Take care of yourself

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

I can't find a good protein bar that isn't 375 calories or more.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Is there any way to lose weight if you're not a morning/breakfast person?

I haven't ate a big breakfast since I was in high school. When I get up (usually in the afternoon), I have no interest in eating. My stomach's just not in the mood for it. I'm not queasy or anything like that, but eating when I get up is completely unappetizing.

The problem, it appears, is my metabolism is running behind all day. Take today for instance: I had a bagel about two hours after I got up and then a granola bar a little while later. Suddenly, it's 9:30 and I am STARVING. I mean, hallucinating from hunger starving. And we don't have anything at home that appeals to me, so I decide that I'll cheat a bit and get some Wendy's chicken nuggets and medium fries.

Except I also get the medium Coke to go with it. Holy hell. THAT'S a medium?? Great info in my wife's Weight Watchers packet about how the size of a soda at fast food joints has dramatically increased in the last 20 years.

I wolf down my food and I'm still hungry. So I have some trail mix (sans the M&Ms). Still hungry, so I eat a bunch of Mike and Ikes, figuring that will sate my desire for a dessert-like thing. Hey! They're fat free! It says so on the package! Maybe so, but all this food has made me bloated and sluggish. Yet I didn't EAT that much today.

It's incredibly frustrating. I'm thinking that I'll have to start getting up at 10 am and eating breakfast in order to lose weight.

Does anyone have any advice for a late sleeper who doesn't like breakfast?

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Start the day with several fruits. I can't explain why, but since I started doing that Jan. 1, I feel much better throughout the day. Do you like grapefruit? I've heard that's a great metabolism kick-starter. Hunter Thompson used to eat 3 grapefruits every morning with a lot of coffee. Or so he wrote.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

I don't like the hummus.

I just don't eat eggs that much, and if you think the turkey/chicken I eat will be enough protein, then I don't really need the bars. But I didn't think you could go wrong with protein.

Xan, perhaps I semi-mispoke. I bought the Pria "nutrition bars" which are 170 calories and 11 g of protein with 5g of dietary fiber.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

BYH, like you I'm not much of a breakfast person, but I've found that if I eat something really light right when I get up -- some fruit, yogurt, nothing with a bundle of carbs-- I eat way less during the day.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

I bought a Pria bar by mistake and someone at work teased me for eating a "women's" protein bar.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

I'm the opposite of you. I'm like BYH. When I don't eat breakfast, my metabolism lags behind, so I don't eat as much. That's why I'm glad I'm currently eating like five smaller meals instead of three large ones, because once I eat, I want more food. So I just kind of eat a little bit every 3 hours or so.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

I'd eat all day if I could. That's what makes it tough. The only thing keeping me from going back to last year's weight is the fear of looking like the male version of Aunt Jemima. I'd go to one of the local schools and some of the athletes would tease me with "Congratulation, Songbird," and I'd say "What for?" and they'd say "Oh, you aren't pregnant?" All in fun, sure, but still ... Those days are over.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Interesting. I remember now that the last time I had some success at this, I'd have a bowl of dry cereal. Nothing major, obviously, but presumably it kick-started my heart my metabolism.

Key lime yogurt first thing in the afternoon might not be bad either.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

BYH, I'm not exactly early to rise, either. Problem is, when I bike, that actually kills my appetite instead of invigorating it.

Try to eat something - it doesn't always have to be heavy - about 2-3 hours after you get up. For me, some pasta, a turkey sandwich or something chicken-based usually does the trick, with some orange juice (helps me stave off the soda for another couple of hours). Doesn't have to be a side of beef, two orders of fries and something poisonous of the liquid variety.

Buy some groceries that you will want to take to work with you. It works for me: Helps me from overdoing portions, saves money, is there at my convenience and cuts stress from needing to scan the countryside for food. I usually keep pretzels handy ... of course, washing it down with soda isn't healthy, but beats loads of candy bars and potentially worse. Additionally, I've gotten into granola bars to finish off after my dinner at the desk (usually pasta). Nature Valley brand has some appealing flavors, doesn't taste like styrofoam (to me, anyway) and sometimes quashes that need for M&M's to chase down dinner.

So usually, that's about two meals a day, plus some pretzels or something very light ... now to work on that soda and sugar binges. :-\

Maybe something here will help ...

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

How much soda do you drink, Sam?

I've found I NEED the caffeine. Too bad I hate coffee and all diet caffeniated sodas.

I've tried to limit myself to one can of Pepsi per night. I was doing pretty well til tonight. :-\

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Here's what I ate today. Feel free to offer suggestions.

4:30 p.m.: 1 1/2 cups of Cheerios Yogurt Burst, 3/4 cup milk, tangerine.
7:30 p.m.: Lean Cuisine mac and cheese, 100-calorie pack of Chips Ahoy, South Beach Diet snack bar
10 p.m.: turkey sandwich, swiss cheese on wheat bread, 1/2 yogurt, grapes
12:30 a.m.: 10 baked Lays

And I had 40 ounces of water.