I often say that I notice the time change through my appetite because I find myself hungrier earlier than the clock thinks I should be hungry but the truth is, my appetite never really respected the concept of standard meal times anyway.
When I am hungry, I am HUNGRY which translates as I must eat my meal now regardless of the time in order to keep functioning politely.
Time change or not, there are plenty of early mornings over here where I wake up between 3:00- 4:00 am absolutely famished.
It doesn’t happen all of the time and when it does happen, I can usually attribute it to a recent long run or an upping in my mileage.
Regardless of the reason, I get up to eat something…a piece of a banana, some oatmeal…anything that will calm my stomach so I can go back to sleep for a bit.
I certainly wouldn’t consider holding off until a more respectable hour.
I typically eat my pre-run breakfast anywhere between 5:30- 6:00 am which includes an unpretty bowl of oatmeal, mashed banana and peanut butter.
My second breakfast happens within twenty to thirty minutes following my run which, on average, is no later than 9:00 am.
The usual mix of cold (cooked) oatmeal with plain greek yogurt, berries and peanut butter. Lots of peanut butter.
On the days where lunch happens after 12:00 pm, that’s considered late according to my stomach.
My new favorite three-ingredient butternut squash pancake. Recipe to come next week!
There are so many days where I am eating lunch in the 11:00 hour. If I am hungry enough for lunch, why would I wait?
My appetite for apples with peanut butter knows no boundaries. My favorite combo happens more frequently than just every night.
Sometimes I just take a slice at a time throughout the day with peanut butter, other times I cut up multiple apples in one day and throw some chocolate chips into the peanut butter mix. It really depends on how hungry I am.
My clock reads 4:00 pm many nights of the week while I am eating dinner.
Chick pea/avocado mash on top of sweet potato wedges, roasted cauliflower, asparagus and Brussels sprouts.
I find it better for me to eat a meal before running around the town for after-school activities than trying to get by on a banana or some protein-type bar until an appropriate clock-determined meal time.
Leftover tri-color quinoa makes for a quick and easy meal when paired with roasted vegetables and avocado.
What’s the worst that will happen if I eat a larger meal at 4:00 pm but find myself hungry at 7:00 pm even after an evening snack?
I will have to eat again? Okay, so what’s the big deal with that?
I always have a night-time snack (hello, you just heard me say I have an apple with peanut butter every night) and some nights I have a few nighttime snacks.
Sometimes I make popcorn or decide to heat up a steam bag of veggies with some hummus.
And then sometimes, I just want handfuls of straight-up chocolate chips and nothing else will do so I don’t even try to make something else do.
I really like these Mini Dark Chocolate Bars too by the way although they don’t work when the handfuls of chips are necessary.
I don’t really care what time it is at night when I decide I need some chocolate. When I need it, I must have it otherwise I would be up all night watching the clock thinking about it.
Be sure to check out what everyone else is eating today!
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Do you follow your appetite or the clock?
Are you a chocolate chips by the handful person too?
If/when you wake up in the middle of the night hungry, do you get up to eat? What do you have?
Ugh, I was hungry all day yesterday (well, even more so than usual). I usually try to balance out my appetite and the clock, but it really didn’t help that Alex wanted to workout after work, and I was starving before he even got off. I was able to get a snack, but still. RAR.
Susie @ SuzLyfe recently posted…Successful Healthy Holiday: Alternative Baking Staples
I am so bad at evening workouts. Not that I have tried recently but they never worked for me, or my appetite.
I really need to get back into oats….I just can’t seem to pull myself away from cereal! Even though yours are not pretty (your words not mine :P), they still sound good, and even if I think I will for my second breakfast after my run….I will still end up with the cereal, argh!
Haha I like that you eat handfuls of semi sweet chips, I like doing that too 🙂
Tina muir recently posted…5 Tips for Staying Motivated When You Stop Running PBs
I thought of you this morning as I prepared my oats. It’s so good! I can’t imagine having cereal instead but I understand the feeling of wanting to have something different yet still reaching for your favorite – like I do with oatmeal.
Whoever came up with idea of dipping apple into pb is a pure genius! Aside from having an aversion to nut butter in my first trimester, I can’t remember the last time I went a day w/o that combo. So good!
I had a peanut butter aversion too when I was pregnant. And I tried to ignore it because I loved peanut butter but each and every time, I felt sick from it so I gave it up for a while. It wasn’t easy!
After a run and lifting session, I ate something I prepared using Zucchini, peppers and eggplant from my garden with crushed tomatoes added! Yum!
I will also grab a handful of chocolate chips.
That sounds delicious. I need to make some eggplant this week, it was on my list!
I’m terrible at letting the lock control my eating. It’s always been breakfast at like 9 lunch at 12 dinner at 5. I should know better because by 5 time starving!
Ashley @ Kickashmom recently posted…If you want to
I can’t deal with being hungry and waiting for a specific meal time. I can’t focus if I am truly hungry.
I work at a school where our breaks are around 10:40 and 1:00 so I eat lunch very early and then have to eat dinner very early. This works fine until the weekend comes and none else seems to follow my stomach’s clock!
Ha, welcome to my world! Most of my friends are real good about making sure we don’t have late dinner reservations but usually, if the weekend plans are calling for late meals, I just have one first at home and then another when I am out. I am not good at waiting or adjusting to waiting.
I love squash pancakes! So easy and good. I try to follow my hunger but my schedule gets in the way undoubtedly. And I always make food for my family before myself, so I’m definitely not always eating at the first sign of hunger!
Michele @ paleorunningmomma recently posted…Lazy Day Paleo – Easy Breezy Meals and Snacks
My son always says to me when I am hungry, “It’s okay, you can wait a few minutes, nothing will happen to you”..Haha
I’m ruled by my stomach! Meal times generally stick to a vague schedule, but if I’ve had a bigger or smaller meal than normal, I’ll adjust my timings according to that. I’m much more flexible than I used to be!
Cat recently posted…WIAW #52: Stereotypical HLB Style
Being flexible is important since our appetites can change from day to day.
I run into the same problem all the time when my stomach is ready to eat way before a respectable hour. This can get tricky with meetings and stuff at work so I always have a snack ready and if I know I won’t be able to eat lunch when i want then I eat a snack even if I am not hungry yet. I get so grumpy when I am hungry! Usually I am ok with just a banana before I run but then I come home and I am starving so I usually make a smoothie right. away. And nighttime snacks are a must!
Lisa @ Running Out Of Wine recently posted…Rest Day Eats And Drinks
I am the worst when I am hungry. Work meetings and needing to follow someone else’s schedule is awful for me! I too would eat something before hungry just to avoid hungry!
I used to be super strict about only eating at the “right” times — to the point where I’d literally be watching the clock like a hawk just waiting for the hour I was “allowed” to eat. It was misery and I’m so happy to have let go of that nonsense. These days I eat when I’m hungry… even if that means breakfast is at 4 AM and dinner is at 4 PM. And if I wake up hungry in the middle of the night? A banana and some almond milk usually put me right back to sleep.
Amanda @ .running with spoons. recently posted…. currently – november 2014 .
I always go for a piece of a banana or even some chocolate milk in the middle of the night. Works every time.
Finally someone who eats as much as me lol! I wish I was this hungry because of running, but I guess lifting and HIIT makes you hungry too 🙂 Love love love you bowl of oats (second breatkfast) and the idea of steamed veggies and hummus – I’ve gotta try it! I love roasted asparagus and broccoli and hummus, I bet I’ll love your version as well!
Sam @ PancakeWarriors recently posted…WIAW #10 – Carrot Cake Pancakes
I totally love the roasted veggies with hummus (or with anything) but the steam vegetables are great in a pinch. Even my son will eat them on occasion with the hummus!
I’m always eating lunch before noon! I get so early that I’m starving by 10:45:)
Faith VanderMolen recently posted…Whole Wheat Vegan Banana Pancakes
I hear ya on that!
I pretty much follow the clock these days because I hate to throw my schedule off and I have certain things I need to do during specific times and I like to focus on my meals (well, I read the paper at the same time but hey that counts for focusing!)
Sometimes though I really want/need to eat early or at random times but it kind of makes me anxious. Yeah…I’ve got some issues (:
I always loved to read the newspaper while eating my breakfast.
i totally agree with you on this! I always let my body tell me when its time to eat and never base my meals off of a certain time!
Bethany recently posted…Pistachio Crusted Orange Tilapia