that - so I snack on fruit. Otherwise I make little parcles of 100 calorie - ish snacks and keep them in my drawer. I only bring to work my allowance for the day, otherwise I will go over.

Before I started MFP I used to eat stuff like cookies, chocolate, lollies and muffins for snacks!!!

So to answer your question, I eat a full on breakfast. Snack on fruit, a light ish lunch and I try and get enough protien in there to last me until dinner... and I usually slip an apple or something similar in there for 3.30pm munchies.

slackerwoman

I am not good at managing it. I usually just eat how I feel and I'm a bored eater too. There are days when I'm busy that I dont need a snack. And other days that I want to eat all day.

BFlowers2

Thanks, I like seeing what other people do.

I tend to eat breakfast early, because I have to leave my house for 6 am to be at work on time. So I like eating a hearty breakfast. And lunch I usually try to space out. I have tried snacks in between, but I find when I sit and eat them..I tend to eat everything I brought for the day :-X Not sure how to stop that!

I think my big issue is probably not drinking as much water as I should.

I like hearing what others do!

I wish I could go home for lunch, but if I step outside it is probably going to be one of the many delicious but not so healthy food stops New Orleans has to offer :X

BFlowers2

I am not good at managing it. I usually just eat how I feel and I'm a bored eater too. There are days when I'm busy that I dont need a snack. And other days that I want to eat all day.

I am exactly like this!

coledogs

I have to leave at 6am to be at the office as well. I used to eat before i left for work but i eliminated this habit and had breakfast at the office at 8am. At first it was hard as i was very hungry but i would have a coffee in the car on the way to work, after a while i replaced this with water. Snack at 10:30am then a 20min walk before lunch which is between 12-1pm snack at 3pm and then train after work with dinner after that.

BFlowers2

I have to leave at 6am to be at the office as well. I used to eat before i left for work but i eliminated this habit and had breakfast at the office at 8am. At first it was hard as i was very hungry but i would have a coffee in the car on the way to work, after a while i replaced this with water. Snack at 10:30am then a 20min walk before lunch which is between 12-1pm snack at 3pm and then train after work with dinner after that.

What kind of breakfast would you have? Would you prepare it, bring it with you and heat up if needed when you got to work? I might need to start doing this, especially if it helps! If I eat early like this morning, I find myself hungrier earlier in the day

Wol5894

Hubby is retired, so I am the one at work whilst he is at home. I usually cycle to and from work but he comes to meet me at lunchtime and we either go home for lunch (by car, as it would take too long to walk both ways and still get lunch) or sometimes, if the weather is nice, he'll drop by to Subway and get a couple of salads and we'll walk to somewhere nice and have lunch together. Obviously it helps if you have some nice spots to go and eat (which I am lucky enough to have).

I have a small range of snacks at work which are all around the 100 calorie mark BUT I get a colleague of mine to lock the majority of them away and I only have one or, at most, two of these in a day. Otherwise, my day works out like this:

Breakfast - 8am
Snack & coffee - 11am(ish)
Lunch - 1pm - 2pm
Snack & tea - 4pm

Cycle home, usually the "long" way - about 3 miles, most of which is uphill

Dinner - 7pm

Try to recruit a particular friend at work to keep an eye on you - it works but can fall down when that friend is on holiday, so have someone else in reserve if you can.

I've got a lot to lose (like 140 lbs), so every little helps.

alpine1994

I bring breakfast and lunch to work with me every day. I bring about 700-800 cals worth of food (so I have 600-700 remaining for dinner/dessert when I get home).

Breakfast - 8:30 (low sugar oatmeal packet or Luna bar)
Morning Snack - 10:30 (banana or almonds)
Lunch - noon (different every day but usually around 350 cals)
Snack 1 - 2pm (apple)
Snack 2 - 4pm (greek yogurt)

I work out as soon as I get home (6 or 6:30ish) and then eat dinner after. It works out.

tatev94

I"m similar to most people who have posted so far. I space my food out every 3-4 hours so my blood sugar doesn't crash.

JohnMessmer

I eat lunch at lunchtime, but I try to include grapes in my lunch and I eat them after lunch, just one or two here and there until my 1 cup is all gone, which is usually only an hour or so from the end of my day.

Lunarokra

Breakfast at 6:30 am
Snack at 10 am
Lunch around 11 am - 12 pm
Maybe a small snack at 3 pm
Dinner around 6 pm

Water all throughout the day. When I eat, I make sure I'm hungry and not just bored. I usually only bring enough food for the day so I'm not snacking unncessarily.

I also follow something similar except my breakfast is at 8am.

Shelbert79

Breakfast at 6:30 am
Snack at 10 am
Lunch around 11 am - 12 pm
Maybe a small snack at 3 pm
Dinner around 6 pm

Water all throughout the day. When I eat, I make sure I'm hungry and not just bored. I usually only bring enough food for the day so I'm not snacking unncessarily.

^^^ This almost to the "t" except I eat my breakfast at 7:30 when I get to work. I drink lots and lots of water (even though I forget to log it). Sometimes I chew gum so I won't be tempted to snack because of boredom. I do have my days when it feels like I snack all day though.

sweetalker

I wish I could go home for lunch, but if I step outside it is probably going to be one of the many delicious but not so healthy food stops New Orleans has to offer :X

Oh lawd. If I lived in New Orleans I would weigh 500kg. Not kidding.

RunIntheMud

I leave the house at 6:30, drinking my coffee on the way.....get to the office and keep myself as busy for the morning (and drink another coffee). I don't usually eat breakfast, just not hungry that early in the morning. I have cereal bars or granola bars at my desk for a midmorning snack (9:30/10). Lunch is around 11:30/12:00 and usually large. If not, I pick up a little extra snack in the cafeteria for later in the day (string cheese, bag of chips, etc). If I have a snack, it's usually around 3:00. Dinner is around 6:30. And, as the others said, lots of water through the day.

krickeyuu

Wake up 5:00am drink (1) 16.9 ounce bottle of water
Breakfast at 7:30 Protein and carb--300 calories, includes coffee with creamer
Morning snack around 9:30 usually a piece of fruit or some nuts or a granola bar-60-150 calories,
Lunch around 11:30 or 12:00 usually a protein, starch and veggie ( basically eat dinner for lunch)-400-600 calories
Mid day snack around 1:30 maybe another pieice of fruit, some raw veggies like carrots, maybe some popcorn, fat free yogurt or piece of cheese--60 - 150 calories
I drink water all day--I keep (3) full 16.9 ounce and drink those by the end of the day

I always have enough healthy snacks around so that I am not tempted to go get chips, candy etc. from the store across the street.

cowgirlup327

I work an 8-hr day at an office but don't really get a lunch break. I have time to eat, but not a set 30 minutes or hour to leave the office or do whatever I want, which means I'm eating at my desk, usually while I continue to do a little work. My hours are 10-6, so I've usually had breakfast at home before coming to work; if not, I'll have something as soon as I get to the office when I have my coffee. Sometimes I'll have some extra fruit or granola bar or something similar in the morning before lunch. Whatever time I start feeling really hungry is when I eat the main part of my lunch, and then I usually leave a snack (lately an apple or apple slices with peanut butter, since I just went apple picking), for later in the afternoon. I go to the gym after work on certain days of the week, so those days I'll bring a little extra to have at work so I don't need to eat a snack right before the gym. I pack my lunch every day, so what I bring is all that I'm able to eat. I have a 27 ounce Kleen Kanteen that I fill with water and drink a full one of those every day as well, which helps if my stomach is feeling a little empty. If I feel like snacking and know I'm not hungry, I'll chew some sugarless gum.

ClementineGeorg

Breakfast part one around 7 a.m., at home (ussually some low fat yogurt, or milk with oats or other cereal, something around 100-150 calories)
Breakfast part two around 9 a.m., at work (I make around 1 hour up to work, even if I get a big breakfast I am hungry as hell when I arive work or 1 hour after - the rest of my calories in many forms)

Fruit snack at 11-11:30 a.m. (ussually an apple, a pear... sometimes I am wild and just bring strawberries or grapes )

Lunch around 13 p.m. If I go to university that day, I don't go lunch and I pack some sandwiches (I try to load them with veggies, if not I bring separatly carrots). If I don't go I take my lunch hour break and go to caffeterias around workplace with workmates; I am lucky because they have `homemade` food, nothing fast-food so I can get a salad, grilled chicken or legumes stew or fish, etc. At work we may choose if we want to take our extra lunch hour or not. When I am not bussy I preffer to take; a little extra exercise to get there and some relaxation.

Snack at 5 p.m. Mostly seeds, nuts and/or rice cakes. No more than 100-150 calories if I arrive home already. If I stay late at university that day I may up until 300 calories.

Dinner at... something later than 7 p.m. When I arrive home I eat. When I arrive after 10 p.m. I'll only have a salad or something low calorie (the second snack consumes from my dinner), but I will eat my remaining calories.


I usually prepare my meals so mostly only lunch is a `surprize` if I eat out, but over time I have learned to approximate the calories for that also so I don't eat more than planned.

VelociMama

I eat at my desk, and it usually takes me about an hour or so. I work from home and in an office. I eat the same way both places.

Graceious1

I eat three main meals and three snacks. That has helped me to control my eating. I tend to have my snacks at my desk or in meetings. I sometimes graze like a cow. Either way my metabolism has shot up.

MrsPong

I pre-log breakfast, lunch, AM/PM snack and a nighttime one. Then I know how much I can eat....and what I can not.
7:30AM-10AM- Breakfast, time is different some days/weeks because sometimes Im hungry othertimes I'm not.
Noon-1PM Lunch
2PM-4PM Snack. I've been eating half a tortilla with turkey. Gives me some carbs and some protein.
6PM- Dinner.
8PM-Snack

I know I'm always hungry in the afternoon, so I let myself have a snack. Sometimes I'm hungry all day...so little snacks here and there.

Today was slow so I wanted to eat, but I have everything logged and I had no room to eat more than the one snack I have for the afternoon...So I didn't.

Graceious1

I tend to eat everything I brought for the day :-X Not sure how to stop that!

I put mine either in a drawer or another room. Today I bought an apple to have as an afternoon snack then put it in my desk drawer, the afternoon went by and it is still in my drawer waiting for me to eat it tomorrow. On the water thing, I bought a drinking bottle, you know the one you take when you go running, which says "Kissing goodbye to my cellulite", and that as well as being on here spurs me on to drink more water than I ever have before.

kfitzpa

My shift is 11am-7pm and my eating schedule is usually along the lines of this:

Breakfast at 9:30
BIG lunch around 1:30 (Usually holds me over until around 5/6)
Small snack around 5/6
Then I'll usually go to the gym and/or tanning (I know, I know) and when I get home have dinner around 8:30

roslynns

I have a drawer full of snacks my biggest problem but yesterday i started bringing only my breakfast n lunch.. once i eat all i have in my drawer now i wont be buying anymore unless there 100 calories or less.. I try to give most of them away when my coworkers come in and ask do i have anything sweet :embarassed: I guess they know BIG girl gone always have snacks..

stuffinmuffin

I'm a bit of a three meals a day kinda gal and no snacking and find that having good calorific meals keep me satiated until the next one. However I understand the boredom thing and here's some thoughts...

Chew gum
Find nice low cal drinks to enjoy
Find a task that interests you.
If desperate snack on fruit and veg. : )

carolacep

Breakfast at 6:30 am
Snack at 10 am
Lunch around 11 am - 12 pm
Maybe a small snack at 3 pm
Dinner around 6 pm

Water all throughout the day. When I eat, I make sure I'm hungry and not just bored. I usually only bring enough food for the day so I'm not snacking unncessarily.

mine is basically the same. and each meal is small portioned. the annoying thing is drinking water throughout the whole day and having to use the bathroom like a million times.. lol! BUT i did notice that if i drink water throughout the day i am less hungry.