My binge and the typing out of my binge kind of stunned me silent. I don't really know what to think or what to say, really. I've just been living this week day by day and meal by meal.
I was given good advice by a loyal reader that this is diferent now, with a baby in the mix, and I may not be able to just do things the way I was doing them before I found out I was pregnant. I may need to prepare ahead of time a little more. So that's what I'm doing. Thanks Becklette.
I am giving myself a set breakfast to eat so then I am ensured at least one healthy meal a day that I don't have to think about. Luckily breakfast is easy for me as I like oatmeal. I make 1/2 cup (dry) it with 0% fat milk and add in cinnamon and a teaspoonful of brown sugar and I'm ready to face the day.
I have pinpointed a big problem that I'm going to have to get creative to fix. Now that I'm back to work I have a set time I have to eat lunch. Unfotunately it's at noon. I work until 5: 30 get home at 6 and when I get home I need to take care of the baby and get her to sleep. This puts my supper at about 7:30 or 8 o'clock in the evening. That's just way too long inbetween meals, it's too close to my bedtime, (which coincidentaly is about 8 o'clock nowdays) and leaves me starving and snacking uncontrollably.
Any suggestions on how to fix this? I need to have a heavy "snack" while at work, maybe around 4:30 to get me through until I get home and can eat supper but what should I eat? Currently 'm having a piece of fruit but that's not cutting it. Also, then I won't want (or shouldn't ) have as much supper... so just some protein and veggies for supper then?
I also need to get out of the mindset that supper HAS to be the "big meal" of the day.
I see that I need to cut back on carbs. Not cut out carbs but definately cut back. That's another "all in your head" thing that supper has to include meat, veggie, carb. That's how we always ate growing up but that doesn't mean it has to continue. There is nothing wrong with protien, veg and veg!
Geesh there is so much to re-learn and think about all over again. I'm trying not to feel overwhelmed because that leads to me being a deer in the refridgerator light, transfixed on food and unable to move any direction, especially forward.
5 comments:
My sister is a grad student with the exact same eating schedule as you. Her trick is carrying a Luna Bar (an energy bar from the US, sure they exists also in Amsterdam) full of vitamins and protein, in her purse for lasting energy at about 4:00 p.m. when the blood sugar takes a dive for everyone.
My suggestion with your trying to avoid carbs completely is: don't! Any time you deprive yourself entirely of one thing you will only want lots of it later, like pizza. So put some croutons in your salad or a spoonful of flour in your soup, thickening it a bit. That way you'll avoid any feelings of deprivation. I got this idea from Rachel Ray's book: 30-Minute Get Real Meals. It's not really a full serving, so there's no guilt in the evening, but makes it feel a little more substantial for these cold winter nights.
I found that eating "mini meals" keeps me from being so hungry I do crazy things. It does require some planning but it has helped me tremendously in maintaining my weight loss (almost 50 lbs) and feeling good.
Here is a sample day's meals for me: Pre-breakfast (7:30 AM) hot tea with a homemade high fiber muffin. Breakfast (9:30 AM) chicken sausage with spicy mustard (I know weird, right - but I like non-breakfast foods for breakfast). Pre-lunch (11:00 AM) -water crackers with creamy light Laughing Cow cheese or hummus. Lunch (1:00 PM) usually a cup of soup (either canned or homemade) and a sandwich made with a high fiber wrap and lots of veggies and some type of protein. Pre-dinner (3:30 or 4:00) Varies - sometimes fruit, sometimes a package of 100 calorie cookies or crackers, sometimes a high fiber snack bar. Dinner (6:30 PM) protein, vegetable and starch. After dinner (8:30) something sweet with hot tea, either a cup of fat free ice cream, a few small cookies (such as mini fig newtons) or something homemade that has less calories and fat.
Honestly, by spacing my food out in this manner I never let myself get too hungry - which is a dangerous thing for me.
Believe me, I understand your frustration. I've battled my weight all my life and found that going hungry just didn't work for me.
Best of luck - I love Sadie's blog by the way!!!
i make this soup... i call it "veggie sludge" which makes it sound SUPER appetizing, i know. i'm probably going to make some tonight and pay attention to what i'm doing so i can post the recipe tomorrow. it's fiber- and protein- and veggie-ful. if you have the spact to portion it out ahead of time, it makes an excellent afternoon snack. then, if supper/bed time rolls around and you only have the energy for come cheese and crackers or something, you can rest assured that your veggies are in!
(also, you are too cute, i'm glad i could help! i wish i could see you while you're here and nibble on miss sadie's toes...)
Everyone's suggestions are super, but I'm going to assume you don't have time for a decent bath right now never mind mini-meals or veggie sludge (which is something I make myself!).
A banana and a handful of nuts is the perfect late afternoon snack. Slow release to combat sugar highs and lows, protein to leave you feeling satisfied longer, and no preparation needed!
We eat late - between 8 and 9pm - and I have to have a decent snack to stop me turning into a complete beeyotch. The banana may be saving my marriage (which sounds very wrong out of context, yes?)!
I also take in a lunchbox of celery sticks and tomato wedges that I can graze on with one hand, and I won't let myself eat any junk until that's gone! It beats the craving most days.
I used to take one cheese stick and 15 almonds with me for a snack when I had this problem in grad school. (Yes, I counted out the almonds. Otherwise I'd eat the whole bag.)
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