I usually don't eat when I'm not hungry...but I don't let myself go more than 5 hours without eating. Make sense? When you have that super ravenous feeling that most of us attest to being hunger, you're more likely to overeat because you're so ravenous. Eating smaller meals throughout the day helps you to not overeat Also, it's an ever changing cycle. Some days we aren't hungry, other days it seems like we can't eat enough.

Welcome

Hi pipa and welcome! Glad your here.

To answer your question I think the main purpose of eating every few hours is so you don't get hungry as it's not good for your metabloism or your sugar level. I still eat when I am not hungry not always the full serving I have set out but every 3 hours I eat.

I'm sure some of the others here will have some more insight for you as we have a great group of southbeachers with lots of knowledge.

Come on over to the daily chat - we would love to have you.

I think a big problem I'm running into lately is eating when I'm not hungry. I KNOW this is just a bad habit of mine, but I'm really having a hard time breaking it. I teach school, and I don't always remember to pack the healthy food with me and I don't want to run to the vending machines, but I need an alternative. I just ate two hershey bars and now, I know I won't beat myself up over this, I just think I probably can't eat any more today

Gabbnteach....where do you teach? Small world.

DH teaches at ULL.

You can eat more even though you had the hershey bars.....just make the additional food healthy choices!

I find that if I skip a meal or snack in the earlier part of the day...it's easier for me to eat way too much after dinner. I get that grazing thing happening where I'll eat my cheese stick I skipped, then a yogurt, then some fruit...et cet. I try not to skip anything anymore even when I'm not hungry so I don't cheat later.

Gabb, I also teach in LA. Do you have a fridge in the teacher's lounge? If so, on Sunday, make stuff to stick in there such as hard boiled eggs, laughing cow cheese, LF yogurt, trisquits in portions, fruit etc if you are in phase II, if not just bring phase one stuff with you. Turkey roll ups are also easy to bring. Bring a few days worth on Monday..that way if you forget, you'll have something good for you and not be tempted by the junk machine. Since school will be out soon, you will have to summer to get your snacks/lunch in a routine that will carry over in the fall.

Thank you, all, for the encouragement! I teach at Comeaux High School, Zeff. What does DH teach? And...yes there is a fridge in the lounge, but...hmmm things usually disappear from that place! lol

I just have to get back on track and make sure that I am able to make better choices (had salmon and veggies for dinner, so that was good!). Yes, I am looking forward to summer and an easier routine for myself.

Think I need sleep now, just finished a workout, though, and wind down, and wanted to say thanks

Pipa!

I understand the idea of not wanting to eat when you aren't hungry. Like Zeff noted, it's okay to skip a planned mealTIME when you aren't hungry, but you don't want to go more than 3-4 hours (unless your body has a longer span) without eating something. If you do, your blood sugar will drop and cause you to be extremely hungry--you are much more likely to make poor eating choices in that situation. So, instead of skipping lunch entirely, why not eat a small portion of lean protein and veggies, then wait and see if you get hungry again? I find that in the morning, my meals are much more closely space (say, breakfast at 8, snack at 11, lunch at 1:30) compared to my afternoons (lunch at 1:30, snack at 5, dinner at 7 or 8, snack at 11). Sometimes I don't want to eat as much as I've planned. But you do want to make sure that you eat the important parts of what you've planned. Don't fill up on good fats or on good carbs (milk, yogurt, etc. in P1, sweet potato, WW bread, brown rice in P2)--stick to the very important lean protein and the nutrient-rich veggies. Okay?

Glad to have you with us--feel free to ask away on any questions you have...and check out the FAQ, too, as it's full of great info!

It sucks that things disappear from the fridge. That used to happen all the time to me when I worked. I don't understand how someone could knowingly eat someone else's food.

DH teaches math. He's moving to SLCC to head and start their math department in the fall. This summer he's going to be an adjunct for slcc.

It sounds like you're on the right track. Just remember not to beat yourself up too much over mistakes. Everybody makes bad decisions once in awhile, and the best decision you can make to combat that is to get back up and start again.

Where do you workout? We're members at Red's, although I think we're going to be putting our membership on hold over the summer. It's too nice outside

I belong to physiques and I really like it there. The new place will be opening in August, I think. Looks like it will be even nicer! Lately, though, I've been lucky to finish my activities before midnight, so Ive just been popping a DVD in the machine at night. Doesn't always make for great and immediate sleeping, lol, but at least I'm still getting some activity in!

No... trying not to beat myself up about it, and actually saw a loss on the scale this morning, go figure!!

Great work!
Where is the new physiques going to be? We live almost in Carencro, and with gas prices....I hate driving all the way over to Kaliste Saloom to work out Do you ever do any outdoor exercise? DS and I go to Girard Park quite often and walk the 1.25 mile trail a few times. We've also been going to Acadiana Park on Alexander, but it isn't nearly as nice as Girard.

Do you have Cox? They have a great On Demand exercise selection. Walking programs, yoga, pilates, total body, whatever....it's pretty convenient and nice to have the selection.

I am hungry and yes I look forward to my mid morning and mid afternoon snacks of red fat string cheese and a small glass of V-8 juice or 1/2 c fat free small curd cottage cheese w Splenda and cinnamon mixed in it (Hey, I have never eaten cottage cheese before until two weeks ago when I read on here that someone said it thickens your hair. I have been eating it since!)


I guess, this food plan affects different people differently but if I follow it to the letter, I am hungry.