Meal planning and nutrient timing-don't what to eat

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softclassic
softclassic Posts: 5 Member
in Food and Nutrition
As the title says, I don't know what, how and when to eat anymore and thanks to that, I have become underweight. In short, I have always been extremely active, but I gained weight overeating on sweets just because I was hungry all the time. I decided to lose the weight, I cut out sweets and I became underweight.

Now I maintain my weight by binging on them once or twice a week.

I'm a long distance runner that runs 60 mpw (around 100 km a week). I also go to the gym to lift heavy weights an hour a day and I make 10 000 steps on top of all of that. I also practice yoga everyday. Anyway, my activity is through the roof. Calculators aren't accurate for me, I definitely burn more than they say. I also noticed i fidget a lot.

My goal is to stabilize my weight by eating regularly, then gain the weight.

I do my runs early in the morning (7AM), I always do them after breakfast. But then I'm finding I'm starving until lunch (12 PM). I'm from Europe, and for lunch we always have a cooked meal of meat+carbs (potatoes/bread/rice/pasta)+veggies. For breakfast, I always have eggs+veggies+carbs (bread/potatoes/rice/pasta).

I usually end up drinking zero calorie energy drinks through the morning so that I can wait until lunch.

Also, my family doesn't have dinner, they only eat/drink some dairy. In the afternoon they snack on chocolates, cakes, cookies, pastries, and drink coffee. A few days ago I was so hungry at dinner time, but it is forbidden to go in the kitchen to grab something to eat. So I waited for everyone to go to the sleep and overate on energy bars (dates+nuts) and milk that I bought for myself.

My eating is all over and I just want some routine. I have fitness based goals, but this only hinders my progress.



Replies

  • BZAH10
    BZAH10 Posts: 5,710 Member
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    softclassic wrote: »
    As the title says, I don't know what, how and when to eat anymore and thanks to that, I have become underweight. In short, I have always been extremely active, but I gained weight overeating on sweets just because I was hungry all the time. I decided to lose the weight, I cut out sweets and I became underweight.

    Now I maintain my weight by binging on them once or twice a week.

    I'm a long distance runner that runs 60 mpw (around 100 km a week). I also go to the gym to lift heavy weights an hour a day and I make 10 000 steps on top of all of that. I also practice yoga everyday. Anyway, my activity is through the roof. Calculators aren't accurate for me, I definitely burn more than they say. I also noticed i fidget a lot.

    My goal is to stabilize my weight by eating regularly, then gain the weight.

    I do my runs early in the morning (7AM), I always do them after breakfast. But then I'm finding I'm starving until lunch (12 PM). I'm from Europe, and for lunch we always have a cooked meal of meat+carbs (potatoes/bread/rice/pasta)+veggies. For breakfast, I always have eggs+veggies+carbs (bread/potatoes/rice/pasta).

    I usually end up drinking zero calorie energy drinks through the morning so that I can wait until lunch.

    Also, my family doesn't have dinner, they only eat/drink some dairy. In the afternoon they snack on chocolates, cakes, cookies, pastries, and drink coffee. A few days ago I was so hungry at dinner time, but it is forbidden to go in the kitchen to grab something to eat. So I waited for everyone to go to the sleep and overate on energy bars (dates+nuts) and milk that I bought for myself.

    My eating is all over and I just want some routine. I have fitness based goals, but this only hinders my progress.



    Hmmm, the bold is quite concerning to me. Good for you for recognizing that you need to start eating better. How old are you? You mentioned buying some of your own food. Surely you should have the right to eat it whenever you want? I'm sorry if I'm misunderstanding a cultural thing or something.
  • littlegreenparrot1
    littlegreenparrot1 Posts: 694 Member
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    If you're running long distances surely you need something after your run in the morning as well as before?

    For example at the weekend when I do a long run I will have porridge before I go, and at least a sandwich or something when I get back.

    If you need more calories, why is it zero calorie energy drinks to hold you over until lunch? A smoothie, a milkshake, or similar would have calories and nutrients that your body needs to work at its best.

    There are snacks you could have that would give you more of the good stuff, chocolate covered nuts, yoghurt with granola, flapjacks - easy to make with dried fruit/nuts/seeds in them. Lots of ways to increase calories apart from just sweets.

    I also don't understand why you are not allowed to have any dinner, even if other people don't want anything.

    How much control do you have over what, when and how you eat?
  • softclassic
    softclassic Posts: 5 Member
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    BZAH10 wrote: »
    softclassic wrote: »
    As the title says, I don't know what, how and when to eat anymore and thanks to that, I have become underweight. In short, I have always been extremely active, but I gained weight overeating on sweets just because I was hungry all the time. I decided to lose the weight, I cut out sweets and I became underweight.

    Now I maintain my weight by binging on them once or twice a week.

    I'm a long distance runner that runs 60 mpw (around 100 km a week). I also go to the gym to lift heavy weights an hour a day and I make 10 000 steps on top of all of that. I also practice yoga everyday. Anyway, my activity is through the roof. Calculators aren't accurate for me, I definitely burn more than they say. I also noticed i fidget a lot.

    My goal is to stabilize my weight by eating regularly, then gain the weight.

    I do my runs early in the morning (7AM), I always do them after breakfast. But then I'm finding I'm starving until lunch (12 PM). I'm from Europe, and for lunch we always have a cooked meal of meat+carbs (potatoes/bread/rice/pasta)+veggies. For breakfast, I always have eggs+veggies+carbs (bread/potatoes/rice/pasta).

    I usually end up drinking zero calorie energy drinks through the morning so that I can wait until lunch.

    Also, my family doesn't have dinner, they only eat/drink some dairy. In the afternoon they snack on chocolates, cakes, cookies, pastries, and drink coffee. A few days ago I was so hungry at dinner time, but it is forbidden to go in the kitchen to grab something to eat. So I waited for everyone to go to the sleep and overate on energy bars (dates+nuts) and milk that I bought for myself.

    My eating is all over and I just want some routine. I have fitness based goals, but this only hinders my progress.



    Hmmm, the bold is quite concerning to me. Good for you for recognizing that you need to start eating better. How old are you? You mentioned buying some of your own food. Surely you should have the right to eat it whenever you want? I'm sorry if I'm misunderstanding a cultural thing or something.

    I'm a student. So I'm old enough to buy my own food, but I'm buying it with my parents money. This wasn't problem because I was at college, but now thanks to COVID, I'm at home, which means I'm at my parents house. Their house means us, kids, have to follow their rules, no matter how old we are. It's a cultural thing. My parents are following rules of their parents when we are at their house.
  • softclassic
    softclassic Posts: 5 Member
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    littlegreenparrot1 wrote: »
    If you're running long distances surely you need something after your run in the morning as well as before?

    For example at the weekend when I do a long run I will have porridge before I go, and at least a sandwich or something when I get back.

    If you need more calories, why is it zero calorie energy drinks to hold you over until lunch? A smoothie, a milkshake, or similar would have calories and nutrients that your body needs to work at its best.

    There are snacks you could have that would give you more of the good stuff, chocolate covered nuts, yoghurt with granola, flapjacks - easy to make with dried fruit/nuts/seeds in them. Lots of ways to increase calories apart from just sweets.

    I also don't understand why you are not allowed to have any dinner, even if other people don't want anything.

    How much control do you have over what, when and how you eat?

    It's zero calories because I avoid sugar as much as possible. Also, caffeine keeps me moving until lunch.

    The thing about food, it's a culutural thing. If I eat differently, that means disrespect, since I'm at someone else house (my parents in this case). They are older than me and they are paying for my own food since I'm a student. Also, granola, flapjack, smoothie, milkshakes etc. are foreigner foods to people around me. Would you believe me you can't buy flapjacks anywhere? Granola is so expensive. And smoothie and milkshakes aren't even considered food, they are made for babies.

    I had control over my own eating when I was away, at college, but due to COVID, I'm back home.

    I run early in the morning because it's weird for people to run. I was attacked from strangers and bullied due to me running. So I do those runs early when I'm at home.

    That's another story, now I have to make my own healthy and sustainable habits around fueling. I'll at least practice them when I'm back at college, if I can't now.

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    "But then I'm finding I'm starving until lunch (12 PM). "

    So eat or drink some calories!
    Have a snack or a protein/recovery shake perhaps? Or make yourself / buy yourself a sandwich.

    "I usually end up drinking zero calorie energy drinks through the morning so that I can wait until lunch. "

    Don't use zero calorie drinks and caffeine to suppress hunger and delay eating when you are underweight - that's what someone who is overweight and trying to lose weight would do!
    Eat or drink some nutrition and calories. Your family are limiting your evening opportunity to eat but ask yourself why you are doing the same thing in the morning.

  • softclassic
    softclassic Posts: 5 Member
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    sijomial wrote: »
    "But then I'm finding I'm starving until lunch (12 PM). "

    So eat or drink some calories!
    Have a snack or a protein/recovery shake perhaps? Or make yourself / buy yourself a sandwich.

    "I usually end up drinking zero calorie energy drinks through the morning so that I can wait until lunch. "

    Don't use zero calorie drinks and caffeine to suppress hunger and delay eating when you are underweight - that's what someone who is overweight and trying to lose weight would do!
    Eat or drink some nutrition and calories. Your family are limiting your evening opportunity to eat but ask yourself why you are doing the same thing in the morning.

    You are right, thank you! I've been thinking about this a lot and I'm always craving some milk after runs. So I'll have a snack of milk/yogurt, fruit and maybe some nuts. E.g. a banana, milk and peanuts or an apple, yogurt and walnuts. Oh my, now I'm having so many ideas!
  • softclassic
    softclassic Posts: 5 Member
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    etiquettestyl wrote: »
    go for healthy diet to maintain your weight. I use keto diet for that https://bit.ly/33ZBK94 here's the link for the meal plan.

    Thank you for you answer, but I don't think keto would work for me since I'm a runner. I need carbs.
  • charmmeth
    charmmeth Posts: 936 Member
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    softclassic wrote: »
    etiquettestyl wrote: »
    go for healthy diet to maintain your weight. I use keto diet for that https://bit.ly/33ZBK94 here's the link for the meal plan.

    Thank you for you answer, but I don't think keto would work for me since I'm a runner. I need carbs.

    It's spam.

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