Time of Day

pink427
pink427 Posts: 18 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I know exactly what my weaknesses are, yet they are still so difficult to overcome! Typically, I pack a breakfast and lunch for work and go to the gym for 45-60 minutes over lunchtime. I eat very healthy (i.e. banana, yogurt, veggies, hummus, salad, fruit) at work, then when I get home I am ravenous! I know I'll eat more at nighttime too as my husband and I like to make dinner together (typically tacos or grilled meats), go out to eat, or order take out. I would prefer to eat light during the day so that I can have a couple glasses of wine at night. It's also easier to eat and drink more when you've already worked out during the day.

What are your "time of day" triggers?

Replies

  • Stephoknee523
    Stephoknee523 Posts: 15 Member
    I am the exact same way, Pink! I tend to eat quite healthy throughout the day at work (Fruit or yogurt in the morning, fruit as a mid morning snack, wraps and veggies for lunch), but have a tendency to overeat once I come home from work.

    To combat this, i've started keeping some extra veggies at work and almonds to have as snacks in the afternoon. I've noticed that i eat less at home when I make sure to have that small snack.
  • webutmirrortheworld
    webutmirrortheworld Posts: 52 Member
    It may be that you need more protein during the day, so you aren't ravenous when you get home. It seems like everything you eat during the day is healthy, but not necessarily balanced. More protein may help.
  • sbox11
    sbox11 Posts: 59 Member
    I'm the same way. I eat an egg white sandwich for breakfast, 2/3 cups of a starch, 4 oz of a protein, and 1 cup of veggies at lunch. For my snack in between breakfast and lunch I eat 2/3 cups of Kashi cereal dry and whip cream with strawberries. Afternoon snack is a protein shake. This is almost every day of the week. Then for dinner and the weekends I just seem to blow it! I really try during the week to at least make good dinner options, but the weekends are the toughest. I'm usually on the go and not able to snack/eat when needed.
  • pink427
    pink427 Posts: 18 Member
    What types of protein do you usually eat? I was on a hard boiled egg kick for a while, I would eat a couple eggs for breakfast but found that I also wanted something sweeter, like a piece of fruit. Then I was already at 400 calories before 9 am!
  • danabm
    danabm Posts: 47 Member
    I am exactly like you. I eat healthy during the day. Pack my lunch and breakfast for work and when I get home I am hungry. Mostly because I have to take lunch from 11 - 12. When for years I have ate 12:30/1ish. It is even harder that when I get home my husband wants us to eat the same meal together and he loved food fried in Crisco and other fatty meals. I try to make them healthy but he knows. I have just started to eat at the same time but cook slightly different meals.

    I also have a hard time on weekends because it is my errand running time and time with family. It is hard to explain to some of my family why I don't want all those unhealthy foods they cook, but it just hurts their feelings.

    I have tried moving work outs to afternoon, but I am more of a morning person, but I find keeping busy will keep me out of the kitchen. I like to craft, but mostly housework keeps me busy. I tackle a room a night and MFP will let you log housework as exercise!
  • webutmirrortheworld
    webutmirrortheworld Posts: 52 Member
    What types of protein do you usually eat? I was on a hard boiled egg kick for a while, I would eat a couple eggs for breakfast but found that I also wanted something sweeter, like a piece of fruit. Then I was already at 400 calories before 9 am!

    I usually pack similar things for meals every day- breakfast is either refrigerator oats, made with rolled oats, almond milk (mixed with half a scoop of protein powder, a little jam for flavor, and chia seeds. This gives me 20 grams of protein for breakfast. As an alternative (not my fav option) I have a quest bar, also at 20 grams of protein. I find the oats breakfast keeps me full longer, but sometimes I forget or don't have time to make it the night before.

    For lunch I almost always make a batch of rice and a batch of beans on Sunday night, then bring them in for lunch with me each day. This would only give me 11 grams of protein, but I also will make 3-5 ounces of steamed chicken to bring to lunch with me, or chicken sausage... 2 chicken sausages give me 30 grams of protein, and are 260 calories. The steamed chicken is pretty untasty compared to the sausage, but in a pinch, it's what I make. If I don't have time to prep one of these, I would have a quest bar to supplement my rice and beans, though I make sure to not do this for both breakfast and lunch.

    You can take a look at my diary if you'd like. My cal goal each day is in the 1400-1500 range.
  • amgreenwell
    amgreenwell Posts: 1,267 Member
    Try eating 5-6 small meals a day instead of three regular meals. I do 6 meals at about 260 calories each...and work out 30 minutes. That way I am eating all day and still enjoying food without becoming crazy hungry. If you do want to eat a bigger meal at night with your spouse, then save up some calories and do that. I input all of calories at the beginning of the day so I know exactly what I can eat and stay within my macros.
    I find when my biggest meal is breakfast I feel much better throughout the day. Remember the saying, "eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and supper like a pauper". I would suggest eating the things you regularly eat for lunch at dinner time and eating the things you eat for dinner at breakfast or lunch. It works for me.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    I have pure fat and protein for breakfast and stay full for 6-7 hours, eat a salad with protein for lunch (usually between 1-2) and then graze and snack for supper. I might pick at what I cook for my husband a bit, but I am generally not hungry.

    Different things work for different people, experiment with what might work for you!
  • Mygsds
    Mygsds Posts: 1,564 Member
    My doc told me to start counting my calories from 4pm -4pm. We will often go for dinner with friends or something on the spur of the moment. Then he said to have low cal breakfast and lunch. Makes sense?. My girlfriend tried this and she has lost 12 lbs in 4 weeks . She said she was always running out or over by the time she went to bed, but am wondering if this isn't a good idea. Just sayin....

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