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Sunday, August 2, 2009

Front Loading


I've always been a light eater in the morning, heavy eater at night. Let me tell you what I had every single day while I was teaching and training for my 2nd marathon:


- Breakfast: Banana + fat free yogurt
- Lunch: Campbells Soup by the Hand + String Cheese
- Snack: Fat Free Yogurt


Um....YEAH. How the heck did I survive on that?!! I was basically only eating 500 calories during the day, and then I'd have the majority (1000-1500) at night. I was such a p.m. grazer - my ass would be in the kitchen all evening, just snack a lackin'.

Here lately, I've been consuming bigger breakfasts than I EVER thought I would. Usually I eat about 900-1000 calories during the day - this would have made me highly uncomfortable back in the day.

But the good thing? I'm not as hungry at night! I come home and eat a reasonable dinner and a small snack after. I'm actually consuming less calories than I did back in the day when I ate practically nothing all the live long day. I know I am less active now (thanks, bum knee), but it's interesting to me how keeping myself full (but not stuffed) during the day really sets me up to not graze in the evening.

I will be honest, though, I struggle at times with feeling guilty for eating so much during the day. I feel like since I am not as active now, I don't "deserve" to eat so much. Without running, shouldn't I be less hungry? Well, I'm not, but I struggle with listening properly to my hunger because it doesn't feel well deserved. I guess it is okay, since I'm not gaining weight, but I still feel like I shouldn't be this hungry? I don't know.

What about you? Do you front load your calories? Or are you a p.m. grazer like my former self?


P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my beautiful sister, Kristy!!


Today I am thankful for:

- Pancakes on Sundays
- My caring, loving sisters
- Laughs from little ones

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

I definitely eat lighter for breakfast and lunch because I like to have a bigger dinner and graze afterwards...I know it's probably bad to graze at night, but I don't care - I like it!! :D

Tra said...

FRONTLOADER! i eat minimally for dinner. someone once told me u should eat the most of your calories at lunch...since you are most active around that time. i start getting anxious if i feel like i keep eating stuff- the feeling of bloatedness sucks!

Lee said...

I usually eat about 1000 calories during the day, before dinner.

Baylee♥ said...

It really depends for me on how my schedule is during the day. If i go for a run, I usually have something of caloric value to drink before hand - and then when i get home, i like to relax and graze. most nights, i usually go to bed very early, but on those nights when i dont, i get bored and just feel the need to eat and eat and eat. usually healthy things, but probably way more than i should.

i think it really is important to be able to eat at night though - i remember 'back in the day' i was terrified of eating after 6 pm because i thought it would settle in my stomach and make me fat when i went to sleep. WIERD. lol. just listen to your body- you 'deserve' to eat whatever your body needs - plus a little more :)

Emily said...

Oh I used to be the SAME. EXACT. WAY!!! I used to eat a yogurt and some fiber one for breakfast, crackers and hummus for lunch, and a granola bar for a snack and then come home and EAT, EAT, EAT!!! It's so weird that you would touch on this subject today because I was JUST thinking as I was fixing my lunch how different my eating habits have changed from a year ago. I am much happier and have TONS more energy by eating balanced meals throughout the day!!! I too have wondered how I made it on so little! I even feel a little bad for my students b/c I'm sure I didn't give it my all towards the end of the day b/c I just simply didn't have the energy... :( That will not happen this year!

I think part of the reason I did this was b/c of school. I get up at 6:00 and the students come in my room at 7:20, so eating a decent size breakfast feels strange that early. But, I'm going to continue doing what I'm doing and hopefully since I'll naturally be going to bed earlier, it won't be that big of a deal.

Happy Birthday to your Beautiful sister!! You both are gorgeous!!!!

Thank you so much for your caring comments today! It's so obvious that you are such a kind and happy person!! Sooo thankful to have met you! :)

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!!

HEAB said...

Holly,
One of my readers directed me to your post today. You should read mine - great minds think alike. :)

I used to be the same way. I'd skip breakfast altogether so that I could eat a good sized lunch and a huge dinner. So not worth it. Much happier eating more throughout the day...and a much nicer person too.

Happy Birthday Kristy!!!!

Lara said...

I also like to "front load". I eat almost all my calories by 4 PM, workout at 6 PM and then have a light-ish dinner.

Erica said...

Hmmm I'm sort of a grazer...consuming little amounts throughout the day ;)

Emmett said...

I love pancakes.

HangryPants said...

I find that when I eat more early it's a better eating day too.

Nicole said...

awwww cute pic!!


how bout i eat all freaking day non stop? lol i'm an all-day loader HAHA!

i'm thankful for
*mini vacations
*home sweet home
*looking at the lake on a run

Amy said...

I eat soooo much for breakfast after working out...I used to come home and devour a half a loaf of bread, no problem, in high school!

Peanut Butter Swirl said...

I am a bigger eater at night too! I just love bigger dinners. Not much a of a lunch time/snack person.

carla said...

IM a bigbigbig frontloader.

big.

Miz.

Robin said...

First of all, love the pic of you and your sister! You two are beautiful!

And I used to be a heavy eater at night because I would try to starve myself during the day and then end up giving up on that and eating a ton at night. But now, dinner is my smallest meal. I eat a lot during the day which I think is much better for me, personally. Prevents me from bingeing.

Robin said...

First of all, love the pic of you and your sister! You two are beautiful!

And I used to be a heavy eater at night because I would try to starve myself during the day and then end up giving up on that and eating a ton at night. But now, dinner is my smallest meal. I eat a lot during the day which I think is much better for me, personally. Prevents me from bingeing.

Anonymous said...

i want to be a front loader! i tend to spread my meals out pretty evenly throughout the day, but i would probably feel better if i went to bed with a lighter stomach.

Kim said...

I tend to eat the same amount throughout the day, then a bit more at night.

If you still feel hungry and aren't gaining weight, I think it's okay to eat as much :)