Living The Lifestyle Thursday 2/23/17

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imastar2
imastar2 Posts: 6,030 Member
Everyone says it, but just how do you do it? How do you take the guidelines of the WW program and turn them into a lifestyle you can live every day...from now on? That is what we are here to explore. Each weekday, a new topic is offered up for discussion. Newbie? Join in! Veteran? Join in! Your thoughts may be just what someone else needs to hear.

Monday --88olds (George)
Tuesday --Rachel0778 (Rachel)
Wednesday -- misterhub (Greg)
Thursday --Imastar2 (Derrick)
Friday -- whathapnd (Emmie)

Today's Topic: Three Meals a day. Do you favor one meal time over another? Do you eat more at one meal time than another or do you snack in between and maybe not eat at much at one sitting.? Why do you prefer one meal time over the others.

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  • imastar2
    imastar2 Posts: 6,030 Member
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    I generally eat the most at night. Many times the day is over I can relax and besides I just plain enjoy eating supper as my main meal. DW a lot of times will eat very lightly in the evening especially if she ate a large lunch or a late lunch.

    I think I prefer the supper meal more because I grew up eating supper as a main meal. Lunch was always important but so was breakfast but the heaviest meal usually was supper and the biggest. Not exactly sure how that evolved but it sure did. Always heard you shouldn't eat after 8 pm but I think that depends on ones schedule. Oddly enough many times my lunch carries the most calories or points. I guess at the end of the day as long as you take in less than you burn you should lose or at least maintain. I think schedule has a lot to do with eating habits whether your retired or working.
  • gadgetgirlIL
    gadgetgirlIL Posts: 1,381 Member
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    Breakfast is my largest meal. I rarely eat when I get home from work as I normally have a small meal at work around 4-5pm.

    Agree about one's schedule playing a role in this. I'm up at 4:30am and prefer to be in bed no later than 8pm.
  • DavidKuhnsSr
    DavidKuhnsSr Posts: 6,963 Member
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    My largest meal is my supper - normally eaten at 6, or close to it. Except, of course, when it isn't. If DW and I eat out for lunch, supper might be a light snack. I try to balance things out. When we're traveling, I'll often have a substantial breakfast and supper, but no lunch, at all.
  • 88olds
    88olds Posts: 4,491 Member
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    3 squares & 2 snacks. Sometimes 3 snacks. Lunch is probably a bit more than breakfast or dinner.
  • Al_Howard
    Al_Howard Posts: 8,142 Member
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    Supper is my biggest 99% of the time. Breakfast usually a 4SP bowl of oatmeal and fruit. Lunch a 7DP ham, turkey and cheese rollup. Supper around 9-14 SPs. Rounded out with apples and perhaps a cheese stick. Often, SPs allowing, an English muffin and peanut butter.
    Now the weekends are different. We usually have a "date night" on Friday. Therefore, lighter lunch, then appetizers, a fairly large, meat centric meal and either wine or beer. Usually way over on dailies, and, by the end of the weekend, weeklies long gone.
    Been using a small spreadsheet to log total points eaten vs allowance, and "beat back" my overages. Seems to be working, so far, as I've finally started losing again.
  • beachwoman2006
    beachwoman2006 Posts: 1,214 Member
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    When I was working, lunch was my biggest meal of the day.

    Since retiring, it varies. Sometimes I have a big breakfast and don't need anything else until early evening (maybe a snack during the day). Sometimes I don't have breakfast (except coffee), a light lunch, and then a bigger supper.
  • myallforjcbill
    myallforjcbill Posts: 5,590 Member
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    Dinner is the main meal of the day. Its the one that I put the most thought and effort into since it is for the family. After that, I like a good breakfast. The trick is to have a light lunch and a healthy snack or two during the day. This old dog has been know to still struggle with that particular trick.
  • leeless511
    leeless511 Posts: 243 Member
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    My breakfast volume is pretty substantial although low in points, 0% Greek yogurt and lots of fruit is my typical breakfast. Then lunch and dinner go back and forth on which is the bigger meal, that is based on time, leftovers etc. but not an intentional strategy.

    I typically eat a snack at night but not every night, most often green grapes and I occasionally have a snack mid afternoon but not everyday, typically a Pure Protein bar if I am extra hungry or fruit again.
  • Rachel0778
    Rachel0778 Posts: 1,701 Member
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    I love them all and they're split pretty evenly. Dinner is when I usually have my daily treat though so that is probably my favorite. I love having something sweet to end the day with
  • misterhub
    misterhub Posts: 6,307 Member
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    I prefer to eat smaller meals, eaten throughout the day. I generally do my heaviest eating at breakfast and lunch. Dinner is usually my lightest. Won't be true today, as I am having dinner with friends. But, most days, the pattern is true.
  • minimyzeme
    minimyzeme Posts: 2,708 Member
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    I mix it up quite a bit, based on how hungry I'm feeling. I used to be a 3-squares a day guy (with lots of snacking in-between). Since I've been doing WW, I've really started paying more attention to when I'm wanting or needing to eat ("hunger").

    My general trend these days is a relatively light breakfast and lunch with a more substantial dinner. Pre-WW, all three were very hearty though not always healthy. I think it started with the way I was raised, often having carby stuff for breakfast, sandwich and chips for lunch and a big dinner. I just carried those habits into adulthood without giving much of a second thought. But of course, I embellished on it, often having foods that did make me fat at all three meals.

    Having said that, WW has been a good opportunity for me to think about whether I'm really hungry when I eat and has given me the insight and flexibility to adjust accordingly. This morning, for example, I really wasn't hungry due to eating a fair amount after WW last night (weekly tradition). I had a light lunch and a filling but respectful (point-wise) dinner. Tomorrow might be completely different but if I catch myself before it's too late, no matter how I put it together, it works.

    I do snack in-between meals but these days, they're usually foods that satisfy my rumblings without making me fatter--a far cry from my snacks of yesteryear.

    Interestingly, none of this feels like a huge sacrifice for me. In fact, it's actually been somewhat freeing to pay more attention and make adjustments as needed / wanted. I was simply a creature of habit. Breaking free of some of those habits has actually been a really good thing!




  • podkey
    podkey Posts: 5,105 Member
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    Definitely eat most at night. Eat modest veggie omelette in morning sometime late. Light lunch. Small afternoon snack most days. I do strive for a schedule
  • TimDumez
    TimDumez Posts: 1,161 Member
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    Most days I don't eat breakfast. If I do, it can be any size. I generally eat a light to medium lunch. My biggest meal is dinner, partly to keep me from grazing mindlessly in the evening or feeling I deserve a large decadent snack or dessert....