Health Coach Q & A
How do you stay consistent if you only eat when you are hungry?
This is a really good question!
First, it is wonderful that you eat when you are hungry. It is always a good idea to respond to your hunger cues. It is also great that you’re listening to your body. The more you listen and respond, the more your body talks!
It sounds like you’re looking for additional help establishing consistency and matching that with your hunger. If you currently are not having any consistency with meal and snack times, it may help to start by setting a time for one meal, say, having lunch at noontime (or whichever time and meal works for you) each day.
Each noontime, as you prepare to eat, check in with yourself to assess hunger. Are you hungry? How hungry are you? Then eat your meal mindfully, and check in about fullness and enjoyment.
Once you start to notice that you’re consistently hungry for that first consistent meal, and you’ve established a consistent size of that meal, consider adding a second scheduled meal or snack to your day. Again, continue checking in on hunger and fullness. When you’re ready, you can add in another meal or snack at a consistent time each day, and continue from there.
Eventually, your eating times and your hunger should be more predictable, and should match up!
What about these food patterns and frequencies when one is doing Intermittent Fasting (IF)?
The great news is that you can follow the same principles with intermittent fasting (IF)!
If you’re doing IF on a schedule that has a 16-hour fast followed by an 8-hour eating period, you can gradually establish consistent eating times for your eating period. You might start by setting a pre scheduled time for one or two meals or snacks, and gradually increase from there. Always be careful to monitor your hunger and fullness levels to keep your body in sync with your eating patterns.
Are you advising that we have a protein with each snack?
It’s a good idea to have a serving of a high-protein food with most meals and snacks. Protein helps reduce hunger. Having a high-protein food at most meals and snacks helps ensure that you reach your protein requirements each day.
In most cases, it doesn’t need to be with every single meal and snack. Most Americans get more than enough protein. Plus, many foods have at least a small amount of protein, even if they’re not considered “protein foods.” For example, a snack with a ½ cup of whole-grain pasta with some cut vegetables can have about 7 grams of protein. That’s the amount in a large egg, and there are not “high-protein” foods in that snack!
What are your thoughts about 30-gram protein shakes?
It’s good to make sure you’re getting enough protein. Keep in mind that most people don’t need protein supplements, as Americans tend to get plenty of protein. The body can only use about 20-30 grams of protein at once, so there’s no real purpose in having more than that. Extra protein gets used as energy or stored as fat.
It’s also good to remember that drinking shakes tends to be less satisfying than eating whole foods. That means drinking shakes isn’t as helpful for weight loss, generally.
Here are some ideas if you’re looking for protein sources that are convenient that aren’t shakes.
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Low-fat string cheese sticks
- Pouch tuna
- Low-fat cottage cheese and plain nonfat yogurt
- Nuts and seeds
- Cooked skinless chicken breast
- Low-sodium, low-fat refried beans
If you want shakes, it’s good to choose a brand that is low in added sugars. You can also make your own with ingredients like yogurt or tofu, fruit, and kale or spinach leaves,
Do you have suggestions for brands for bars, etc that are healthier. I do prepare some snacks with fresh food, but have days that a kitchen is not readily available, or run out of grocery and cannot no time to replenish for a day or two?
That’s a great question! It’s good you’re thinking ahead.
Bars can be convenient. Look for brands with ingredients like nuts and seeds, and without added sugars - you can check the list of ingredients and the nutrition facts panel. Another option is just to take your own nuts instead of purchasing bars.
If you don’t have a kitchen, you might want to opt for ready-to-eat snacks or snacks that are make-ahead. Here are a few items you could use in your snacks.
- Unsweetened whole-grain cereal like Oat O’s, shredded wheat, or puffed brown rice
- Brown rice cakes or popped light popcorn (or pop your own ahead of time)
- Apples, bananas, oranges, tangerines, and pears
- Tomatoes
- Pouch or can tuna or salmon
- Low-sodium beans or refried beans
- Whole-grain bread like whole-wheat sliced bread, whole-grain English muffins, whole-wheat pita or tortillas, or whole-wheat mini bagels
- Peanuts, almonds, cashews, and other nuts
- Peanut butter
- Avocados
If you have a fridge, these are some additional options.
- Plain nonfat yogurt
- Low-fat cottage cheese
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Cooked chicken breast
- Low-fat cheese or string cheese
What are good examples of unsaturated Fats? I always miss that daily goal.
That’s a good question. Unsaturated fats can help support heart health, especially when you choose them instead of less healthy fats.
Here are some examples of healthy fats.
- Avocados
- Olive oil
- Canola oil
- Peanut butter
- Peanuts
- Almond and cashew butter
- Almonds, cashews, walnuts, and other nuts
- Seeds like pumpkin and sunflower seeds
- Salmon, tuna, and other fatty fish
Here are some examples of ways to get more healthy fats.
- Make salad dressing with olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, and herbs
- Have guacamole or hummus instead of creamy dips
- Choose salmon or other fatty fish instead of red meat or chicken
- Make peanut butter and apple sandwiches or wraps
- Use canola oil instead of butter when baking
- Use olive oil instead of butter when cooking
- Spread mashed avocado or peanut butter instead of butter
This blog may help, too.
Is there a way for the Lark app to give you a total calories you are eating daily?
You can always contact our support team for specific questions about the Lark app and best tips for using it!
- Email support@lark.com
- Visit support.lark.com
