What are your 'challenge times' during the day, and how do you strategize to deal with them?

brownels
brownels Posts: 29 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
For me, it's always late afternoon. I am super hungry, and fruit or veggies don't do it. I want the carb&protein combo, but don't want to borrow from dinner cals. Unfortunately sometimes the result is: I overeat twice, not once!

Replies

  • brb2008
    brb2008 Posts: 406 Member
    edited December 2015
    I actually had the same struggle! So I decided to use intermittent fasting as a way to work around it. Basically I now skip breakfast in favor of a big coffee or tea, and can have my calories spread over less meals therefore making each meal more satisfying to my stomach and soul. After adjusting to waiting until at least noon (my fasting window is 8pm-Noon), I was able to wait even a little more until 1 or so. Mostly this was so I could eat while children are napping and have some peace to eat slowly. This later and bigger lunch keeps me full until dinner. Obviously not a solution for everyone, I do feel quite hungry every once in a while but I handle that feeling pretty well and it doesn't bother me for too long. But that's what works for me!

    Adding: I should say it was harder to deal with the hunger between breakfast and lunch than it is between breakfast and dinner, but I find if I don't start eating I don't get AS hungry. If that makes sense.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,519 Member
    Used to be difficult a couple times a week between about 11:30 and 12:30. At 12:30, I head out for a walk and when I return I make my lunch ... but there are a lot of people making lunch between 11:30 and 12:30, and the smell of their food would make me hungry.

    Now 2/3 of the office has moved out into a new building so it's not an issue anymore.

    More frequently it is between about 4 and 6 pm. Lunch is digested and I'm ready for dinner ... but it's only a couple hours so I have some fruit and some cottage cheese and I get through.
  • crazyjerseygirl
    crazyjerseygirl Posts: 1,252 Member
    After dinner for me. I knit!

    Keep the hand busy and they wouldn't bust themselves with food!
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    Open your diary. You might not be getting enough lean proteins and fiber for breakfast and lunch.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    I struggle in the mid afternoon as well. I'm tired. And lately I've been kind of blue on top of that. I live in NYC and have a long lunch break and I'm like drooling as I walk past all the bakeries. I usually have calories but I REALLY prefer to leave them for dinner/dessert.

    What I'll usually do is treat myself to a coffee from a really good coffee shop, with cream and sugar. The place I go to has some wild coffee bean flavors, my favorite being chocolate chip pancake.
  • mylittlerainbow
    mylittlerainbow Posts: 822 Member
    An hour before each meal is due is my time - sometimes I drink water, sometimes I just tough it out with thoughts of what I'm going to eat (all preplanned/prelogged). I can deal with the evening by flossing, brushing, and then rinsing for the night - can't eat after THAT! LOL
  • Zoejohnse91
    Zoejohnse91 Posts: 227 Member
    brb2008 wrote: »
    I actually had the same struggle! So I decided to use intermittent fasting as a way to work around it. Basically I now skip breakfast in favor of a big coffee or tea, and can have my calories spread over less meals therefore making each meal more satisfying to my stomach and soul. After adjusting to waiting until at least noon (my fasting window is 8pm-Noon), I was able to wait even a little more until 1 or so. Mostly this was so I could eat while children are napping and have some peace to eat slowly. This later and bigger lunch keeps me full until dinner. Obviously not a solution for everyone, I do feel quite hungry every once in a while but I handle that feeling pretty well and it doesn't bother me for too long. But that's what works for me!

    Adding: I should say it was harder to deal with the hunger between breakfast and lunch than it is between breakfast and dinner, but I find if I don't start eating I don't get AS hungry. If that makes sense.

    This! ^ I usually skip breakfast for a cup of tea and I find I can have something around 10 or 11 which moves my calories round to counter my evening munchies. And my son starts to wake about 4 am... eugh. . I'd be out of them by lunch!
  • melonaulait
    melonaulait Posts: 769 Member
    I definitely can over-eat at every meal, I don't know how to combat that. But I have been experimenting with only having my breakfast after 9AM, that helps just a tiny bit.
  • cbelc2
    cbelc2 Posts: 762 Member
    Mine was nighttime nibbling. I stopped!!!!! My tv room is now a no-calorie zone. Everything must be eaten from a plate with utersils at a set table, and cleaned up afterwards, with nothing electronic. Popcorn lost its sppeal.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    Late at night. I now structure my diet so that I have a large amount of calories (1000+) in the late evening.
  • mkakids
    mkakids Posts: 1,913 Member
    Nights. I intentionally save most of my calories for after 5pm its 2pm right now, and ive had under 100 calories.

    I love being abke to eat whatever i want after 5pm, so it works great for me!
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Late afternoon hungries, just like you. I save half a protein bar and eat that before I get home. As it's fairly balanced macro-wise, it tends to kill the cravings.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Evenings are reserved for boredom/automatic eating. I can divert it with sparkling water.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    brownels wrote: »
    For me, it's always late afternoon. I am super hungry, and fruit or veggies don't do it. I want the carb&protein combo, but don't want to borrow from dinner cals. Unfortunately sometimes the result is: I overeat twice, not once!

    I want a snack around 3-4 PM and 9 PM. I prelog my food and just budget 100-300 calories for snacks each day. I eat a small breakfast so most of my calories get eaten after noon.
  • hapa11
    hapa11 Posts: 182 Member
    Same as you, late afternoon. If I can get out of the house and run an errand or get on the treadmill for a bit, it helps.
  • noobletmcnugget
    noobletmcnugget Posts: 518 Member
    Late afternoon as well for me! I usually make a coffee and chew gum and just remember that it's not long until dinner. :)
  • Rabidrunner
    Rabidrunner Posts: 117 Member
    Late afternoon for me for sure. I moved my run up from going in the morning before work, to doing it at lunchtime instead and it really helps. Now, instead of getting the munchies at 3:30 (danger zone) I get the munchies at 5:30. Since it's so much closer to dinner it's not so hard to resist.
  • threadmad
    threadmad Posts: 190 Member
    Mid morning for me, no matter what I have for breakfast. Late afternoons and evenings I seem to have no desire to eat, but make myself eat the rest of my calories.

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