To ask if anyone else eats all day?

[user112256479]

I've always been a grazer, most days the only real meal I eat is dinner. I'm not a big breakfast person, so am up by around 6:30 and mostly don't eat before noon. Not fasting, though, as I have a tea with a splash of milk first thing and then a coffee with a spoonful of creatine and some cream after I walk the dog.

It seems to work ok for me, but almost no one seems to eat that way.

@Rooit14 No eating disorder and, no, I don't ordinarily keep a list, just did it for this thread and was actually surprised by how relatively little food it added up to as I felt like I was munching away all day.

When the kids were younger we were obviously doing 3 meals a day plus snacks. We've always done sit down family dinner with candles and conversation. I actually love food and cooking and don't have any foods I don't eat, but do fill up quickly and get tired of what I'm eating and then struggle to eat more. I ate with them when we were home, but have always been more of a grazer than someone who wants a big meal. We did used to bake quite a lot when the DCs were home, but now I only do when they're coming home or we're having guests or entertaining.

It does to me too, but I've subsequently had sea bass roasted with olive oil, butter and white wine, creamed spinach, salad and risotto. Now being followed up with a cup of cocoa made with full fat milk, so I suspect it adds up to someone else's 3 meals.

It looks ok to me

And I don't know my BMI. I'm 5'4" and weigh around 55 kilos. I just plugged that in to a calculator which put it at 20.8, which seems pretty middle of the road fine.

Glad to see there are a few others who eat like this.

@Anonomoso I could not be trusted with a bag of mini kit kats!

Although I'm not really hungry at breakfast, I make myself eat some - usually a bowl of porridge with mixed seeds and banana.
I find that if I don't, I am so hungry by about 10 that I eat the contents of the kitchen !!

I just cannot eat like that. I have to eat breakfast and it has to be the same one every day or I don't feel right! It's oats, nuts, Greek yogurt, almond milk, grated apple and blueberries. Usually cold sometimes hot. Sometimes with protein powder. Usually about 8am.

Then have eggs mid morning in some format.

I get a migraine without fail if I don't have breakfast.

a few roasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds

you just have had to moisten the tip of your finger to get them up! The fact you have included a few seeds is… odd.

OP I was anorexic for 16 years. 4 years recovered (well as much as a hard core anorexic can ever be, but yes - I think “recovered” is fair within reason), my spidey senses tell me there is more to this.

You wanted people to say how little.
and any response saying otherwise… you banged on about going for a run.

What have me my lightbulb moment was I was 44 and also doing shit like this… and I just thought… life is too short.

Today make a change. Sit down at midday with your husband and eat a proper satisfying decent lunch. And then enjoy a couple of hours without endless pick pick pick.

good luck.

If you want any practical tips… feel free to dm

Side note
roasted sea bass
creamed spinach
mushroom risotto
salad

bloody hell. He must have used every utensil in the kitchen, spent a small fortune, and been cooking for ages!

added to which… mushroom risotto and roast sea bass - an interesting combo!

I eat all day but I also eat meals.
If I don’t eat breakfast within 2 hours of getting up I start retching and feel really ill.

I’m trying to reduce the amount I eat a little bit as I have piled on a bit of weight this year and I’m worried about continuing to pile it on. This is easier in the afternoon than the morning, in the mornings I am hungry!

Some of it is definitely boredom or wanting to eat stuff because I like it rather than because I’m hungry and that’s what I’m trying to reduce.

I don’t know if you enjoy listen to podcasts but there was recently a good episode on Dr Chatterjee’s (one of my favourites!) with a man called Dr Ben Bikman.

if you can give it a listen but a key message is that from an evolutionary perspective us humans were never meant to eat all day or graze, by doing so you are keeping your insulin levels constantly elevated, not giving your body a chance to stabilise glucose..

I’m going to listen to that episode again as found it very interesting.

So 2 breakfasts 🤣

My dietary therapist says we should be aiming for 3 high protein meals a day. No snacking. With 5 hrs in between. I find I can do this is if I keep the protein up and carbs low.

I also find it’s hard to feel hungry very early morning, WFH and lean towards all day grazing - but it’s definitely not good for glucose tolerance.

I used to graze all day before I started taking Mounjaro. Now I just eat 2 good quality meals a day and don’t snack.
Just a steady constant flow of nibbling. Lead to me becoming very overweight because on their own the snacks I was choosing were mostly small but high calorie/no nutrition, I never felt ‘full’ on the snacks but when it came to dinner time I just wasn’t especially hungry.

My eating habits change according to how my life is looking.
Currently I’m active (constantly walking) from about 7.30 - 1.30 each day, then shorter bursts of activity through the afternoon/evening most days.
I drink tea until about lunchtime/early afternoon, then I’ll eat a good size meal with sweet.
I might not eat anything else the rest of the day, or perhaps apple and cheese or nut butter or egg with slice of toast and spinach, slice of cake……
I’ve found if you ignore hunger, it often passes until you actually, genuinely need to eat.

Yes. If I didn’t have the children at home and do dinner daily I don’t know how much I’d bother with meals.
I eat when I’m hungry. I find it a bit boring to make a meal an event as I get full too quickly. Much of my diet when I’m not constrained by mealtimes is cottage cheese straight from the tub or a boiled egg. Spoon of peanut butter. Handful of fruit and nuts. I try and keep it healthy but sadly my favourite food is bread and it’s too easy to grab a slice of delicious sourdough and thick butter.
I’m rubbish at an all inclusive or buffet as I only want a handful of food at a time!

Don’t bother with breakfast or dinner. I drink coffee and tea during the day, then have my tea in the evening.

One meal a day does me. I can’t be arsed to eat anything else.

Yes, this is one of the reasons I was curious if anyone else eats like this - it's definitely considered a less desirable way to eat from that perspective. My HBA1C, triglycerides, blood pressure and cholesterol are always good, so I'm not sure if it's harming me or not.

@Flooody I'm sorry, but I think you might have a bit of projection going on, and I'm not sure that criticising my husband's culinary choices is hugely necessary or particularly helpful?

Today make a change. Sit down at midday with your husband and eat a proper satisfying decent lunch. And then enjoy a couple of hours without endless pick pick pick.

Well, he's at work and I have a midday meeting, so that seems unlikely. And I like pick pick picking. I like lots of different textures and flavours. I prefer a tasting menu or sharing plates in a restaurant to big plates of the same food.

@Yamamm Yes, that's pretty much it about getting full quickly. I've always been that way and at that point, eating just isn't enjoyable, so I'd rather stop.

@Springflowersyay Do you not eat an evening meal?

I tend to have a sort of brunch and dinner everyday, can't eat first thing in the morning but also can't wait until 12. So will have toast and a cup of tea soon and then nothing till dinner.
I have me, dh and a 9 year old to cook for, (who would happily eat all day as he is HUNGRY atm.)

@user112256479 not unless I actually feel hungry. I might have a slice of toast or some cottare cheese/fruit but I wouldn’t eat a meal after 9pm.

I'm also not a breakfast person. On a normal weekday, my go-to is a single hardboiled egg. I can't do nothing, otherwise I feel sick with hunger/low blood sugar by about 10am.
I've just got back from holiday with my mum. She's all for breakfast, and is shoveling it back. I'm struggling to eat a yoghurt, a bit of fruit, and begrudgingly a bit of scrambled egg. That's a massive breakfast for me.

The rest of the day, I love my food. I love a big lunch and dinner. After dinner I would graze all evening if I got the chance. So it's just easier to not buy the snacks.

That's interesting. I am an ex anorectic (now a regular gym goer with a lot of noticeable muscle mass) and it didn't ring any alarm bells with me at all.

I tend to think as long as one is healthy and happy, It's fine-society structures us to eat in a certain way but it doesn't mean it is the best way, certainly not for everyone.

I don't 'do' breakfast foods. I'll eat something in the morning but it'll be 'normal' food not cereal/toast/porridge. This morning I've had stir fried tofu and broccoli and a couple of rice cakes. I'll eat again whenever I feel hungry, I try to keep it early if I can if my body isn't telling me I need different.

I actually did think the OP's graze diary, given she eats a substantial dinner, looked substantial and healthy enough.

I can honestly assure people, I don't have an eating disorder. I love food (and eating) just not a lot at once.

I have the same feeling about breakfast foods - even when I do eat in the morning - if I'm up at 6, I might be ready by 11 - leftover dinner is usually my food of choice, and stir fry is a favourite. I really don't like pancakes or muffins or pastryish things in the morning, although am perfectly happy to eat them later in the day.

a few roasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds
4 Haribo gummies

did you count out the gummies?
did you need to even chew a few seeds?

the quantity seems fine to me. What strikes me is how much of your day must be spent in the kitchen nibbling