Oh, you guys… You’re all sorts of fabulous, you know that?
It’s funny. I was a little hesitant to share my lingering food anxieties with you guys in yesterday’s post, but as always, you continue to remind me of what I love most about the blogging community – support, understanding, and perhaps the best feeling of all, the comfort that comes from knowing that I’m not the only one dealing with those kind of thoughts.
Seriously.
If you ever find yourself feeling anxious because you’re extra hungry but afraid to eat before your prescribed meal time, take a glance through the comments in that post – they may just ease your mind and help you honor your hunger. OR… today’s WIAW might just show you how things have a way of balancing out…
So, unlike the ridiculousness that was Monday’s insatiable appetite, Tuesday’s was basically nonexistent. So nonexistent, in fact, that I didn’t really even end up eating a legitimate lunch. But more on that in a second. First, breakfast…
Plain Greek yogurt, banana, blueberries, Kashi Cinnamon Harvest, Puffins, and almond butter.
To be honest, I wasn’t even really that hungry in the morning. I blame that on the fact that I ate a pretty hefty snack the night before (appetite, remember?), and that I actually managed to get a decent sleep in (yay!!). Nevertheless, there’s no way I’m passing up an opportunity to eat my favorite meal of the day, so I enjoyed that with a side of blog reading before running out the door and heading to the dentist for a check-up/cleaning (no cavities… yay!!).
Does anyone else have a really hard time eating after they’ve had their teeth cleaned? Everything feels so nice and smooth that the idea of getting food stuck in there again feels all wrong. Solution? Drink your morning snack instead…
Cappuccino from Bux.
I realize that coffee is probably a lot worse for my teeth in the long run, but it made perfect sense at the moment (read: it’s what I wanted). What didn’t make sense was the fact that it was around 1 o’clock at that point and my appetite was nowhere to be found. Maybe it was the coffee? Or the nerves? (I’m scared of the dentist) Either way… no grumbling sensations in the stomach region.
That being the case, I decided to hold off on lunch and get some work done instead. Aaaaand this is the part where I admit that I didn’t really eat a lunch. BUT! I did end up snacking the afternoon away…
Spotty banana and an Enjoy Life caramel apple bar.
Kashi Honey Sunshine, Puffins, Enjoy Life trail mix, and milk.
Barefruit Apple Chips and a Gingerade kombucha.
Don’t give me that look – I know you’ve done it too. And yes, I realize there’s nothing that even remotely resembles a vegetable in my eats so far, but I have a perfectly good explanation for that… Okay, no – I really don’t – but who wants to eat veggies when their appetite is lacking? I did manage to squeeze a few in to dinner…
Grilled chicken over mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots, drizzled with olive oil and ketchup (??).
… buuuuuut that was only while I worked on the real star of the show…
Playing dress up with an Amy’s Margherita pizza by adding some tomatoes, ham, and parmesan cheese.
And even though I was pretty satisfied at that point, I was still craving a little something…
Eyes off my chocolate pudding, Lindsay!
Gotta end the day on a sweet note, am.i.right? So, appetite or no, I guess I still managed to get a pretty decent day of eats in. Back in the day, I used to adore days where I had no appetite because they’d make it that much easier for me to restrict and eat almost next to nothing. These days, I may end up eating a little bit less (and a little more randomly) than I normally do, but I still make sure to eat; and the funny thing is that even when I’m not exactly hungry, hungry, I still enjoy munching on something. I guess I just like food 
Happy Wednesday, friends!
. – . – . – .
Do you eat when you’re not hungry? Definitely. Sometimes because I feel like I haven’t eaten enough, and sometimes just because something looks/tastes good.
Snacking the afternoon away: yay or nay?
Do you ever “dress up” ready-made, store bought meals? I do it a lot with soups too.
P.s…sorry for all the stuipd comments…I guess you count as my morning “journalling”…oops….but thanks 😉
How do you do it? I feel that I MUST eat my 3 BIG meals + 3 BIG snacks….last night after supper I thought I would truly BUST I was SO full…but at 11 pm, I forced myself to eat like 800 calories in pure junk to get my “snack” in….its habit…I “have ” to….I’m ashamed …oye….I need to get myself on a “plan” for one solid week so I get under control and digestively tamed (SO uncomfortably full and constipated every day) and THEN be more “free”…but I need structure for at least a week or this cycle will never end 🙁
I like this post! Everyone always worries so much about food! Some days I skip lunch too, or breakfast, or I just grab something quick like a handful of cereal or a cup of juice.. It’s not the end of the world 😛 Seriously, people need to loosen up!
I’ve noticed that on most days (though not all), I actually prefer to have smaller snacks instead of lunch. I never really plan it like that, it just sort of happens. It was something I realized after I gave up on the whole “structured mealtime” thing…I mean, what’s it really matter if you have a designated mealtime? I mean, as long as you are fueling your body as you need it AND enjoying satisfying food, that’s all that really counts! 😀
I’m a BIG dresser upper when it comes to soups and I LOVE getting the take & bake pizzas from Papa Murphy’s on Fridays (they’re only FOUR DOLLARS!?) and fixing them up with a whole bunch of veggies…helps clean out the fridge! 😉
Oh and speaking of veggies, I just want you to know you’re not the only one lacking in the motivation department…I’m usually gung ho when it comes to getting in the veg, but lately my cravings have been few and far between. Hence the reason I had green beans for breakfast this morning…the craving struck so I figured I might as well go with it! 😀
I think the best part about this is that even though you were feeling a bit wonky, you knew you had to eat so just did what was comfortable for you. I love dressing up pre-made meals. My favorite thing to do is spice up Annie’s Macaroni with taco seasoning and veggies or put an egg on frozen pizza. So good and so simple!
happy to see the return of your chocolate pudding. haven’t seen it in a while!! 🙂
😆 I was just thinking that myself actually. No idea what happened to it either… Just one of those weird phases I guess.
Do I eat when I’m hungry? Every. Single. Day.
I know my body needs fuel, and whether I wake up early for work, or need to have lunch early because I have an appointment at work, there is almost always a point in my day where I’m eating when I’m not hungry. But I mean, I love food…sooooo….it’s not a HUGE inconvenience 😉
Oh I definitely sometimes eat when I’m not hungry just because something tastes so good! I think it really does balance out doesn’t it, trusting your body enough to eat when you know its genuine hunger is so rewarding 🙂
I have so many on/off days like today I was ravished literally eating after 10 pm so not like me but I was so hungry I could feel my stomach screaming for food..not really lol I feel like you just have to listen to your body and make healthy choices and it all works out! I am a big snacker in have t have my 4 pm snack or else I get cranky! Sending a fun Thursday your way. Love + Shine Courtstar
I’m not sure if I love snacking the afternoon away, but I do love mini meals/snacks more than full meals so it’s great to get in a variety of foods without feeling overstuffed.
Those Barefruit apple chips are so addicting! I go through a bag in a couple of days but then again I have that problem with all dried fruits. I got a dehydrator so I could make dried fruit at home but I rarely do because the stuff from the store is just too good!
what kind/brand of pudding do you prefer?
I really like Zensoy and Belsoy.
thanks 🙂
It never ceases to amaze me how life balances itself out. I’m usually the exact same way. If I’ve ravenous one day, I have very little appetite the next. It just goes to show that our bodies are much smarter than our brains and there’s no need to stress over it. (:
And YAY for spotty bananas! The riper, the better.
I eat when I’m not *hungry hungry* almost every day—not always because I feel that I *should*(although I do eat for that reason, too), but because eating food truly is fun. I wouldn’t have been able to say that several years ago, when every bite I put in my mouth caused anxiety, but those days are over (thankfully).
As for snacking days? Oh yes, I know them VERY well. While I was in grad school full time, I actually rarely ate “real” lunches, and instead opted to munch all day long. It was more convenient, and it made attending meetings and classes much easier because I could just grab a little something and run. The only problem was that I never felt satisfied. When my stomach started acting up, my doctor suggested I eat 5-6 small regular meals, and the switch has done wonders for my digestion and satiety. That doesn’t mean I don’t have “those days,” though! Sometimes nothing appeals more than a yogurt, banana, and chocolate bar. 🙂
I love “dressing up” packaged meals…In fact, I think that may happen tonight. 🙂 xoxo
Haha I’ve had that problem of not being hungry for breakfast because I had such a big night time snack or a big late dinner. When that happens I’ll wait until I get hungry or I’ll just eat breakfast anyway if I don’t have time to wait around. I love breakfast too much to skip it. 😛
Tuesday’s lack of appetite day is just more proof of how everything balances itself out in the end! Your body doesn’t function in a way that it needs the exact same amount of food every single day..there’s a lot of variables going on, and as long as you’re honoring your hunger and cravings, everything works out just fine I think.
Due to messing up my digestive system throughout the majority of my life (thanks ED!) I have a REALLY tough time feeling hunger. I no longer restrict, but I do have to force myself to eat at certain times. It can be really frustrating, but it just motivates me to never harm my body again! I worry that maybe it’s my metabolism that’s slowed down or something, but I’m hoping one day all will be good (:
The body is pretty amazing when it comes to repairing itself – as long as we consistently treat it well, a lot of the damage that we did in the past can be reversed 🙂
I snack my afternoon away almost every day and just call it lunch. There is plenty of time for veggies later, right? 😉
I love love love that Ginger kombucha for when I have stomach problems. It’s like an amped-up Sprite 😉 Looks like a great day of eats especially with a side of Mean Girls (that show is too funny!)
I’m kind of in a situation where I have to eat even when I don’t think/feel like I’m hungry. I’ve gone so long only eating when I’m absolutely sure that I’m starving and can’t do anything else until I eat. So I think my hunger cues and metabolism aren’t really there, or at least most of the time. But it’s very helpful and reassuring for me to read about some of your struggles with this and how you’ve worked through them. I’m working on allowing myself to eat even if I don’t feel super hungry because I know I should still be eating consistently throughout the day. That caramel apple bar sounds super yummy! Do they sell them at Whole Foods? Oh, I wanted to ask if you tried the St. Tropez tanning mousse. I just bought some and I’m hesitant to open it because it’s kinda pricey. 😛
I went through a pretty long period where I had to eat where I wasn’t hungry, or keep eating way past the point of fullness. You just have to be consistent and keep at it – eventually your body will shift out of panic mode and the normal sensations of fullness/hunger/cravings will start coming back. It’s a long process. Be patient and strong <3
As for the bars, I honestly couldn't tell you if they sell them at Whole Foods because we don't have one up here 🙁 And I did try the tanning mousse! I really like it, and I know that it's pricey, but I haven't found that I need to use it every day so that'll help it last a little longer.
No appetite days definitely happen to me, and I usually still try to eat a good amount of food just because I need the fuel, or if I don’t eat enough, I am starving by the time I’m ready for bed. However, today I am definitely experiencing one of those cant-stop-eating days haha!
I love dressing up frozen pizzas. They are pretty cheap and taste great with added tomatoes, cheese, and other veggies. I’m the same about not wanting to eat after the dentist. All that work – I’ve got to keep them clean for a little!
your previous post really talked to me 🙂 I do honor my hunger and now I need that pizza!
ketchup on salad ftw! I did that for the first time on my road trip, I was pleasantly surprised. As for eating when I’m not really hungry, yeah I usually do. Skipping meals never did me any good, and especially when I’m training or working out…even if I’m not hungry, I know I need the fuel. But yeah, I probably end up eating a bit less those days – it all balances out!