If you’ve been reading this blog for awhile, you know that my recent eating patterns have been generally a 2 meal sort of set up.
To be clear when I say I’m used to 2 meals, it’s more like 2 “eating periods.” I’d eat a lot of food in about a period of an hour or two, then repeat for dinner. I know this may sound crazy to you, so let me explain myself.
Part of the reason I liked this was because I taught exercise classes most mornings until 10 or 11 & I didn’t like working out with food in my stomach. I’ve always preferred working out on a completely empty stomach. Nothing worse than doing burpees or teaching a step class, running stairs, or doing sprints with food sloshing around in your belly. Also, I find it more convenient to eat slightly bigger meals 2 times a day, rather than have to worry about preparing & planning 3 solid meals.
Since we’ve moved to Washington, I no longer have a full teaching schedule & the pattern of my days are up to me now. I create the schedule I want & I tend to get up even earlier than I did before. Around 5 am, most days. {I adore mornings, they are my favorite time of day.} Because of this, lately, I’ve been ready to eat breakfast with my kids by 8 or so. I’ve decided I’d like to set a very predictable eating schedule, because my schedule now is entirely up to me, so why not?
The hard part is, old habits are hard to break.
First, I’m still adjusting to much less activity (no longer have my yard or garden to care for, or 15 fitness classes a week to teach) in addition to sitting for much more extended periods at my computer (ie., this blog). I used to eat almost twice as much as I do now. I ate like a horse when I did 1-3 hours of moderate-intense exercise a day (plus breastfeeding).
The combination of decreased activity, more sitting, & a new open schedule, has caused me to adjust my eating habits.
For the past few days I’ve been working at eating 3 meals, with little or no snacking, so I don’t “ruin” my appetite for the next meal. It hasn’t been easy. I’m used to just eating until I’m really full so it will tide me over for 6 or 8 hours. I used to eat “breakfast” around 10 or 11, then dinner around 5 or 6.
Now I’m trying to eating a moderate breakfast, a bigger lunch, & a light dinner.
Problem is, I used to just eat until I was stuffed. Now I need to adjust my eating habits & eat until full. Curious, I asked the facebook crowd about how they measure being full.
I asked: “How do you know when you’re done eating? I mean, how do you know you’re full, or you’ve had enough, or it’s time to stop?”
Here’s a run down of some of the great responses from you guys!
Rebekah says: I feel full and lose interest in the food in front of me. Unless it’s one of my favorite foods, then I want to keep eating even though I am full! (Potato gnocchi with pesto sauce, I’m looking at you!
Another great tip from Amber: “I never eat until I feel ‘full.’ I eat until I’m not hungry anymore. Big difference in portion control.”
Great point Amber. The Japanese, in particular the Okinowans, have some of the longest lived populations & practice a habit of portion control where individuals only eat until 80% full. Nice thing to do, but what does “80% full” actually mean? I think Amber’s point about eating until no longer hungry is a great start.
We also got on the topic of counting calories.
I remarked how I loathe (an understatement) counting calories, & will only do it as a last resort (I’ve done it as a part of my weight loss program after each of my babies, with great success).
Cynthia, another reader also hates counting calories.
She says: “I don’t count calories, either! But 9 months ago when I went from an unhealthy vegetarian to plant-based, whole-foods (thank you The China Study!) I immediately started to lose weight (nearly 30 pounds now, and counting). I just prepare an average size plate of food, eat slowly and when I’m done, that’s it. If I still feel like I need more it will always be something in the whole-foods category. For me, I’ve gotten to the point that I know just about how much food will make me feel satisfied, but not “full”. I’m kinda of a snacker, though and eat small amounts throughout the day (fruit, mostly).”
Aren’t these some great tips?
Melissa also shares: “Sometimes I will have to literally spit my last few bites out (because it tasted so good, I wanna keep eating, but my body makes me feel like gagging if I were to swallow it). Drives my hubby nuts, but I don’t do it that often either. Eating slower helps for sure. I don’t want to feel bursting at the seams, but want to be satisfied, and that is often tough to navigate. If I’m still hungry 30 minutes after I finish my plate, I’ll grab something low-glycemic (aka FRESH) to top myself off.”
I agree, knowing when to stop is the toughest part, at least for me. But Melissa’s trick of waiting at least 30 minutes after eating is a good one.
Rebekah sums it up nicely.
She says: “I think there are varying stages of fullness that are okay to eat to – it will just affect how soon you are hungry again. If I just eat to that “not hungry anymore” stage, I’m hungry again an hour or two later. I prefer to have my meals hold me longer than that. It’s probably just a matter of personal preference!”
I agree with Rebekah’s point that it kind of comes down to a matter of personal preference. Do you want to have to eat every 2 hours, every 4 or every 6? I don’t like eating every 2 hours, but I’ve found I don’t mind 3 meals a day either. I find 2 meals a day more convenient, but now that I’m home all, I’d like to eat breakfast, lunch & dinner with them.
So far I’ve been doing pretty good, but I am learning how to gauge myself for a 3 meal a day schedule. I’m still eating too much at lunch (& snacking on fruit in the afternoon) so that I’m not hungry at dinner time. I need to learn to pace myself a little better.
I miss teaching, but I do get to teach a yoga class once a week to some of my old students from when we lived here several years ago.
I teach 7-10 ladies yoga/Pilates, every Tuesday at this church, which is just a block from where I live, so I get a morning stroll before class.
I was tempted to skip breakfast this morning, since the yoga class was at 9 am & I didn’t want to have anything on my stomach, but I was a bit hungry from doing my morning workout (a combination of body weight exercises & strength training). And of course, I’m committed to giving this 3 meal a day thing a fighting chance.
I decided on a smoothie, since I knew it wouldn’t sit heavy in my stomach, but it would fill me up with plenty of good things.
Smoothie consisted of: 1 c. frozen raspberries (remember, we have a bunch), 1 c. frozen strawberries, 4 c. raw spinach, 2 packets stevia, 1 1/2 c. water, 1 small scoop non-soy protein powder. I know raspberries seem too beautiful to throw into a smoothie, but they give smoothies, a fantastic sweet zing to them that I love.
I added 2 pieces of gluten-free bread (so no getting sick this time!), & it was plenty to fill me up without bogging me down.
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How many meals do you eat a day? Do you like your current meal pattern/schedule?
How do you know if you’re full? When & how do you decide to stop eating?
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