Dilemma - when to eat?

KansasCowgirl

Okay, my husband and I are having a difference of opinions, and I need some help!

He has been taught by personal trainers and nutritionists that you should eat 3 small meals per day and 2 high protein snacks.

This program has not been working for me (don't judge by my diary, I'm very lax lately). I prefer to eat only when I'm hungry, and that is typically skipping breakfast. I am not a morning person as it is. I really dislike breakfast. I usually do not get hungry until lunch. Then I may have a snack, then a light dinner. Oftentimes, I am not hungry at dinner - but I have been eating it anyways. I constantly feel full/heavy/bloated. I feel my very best when I wake up in the mornings with an empty stomach.

Am I harming myself? I have done nothing but gain weight eating on husband's plan, and I find myself eating a lot of crap lately. Like "I have to eat something, the rules say so, this is handy - let's eat it." Whereas if I eat only when I'm hungry I make better choices because it's actually something I want to eat, not just doing it out of necessity.

TR0berts

You are correct. Eat when you're hungry - don't eat, if you're not.

Of course, the caveat to that is to make sure you eat enough - but there is no reason to eat at any specific time or any specific number of feedings, provided you get the proper nutrients and are able to maintain physical and mental health.

SnicciFit

Always, always, always listen to your body. This is especially true if you're not eating a lot of sugar-laden junk food (which can sometimes confuse your natural hunger signals). If eating often doesn't make you feel right, don't do it. But also, don't be surprised if you change WHAT you're eating and suddenly you are hungry for breakfast most days.

PrettyandPolished

Eat when you are hungry but in order to start your day off right and keep your metabolism up I would recommend at least chomping on some fruits in the morning. I am not a breakfast person AT ALL but I have helped myself by eating small and nutritious in the AM. I usually go for an apple along with a nutra grain bar or a smoothie. And I usually go for the apple right away and the nutra grain bar on my way out of the house. I work out in the morning and by the time I am done I am usually ready for another small snack or on my big work out days its almost time for lunch.

The same thing won't work for everyone and you shouldn't stress yourself out about a plan that doesn't work for you. Test some things out week by week until you get it figured out. Weight loss is not an over night thing. It takes a very long time to figure out how to do things right by your body and lifestyle.

Good luck!

SnicciFit

The same thing won't work for everyone and you shouldn't stress yourself out about a plan that doesn't work for you. Test some things out week by week until you get it figured out. Weight loss is not an over night thing. It takes a very long time to figure out how to do things right by your body and lifestyle.

Good luck!

^^this! Just stressing about it can stall your weightloss.

bookwormk

My husband does not eat breakfast. At all. There is a small population who simply prefer not to eat breakfast because that's what works for them For the majority of us, a healthy breakfast is the key to starting the day off right and making better choices all day. So what you need to do is figure out where you fit and do that, which it sounds like you are. Just remember if there was a perfect combination of food and meal plans where everyone could lose weight, no one would need to lose weight. If you're still losing weight and not hungry, then you're doing it right for you.

LoraF83

Eat when you are hungry but in order to start your day off right and keep your metabolism up I would recommend at least chomping on some fruits in the morning. I am not a breakfast person AT ALL but I have helped myself by eating small and nutritious in the AM. I usually go for an apple along with a nutra grain bar or a smoothie. And I usually go for the apple right away and the nutra grain bar on my way out of the house. I work out in the morning and by the time I am done I am usually ready for another small snack or on my big work out days its almost time for lunch.

The same thing won't work for everyone and you shouldn't stress yourself out about a plan that doesn't work for you. Test some things out week by week until you get it figured out. Weight loss is not an over night thing. It takes a very long time to figure out how to do things right by your body and lifestyle.

Good luck!

You don't have to eat breakfast. It doesn't "keep your metabolism up" or start your day off right. If you're not hungry, don't eat. I have many friends on here that do intermittent fasting and don't break their fast until after noon. Their metabolisms are working just fine.

I eat breakfast, but I wait till after I get to work. It works for me. Do what works for you. Meal timing is personal preference only.

Acg67

Okay, my husband and I are having a difference of opinions, and I need some help!

He has been taught by personal trainers and nutritionists that you should eat 3 small meals per day and 2 high protein snacks.

This program has not been working for me (don't judge by my diary, I'm very lax lately). I prefer to eat only when I'm hungry, and that is typically skipping breakfast. I am not a morning person as it is. I really dislike breakfast. I usually do not get hungry until lunch. Then I may have a snack, then a light dinner. Oftentimes, I am not hungry at dinner - but I have been eating it anyways. I constantly feel full/heavy/bloated. I feel my very best when I wake up in the mornings with an empty stomach.

Am I harming myself? I have done nothing but gain weight eating on husband's plan, and I find myself eating a lot of crap lately. Like "I have to eat something, the rules say so, this is handy - let's eat it." Whereas if I eat only when I'm hungry I make better choices because it's actually something I want to eat, not just doing it out of necessity.

Meal frequency is personal preference, if you're undereating by going with the only when you're hungry route, then I'd possibly look into changing things up

Nikiki

I'm going to disagree slightly, we train our bodies to eat at certain times of the day and certain quantities, and our bodies adapt to that. When I was crash dieting at 18 I ate a yogurt for breakfast and a cup of soup for lunch and dinner, barely 500 calories a day and I didn't feel hungry at all! Conversely when I wasn't eating right and average 3000+ calories a day I felt hungry all the time because that's what my body was used to.

My husband was eating like you for years and couldn't lose weight at all, he's still not a fan of breakfast but he make himself have something small and then has a snack on the drive to work and has been losing consistently for the last year.

LoraF83

I'm going to disagree slightly, we train our bodies to eat at certain times of the day and certain quantities, and our bodies adapt to that. When I was crash dieting at 18 I ate a yogurt for breakfast and a cup of soup for lunch and dinner, barely 500 calories a day and I didn't feel hungry at all! Conversely when I wasn't eating right and average 3000+ calories a day I felt hungry all the time because that's what my body was used to.

My husband was eating like you for years and couldn't lose weight at all, he's still not a fan of breakfast but he make himself have something small and then has a snack on the drive to work and has been losing consistently for the last year.

Was your husband counting calories all that time that he couldn't lose weight? Is he now?

If not, are you saying that the addition of breakfast has literally been the only change he made to start losing weight?

KenosFeoh

I gained weight by eating "only when I was hungry". My first meal of the day was generally about 11 AM, and from then until I crawled into bed stuffed to the max it was like I'd tied on the feedbag. Turns out I don't know jack about "hungry". It feels the same to me as "I feel like eating something." So I established a regular meal schedule, including a morning meal, so that I could learn to eat appropriately rather than aimlessly. It keeps me from wandering around the kitchen having a bit of this and a tad of that all afternoon long. If it's not mealtime, I force myself out of the kitchen (most of the time).

So I think your husband has a point, but like everything else - your personal mileage may vary.

annepage

Agreed. Only eat when you're hungry and don't force feed yourself. Force feeding/eating past being full = weight gain.

Acg67

Agreed. Only eat when you're hungry and don't force feed yourself. Force feeding/eating past being full = weight gain.

What if you're always hungry, just stay fat?

HanaGee

I believe that our bodies need fuelling in the mornings. food is fuel and we need the energy to get through the day. i believe that if you skip meals, your body starts to store fat because it doesnt know when its gonna be re-fuelled again. i never used to eat breakfast and when i joined weight watchers i did lose weight but ever since i started having breakfast i feel better, more alert, and my metabolism has changed a lot. definately suggest a healthy breakfast to start off your day.

bcattoes

Unless you've been advised by a doctor to do otherwise, eat whenever make you happy and keeps you on track.

Acg67

I believe that our bodies need fuelling in the mornings. food is fuel and we need the energy to get through the day. i believe that if you skip meals, your body starts to store fat because it doesnt know when its gonna be re-fuelled again. i never used to eat breakfast and when i joined weight watchers i did lose weight but ever since i started having breakfast i feel better, more alert, and my metabolism has changed a lot. definately suggest a healthy breakfast to start off your day.

Do have of those beliefs have actual data to support them?

sijomial

Following your husband's routine doesn't work for you - so change!

Work out what you want to eat over the course of the day and then eat it whenever it suits you.
It really is no more complicated than that.

KansasCowgirl

Thanks everyone! I am going to start eating on MY schedule and see if anything changes with the scales or the way my clothes fit. I will just have to keep myself in check to make sure I'm truly hungry and not just bored.

EmiBun

While I agree is it correct to listen to your body you should always eat breakfast. Always, no exception.

Why not watermelon, cantaloup, toast, something light even and apple or a peach!
Glass of oj!
I dunno. but just to jumpstart your metabolism in the morning.
Bfast is super important.

Easy for me because I'm up @ 5 and I love breakfast

bcattoes

While I agree is it correct to listen to your body you should always eat breakfast. Always, no exception.

Why not watermelon, cantaloup, toast, something light even and apple or a peach!
Glass of oj!
I dunno. but just to jumpstart your metabolism in the morning.
Bfast is super important.

What do you think will happen if one doesn't "jumpstart" their metabolism (whatever that means) in the morning? Is eating the only way to jumpstart it?

Mustang_Susie

Another factor to consider is maintaing a healthy, steady blood sugar level so as not to have spikes and drops that mess with your pancreas, insulin production and hormone levels which all affect body weight.
Maintain a constant, healthy blood sugar level all day by eating complex carbohydrates, lean meats and "healthy" fats and you'll be doing your body a great favor in the long run. Not only with your weight but the rest of your body as well.