I have a similar schedule. I eat dinner at work usually. But some good news from my personal trainer is eating before bed is not a no-no if it's healthy. If you're hungry eat something, if you're not don't. By not eating you're messing up your body even more. And I'm pretty sure that by something he means fruit, veggies, dairy, something healthy, not a pint of ice cream ;)

I'm usually not hungry. Should I be eating something even if I'm not hungry? It's not like I put myself to bed starving or anything. I thought I was doing a good thing by adding in breakfast (used to not eat until lunch) but I didn't know I had to eat before bed, too.

I can't tell you for sure if you should be eating if you're not hungry. I'm sure everyone is different. If your last meal is at 4:30pm and you are awake until 11 a peice of fruit or some veggies around 9 (on your way home or when you get home) couldn't hurt.

I will tell you that I told the trainer I usually ate lunch, maybe a snack, dinner and thats it and the first words out of his mouth were "you need to eat more" and told me to start eating breakfast even if it's just fruit or yoguart about 8, a small snack, lunch, a small snack, dinner and a small snack. That's way more than I'm used to and it's taking some getting used to.

I usually do a small peice of fruit for breakfast, a salad with stuff (nuts, fruit, veggies) for lunch, try and eat something between lunch and dinner but I don't if I'm not hungry. I'll have leftovers or a frozen dinner for dinner before school or I'll cook something easy when I get home from work. I'll have fruit or a veggie to eat later in the evening if I'm hungry, but if I'm not I don't worry about it. But my dinner is around 6, not 4:30.

I also drink an insane amount of water every day. Usually several gallons. I don't force myself, it's something I've done for years and no, I don't have to run to the bathroom every 5 minutes... anymore.

I'm not following any sort of diet plan. I try and eat healthy. I don't like meat, eggs and dairy isn't too fond of me. I don't do fake sugar and I love carbs, sugar and caffienne and I will not give them up.

I believe everything in moderation is ok and I also now work out on a regular basis.

Probably. We can screw up our hunger signals and our metabolims by not eating. The Schwarzbein book says that eating so often will take some getting used to (basically it's the same schedule that BTD listed), but it's necessary to balance the bodies chemicals and heal your metabolism. That, and if you don't eat very often, your body goes into starvation mode and won't burn any calories.

Very true- I am never hungry in the morning, ever. I know that screws up my system, because when I finally do eat, my body socks it away in case of famine, apparently.:rolleyes: (In actuality my metabolism has slowed down because of my bod's (mis) perception of privation). Everyone who knows me is amazed that I am not 100 1bs, because I really do not eat much. So, what I am trying to do is take small snacks to work, and eat them at regular intervals throughout the day. I do find my energy level is up, and I think my metab is going up as well. I'm still really watching carbs, but I need to balance it out with the occasional piece of fruit or yogurt, etc.

I need to get those damn cookies out of the house, though.

I do eat the small meals throughout the day when I'm active. But honestly, after dinner I just sit. There's no activity - just me sitting. I feel like I shouldn't eat anything if I'm not going to be active. And when I eat even 2 hours before bed it's hard for me to sleep.

I would't worry about it then. As long as you aren't going to bed starving then no need to make yourself eat. But if you hungry and are just sitting there fruit, yoguart, veggies aren't bad. Apple good. Apple pie bad. [homer simpson] mmmm pie[/homer]

:eek: God did not go to all the trouble of putting delicious crispy skin on chicken just so you could throw it away. Now go wrap something in bacon. :tsk:

Not mentioned much in this thread, but should be: Whole Grains.

It was coated in Evil Breadstuff.

I will still go and wrap something in bacon, though.:D