What do you eat between breakfast and lunch?

hope1353
hope1353 Posts: 1
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Hi!

I started my first job 2 weeks ago. My life has changed from being an active student, to sitting all day, and waking up early, and fitting exercise into my schedule with my long commute.

I have to wake up at 6AM, eat breakfast around 7AM (2 eggs, and 2 toast). I find myself lightheaded at work by 11AM. It is too early for lunch, but a snack doesn't seem enough. Sometimes I end up eating my lunch at this time, but then get hungry again by 3:30-4PM. And then I feel lightheaded during my commute home. To avoid this, I end up eating chilli and bagel around that time. But then, I am not really hungry for dinner, and do not end up eating much (maybe 1/4 cup rice and some veggies)

My question is, what can you eat between breakfast and lunch that is more than a snack, but not unhealthy? I was thinking oatmeal? Anyone else have this issue of waking up early, and getting super hungry before lunch time? What do you do?
«134567…10

Replies

  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    eat whatever you want..just make sure you maintain a calorie deficit...
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
    I usually don't eat anything between breakfast and lunch.

    I'm mostly on the same schedule as you - breakfast at 7:00, lunch around 11:30. My breakfast is either oatmeal or a greek yogurt smoothie. Lunch is typically a hearty homemade soup, fruit, chips and guac and then some other side item between 150-200 calories - sometimes that's chocolate coconut water, sometimes it's a Luna bar, sometimes it's cookies.

    What are you typically eating for lunch? Maybe you need more food?

    I usually go all afternoon without snacking, get my workout in and then eat dinner around 6:30.

    By the end of the day, I've usually eaten about 2,200 calories.
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
    eat whatever you want..just make sure you maintain a calorie deficit...

    I thought this was the maintenance part of the forum? I typically try to avoid a calorie deficit to maintain.
  • Dreya711
    Dreya711 Posts: 79 Member
    Usually a Greek Yogurt or apple/orange/banana.
  • 1PatientBear
    1PatientBear Posts: 2,089 Member
    I eat breakfast around 6:30, lunch at 11:00 and dinner around 5:30 or 6:00. Eat when you're hungry. I also drink lots of water which helps me feel full. If you need a snack, almonds and Greek yogurt both work for me.
  • Maxibris
    Maxibris Posts: 61 Member
    I usually have some almonds and a fruit and maybe a bit of greek yogurt at around 10 am. I find the almonds pretty filling and I'm not hungry till lunch time. In the afternoon I'll have another fruit or something like carrot sticks around 2 or 3 pm.

    Don't know if this will help at all but thats what I do!
  • ils_1231
    ils_1231 Posts: 249 Member
    I portion out baggies of ten almonds... Seems extreme but it's literally just what I need between breakfast and lunch.
  • adamdlc
    adamdlc Posts: 34
    second breakfast
  • jcanen57
    jcanen57 Posts: 10 Member
    Try a protein bar (usually less than 200 calories)

    I usually eat my meals at 8 - 12 and 6 - if I get hungry between a meal - I usually grab a fruit, or eat a 100 calorie snack.
  • manda1978
    manda1978 Posts: 525 Member
    I eat every 3hrs, so 6am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm and 6pm. 6am is usually a smoothie with protein powder, 1/2 banana and a spoon of greek yoghurt. 9am is my bigger 'breakfast' of eggwhites, brown rice and vegies. This usually lasts me to 12 (just, I'm starving at 11.30 lol).
  • sunshinenjjr
    sunshinenjjr Posts: 137 Member
    I often eat a quest bar for a snack between breakfast and lunch to tide me over. I find them very filling.
  • Gingerspice45
    Gingerspice45 Posts: 137 Member
    I eat nuts or fruit. Today for my morning snack I had a muffin. Its pretty much whatever you want to eat as long as you don't go over your daily allowed calories.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • Siobhan108
    Siobhan108 Posts: 80 Member
    Do you like hummus ? Try it with veggies. I also will eat weight watchers cheese, it is hard to find, but Walmart carries it. It is near the deli and comes in triangles, in a round container that are between 35-40 calories each. Try to stay away from deli meats and cheeses because they are full of junk. Sometimes when I am on the road I carry pistachios or almonds, high in fiber and protein. I keep them in 1/8 servings in snack bags in my glove box. Hope this helps.
  • naomijuliette96
    naomijuliette96 Posts: 153 Member
    I usually eat half of my breakfast around 7:30, and the other half around 10. That way, it feels like I've eaten 2 meals, when I've actually eaten 1! Also It's way better for your metabolism and energy levels to eat smaller meals more frequently..
  • naomijuliette96
    naomijuliette96 Posts: 153 Member
    another good idea is a big bowl of oatmeal and some nuts for breakfast... I find that keeps me full for HOURS! Great stuff
  • albertine58
    albertine58 Posts: 267 Member
    It sounds like you really want your lunch at 11am - how about making a 2-part lunch? I usually bring a salad or quinoa/salmon/veggie mix , along with a greek yogurt, lara bar, or fruit. Or bring soup or string cheese! I eat the main part at 12pm, and the yogurt or whatever at 3pm. You could do 11am/2pm or whatever works for you. My whole lunch together is 400-500 calories, so make sure you've got enough calories, healthy fat & protein to keep you full.
    I find greek yogurt really filling; it would be a great AM snack. It's healthier sugar-wise to flavor your own, but I am obsessed with the fage strawberry or cherry cups - they honestly taste like dessert!
  • TribeHokie
    TribeHokie Posts: 711 Member
    Second Breakfast
    Elevensies


    Also Afternoon Tea to stave off the 4pm hunger.

    Why don't you just go ahead and eat lunch at 11 when you get hungry and eat a snack around 3?
  • victoriousO
    victoriousO Posts: 63 Member
    Some nuts or fruit, I like to keep it all whole foods between meals:)
  • skinnybythanksgiving
    skinnybythanksgiving Posts: 159 Member
    I eat an ounce of cheese and a piece of fruit if I'm hungry. It sounds like you need snacks, no need to suffer. :flowerforyou:
  • RunnerInVT
    RunnerInVT Posts: 226 Member
    Popcorn. I microwave a bag at home, let it.cool and put it in a zip lock baggie. Then I put frozen peas or broccoli in a baggie and heat that up at work. I eat constantly. I got down to 108 pounds just by grazing on veggies popcorn and nuts. No formal meals.
  • ponycyndi
    ponycyndi Posts: 858 Member
    I eat when I'm hungry. If I don't, we all suffer the consequences. When I'm listening to my body, it tells me to eat 4 meals, which end up being breakfast, lunch, supper and dinner. I also make this work for my schedule, since I have to wake at 6:30 to get the kids to school, and then feed them also when they get home at 3.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    my breakfast is at lunch time so not really applicable.

    Really, it doesn't matter. Something that is filling and tasty would be my choice. (some sort of micronutrients are also good depending on what you are eating for the rest of the day) That is subjective though so it's up to you.
  • pusheen12
    pusheen12 Posts: 192 Member
    Bananas are filling as are the Trader Joe's nuts and cranberries in snack sized bags. I always have these two items at work to tide me over. I eat 3 meals and two snacks per day and fell great while losing weight.
  • jayche
    jayche Posts: 1,128 Member
    brunch
  • Rosie_McA
    Rosie_McA Posts: 256 Member
    Black coffee - water - black coffee - apple - water - black coffee - water ...... You get the idea.
    Much easier to avoid snacks when I'm very busy at work though.
  • SweeDecadence92
    SweeDecadence92 Posts: 218 Member
    Maybe instead of big meals break you eating down to 5-6 small meals a few hours a part? Getting lightheaded with hunger 5 hours after eating seems like an extreme reaction! Have you got any underlying medical issues?
  • Arne_becomesxXx
    Arne_becomesxXx Posts: 504 Member
    Second Breakfast
    Elevensies


    Also Afternoon Tea to stave off the 4pm hunger.

    Why don't you just go ahead and eat lunch at 11 when you get hungry and eat a snack around 3?

    You are Hobbits, aren´t you?
  • BeckaLowe
    BeckaLowe Posts: 7
    One of the biggest helps to me in the past, has been to eat 3 meals/2 snacks. My local diabetic educator actually suggested this as a way for me to control my blood sugars and manage my intake during the day. Had I not gotten lazy with my lifestyle change (thus joining this site and making a new commitment to myself), this routine was serving me well in losing weight.

    Snacks for me, had to be between 15-20 carbs and proteins are key for me. I always liked to find something with a decent amount of fiber in it too :) A lower calorie yogurt, crackers & a babybel cheese (a cut up deli meat if I'm ambitious), a "better choice" trail mix (not the kind with the m & m's and sugary nuts galore), a protein bar (beware, some of them sound nutritious and are choc full of crap), cottage cheese with some fresh fruit...you get more creative based on your tastes and what you've got in your pantry. Oh...Special K makes a really nice protein shake that is an easy choice too and easy to just bring along with you. A snack, in my world, is a very important thing!

    Good luck.
  • whitebalance
    whitebalance Posts: 1,654 Member
    I don't snack often between breakfast and lunch... I usually prefer eating a more substantial breakfast. To those two eggs you eat, OP, I like to add a bag of frozen veggies (nuked and then browned) and ideally some ham and a little cheese. If I'm in a hurry, I'll just have the ham and cheese with crackers and an apple or grapes (which makes a good snack too). But I'm looking for 30-40 grams of protein in that breakfast, more if I can get it, and enough carbs and fat to keep me satisfied and keep it moving. Today I ate a bigger breakfast than usual and was content with that until nearly 5pm.

    If I do have a snack, it's usually the aforementioned ham/cheese/crackers or else my near-daily cup of frozen yogurt. I could use some of that now, too bad it's bedtime. :(

    ETA: I was diagnosed with hypoglycemia at 15, so this approach may sound counterintuitive for that condition... But common sense tells me that most anyone who's made to fast for 24-48 hours and administered doses of "glucola" while eating nothing but a cracker or two all day will display the blood sugar spike and crash emblematic of hypoglycemia. A meal containing 40-60 grams of various animal proteins OTOH will still be digesting hours later.

Categories