A few months back, after declaring defeat in the 14-year long battle of Max in The Morning, I started going to bed at a normal-people time and getting up at Food O’Clock, which happens to be right around 7 a.m. My natural body clock wants to stay up until 3 a.m. and get up at 10, but I’m starting to get used to the change. Morning still burns, but I can deal with it, at least on the days when Max hasn’t spent the night wandering the house yowling at the top of his lungs.
Sometimes I think I should worry about that, but then I realize he’s always been a pain in the ass during the night, and has always coughed up a song or two, and does it loud enough to wake me up.
It’s like having a baby that wakes you up 2-3 times a night…for 14 years.
Anyway. I’ve been getting up in the actual morning, when normal people are awake doing normal people things. It really didn’t surprise me to discover I can get more done during the day, since my errand running and the like is no longer blocked by the frustrations of being night blind (oh, I’m still night blind…I just get things done before dark now.) It also didn’t surprise me to find a little extra energy, because I’m actually getting more sleep now than before.
But what has surprised me?
The hunger. I’m hungry all the time now. I was losing weight before; now it’s just stopped because I am so much hungrier than I was.
I used to have breakfast at 10:30-11:00, an hour after getting up and taking my meds. Now I’m struggling to get past 8 before having breakfast, which means I want lunch far earlier, and making it to dinner without a snack?
Not happening. Or if it does, when dinner rolls around I want to eat everything in sight, and then want dessert…which I used to eat, like, never.
These days, I think I would eat the soul of crying toddler if it was sweet or satiating enough.
The easy answer would be to follow my hunger cues and go back to my old schedule…but come summer I want to be up and outside while it’s still cool, and when you sleep until 10 a.m., outside is not all that cool around here. I have lots of training coming up, and it would be nice to get it done when it’s not 90 degrees of ohhellno.
So clearly, I need to go back to school, get a degree in biochemistry or agricultural medicine or whatever, and develop a line of tasty, filling, calorie-free foods so that I can still get up in the morning and eat my way through the day.
ZERO CAL DONUTS Y’ALL!
Because honestly, I think that would be a whole lot easier than developing some self-discipline and embracing the idea that being hungry for an extra hour is truly not going to kill me.
It might, you know.
It really might.
6 comments:
I can't help you with the hunger, but for the midnight singing, i found ear plugs helpful. Originally it was to block or the old man's snoring, then i got used to them and can't sleep without them. Luckily i can get them in bulk at places like harbor freight that sell them for people who do loud machinery type work. Some people can't wear them because they hurt their ears but if you haven't tried them yet, maybe it's worth a shot?
Yep, I've tried earplugs and I just can't sleep with them in. I have a fan going for white noise, but the little shit is *loud* when he sings at night. I'd close the door, but then he throws himself against it. He's such a fun kitty LOL
there are recipes for zero calorie soups that can help you feel full but require as many calories to digest as they contain.
Small but more frequent meals to stave off your hunger?
I know about the cat schedules. Mine just start walking on me at 10 am. I'm lucky about that (or they are trained). They have learned to wait because they think that day starts when I get up, and (me being retired and single) day starts whenever I damned well WANT it to start. The cats have slowly learned that nothing they do gets me up up earlier.
Grabbing them and putting them under the sheets near me (with scratches) has worked well.
I have long given up trying to differentiate breakfast and lunch. Sometimes I make a sandwich; sometimes I make a stuffed omelet. Either one is just "first meal". I do make a darned good omelet. But a good sandwich too. I don't care which.
If you want a tasty calorie-free food (sort of), eat fruit. But I don't eat things because they are GOOD for me; I eat things I have learned to like that are good. I'd rather eat an apple than a Twinkie.
Now if ONLY I could get off the cigs when I am on the computer (the only time I smoke)...
Puff, puff...
Mark
Yup I used to go to bed at 3am and get up at 10am...Trying to change that. Going to bed earlier but still getting up at 10am. Or lets say im waking up earlier but answering emails in bed for an hour, dozing for an hour and then getting up.
The struggle is real!
~~ Christine
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