Eating only when hungry or on a schedule...
jwins3290
Posts: 41 Member
Is it better to eat at "meal times" or wait until you get hungry? I just curious about others' thoughts on this. I often don't feel hungry (nor do I want to just eat anymore, thank you LCHF) when it is the typical time to eat.
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JW;Is it better to eat at "meal times" or wait until you get hungry? I just curious about others' thoughts on this. I often don't feel hungry (nor do I want to just eat anymore, thank you LCHF) when it is the typical time to eat.
I'm guessing that you will get replies all over the map since your question (and comment) is very much a personal choice thing.
For us, it's just the two of us now and we've really never stuck to much of a "meal time" schedule, even prior to retirement or going LCHF.
As far as I know, current research fails to demonstrate any advantage to "traditional" meal times and while a number of diet protocols insist on the 5 feeding times/day (3 "normal" + 2 snacks) that's mostly based on carb laden diets and their propensity for limited glycogen stores so it's pretty much irrelevant to LCHF.
Personally, we've sort of "migrated" to a two meal a day feeding schedule with a "brunch" mid morning and dinner anytime between 7 and 10ish - mostly for the same reasons of "just not feeling hungry" resulting from LCHF.
I literally don't remember the last time I felt a "need" to eat and as a general rule, tend to stop feeding before I'm "full" - but then again, I'm probably not the best example of a "typical" LCHF'er since prior to adopting, I would frequently "skip" meals for a variety of reasons (mostly "work" related), and did so without any real impact.
If I was forced to "vote" on what might be "best" for someone else (and they weren't willing to just accept "whatever works for you") I guess I'd say eat when you are hungry, stop before you feel "full" and don't worry one way or another about "traditional" meal times.
Those that have more stringent "schedule" requirements (family obligations, set meal times at work, etc) have much less flexibility of course but nobody is forced to join the "clean plate club" so it's a matter of just making it work.
Enjoy the holidays!!!
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I usually eat three times a day but not at what might be considered normal for others. I have to cook three meals for hubby but if I am not hungry I might snack or just eat my meal later. When that happens I seem to just have an allowed vegetable for dinner. Love the rarely being hungry of LCHF.
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Thanks for your replies! I don't feel the need to eat at certain times really. I think I'd rather just wait for a hungry stomach than eat at those traditional times. I think doing that contributed, in part, to gaining weight in the first place. Enjoy your holiday as well!0
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I tried to FORCE myself to eat in the morning on advice of someone claiming that it would help my metabolism. I just felt sick and there was no change. I have never been a breakfast person right away. I like breakfast FOOD, just later! I did it for a number of weeks to give it a try, no results, so I went back to eating when I feel like eating. Not sure hw forcing it is healthy either.0
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I read to eat only when hungry. A lot of people on low carb experience low hunger levels and what they do is to do intermittent fasting. From what I hear, it's effective!0
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Everyone is different. Like you, I like a late breakfast. Usually after I have everyone off the day and I've done a few things. I'm not hungry early on, I have a cup of tea instead.
I generally have a snack mid-afternoon and enjoy dinner with the family. If I only feel a little hungry at dinner I just eat smaller portions.
But really, do what suits you and your body. Your body knows when it needs energy and nourishment.0 -
Everyone is different. Like you, I like a late breakfast. Usually after I have everyone off the day and I've done a few things. I'm not hungry early on, I have a cup of tea instead.
I generally have a snack mid-afternoon and enjoy dinner with the family. If I only feel a little hungry at dinner I just eat smaller portions.
But really, do what suits you and your body. Your body knows when it needs energy and nourishment.
I think that is key. People "say" we should do whatever but if it isn't natural to us WHY???I don't see how it's helpful to force anything.0 -
I don't think there' s any magic to specific meal times. But I do think there is something useful about having a routine. Think about all the time you've eaten off plan--I'm betting at least half of those times, you found yourself hungry and, without a plan, ate what you could find. Or didn't eat and then found yourself ravenous later and rationalized a "splurge," telling yourself "well, I didn't eat lunch so...."
So, I don't think it matters if you eat breakfast at 6 am, 10 am, or skip it all together. Which is to say: I don't think your body cares one way or another. But I do think that a routine built around your own general hunger patterns can be an effective tool in your discipline arsenal. That's my two cents. But I say this from my own personal experience, based on what my brain does. Your brain might differ. So happy experimentation!0 -
I prefer to eat a good breakfast. Growing up on the farm I could not make it to noon without a good breakfast. Then when IBS came along I wanted to get as stable as possible before leaving the house each morning.
Now in nutritional ketosis I can delay a meal 4 - 8 hours without killing others to get to food.
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I am with @deansdad101 on this one. Couldn't really stick to schedules early on except for IF days. Then it sort of naturally came along.
on workdays I don't get hungry until lunch. then dinner.
On weekends I tend to have a brunch that is heavier and dinner.
It looks like a schedule but it really isn't too strict. It came naturally.
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I must eat breakfast (8pm). I'm a total witch if I don't. But then, I'm not hungry for lunch until about 2pm. So I have a light lunch. Get my workout in an hour later, then have supper around 5:30 . Not hungry again till morning. Rinse and repeat. This is a schedule that has evolved over almost 7mo of low-carbing. I ate when hungry and did not eat when I wasn't and this was the pattern that emerged. When I follow it I feel my best.
So , I vote: listen to your body.0 -
Thanks to all of you. You pretty much confirmed the way I was going. Last night I ate a small dinner even though I wasn't hungry, and I ended up wishing I hadn't. I'm still amazed at how the LCHF makes me feel satiated much longer than before I started. I haven't had a lot of sugar cravings and, boy, am I hoping that continues. 0
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JW;Thanks to all of you. You pretty much confirmed the way I was going. Last night I ate a small dinner even though I wasn't hungry, and I ended up wishing I hadn't. I'm still amazed at how the LCHF makes me feel satiated much longer than before I started. I haven't had a lot of sugar cravings and, boy, am I hoping that continues.
Well....all that proves is that you must be doing something RIGHT!!!! <vbg>
While the satiety levels are a good thing, that the "sugar cravings" are receding is the REALLY BIG part (because for most, that really is a major "hurdle" to get over.
The "best news" of all though, is that for "most" people, once you are able to determine your carb tolerance (and stay below it) - it only gets better.
Congrats on your progress to date and keep up the good work - what a wonderful way (for yourself) to start off the New Year!
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I was looking in the frig tonight and saw some stuff I do not normally eat like pickles, banana pepper, and Colby and Monterey Jack Cheese and had a craving for them. Everyone was Zero in Carbs per the the serving label. Could my Carb craving have morphed into an anti Carb craving?
At about 3 pm after watching Unbroken (heavy but awesome) I ate two hamburger patties, onion, tomato and lettuce which is the low carb version of their Huge Burger at the Cookout chain.
After I got home cleared the driveway of the John Deere Backhoe and Ford F700 truck that we had moved closer to 120 volts so we could desulfate and top off the batteries charge wise since they may not be moved for a couple months. Then I did another 1/4 mile walk down the steep hill to the main road and back as it was getting dark and starting to rain more. I was zapped so I got a bath and slept from 7pm to 11 pm. Instead of fasting I ate about 300 calories in cheese and almonds just now. I was actually hungry. 0 -
I am noticing the time. I just finished breakfast at11AM. Hubby had a long phone call this morning so we were a bit delayed eating breakfast. I had already shoveled the snow off my patio. I was just starting to feel hungry. There is no way I will be eating lunch at noon. This is such a common happening in our house I would say we eat when we are hungry. BUT I do tend to eat three meals a day. Some time in the day. Now off to plow the driveway. Have a good one folks.0
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Thanks, deansdad! The trend continued today. I felt hungry at lunch and ate. I was semi-hungry at dinner and ate. I just had a snack a little bit ago, though more out of habit (probably) than feeling hungry. I'm still not at the calories for the day that MFP recommends but my carbs were under 20 and everything else looked good. I'm just going to keep rolling with it.
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