Everyday Systems

I lost a lot of weight a few years ago just by being sensible and getting a little bit more exercise. It was an approach that was actually very similar to the No-S Diet--I just cut out a lot of unnecessary crap and walked more.

However, I've been backsliding for awhile now, and I really want to get back into those "skinny" jeans. I was appalled to find that I'd gained 30 pounds over the last three years just by getting back into bad habits! I realized I was mindlessly snacking on processed sugary stuff, making my meals too big, and consuming too many sugary drinks. When I found the No-S Diet, I was really excited because it's just so straight-forward--and it's probably the only way I can sensibly maintain good habits in the long run.

Anyhoodle, enough about me! My schedule is insane and I hate it, but I have no way of changing it in the foreseeable future, so I'm just going to have to deal with what I have. I have a really long commute and it sucks. I'm up and hungry at 6:00AM. I'm at the bus stop by 7, and I arrive at my office usually by about 8:15 or 8:30. Trouble is, I'm starving both at 6:00AM and 8:30AM.

Basically my body wants two breakfasts. Without the first one it's a lot harder to run to catch the bus. It's a lot harder to endure an hour or more smashed into a little seat with a stranger in heavy cologne. It's a lot harder to walk 12 city blocks to my office. Without the second one, I tend to get really distracted at the office and it's hard to get things done because I'm so hungry. But I'm not sure how to divvy up the first breakfast and the second breakfast to fit into this routine.

I didn't have to be up at 6:00AM when I first lost all the weight to begin with, so this is kind of a challenge for me. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to divvy up my "plate" so I stay satisfied and don't gorge at lunchtime? I had been eating a lot of sugary muffins and Nutrigrain bars, and I probably should be consuming more whole grains and protein sources. I should also add that I'm lactose intolerant, so some cheeses are okay but a glass of milk is out (I could take Lactaid, but it makes me feel gross.)

Ideally I'd like to consume three reasonably-sized meals a day, with fruit for snacks.

I have a difficult schedule, too, so I feel your pain! What really works for me is to have a small bowl (about 1 cup) of natural, full-fat yoghurt. Sometimes I mix in a bit of wheat germ or walnuts and a drizzle of honey or some fruit preserves. I really need the fat to get me through to lunch. Other people have suggested a big bowl of old fashioned oatmeal with lots of dried fruit and nuts. You might try one of these at 6 and then a piece of fruit or a piece of bread with meat at 8. Or the reverse, depending on when you feel you really need the protein.

Good luck!

When do you eat lunch? How does that affect your breakfast schedule?

Are you a coffee-drinker? That is an appetite suppressant, I've been told. (I just like it - but it does seem to fill in "gaps" sometimes.)

What do you have in terms of resources at work? Microwave? Fridge?

I have a similar issue when I exercise at lunch. Can't quite make it through my yoga/Pilates without food, but don't really want to eat a lot. My solution is to pack a "normal lunch" and pick one item to eat ahead and the rest after. (Usually it's an apple or other piece of fruit ahead.) Could one of your "breakfasts" be fruit and/or coffee, and the other a normal breakfast?

KCCC wrote:When do you eat lunch? How does that affect your breakfast schedule?

Are you a coffee-drinker? That is an appetite suppressant, I've been told. (I just like it - but it does seem to fill in "gaps" sometimes.)

I eat lunch right at 12:00 noon. Weirdly enough, I'm not hungry after that for the rest of the day, unless I eat dinner really late (like after 8:00PM.) It's just the mornings that are really hard.

I'm a coffee drinker, but that only calms the tummy rumbles and perks me up a bit. It doesn't really help with my concentration or my blood sugar!

I guess the trouble is, when I let myself get too hungry, I usually eat too much when I can get my next meal. The first time I lost weight, I was on a much easier schedule.

Would just coffee get you to work? Or coffee and fruit? Or coffee and toast? With a real breakfast at 8-ish?

And I think you're right to try for a "real" breakfast instead of sugary things. My mom can't have dairy anymore, but she likes the Kashi cereal dry, with raisins in it for moisture. Kind of like trail mix, and very portable. If you do have a microwave, I'm an oatmeal-with-nuts-and-fruit fan. Or, there's no reason you can't eat a regular sandwich for breakfast - or anything else that would be nutritious at any other meal!

Good luck!

KCCC wrote:Would just coffee get you to work? Or coffee and fruit? Or coffee and toast? With a real breakfast at 8-ish?

This might upset my tummy, actually! Oh, I sound like such a drama queen. I love coffee dearly, but it doesn't work so well for me when I have to wait two hours between home and office. :) I might JUST have the fruit before I leave the house, then treat myself to a more substantial breakfast once I'm at the office. I've tried the Kashi cereals and I like them a lot, but I seem to prefer savory things overall.

Like, a sandwich of lean turkey on whole-wheat bread, and mustard and a bit of cheddar and lettuce and tomato. Oooh, that sounds great. I'm trying to break the cycle I was in - some of my friends were into these really aggressive diets that would supposedly make them lose weight fast, and they'd eat next to nothing for breakfast. I definitely need more than that, and in order to lose weight effectively, I should probably listen to my body. The No-S lifestyle is great because I'm all like, "OMG. I can have THAT? For BREAKFAST? Woo hoo!"

I do have access to a microwave and fridge at work, so I could potentially have just about anything for breakfast. But for some reason my coworkers are kind of nosy, and if they smell something cooking at odd hours of the day, they love to ask all kinds of questions about it. "Brown rice and homemade chickpea curry? For BREAKFAST? Jerseymonster, you're NUTS!" I laugh it off. People are weird.

I also struggle with a wacky, busy schedule. What has helped is becoming a milk drinker! When I have a late (3:00) lunch, I have a big glass at 11, when I have an early lunch (11), I have a big glass at 3.

Try drinking either at 6 or at 8:30, and see which one helps the most.

Betty

What would your typical or ideal breakfast be on a workday? Why not just split it in half, have half at home before you leave for work and half at work?

I don't like the milk idea, largely because I can't stand to drink milk (you could offer me a billion dollars and I couldn't tell you the last time I drank a glass of milk).

Jerseymonster mentioned that she's lactose intolerant, so the milk idea wouldn't work--I'm the same, I can have yogurt and cheese but real ice cream and straight milk is...ugh.

I like the idea of a piece of fruit for the 6am (like an apple, which, because of all the fiber and water in it makes me feel full for a while) and then something more at work.

I see lots of great suggestions for you here so I can't really add anything, but I did want to say you are doing the right thing by not giving up and making excuses, but rather looking for a way that works for you. I am sure you'll find it!

You can do a four meal version of no-s -- though since you're currently snacking on fruit, I'd probably limit fruit to mealtimes to compensate.

You can also/instead try just having bigger, more fibrous breakfasts -- like a big bowl of oatmeal with nuts and fruit. It's cheap, nutritious, quick to prepare, and it has some serious stopping power. Alternate the fruits and nuts and you even get a bit of variety.

Don't be discouraged if it takes some trial and error to find the right thing. It probably will -- and it's worth it.

Best of luck,

Reinhard