There are two distinct camps when it comes to the way people eat. Do you graze (like a cow!) and snack all day or are you a “three squares” kind of person? This debate can be likened to the divide over running with or without headphones or whether you’re on Team Edward or Team Jacob…remember that? I’m trying to forget it too. Anyway, back to eating, one of my single most favorite things to do!
Since I have declared 2015 the year of the marathon, I’ve started to become hyper focused on my nutrient intake. I have an obsessive personality so really the only way I can be is “hyper focused.” This means that I’ve become serious about my snacking, have ordered from a personal chef service (I’m so fancy) and even opened a MyFitnessPal account just to see…
Most of the time I think about nutrition the way fat people think about exercise. You know how there’s always that moment when the fat person sees the full body picture of themselves from their cousin’s wedding and they can’t believe that’s what they really look like? That’s kind of what happened when I started logging my food intake into MyFitnessPal. I thought I was an excellent eater and that people worrying about cutting out sugar were just a tad bit cray cray, until I saw this:
Gee, is someone heavy in the carb and sugar area? I know, as a runner, it’s important for me to eat a lot of carbs and yes most all of my sugar intake is from fruit, but I just never thought I was this unbalanced when it came to carbs, fats and proteins. #eyeopening
I want to be clear that I’m NOT using this to lose weight (and MyFitnessPal isn’t endorsing or otherwise paying me to, although they should) but just to actually see in real numbers and graphs what my diet looks like. And, it could use some work.
I started to think that perhaps because I’m firmly planted in the “snack-all-day” camp that maybe eating three meals a day with a few snacks sprinkled in would be a better way to go.
Luckily for me, I used to train one of the best personal chefs in the area, so I called upon her to hook me up with some meals. If you live near Enfield, CT don’t hesitate to hire two of my favorite women at Heavenly Edibles. The prices are extremely reasonable, the chefs are wonderful people and the food is absolutely fantastic.
They don’t cater to athletes or fitness types, in fact I think the owners would laugh at this, but just to people who love good food. I ordered up a bunch and it was delivered in these perfect bento boxes and ready to eat. Everything is labeled and all that is missing is the calorie count. Probably on purpose.
Stack ’em high!
Turns out that I’m still mostly an all day grazer but then I eat a healthy, satiating meal (that even the kids will eat!) at the end of the day. For whatever reason, I just don’t like to have a big meal at lunch. Instead, I eat a big breakfast, start snacking after my morning workout, and pretty much stay that course until dinner.
Unfortunately, this is what I need to do to prepare for all the snacking:
Between feeding myself and my kids on the go, I’ve invested in a new tote (thanks Tory Burch), a million tiny little ziploc bags, seperate bags to put inside my tote bag and then all the snacks, mostly via NatureBox. It’s exhausting. #firstworldproblems
So tell me, which food camp are you in?
What’s your favorite on-the-go snack?
Do you use a food tracker? If so, which one?
Total snacker here and admit I just can’t eat large glutinous meals as just never been my style. If I do it is rarity by the way, but that is just me, I suppose.
Agreed! Unless it’s a delicious dinner out with my husband and friends…then I tend to chow!
So interesting to have it broken down for you like that. And so cool that you have a service like that nearby!
A few years back I switched from a grazer to a three meals/no snacks/day approach. I did it to complement my whole glycogen depletion/low HR approach. It was a hard adjustment, but now it’s just the norm for me. Of course there are times when I have to snack or when I don’t eat enough at lunch to make it to dinner, but for the most part, that’s how I roll now and I like it!
Very interesting. I may try this when my kids are in school all day. Right now, it’s just not an option!
IM A SNACKER ALL THE WAY—who is raising a child who is naturally a NON!!
Of course! That would just be too easy 🙂
This is great info Allie. Thanks Miyagi!
I’m here for you girl!
I think My Fitness Pal should endorse you! It’s a great tool for anyone regardless if they are trying to lose weight or just to see what they are eating nutrient wise throughout the day. I’m a snacker but I do love my meals. I love it all!
I’ll tell them you said so! Thanks Angela and happy snacking.
If I’m working, I generally snack through the day. If I’m not working, I’m a three square meal type of person. This is really great information and thank you for sharing. It’s always interesting to see what others are doing.
I find it really interesting too and I hear you with the work vs non-work situation. I think if my kids were in school all day I would be better able to eat three meals!
Three square kinda girl here. Usually I’m ravenous on my commute home so if I snack it will be while I’m cooking dinner. I totally use mfp I think it’s the best food tracker out there (for free!). I also think because you workout so much your body needs constant nourishing so I’m not surprised at all by your log!
Very true about the constant nourishing! And yes, mfp is great and free. I love that you can scan anything into it!
HAHA! First world problems indeed! I totally understand where your coming from especially the obsessive part. The hubs usually keeps me from getting too crazy because I would probably take the whole house with me and he definitely doesn’t want that! I am monitoring what I eat but I haven’t figured in calorie in/out factor which I will now that I have a smart phone…another first world problem. Just one question, are you doing that to keep yourself from putting on extra weight? Also, what do you do if you are at your daily calorie intake but get hungry in the evening?
I’m just doing it out of curiosity and I’m often over (sometimes way over!) my allotted intake for the day. I eat when I’m hungry, period. Of course it will cyber yell at you with something like “you’re going over you calorie count for the day!” or “your goal was to stay under 400 carbs today!” I just happily ignore it 🙂
It’s a great tool though and it’s free so check it out!!
I used to be a three meals a day person with some snacks in between but these days I really only have time to snack!
Don’t worry, it will probably only last 7 years or so… 🙂
I am a total snacker! I also eat breakfast but that’s about the only real meal. I don’t track anything but I’m guessing my sugar would be high. The hubs says I eat an “abnormal” amount of fruit. Happy tracking!
I also eat an insane amount of fruit!! It’s pretty much the only way I hydrate because I hate drinking water. At least that’s how I justify it!
I do eat three meals but I do about two or three snacks all day. So it’s really like 5-6 small meals. That’s how I ate when I was pregnant and it just stuck.
And I wonder if I’m close enough to Enfield.. Cassidy says about 20 minutes. I want personal chef service!
I bet they would meet you somewhere in between! Check it out!!
I rarely snack. Actually I do more of the intermittent fasting (I started that before I knew it had a name) and tend to eat all of my calories in a small window later in the day. For the most part it works for me.
Love the prepackaged meals – it would make me happy to have some healthy ready made meals for those days when I don’t have a dinner plan!!
That’s a great way to eat! Maybe I can do that when the boys are older…although I’m starving when I wake up.
The meals have saved me more then once when we get home at 6:30 from soccer or gymnastics and everyone is hungry!
I do 3 meals and then 2 snacks. I use My Fitness Pal too and it’s definitely eye opening! I love those chia bars. I also like to do smoothies with greens in it!
You know I do my smoothies too! My husband totally wants to get on the monthly plan for the Skoop Sweetgreens. He’s addicted.
Awesome! I just found out that the price on my website it less than the regular website too! Score 🙂
I am a little of both but it honestly depends on work schedule. If I work a morning shift 8-4 I eat breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner just like a good little girl but then on the days I work 2 – 10 for some reason it’s completely random. I really want to work on it this year. Either way, I keep the bag of snacks with me at all times!
It’s so true about your schedule dictating your eating patterns. On the weekends I don’t think I snack as much because we have more sit down/family type meals.