Eating habits, a survey

In My Humble Opinion
21

My standard is 0-2 meals a day. Up until recently I had absolutely no structure to my eating habits, I would simply eat when I got hungry which was usually once a day in the afternoon. Now that I have a job with regular hours I tend to eat with a little more regularity, if only because the caffateria here closes around 12:30. So if I get hungry during the day I try to eat around 11:30 and will then eat dinner between 9 and 10 at night, if I end up not having lunch I will try to get around to eating something around 5 or 6.

I can go several days without eating and feel fine (obviously I wouldn’t be running and marathons, but for everyday tasks around my apartment I would be fine) (I also have never done this on purpose, its just that I will forget to eat. If I am not doing a lot it can take a few days before I get hungry enough to notice), when I do get hungry at the end of one of these extended fasts it is simply just a realizaiton that I am hungry and should probably get around to eating sometime today. I cannot recall ever being painfully hungry, even on the few occations that I went almost four days sans meals.

22

That is amazing. Ever look into asking a doctor about that? I mean, its far from normal… I didn’t even think possible to go so long without noticing. Did you ever notice any physical effects this has on you at the end of the few days? Do you… ahem… well, excrete in that time? (just ignore the last q if you don’t feel comfortable answering it)

23

Really its more of a mental thing than anything else. I will get hungry, think to myself that I should grab a bite to eat when I finish whatever it is that I am doing, but will promptly foget about that and move on to another task, wash, rinse, repeat. The only times I’ve gone for more than a day or so without eating are times when I am not being very active (just hanging around my apartment where the most energy intesive task I might partake in is cleaning). When I do finally eat I have never noticed any physical effets except that the meal at the end is quite sizable. As for your last question I honestly don’t know. Its been about eight months since I have been on an irregular schedule (which is another cause of my forgetting, if things are not scheduled in my world they are forgotten), and even longer since I have gone so long without eating.

24

I eat two meals a day – I never eat breakfast. I’ve never been a breakfast person, and if I try to eat within an hour of waking up I will feel sick by lunchtime (especially if I’m up before, say, 7am) and that feeling will stay with me the rest of the day.

Weekdays I eat a moderate lunch, usually between 11:30-12:00. By “moderate” I mean a turkey sandwich and some yogurt, but the grill at my new job is very tempting and lately I’ve been eating way too many burgers and cheesesteaks. Usually, though, I’m good for a turkey sandwich and some yogurt. Around mid-afternoon I’ll get hungry again, and I’ve gotten in the habit of hitting the vending machine for some Welch’s fruit snacks (yum!). Dinnertime varies: no earlier than 6pm, but it can be as late as 8pm if I’m going out with my boyfriend. Likewise, dinner can be anything from Stouffer’s to pizza to a nice restaurant meal. I rarely have any kind of dessert, but it’s not completely out of the question.

Weekends, all bets are off. :slight_smile: I sleep in, then spend several hours putzing around my office/den, and it’s not unusual for me to eat for the first time at 2pm (or later). That will probably be a big meal, and then I’ll eat something small around 8-9pm.

25

I eat a good, balanced breakfast, lunch, and supper every day, as well as a couple of healthy (usually) snacks. I usually eat at the same times. My body does not like me varying from this routine. Christmas is miserable for me; one of these years I’m going to remember just how much my body hates varying from my eating routine. (Count me in as another person who gets very sick if I don’t eat every couple of hours.)

26

Hey, that reminds me… Back when I was in, oh, 3rd, 4th grade or so my family would go to church. We would wake up and get ready and just go. Usually nothing for breakfast (cereal if one of us wanted it… but I’m not much of a cereal person so usually not) Sunday school started at 9:30, 10? something like that. at 11 the service would start. Noon comes along and the service often runs late… 12:15ish the service ends. After everyone hangs out to chat for a bit… 12:45 and the combination of not eating and the smell of old ladies’ (is that anywhere near correct spelling with posession?) perfume caused me to get all woozy and sick (when I was young strong smells could give me instant massive headaches).

Also, back in college I discovered that I didn’t feel so well if I smoked a cigarette on an empty stomach. I kinda felt a “Bzzzzzzz” (not a high or drunk buzz… entirely not enjoyable). I later had an experience where I fainted (not food related, just fast change in temperature and walking for a ling time) and realized it was a very similar feeling. Empty stomach + smoke (or a lack of oxygen, not sure which, or maybe both) caused things to go VERY screwy with my body.

27

Eating is one of my biggest problems.

I never eat breakfast unless you count coffee. Sometimes I’ll get lunch at work when I think about it or when I’m forced to because I’m meeting with someone over lunch. After work I might get in a small dinner that’s probably not very healthy.

I do however drink those protein-rich nutrition drinks before going to the gym and after.

Other than that, zippo. I very rarely feel hungry and oftentimes I’ll eat at work simply because I have an afternoon meeting and will get embarrassed when people hear my stomach growling.

When I started going to the gym aggressively last year, I was hoping my appetite would come back but so far it hasn’t.

28

I eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day.

Breakfast usually involves eggs.

Lunch is some sort of soy and vegetables.

Dinner is some sort of meat and vegetables.

If I skip breakfast, I’ll end up regretting it by 9 pm when I’m starving. I often eat breakfast without being hungry, but I have to be up for about an hour before I can stand it.

I get massive headaches if I go too long without eating.

29

Gah. Left out an important modifier.

Every work day. Weekends are a different matter.

30

Beginning in July 2004 I lost 70+ lbs, I am very interested in maintaining that weight loss. I eat around 6 meals a day - 3 meals and snacks (I try to eat BEFORE I get hungry since I often make poor food choices when I’m hungry).

I am a huge planner and pretty much know what I am going to eat at every meal a week in advance. In my opinion, it is very difficult to “eat healthy” by accident in the US. I menu plan on Sundays and pack lunches/snacks on Sunday night for the whole week.

Typical day (I usually eat the same breakfast and afternoon snacks, every day, just varying the fruit, I try to follow what’s in season):

B - 2 pieces of whole grain toast, natural peanut butter

S - organic fat free yogurt mixed with fresh fruit

L - broth-based soup/half a sandwich on whole grain bread or salmon salad in a whole wheat pita or big salad with grilled chicken, dried cranberries, spinach, tomatoes

S - fruit

S - tall non fat sugar free latte

S - cut up veggies - grape tomatoes, sugar snap peas, baby carrots, sliced orange or red pepper

D - tofu stir fry with lots of vegetables, some cashews served over brown rice or home made pasta sauce over whole grain pasta or grilled salmon, baked sweet potato, broccoli

S - sometimes an afterdinner snack, but I’m mainly an afternoon snacker. Bag of 100 calorie popcorn or baked apple with walnuts or sliced banana with heated pumpkin butter are currently in my rotation

I try to eat around 1800-2000 calories a day, get at least 25% of my caloric intake from healthy fats and eat 100+ grams of protein a day. I still food journal and calorie count everyday. Since July 2004, I have completely eliminated fast food, sugary soda and packaged baked goods. I still allow the occasional treat (red wine, dark chocolate, splitting a dessert at a restaurant with friends) but they are definitely occasional.

31

When I worked full-time (my cubbie was close to the cafeteria), I ate a good breakfast and lunch, and a reasonably well-balanced supper.

Now that I’m mostly retired and hubby’s working nights and sleeping till noon, and not hungry when he gets up, it’s like this:

Mornings – Pepsi and a Carnation Instant Breakfast drink, maybe a bowl of Cheerios

Late afternoon – something quick, like soup or a sandwich, eggs and toast, or grilled cheese

Evening – snacks – cheese and crackers, chips, maybe some fruit or yogurt or ice cream

Sometimes I’ll fix a pot roast, chili, or something on weekends that results in leftovers.

I’d like to eat better. Maybe when hubby retires, we’ll start cooking again. I miss cooking, but I haven’t figured out how to do it, economically, for one person.

32

Interesting question, and interesting range of responses.

I used to be anorexic. I could go for days without eating, although I never did feel particularly well. Lots of aches and pains and tired, yet still enough energy to work out most days.

I now think it would be physically impossible for me to become anorexic again. I just can’t go all day without eating. I feel dizzy, sick, and cranky.

What I do eat depends on the day. A lot of days, I get up at 5am to go running. If I run more than 6 miles, I’m likely to eat breakfast. Otherwise, my first food is generally fruit or Shredded Wheat (dry) mid-morning. Lunch is generally around 1pm. Either soup (if I didn’t have the Shredded Wheat for a snack that day, I’ll use it as croutons for my soup) or a salad with some protein thrown in.

Mid-afternoon, I need a snack, particularly if I didn’t run and I’m going to the gym that day. Something like baby carrots and pepper strips, pretzels, another piece of fruit.

Dinner is the largest meal, which I know is the opposite of how we are told to eat, but that’s how it works in my family. Our dinners are typical meat, veg, starch, or pasta with meat and maybe a veg.

Almost every single day, I have a sweet after dinner. A cookie or piece of candy. I know this is what I should target if I want to lose these last 5 pounds, but it’s a hard habit to break.

33

Right now I generally eat at least one meal a day. Mornings are always iffy for me, because sometimes I’m just not ready for food, and if I eat, I get nauseous in a few hours. I also suffer from a delicate stomach. If anything upsets me emotionally, I get nauseous. And then I don’t eat. Usually hunger drives away the nausea long enough to eat something, but if not, by about 24 hours later, I start to feel a little light headed. I recently recieved a concussion, and am suffering the after-effects, which again lower my appetites, so I have to force that one meal a day on myself.

I also have a very high metabolism rate and can pretty much eat whatever whenever without gaining weight. If I’m not feeling nauseous, I’m usually hungry. Or full.

34

I would be tempted to call just coffee the anti-breakfast. If I had nothing but coffee on an empty stomach, I can’t even imagine how sick that would make me. Not to mention jittering out of my skin.

35

That would not be me. Long, long before 7 I’d get weak, shaky, and/or grumpy, and eventually wouldn’t be able to concentrate on anything but food.

36

I usually just eat dinner. I look forward to the enjoyment of food, but I don’t usually get hungry or get any symptoms of being hungry.
I do know that eating will help me stay up when I need to, so I will eat every 2 hours if I need to stay awake.

37

I seldom eat breakfast. I don’t want anything heavy in the morning, just black coffee.
If I miss lunch due to work pressure I usually am too busy to notice until about 3 and then I complain out loud.

38

I don’t eat breakfast because I wake up at 1p usually :stuck_out_tongue:
I don’t usually eat until about 5, right before I go to work. Depending on my food situation at home it could be a meal or I might buy something before work. Again, depending on the time of month and my bank account that can be anything from fast food to a frozen meal at the dollar store.
Normally there’s at the very least a bag of pretzels at work I can snack on till I get off at 2am. Then it’s off back home and nine times out of ten I go straight to bed without eating.

39

Isn’t the first thing you eat, by definition, breakfast? :stuck_out_tongue:

40

I guess XD I always associate breakfast with eating breakfast type foods between 4a-10p. I don’t really consider frozen lasangna at 5p breakfast lol. But that’s just me!