Learning to balance
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- NoelFigart
- Posts: 1639
- Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 1:23 pm
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Learning to balance
I ate far too small of a breakfast today. (If you're limiting meals to three a day, you really should distribute the calories relatively evenly, which means for me about a 500 calorie breakfast. I had a bowl of oatmeal with some cinnamon and half-n-half, thinking the fat would do me. More like 250 calories).
I can tough it out until lunch and I will, just for the habit exercise.
My normal (and favorite) breakfast is pretty high in protein -- omelet with sauted veggies and a little cheese. I had the oatmeal because I had a craving for old-fashioned porridge. Shoulda thrown in a boiled egg and some fruit, I know. I just thought, "Oh plenty of people have oatmeal for breakfast and are just fine."
That's dandy. I'm not "plenty of people" and I do better with a higher protein breakfast!
I'm also trying to train myself that being hungry before a meal is the proper way to feel. It's rather the POINT, non? Perhaps not this hungry this soon before it, but goodness...
*grin* I like how people point out that you cannot starve in a few hours.
I can tough it out until lunch and I will, just for the habit exercise.
My normal (and favorite) breakfast is pretty high in protein -- omelet with sauted veggies and a little cheese. I had the oatmeal because I had a craving for old-fashioned porridge. Shoulda thrown in a boiled egg and some fruit, I know. I just thought, "Oh plenty of people have oatmeal for breakfast and are just fine."
That's dandy. I'm not "plenty of people" and I do better with a higher protein breakfast!
I'm also trying to train myself that being hungry before a meal is the proper way to feel. It's rather the POINT, non? Perhaps not this hungry this soon before it, but goodness...
*grin* I like how people point out that you cannot starve in a few hours.
I have oatmeal for breakfast most days. I make it the way Reinhard describes in one of his podcasts -- "optimized oatmeal" -- with some nuts and dried fruit. And I have a lot of it - an entire cup of the long-cooking oats. I have to admit that by 11:00, I'm usually very hungry. I'll have a cup of tea, and the hunger passes. This breakfast definitely doesn't have the staying power of an omelette, but I'm hoping that if I keep at it, day after day, I'll stop feeling hungry too early. My breakfast is more than 500 calories, so it's definitely big enough. I like this breakfast, though, because I can keep all the ingredients in a drawer at work, and I don't have to use a microwave or anything; I just add hot water. But if I had the time to cook breakfast at home, I'd probably make omelettes
- NoelFigart
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I'm self-employed, hence the omelets.franxious wrote:I have oatmeal for breakfast most days. I make it the way Reinhard describes in one of his podcasts -- "optimized oatmeal" -- with some nuts and dried fruit. And I have a lot of it - an entire cup of the long-cooking oats. I have to admit that by 11:00, I'm usually very hungry. I'll have a cup of tea, and the hunger passes. This breakfast definitely doesn't have the staying power of an omelette, but I'm hoping that if I keep at it, day after day, I'll stop feeling hungry too early. My breakfast is more than 500 calories, so it's definitely big enough. I like this breakfast, though, because I can keep all the ingredients in a drawer at work, and I don't have to use a microwave or anything; I just add hot water. But if I had the time to cook breakfast at home, I'd probably make omelettes
A cup of the dry oats, eh? I had about half that.
I recall the optimized oatmeal podcast, and I'm gonna confess it sounds rather tasty. The nuts would have helped with the protein. (I find if I eat a meal too high in carbohydrates without enough protein to balance it, I have a sugar crash. This is hunger rather than a sugar crash, so it wasn't too high in refined carbs -- and thick cut oats is about as unrefined a carb as you can have).
I do oatmeal too, with fruit (fresh or dried) and nuts. I also drink OJ with it, having read some report that oatmeal+OJ was a powerful cholesterol-lowering combination.
However, in addition to the oatmeal, I drink about a cup of milk distributed between 2 cups of cafe au lait, which I make in my microwave.
Between the nuts and milk, I do okay. I am quite ready for lunch when it comes, though!
However, in addition to the oatmeal, I drink about a cup of milk distributed between 2 cups of cafe au lait, which I make in my microwave.
Between the nuts and milk, I do okay. I am quite ready for lunch when it comes, though!
I find an easy filling meal for making at work is 1/2 to 1 cup oats, mixed seeds (pumpkin, flax, sunflower, sesame), nuts, dried fruit (or chopped fresh) with milk.
Put the whole thing in the microwave and that is one filling breakfast.
I also need the protein to make it to lunch and this definitely makes it.
Put the whole thing in the microwave and that is one filling breakfast.
I also need the protein to make it to lunch and this definitely makes it.
Hugs from Sunny South Africa
Vanilla No S with no Sugar due to Health issues - 11 yrs No S - September 2016 (some good, some bad (my own doing) but always the right thing for me!)
Vanilla No S with no Sugar due to Health issues - 11 yrs No S - September 2016 (some good, some bad (my own doing) but always the right thing for me!)
I make my oatmeal with milk and add a teaspoon of almond or peanut butter after its cooked. I find that if I have a big bowl plus half a piece of fruit I can make it to lunch without being toooo hungry. The almond butter and milk are key, though. Without the fat and protein it just disappears mid morning!
- NoelFigart
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Oh I don't mind being quite hungry with a growling stomach a half an hour before a meal.KCCC wrote:I do oatmeal too, with fruit (fresh or dried) and nuts. I also drink OJ with it, having read some report that oatmeal+OJ was a powerful cholesterol-lowering combination.
However, in addition to the oatmeal, I drink about a cup of milk distributed between 2 cups of cafe au lait, which I make in my microwave.
Between the nuts and milk, I do okay. I am quite ready for lunch when it comes, though!
I just think being that hungry two hours before it is an indication that tweaking meal size is a good idea.
I always put nuts in my oatmeal. Plenty of protein. Maybe that would help? Although from what you describe a bigger bowl would probably have made the most difference.
As for protein vs. fiber vs. fat vs. whatever, I think it's important to some degree, but vastly less so than sheer bulk and the force of habit. Our bodies aren't these delicate instruments that need everything just so. They're more like garbage disposal machines, designed to make do with whatever they can scrounge together. Obsessing over precise nutrients can get counterproductive fast. It's a great excuse for appetite to get its way. It's sort of like my 3 year old whining for her PURPLE teddy bear at bed time. The point isn't the teddy bear, the point isn't its color, the point is she needs something to whine about. In too many cases, nutrition is appetite's purple teddy bear -- a very convincing pretext for MORE.
Michael Pollan has a wonderful term for this phenomenon, which has been exploited to the hilt by food marketers: "nutritionism."
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/magaz ... ism&st=nyt
Reinhard
As for protein vs. fiber vs. fat vs. whatever, I think it's important to some degree, but vastly less so than sheer bulk and the force of habit. Our bodies aren't these delicate instruments that need everything just so. They're more like garbage disposal machines, designed to make do with whatever they can scrounge together. Obsessing over precise nutrients can get counterproductive fast. It's a great excuse for appetite to get its way. It's sort of like my 3 year old whining for her PURPLE teddy bear at bed time. The point isn't the teddy bear, the point isn't its color, the point is she needs something to whine about. In too many cases, nutrition is appetite's purple teddy bear -- a very convincing pretext for MORE.
Michael Pollan has a wonderful term for this phenomenon, which has been exploited to the hilt by food marketers: "nutritionism."
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/28/magaz ... ism&st=nyt
Reinhard
- NoelFigart
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- Jammin' Jan
- Posts: 2002
- Joined: Thu May 05, 2005 2:55 pm
- Location: The Village
Well, this thread has done me a world of good.
I really love oatmeal for breakfast, and my typical bowl would be 1 cup old-fashioned oats plus maybe 1/4 cup nuts plus a box of raisins plus some soymilk to cool it off. I'd have a glass of juice with that, too.
It kept me going pretty well until lunch (4 or 5 hours)
But then I got to thinking that this was really a lot and full of fat and so (you know where this is going, right?) maybe I should cut it back and of course...I am ready to pass out about an hour before I get my lunch.
I'm going back to that very satisfying breakfast and the heck with the size of it. So there.
I really love oatmeal for breakfast, and my typical bowl would be 1 cup old-fashioned oats plus maybe 1/4 cup nuts plus a box of raisins plus some soymilk to cool it off. I'd have a glass of juice with that, too.
It kept me going pretty well until lunch (4 or 5 hours)
But then I got to thinking that this was really a lot and full of fat and so (you know where this is going, right?) maybe I should cut it back and of course...I am ready to pass out about an hour before I get my lunch.
I'm going back to that very satisfying breakfast and the heck with the size of it. So there.
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I usually have oatmeal and an omelette . Or an omelette and whole wheat toast, or oatmeal and cottage cheese (mixed together yum!!!). I'm a carnivore by nature and protein always comes first in my meal planning.
If I eat breakfast at 6 am, I won't be hungry until 1 pm or so.... Depending on how much black coffee I drink, the more the merrier
-dave
If I eat breakfast at 6 am, I won't be hungry until 1 pm or so.... Depending on how much black coffee I drink, the more the merrier
-dave
Cut to size,file to fit, paint to match...
Another great breakfast thing is the Swiss Muesli recipe in the Joy of Cooking. It's a lot like "optimized oatmeal," but possibly even more convenient, 'cause you make a batch at a time: Put old-fashioned oats in a big bowl, add an equal amount of boiling water, and just let that sit out on the counter over night, with a plate over it. In the morning, stir in a bunch of nuts, dried fruit, coconut, seeds, maybe some honey, whatever. You can make a week's worth at a time. Keep it in the fridge--have it for breakfast with yogurt, milk, cream, whatever. Easy as Rice Krispies once you've made your batch--way filling--healthy, delicious, cheap. Yum.
Mary, that's interesting - I pre-make my oatmeal sort of like that, except I use cold milk and Old-Fashioned oats, and let it sit in the fridge overnight. (And I usually throw in a bit of cinnamon).
In the morning, when it's soft from soaking, it can be eaten cold or heated (we use the microwave). My son likes his with honey, my husband adds sugar, fruit, and more cinnamon, and I add fruit and nuts.
Making it ahead really saves morning time, and is really a decent breakfast!
In the morning, when it's soft from soaking, it can be eaten cold or heated (we use the microwave). My son likes his with honey, my husband adds sugar, fruit, and more cinnamon, and I add fruit and nuts.
Making it ahead really saves morning time, and is really a decent breakfast!
Peanut butter - who woulda ever thought! As an official peanut butter lover, I'm going to have to try this one!
Discovered NoS: April 16, 2007
Restarted once again: July 14, 2011
Quitting is not an option...
If you start to slip, tie a knot and hang on!
Remember that good enough is... good enough.
Strive for progress, not perfection!
Restarted once again: July 14, 2011
Quitting is not an option...
If you start to slip, tie a knot and hang on!
Remember that good enough is... good enough.
Strive for progress, not perfection!
I Wish I Could Eat A Little Peanut Butter.....
.....but it's a no-no for me. If I take one little spoonful, the next step is eating one third of the jar! I do put mixed nuts and raisins on my cereal in the morning, so this sort of offsets my desire for peanut butter. Best regards, Bob
Health Is The Greatest Wealth!
I love peanut butter too, but haven't eaten any for months. I'm afraid of it due to it's high fat / calorie content. But I think that this goes against the spirt of No S so I may re-think this and let myself have some sometime - it would be ok if it came in tiny jars, but usually comes in big jars and it's too easy to eat half a jar at a time LOLPeanut butter - who woulda ever thought! As an official peanut butter lover
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Does nobody eat yogurt anymore?????????
I am vegetarian I love for breakfast organic yogurt ... with some fresh fruit ... and free range chicken eggs that I buy only at the local farmers market ... where the chickens are really free.... we can stop by the farm anytime and visit!
Also good to throw in a soy sausage patty ...
I am vegetarian I love for breakfast organic yogurt ... with some fresh fruit ... and free range chicken eggs that I buy only at the local farmers market ... where the chickens are really free.... we can stop by the farm anytime and visit!
Also good to throw in a soy sausage patty ...
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I eat yogurt, too, our favorite brand is the greek Fage and sometimes we have the 2%, sometimes the full fat one.
But I only eat it as breakfast in the summer; when you wake up and it's hot outside (and inside!!), nothing better than some cold yogurt with mangoes or bananas!.
In terms of breakfast, I don't have a defined time to have it, therefore sometimes I'll have a long stretch before breakfast, sometimes not so long, so I eat accordingly.
I eat a huge variety of things for breakfast, sometimes, even soups, stews and salads; as long as they have a good amount of protein, I'll eat it.
But I only eat it as breakfast in the summer; when you wake up and it's hot outside (and inside!!), nothing better than some cold yogurt with mangoes or bananas!.
In terms of breakfast, I don't have a defined time to have it, therefore sometimes I'll have a long stretch before breakfast, sometimes not so long, so I eat accordingly.
I eat a huge variety of things for breakfast, sometimes, even soups, stews and salads; as long as they have a good amount of protein, I'll eat it.
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These oatmeal ideas are awesome. I enjoy that for breakfast but I too have to have the fat and protein or I'm screwed. I never thot to let it soak overnight so I'm looking fwd to doing that, since finding time is my issue for breakfast on workdays.
Blessed are the cracked, for they are the ones who let in the light!
- Jammin' Jan
- Posts: 2002
- Joined: Thu May 05, 2005 2:55 pm
- Location: The Village
I add honey, nuts (usually walnuts or almonds) and fresh or frozen berries to the Fage yogurt. I'm also a fan of yogurt mixed with granola.
My breakfasts vary quite a bit. Some days breakfast is very light (toast and fruit); some days more substantial.
My breakfasts vary quite a bit. Some days breakfast is very light (toast and fruit); some days more substantial.
"That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do. Not that the nature of the thing itself has changed but our power to do it is increased." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
"You are what you eat -- so don't be Fast, Easy, Cheap or Fake."
"You are what you eat -- so don't be Fast, Easy, Cheap or Fake."