Early risers

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louiseccastle
louiseccastle Posts: 1 Member
in Motivation and Support
I have to get up at 5am for work and I struggle so much to spread my calorie allowance through the day because of it. By the evening I am inevitably over my limit. Any early risers out there who have some good tips on how to spread their calories out. I'm on 1650cals so not like I should be struggling! Thanks

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  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,136 Member
    edited January 2020
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    louiseccastle wrote: »
    I have to get up at 5am for work and I struggle so much to spread my calorie allowance through the day because of it. By the evening I am inevitably over my limit. Any early risers out there who have some good tips on how to spread their calories out. I'm on 1650cals so not like I should be struggling! Thanks

    1650 Cals doesn't necessarily mean you won't be struggling, it depends what your stats are, that would be almost a 1300 calorie deficit for me on an active day.

    What does your day currently look like? Are you eating early because you want to or because you think you have to? You can eat your calories whenever suits you across the day, across as many or as little meals as you like.
  • Nbaker0909
    Nbaker0909 Posts: 102 Member
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    Are you drinking enough water? Can you focus on low calorie high volume foods (fish, veggies, plain popcorn) for maybe lunch or dinner so you can eat more and stay within your calorie goal?
  • xbowhunter
    xbowhunter Posts: 988 Member
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    I am up at 5am daily as well.
    I start my day with eggs or oatmeal. This gets me to 10am.
    10am snack is a banana and yogurt. This gets me to lunch.
    lunch is a salad and tuna or venison snack sticks. this gets me to dinner.
    Dinner is where I finish most of my calories for the day.
    if I'm hungry before bed I have a 1/4cup of nuts.

    My goal is to drop 20lbs by the summer.

    Less craft beer now and more for the summer! lol
  • Mov3mor3
    Mov3mor3 Posts: 96 Member
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    One meal a day with all your calories is not as bad as you would think. I do it. Never hungry.
  • mommabear4315
    mommabear4315 Posts: 3,424 Member
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    I’m an early riser. I have trained myself to eat at certain times by setting my alarms. I don’t need them now bc my body has grown accustomed to it. I’m up usually around 4:45am and do not eat breakfast until 8am, snack at 11am, lunch at 1:30-2pm, snack 4pm and dinner at 6-7 depends what time I get out of work and finish my workout.
  • shaf238
    shaf238 Posts: 4,021 Member
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    identify the foods that make you feel full and spread those out throughout your day. my day starts at 6am and I eat roughly every 3-4hrs.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,126 Member
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    I get up at 6 AM, but I don't have breakfast or any snacks in the morning. I find it helps me stay within my calorie allowance more easily. I spread all my calories over lunch, an afternoon snack (only if I'm not at work), dinner and an evening snack.
  • 88olds
    88olds Posts: 4,467 Member
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    Don’t kick yourself for struggling. Weight loss is about problem solving. Allocating you’re calories is a big part of it.

    I’m maintaining now. But when necessary, my target for losing is 1700. I allocate 1200 for 3 meals of about 400 calories, the rest for 3-4 snacks. Start with what you like to eat. In the big picture there are three options. Make the numbers work with portion control. Make the numbers work by modifying the dish or meal. Change what you like.

    I’m retired now. But I still start the day with a big bowl of oatmeal with added egg protein and cut up apple. But that became breakfast after I started tracking. Because I couldn’t get cold cereal with milk and banana to work with my numbers. When I started I always had an apple for a morning snack. It kept me from being too hungry at lunch and making bad decisions.

    On work days I tried to have something available mid afternoon, a bigger snack right when I got home, dinner, and 2 snacks in the evening. A bigger snack about 8, almost always some kind of plan friendly ice cream, and about 50 calories held back for just before bed.

    Overall I’ve found this- I try to think in terms of satisfying. I want what I eat to be filling enough and tasty enough to be satisfying. I generally want to know what’s coming next. A battle for me was getting past the office vending machines on my way out. I had an hour commute. I was hungry a lot then. But it was temporary. I can wait if I have something I want coming later.

    Some people set end times in the evening. Nothing after dinner, nothing after 7 or 8pm. That doesn’t work so well for me, so I hold back 50 calories to bedtime. Then it’s just about delay.

    I hope you find something in this that helps you. But really know this- there’s a learning curve. It’s all a big experiment. Keep your food diary going no matter what. Over your number? Wildly over? Log all of it. Keep trying different things until you find something that works. Then move on to the next thing. Never quit.
  • MrKilt
    MrKilt Posts: 36 Member
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    All as above. Im up at 0520. Hot Water and lemon first thing. Grapefruit/ orange and half avocado about 0730. Porridge and a spotnof honey about 0900. A piece of fruit for elevenses. Lunch is mostly grains _ lentils, quinoa, bulgur wheat with lots of veggies and definitely protein. Afternoon is mint tea and some nuts. Then dinner.
    In between LOADS OF WATER! 4 litres a day. If i am really struggling i brush my teeth!! Give the teeth brushing a go!
  • MrKilt
    MrKilt Posts: 36 Member
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    Oh, and make a BIG pot of chunky veggie soup, separate into pots and freeze. Low calories and you don't have to think about lunch or dinner. Or its a healthy ealry evening starter which avoids eating junk!

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