Stopping the morning snack?

arzac00
arzac00 Posts: 9 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I don't know how to get through the morning without my stomach really wanting more food. I have tried eating a bigger breakfast (which I eat at 5:30) to try and get me to 11:00 for lunch, but it does not seem to help.

Is there something in particular I should be eating to get me from breakfast to lunch without a snack? I have already had one snack at 9:15, but it is 10:45 and I have been watching the clock just waiting for it to be lunch time.
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Replies

  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
    I use to have this problem so I quit eating breakfast. I now eat lunch, an afternoon snack then dinner. Much happier and no more feeling starved and binging. Not saying it's the best option for you but it is an option. Before anyone says it will kill my metabolism. No it won't. Metabolism doesn't start to slow down and conserve energy until after 24 hours and up to 72 hours of NO food. :flowerforyou:
  • lessertess
    lessertess Posts: 855 Member
    What's wrong with having a snack? I normally plan a mid-morning and a mid-afternoon snack. I try to choose snack items that are high protien so they keep me full for longer. Additionally, if I allow myself to get too hungry then I completely lose control at lunch or dinner.

    You'll get a lot of opinions on skipping breakfast or not, eating many small meals or two/three large meals. It goes on forever and it's all just that, opinions. There's no real substantial evidence that any one way of eating is any better than any other. So just pick what works for you.
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  • Psychedelicately
    Psychedelicately Posts: 81 Member
    I think it's because you eat breakfast so early. I eat breakfast around 8 and then I eat lunch at 12:30. If I have a mid morning snack it's extremely low calorie.
  • florymonde
    florymonde Posts: 261 Member
    I have long days at work, so I pack a "lunch". But it has things like a cheese stick, a pepperoni stick, an apple, an orange, some cherry tomatoes, a small homemade muffin. I have no designated lunch hour, so I grab the food as I have time and as I'm hungry. Maybe you could do that? Even if you are at home, you can "pack" a lunch; a container in the fridge with the food designated for the day, and then eat it as you need it. (Oh, and, for me, protein in the morning makes a big difference. Cottage cheese is my go-to breakfast.)
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Why don't you eat part of your breakfast at 5:30 and part for a snack? That's a long time to go without food and I always am hungry in the morning.
  • Krissy366
    Krissy366 Posts: 458 Member
    I tend to eat more in the first half of my day than I do at dinner or in the evenings. Lots of snacks built in. It's what works for me. I think if you are finding yourself hungry you just need to build those snacks into your day. I usually go with a mid-morning piece of fruit or some string cheese or something, but it depends on what you're already eating for breakfast.
  • joeysox
    joeysox Posts: 195 Member
    if i am busy and have to be up really early i dont eat breakfast i plan regular small snacks until lunch instead x
  • DenyseMarieL
    DenyseMarieL Posts: 673 Member
    I'm a grazer. I like to spread my eating throughout the day so I don't get that 'hungry' feeling so much. I eat eggs in the morning, I find the protein really helps me stay fuller longer. I always figure that if I'm feeling THAT hungry, I must need a few extra calories.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    What's wrong with a snack? I was having a super hungry day. breakfast, snack. lunch all down the hatch and thinking it may be an early afternoon snack kind of day. I have my diary set up for 6 meals a day, I call 3 of them snacks, but there's rarely anything snacky about them.
  • BetterCrazyThanLazy
    BetterCrazyThanLazy Posts: 336
    What's wrong with having a snack?

    Snacking throws me over my daily calorie goal.

    I have the same problem. I get up at 4:15 to work so I eat breakfast very early after my work out.
    I have discovered pistachios! They are very low calorie and you can throw in 10-20 without breaking your calorie goal.
  • bet3120
    bet3120 Posts: 125
    What's wrong with having a snack? I normally plan a mid-morning and a mid-afternoon snack. I try to choose snack items that are high protien so they keep me full for longer. Additionally, if I allow myself to get too hungry then I completely lose control at lunch or dinner.

    You'll get a lot of opinions on skipping breakfast or not, eating many small meals or two/three large meals. It goes on forever and it's all just that, opinions. There's no real substantial evidence that any one way of eating is any better than any other. So just pick what works for you.

    Totally agree, i eat breakfast a 6:30 - 7:00 am my mid-morning snack at 10:00am usually a fruir or protein bar then my lunch is a 12 a lot of veggies with chicken or meat, my mid-afternoon snack is tea but when i'm going to workout then i eat protein bar, greek yogurt or nuts mix , i stil loss weight, but never skip anymeal is no healthy.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    Are you getting some protein at breakfast? And something with fibre? Those can keep you feeling full for longer.

    If it was me though, I would probably save some of my breakfast and have it mid-morning as a snack. That's kinda what I do between lunch and supper. I have something for a mid-afternoon snack that I would probably otherwise eat as part of my lunch. Really helps at that 'munchies' time.
  • LordBear
    LordBear Posts: 239 Member
    technically you should be snacking all day... well small meals and snacks any how...
  • Koldnomore
    Koldnomore Posts: 1,613 Member
    I used to eat breakfast before going to work (at 5:30 also) but I discovered that if I wait until I get to work and eat there I will be OK. I have overnight oats in the fridge ready to go with about 62g of protein. I eat around 7:30 and by the time I finish its usually around 9 (I eat really slow and have to work in between bites) Sometimes I have a snack (2 boiled eggs) before lunch but usually I just eat everything with lunch because I am just not hungry before that - or if I have the eggs I'll usually eat lunch later @2pm then dinner at about 6.
  • jiz35
    jiz35 Posts: 64 Member
    I don't think there is anything wrong with a morning snack as long as it is the "right" type of snack, one to help your blood sugar regulation so you dont end up binging on high sugar stuff later.
    Some of the snacks I have (nor every morning) include: 3 medium sized brazil nuts, fat free yoghurt, a ryvita with a light laughing cow cheese spread triangle, a few raisins, goji berries or cranberries, a rice or corn cracker with a smear or tahini paste.
  • arzac00
    arzac00 Posts: 9 Member
    I tried a more protein breakfast. I had two eggs, orange juice and whole grain rounds. I did eat at 5:30. Not much of a choice about the time. It is 8:45 and I feel like I need a snack. I guess I just need to plan for small snacks before breakfast. I brought a small apple today. So 50 cals there, I think. And I have some Speckial K crackher chips 110 there if I eat the whole portion. They just add up fast.

    I didn't have this much trouble the first 2 months and I had less calories to work with. I don't want to gain back what I lost, but I don't want to feel hungry all morning all the time.

    Thanks for the suggestions, everyone.
  • mizzie1980
    mizzie1980 Posts: 379 Member
    I'll echo what everyone else was saying, just plan for a snack. I do, today I have a banana. I also keep low fat yogurt and low fat string cheese in the fridge at work. Another easy option is some form of nut, almonds are very healthy and tasty, so you get some protein and healthy fat to keep you going. Measure out one serving into small ziplock bags so you can just grab them and go.
  • mallorycutting
    mallorycutting Posts: 18
    Make sure your breakfast includes a lot of high protein items along with fibre and healthy fats. All those things will make you feel full longer. Ensure you are drinking enough water as well. Thirst is often confused by the body as hunger.

    What do you normally have for your morning snack? Make sure it has protein and carbs... for example, apple and peanut butter.... cheese on healthy crackers.
  • chmiddleton
    chmiddleton Posts: 30 Member
    If I eat more protein at my breakfast, I stay full longer. I like to eat 2 boiled eggs, and a Yoplait light or some kind of greek yogurt. Even though I eat steel cut oats a lot and sometime cereal, I find that I stay fuller longer with the eggs and yogurt together.

    Plus, sometimes I think snacking can be a habit, and we "train" our stomachs to expect to be fed at a certain time. I have had to ignore my hunger sometimes to be able to get a handle on the snacks, and it helps me to reduce calories. Drink you some water when your tummy rumbles, and you know you just had a snack not long ago.
  • laural007
    laural007 Posts: 251 Member
    My best friend when I'm starving in-between meals, is water, and a lot of water.
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
    You have to listen to your body. If it needs food, fuel it properly. I brought strawberries for a snack before the Hurricane. This week I got apples.

    Do what works for you - if it's nuts, eat a small handful. If it's an energy bar or string cheese, fine.
  • kenazfehu
    kenazfehu Posts: 1,188 Member
    Eating between meals was a major problem for me; I never knew when to stop. So I can't do the snacking thing.

    I have 4 meals per day starting about 8 AM (even though sometimes I get up at 5 AM), 200-400 calories each. I expect to get hungry before meals, but I wait (on a good day) and drink water instead.
  • Katla49
    Katla49 Posts: 10,385 Member
    Count all calories. When I am needing a snack I've found two helpful choices. Ten raw almonds are only70 calories, so I measure out ten, and eat one or two as I need them. The other snack that works for me is herbal tea. I pick one without caffeine, or one with caffeine depending on how I feel. Tea is pretty much calorie free.
  • StacyJCrain
    StacyJCrain Posts: 63 Member
    I understand how you feel. I eat breakfast at 4:30 and lunch is uasually between 11 and 12 so snacking has become an impotant part of my morning.I work a job with no set break times so most of the time I have to work and eat the sime time so I try to bring fruit, premeasured cereal, fiber one bars and plan it into daily calories.. I just really started preplanning all meals and snack for the day it has helped tremendously. Best of luck to you.
  • bagge72
    bagge72 Posts: 1,377 Member
    Drink more water, and tea.
  • krnlcsf
    krnlcsf Posts: 310
    sounds like you're on a similar schedule as me... i'm up at 4:30, out the door at 5 for work. i noticed the same problem, that I would be so hungry all morning i'd end up having 2 snacks before lunch (11:00 or 11:30) and then feel like all my calories were pretty much used up.

    what i've done recently is tried have a much smaller breakfast, that way allowing my 2 snacks before lunch without completely devouring my calories by 11am. i don't usually wake up hungry, so i will eat ~100-200 cals at 5am on my drive to work (including coffee), and this has been working to keep me until about 8am when i'll eat another 100-200 cals... and then if necessary another 100-200 cals at 9:30 or 10am - but i don't always have 2 snacks.

    basically i end up with about 400-500 cals for dinner, when i used to be luck if i'd see 250... i don't feel as hungry through the day, and don't feel like salad is my only option for dinner. it has been working most of the time.

    and my other piece of advice, is to eat slowly. take time between bites... have a sip of water... listen to a full verse or chorus of a song before taking another bite... count to 5, whatever. this has helped me stay satiated for longer periods. don't know why, but it seems to help. :)
  • supermoo2
    supermoo2 Posts: 77
    There is nothing wrong with having a snack, especially when you have breakfast that early. Try to make it a healthy snack, eg a banana or an apple, so that it is healthy. That way you get some of the fruit you should have in the day and it won't be alot of calories.

    Also, sipping water during the morning will help to alleviate hunger.
  • gsager
    gsager Posts: 977 Member
    You need a snack.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    technically you should be snacking all day... well small meals and snacks any how...
    Why? This is one of those myths that really needs to go away...

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