Eat Breakfast AND Lunch
from the 10 Tips to Lose Weight and Keep it Off for Good Series
I’m not sure about you, but I’ve read that in order to lose weight, that you should “bank your calories”. Well… to me that means figuring out the number of calories that I should consume throughout the day so I can make sure to “save” enough for dinner and dessert!
Now, I have also found that when I DON’T eat all day to save “room” for an event, I’m so hungry by the time that I get to the event that even the napkins look like food! Plus not only do I eat too much, but I consume it so fast that I’m over full before an actual meal has been served.
In an effort to eat less and thus have less of me, I have been focusing on eating less at each meal and attempting to have meals spaced out during the day in a regular fashion. That is great at home where I have the ability to put each meal on the table at a predictable time and serve myself a “normal” portion.
Well, all that goes out the window when I have a heavy client load, or business meetings, or when I travel for business or pleasure. Meals come when they come, or when I can squeeze them in, and sometimes my stomach thinks that I’ve abandoned it all together! I grew up with the notion that you eat by the clock, and though I’ve trained myself to eat when hungry now, this doesn’t always work when I’m juggling clients, at business events or traveling.
Depending on what the event is – business or pleasure – someone else is in charge of when I eat. Unfortunately they are not in charge of how much I eat! Either way someone else is in charge of the timing of eating. Meetings might end on time – but then there is the all important networking. If I’m visiting with friends, they frequently have lots of places to see and experience. Though everyone has the best intensions, my stomach gets cranky if not fed. When I get “over hungry” my stomach leads my mind and sometimes even my feet to find some type of nourishment. When I get to that stage, I tend to not make the best food choices.
I have also been known to (in the past) to skip lunch before a big dinner or party so that I can “afford” to eat to my hearts content. NO MORE! I now make sure that in addition to having a good breakfast, which includes some protein, and by eating a smaller lunch, again making sure to have some protein, I am not that ravenous creature who eats everything in sight. Another tip I’ve learned is to make sure that I drink plenty of water so that my stomach remembers who is in charge! And if I know it is going to be a long event with lots of temptations, I eat something healthy before the event. Then I don’t show up ravenous and tempted to over-indulge. I also keep healthy snacks with me so if I get hungry, I have a fall back plan rather than being tempted by the local McDonalds or 7-11 store. Even if dinner is going to be early, and especially if it’s going to be later than you’re accustomed to, make sure to eat a healthy snack before you go. It is much easier to control what goes into your mouth at home than it is when you’re out.
If you are want to learn how to lose the excess bulges so you can look and feel good in that bathing suit this summer, give me a call me – Joy Reichard, Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist – at 415-819-8769 or email me) and schedule a complementary 30-minute consultation to find out how hypnotherapy can help you can master your weight. Go to my website for more information: http://joyreichard.com/weight.html
