retail schedule suggestions

[msnicksmom]

I am having a hard time adapting to my retail schedule as far as eating goes. I have to bring my lunch. If my schedule is 8:30-5, I have coffee w/cream and a small breakfast around 7, lunch about 1:30 and dinner about 7:30. Those 6 hour stretches are TOUGH, but doable. But even though I'm in maintenance, I HAVE to eat low carb on those days because even berries or beans in my chili spike my blood sugar and I get that growly feeling and cravings. I think because it's so long between meals. But it's OK. And I have low carb or moderate carb snacks on those nights too.

If my schedule is 1-9:30, I have not found anything that "works" yet. I have to take my lunch break between 4-5. I've tried coffee w/cream and breakfast around 9:30, next meal around 4 and dinner at about 10. But even though it's the same 6 hours...it just doesn't work, I get too hungry, probably because I start the day off too late. But, if I have breakfast and coffee at 7, I'm not hungry ENOUGH to eat at 12, and then again at 4. KWIM? And then I'm FAMISHED by 10.

My ideal, which is my days off, is moderate carb meals at 7, 12 and 6, with low carb snacks in between. I totally can't count on those snacks at work though.

Anybody BTDT? Any suggestions?

[Lamby-pie]

MS, do you have access to a refrigerator and microwave at work?

[julirama723]

On your 1-9:30 schedule, I know you called it a lunch break, but how much are you eating? In college when I worked a job like that, I would just go ahead and eat dinner on my lunch break, and when I got home later, if I was hungry I would eat a small meal or snack. Perhaps try eating your main meal on your lunch break? How is this for a schedule:

Breakfast at 9:30am
Snack at 12pm
Dinner/larger meal at 4pm
Snack at 7pm
Small meal/snack at 10pm

[msnicksmom]

Thanks for your responses. Yes, I have access to a digusting mini fridge lol, so I bring my food in a cooler. And I have access to a microwave.

Julie, I'm going to try your schedule specifically. Except a "snack" early in the am too. That might keep my blood sugars level enough to make it til a good breakfast and then a real meal at 4 ish. I can't really depend on the 7 oclock snack though, so by 10 I'll need a real meal. But seeing it in writing really helps, thank you.

You look dynamite BTW, great job

[julirama723]

Let me know how the schedule works out for you! I think what will help you is sort of an induction mindset of eating every X amount of hours even if you don't feel hungry. 3 hours seems like a magic number (or did I just learn that on Schoolhouse Rock? )

Thanks for the compliments!

[msnicksmom]

Yeah, missing the snacks is totally throwing me off. It's just not feasible sometimes...and then I am STARVING (only I know it's more about blood sugar than true lack of food) and off for the rest of the day.

I have to go back in to the inventory room sometimes. Or to the back computer. What are some QUICK high fat low carb snacks?

Bacon? Pepperoni? HB egg or cheese stick is good. What else?