For the past couple of weeks, we've been trying a new meal schedule.
We've always been a three, nutritious meals a day kinda family, but Papa Pea has been doing more and more research that seems to point out the fact that the body actually has to work to digest food. Also, one of the best ways for your body to utilize and optimize the food you put into it is to create a little bit of a rest or "fast" for your digestion system. How to do this?
Go to a two meal a day schedule. We all normally get that fasting period over night, but rarely during the daylight hours when perhaps our bodies would operate more efficiently if they weren't using the energy to digest more frequently eaten food.
This may seem like a simple thing to do, but it does present a couple of little glitches. Funny thing, most of the rest of the people we associate with are not programmed to eating their first meal at 9:30 a.m. and their last meal of the day at 4:30 p.m.
So even though we've been trying to stick with this new schedule, it's been inevitable that there are days when it just doesn't work out.
We have an extra body or two around at noon time? Well, a lunch needs to served. I want to meet a girlfriend for lunch? That date naturally falls around 12 noon. I want to invite folks for dinner? For some reason, asking them to arrive and be ready to eat at 4:30 won't go over well.
Those days are the exceptions, and we're certainly being flexible about it. But when it's just the two of us doin' our thing around ye ol' homestead, we've been sticking to the two meals a day . . . and find we like it!
Yes, the hours from 4:30 p.m. of one day until 9:30 a.m. the next day are quite a few, no doubt about that. Many evenings we'll have a glass of wine or kombucha while winding down last thing before bed. But other than that we are surviving the 16-17 hours between very well. It's our bodies' true fasting period and surprisingly enough, we haven't been suffering bad hunger pains that make us uncomfortable either during the day or night.
Hmmm, could there actually be something to this? Do our bodies need and appreciate the break from the work of digestion of food?
I do know it's saving me time in not having to stop whatever else I may be involved in to make that third meal each day. (Let alone both of us sitting down to eat it.) Plus, we've got to be ingesting fewer calories which should eventually lead to slight (at least) weight loss for each of us. It's been proven thinner people live longer than heavier ones so that's a good thing. (Lean and mean, that's our goal.) And our food supplies will last longer, and we'll save money!
Oh, balderdash! I see now I grew way too much in the garden this year. (Hee-hee.)
Bottom line, change can be good. I'll keep you posted as to how this one continues to pan out.
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21 comments:
I've heard it called "intermittent fasting" or I.F. No doubt you will ingest fewer calories which will, in the long run, result in weight loss. For me, it's not my meals, it's my snacking!! You're right though, that it may not fit into other people's schedules, but probably most of the time you'll be able to stick to it. -Jenn
My in-laws all practice this as much as possible and I do believe it is healthier and would prefer it, but my husband and son won't go for it. :-/
That sounds like an interesting experiment to try as it leaves a good portion of the day in which to do things without having to stop and get food on the table!
Very interesting post Mama Pea, and the rationale for the change is logical. So much of how and when we eat is habit. Dan is one for going by the clock. Usually we eat breakfast around 6:30 and lunch going on 12. On Sunday, we may have brunch at 9, but he's still ready for lunch at 12! I'm just not hungry then but all too often eat my regular portions anyway. Trouble is, food habits are some of the hardest to break. If you and Papa Pea are in this together, though, I see success in your future!
We eat breakfast at 6am, lunch around noon, and dinner 4:30pm. We occasionally have a snack but not always before bed. I like a hot relaxing tea at night though.
I love it, that Papa Pea has been doing reading/research on this topic. A man, after my own heart. I just lovvvvvve to do such.
And best of luck, with your try, at doing this. Change is good. It can liven up our lives. It can keep us on our toes. :-) And we can always tinker with a change, if anything doesn't work out.
A glass of wine, in the evening. That's what I do. And it gets me through, as it were. I don't want to have real food then. (I'd have to do all my night time teeth flossing and cleaning and etc., again!!!!!!!!! Eeeeek!) But he has to have something in his tummy later, to take his night meds with.
So, my glass of wine, is my way.... When he has his later snack.
Hopefully, we all work out, what we need to do.
Good luck! Keep us posted!
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Phooie!!!!
My sig. line, of sparkles, leaves, pumpkins, didn't show up correctly, above! "Oh bother" I think I know why. So I'll leave it, "properly"... below. -grin-
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I've been doing variations on this for about 1.5 years now. If nothing else it has freed up a lot of time spent making a 3rd meal (or more likely, grabbing some unhealthy junk when I'm too busy!).
I think your new eating schedule is a good thing, as Martha Steward would say! I've been eating two meals a day for years,Not sure about losing weight tho'. Your body just adjust to that way of eating. Sometimes Ieat more than I should. It probably evens out. Good Luck!!!
We do two meals on the weekends: breakfast around 9 and dinner around 4 and I never get hungry on between because we are always busy. But we are bedtime snackers. And my husband sticks to it during the week while I graze all day at my desk out of boredom. So I've begun skipping breakfast and just eating an early lunch instead.
Our habits have changed over 47 years of marriage. The usual no children then children then children grown and gone and so forth.
For the last six years and cancer/chemo/immune disorders have ruled meals , content of meals or none at all. Now with the newer challenges combined with the original it got even more odd.
For the last several months it has been each to there own. We don’t have meals together as he mostly grazes when he dies eat and often he simply doesn’t.
I have a slice of my homemade sourdough with a friends local honey and coffee with goat milk . What else?😊
Then I too graze fruit , nuts, or if more is needed cereal or oatmeal.
At somewhere around 6 pm I have a light meal. Eggs, meat, cheese and veggies squash,sweet potatoes etc. and a small salad.
I have been known to take a snack a bit of ice cream. A few pieces of dark chocolate. Right now it is apple pie. I had a great time at the Apple festival two weeks ago. And brought home 3 boxes of apples. So yes lots of Apple fueled snacks.
Forgive the there instead of their and the die instead of does. My IPhone is being contrary and won’t let me copy and cut to make changes and post. Ugh can't even correct something without a mistake. Must be time for bed!
At least it is worth a good try. I hope you have good luck with it. My problem is my third meal is way too late in the evening.
Hi, y'all! Wow, such interest and comments this post inspired. Well, seems reasonable as we all eat and, I think, have been concerned at one time or another about it . . . for one reason or another.
This two-meal-a-day thing would be difficult if we both weren't on board with it and home all day so I understand why it wouldn't work for some. And, of course, 'twould be impossible if all parties eating in a home weren't on board with it.
I tend to think that snacking (or grazing) during the day is one not-so-good habit that we all can get into. Talk about no rest for the digestive system!
So far, we're doing quite well on the two meals at different times than we're used to. Have had days where exceptions had to be made, but we'll see how long we continue this.
Thanks for all your comments!
I am intrigued that you could make the change.
You have such an interesting/full/busy life. I wish you live a long long healthy life.
I think it's a good change Mama Pea. I personally haven't eaten three meals a day in over 30 years I think...When I first set out on my own, I worked in bars and restaurants while going to school. So I'd snack a little all day, eat my dinner at work, then snack again at night. I guess that old habit has stuck with me. Alex and I only have one meal a day at dinner time, I have a piece of toast in the morning, and we snack at night while watching movies before bed. It works for us, I guess that's how we keep the weight down since I make such high-calorie rich meals!
An excellent idea, especially backed up by Papa Pea's outstanding research. I find that I only eat two meals when I am home all day - mostly because I am busy and don't bother to stop for lunch. It doesn't seem to make me more ravenous and I feel much better when I have a larger meal earlier. And "YAY" for not having to cook that extra meal every day! Win-win!
DDD - Why, thank you for your kind words! Funny thing. We had a breakfast around 8 o'clock this morning because we knew someone was coming to help Papa Pea with a special project and had invited him for lunch . . . which I served at 12 noon. Now at 5:04 p.m. I still feel so stuffed that in no way do I want to think about dinner tonight. I feel like I'm really screwing up my digestive system today and that it doesn't like it!
Rain - I know you and Alex have operated on a "different" eating schedule and say if it works for both of you, go for it! Probably the fact that you're both home during the day makes it possible as does the two meals a day for us.
Susan - We've even tried having our "bigger" meal at noon time, when we were eating three meals a day. I didn't like that mainly because I had to stop my activities in the middle of the day to prepare the more substantial meal. Now on this two meal a day thing, we both find we're not hungry between the meals and don't feel like we're eating just because the clock says it's time for one of the three meals. Make any sense?
My in-laws all practice this as much as possible and I do believe it is healthier and would prefer it, but my husband and son won't go for it. :-/
D2bet
co coya - Yep, everyone in the house needs to be on board or it wouldn't fly, that's for sure. Also, with growing kids in the house . . . you know, going to school, having play dates, etc. . . . it would be hard. Or if all parties are working away from home during the day. As stated in my post, the rest of the population (well, most of the rest) is on a different schedule that doesn't fit with the two meals a day.
Thanks for commenting!
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