How often to eat

[Finelly]

I've been reading the questionairre responses re: cheating and binging and I noticed that three people who responded do so after not eating for up to 5 hours.

The one thing that causes cravings more than anything is low blood sugar. Because we are in ketosis and burning fat for energy, we have to keep feeding our body some fat to keep the process going AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, to keep our blood sugar LEVEL.

A drop in blood sugar will cause weakness, hunger, cravings, and an INABILITY TO RESIST TEMPTATION. Think about it. When you have just eaten something high in fat, how tempted are you to eat a carby food? Probably not very.

So let's get smart. Eat every 2-3 hours. No more than 3 hours. Something small. Something with fat in it.

I'll bet you are thinking "well, with my work schedule, I can't do that." You are WRONG.

I am a teacher. My kids get one recess per day and the rest of the day they are with me. (In elementary school, I have one hour of prep time PER WEEK when the kids aren't in the classroom with me.) This was my eating schedule during the past week:

7:15 - arrive at school. Have 4 bites of sour cream thingy

8:15 - the other four bites of sour cream thingy while kids are doing their writing journals

10 - 1 cup of chopped cucumber with blue cheese dressing. By now I've consumed my first bottle of water.

11:40 - 1 cup of pumpkin souffle, 1 devilled egg. (sometimes 2)

1:00 - 15 olives while kids are getting out their social studies books. Finishing up second bottle of water.

2:30 - starting drive home. 2 slices of deli turkey. 1/2 bottle of water.

4 - pre-workout. 1 flax cracker topped with herbed cream cheese.

6:30 - dinner - had spinach lasagna a lot this past week. Sometimes a small omelette and a greek salad.

When I first started doing Atkins, I asked around about cheating. What I discovered was that the people who weren't cheating and never binged were the ones who ate very very frequently. The second I started to emulate them, my cravings disappeared and those sudden episodes of low blood sugar when all I wanted to do was consume whatever was in the pantry (including stale poptarts) went away forever.

[mamakimberly]

Re: How often to eat

I hear ya!

I eat little mini-meals all day!

It makes a HUGE difference in my attitude about "dieting".

Speaking of "dieting", I was just ROFL with dh because I made the mock hashbrown casserole (a modified version of Linda's diner potatoes: http://users3.ev1.net/%7Efontlady/diner_potatoes.html).... and you know, I've only been on Atkins for almost 3 weeks after pretty much 4 years solid on WW with breaks for pregnancy and breastfeeding. Well, wowsers. I'm sorry, what other diet can you eat THAT on? I mean seriously! I am so stoked to come home from church to my pork spare ribs and hashbrown casserole. And hey, I'll be sticking to my diet perfectly!

Maybe I sound like a geek, but I LOVE IT!

[Honeysickle]

Re: How often to eat

I eat frequently also. I have breakfast around 8, then I get 32 ounces of water down.
Then I excercise and shower.
Then around 12 I eat lunch and drink another 32 ounces of water.
Then around 3 I have a snack and start on another 32 ounces.
Then I have dinner around 6 and a snack around 9.

[dreamof145]

Re: How often to eat

This is so true. I have always kept little baggies of pre-cut meats, celery, cucumbers, and radishes in ziplock baggies.

If I am hungry between meals, I grab one to much on. If I have to go out somewhere, I grab a few and throw in my purse. I also keep pouches of tuna and string cheese for these occassions. These appetite suppressers and bottles of water have been life-savers for me.

[Terry]

Re: How often to eat

Pulled out those zip loc bags this morning and filling them today with jicama, cucumbers, fresh green beans, cheese cubes, olives, sliced meats, cans of tuna/chicken salad into serving bowls and lemon slices ready to throw in my water. Im about to make up a quiche for breakfast and putting the leftovers in serving sized dishes also.

There is my game plan for the week.

MAy be trying out that has brown recipe as well.....................

[Starmaker]

Re: How often to eat

mock hashbrown recipe please.....................

[Zarabelle]

Re: How often to eat

mock hashbrown recipe please.....................

Another request for the recipe please!!

With regards to the initial thread, I always have legal snacks in my fridge (boiled eggs, cucumber, celery, cheese etc.) and have not cheated so far x

[sarafina]

Re: How often to eat

me too!! me too!! I want the mock hash brown recipe. The link in the thread doesn't work for me.......

[Zarabelle]

Re: How often to eat

Sarafina - take the last bracket out of the link and it works x

[sarafina]

Re: How often to eat

Sarafina - take the last bracket out of the link and it works x

Thanks, Zarabelle! I copied it to a doc file and saved it on my computer.

[Starmaker]

Re: How often to eat

Link? Did I miss the link for the hash browns?

[sarafina]

Re: How often to eat

http://users3.ev1.net/%7Efontlady/diner_potatoes.html

They look delicious! I am going to have to try them one night this week.

edited to add: I am going to try and shred my cauliflower in my small food processor - the last time I grated it by hand, it went everywhere and all over the kitchen floor. My food processor is a little mini one, so I may have to do it in batches, but it beats having to mop the kitchen floor...