Ask HN: What do you eat/drink during the workday?
29 comments
Nothing, as I fast during the workday usually (either 18/6 or 20/4). I drink lots of water though. Eat the equivalent of 2 dinners in the late evening (70-80energy% of fat is the target). It's pretty liberating not to think about food the entire workday. The only awkwardness is the social part - so I sometimes eat lunch just to join in if I'm working with a team, or for other social reasons.
Edit: Another benefit is that you don't get the after lunch crash.
Edit: Another benefit is that you don't get the after lunch crash.
I'm intrigued by this—how long did it take to get used to? Breakfast?
I am as well - I would be interested in hearing a little more since I get headaches if I go without eating for an extended amount of time. I believe IF helps some people with weight loss as well.
I would get those too back when I was a sugar junkie. And I would get them a lot during the time I transitioned from running on sugar/carbs to running on fat.
I skip breakfast as well. I only eat one meal per day, which is the double dinner in the late evening - except for occasional "social eating". I also semi-regularly skip 2-3 days of eating to let the system repair itself (usually increases mental focus and well-being even more).
It took about 3 weeks to get over the withdrawal effect of sugar and what you might call detox (I was the biggest sugar junkie in the world - and had an attention span of 15 minutes tops). That stuff was rough. When the cravings stopped it took about a month or two before the benefits really started to show. After six months / a year it was second nature. Been doing it for 6+ years now. The benefits are so great that I would never consider going back.
It's important to note that you'll have to eat a fat-focused diet (paleo / keto). No sugar, low on carbs. Otherwise you won't get the benefit of not thinking about food, which is essential. After a certain amount of carbs your body will drop out of ketosis and you will get cravings - and that requires will, which drains resources. If you're successful at that your body will after a while get really good at leveraging fat as its main fuel, resulting in even keel energy.
I do this for mental clarity, focus and other health benefits, so I have no experience with the weight loss part. I've been 75kg since I was 17 (30 now) and my weight has never fluctuated more than 1-2kg, regardless of how much I eat. People would say that I eat a lot though. I also rarely exercise (at least hard).
Edit: typo
It took about 3 weeks to get over the withdrawal effect of sugar and what you might call detox (I was the biggest sugar junkie in the world - and had an attention span of 15 minutes tops). That stuff was rough. When the cravings stopped it took about a month or two before the benefits really started to show. After six months / a year it was second nature. Been doing it for 6+ years now. The benefits are so great that I would never consider going back.
It's important to note that you'll have to eat a fat-focused diet (paleo / keto). No sugar, low on carbs. Otherwise you won't get the benefit of not thinking about food, which is essential. After a certain amount of carbs your body will drop out of ketosis and you will get cravings - and that requires will, which drains resources. If you're successful at that your body will after a while get really good at leveraging fat as its main fuel, resulting in even keel energy.
I do this for mental clarity, focus and other health benefits, so I have no experience with the weight loss part. I've been 75kg since I was 17 (30 now) and my weight has never fluctuated more than 1-2kg, regardless of how much I eat. People would say that I eat a lot though. I also rarely exercise (at least hard).
Edit: typo
In order of volume and priority...Coffee, leafy greens(in all forms, especially cabbage - all types, kale, napa, green, etc.) and protein in all forms, diversity is important, animal and vegetable sources.
I mix in other fruits and vegetables for flavoring and variety. Also, I eliminated salt and that relieved my stress in a significant, noticeable way.
I start my day at 4am, if I eat heavier, carb-based items, I notice a crash somewhere around 3 or 4 pm and the last few hours of my day are a struggle. If I stick to what I listed above, I power through the afternoon and feel more balanced when I end my day.
I mix in other fruits and vegetables for flavoring and variety. Also, I eliminated salt and that relieved my stress in a significant, noticeable way.
I start my day at 4am, if I eat heavier, carb-based items, I notice a crash somewhere around 3 or 4 pm and the last few hours of my day are a struggle. If I stick to what I listed above, I power through the afternoon and feel more balanced when I end my day.
Do you supplement iodine?
I do not.
Based on the iodine content that naturally occurs in foods I don't think I am at risk of iodine deficiency. This is part of my strategy of diversity as well. For example, turkey and potatoes are both high in iodine. While I try to avoid carb-based meals I might include a half of a potato in a shredded cabbage salad that might be 80% cabbage. When you add up other items like tomatoes, eggs, some beans, etc. I don't think I'm missing anything.
Based on the iodine content that naturally occurs in foods I don't think I am at risk of iodine deficiency. This is part of my strategy of diversity as well. For example, turkey and potatoes are both high in iodine. While I try to avoid carb-based meals I might include a half of a potato in a shredded cabbage salad that might be 80% cabbage. When you add up other items like tomatoes, eggs, some beans, etc. I don't think I'm missing anything.
The main things I stock are fruits (apples/bananas/oranges/pears/etc.), nuts, various crisp/flatbreads (wasa), hard candies, various teas/coffee, and a big water filled nalgene bottle. I keep a rotation of yogurt/greek/cottagecheese in the frig and then some type of lunch.
lunch varies a lot and it's whatever... sandwich, leftovers, soup. Main thing is I cut out the processed pre-prepared foods, but I do go out to eat maybe once or twice a week. I enjoy a burger and beer if I want to.
lunch varies a lot and it's whatever... sandwich, leftovers, soup. Main thing is I cut out the processed pre-prepared foods, but I do go out to eat maybe once or twice a week. I enjoy a burger and beer if I want to.
Breakfast is typically a granola bar (I like the old-school crunchy Nature's Valley ones) and a cup of coffee. 30% of the time the coffee will be a latte from Starbucks or the local coffee shop.
Mid-morning I'll probably have another cup of coffee, and will start trying to remember to drink water. I have a big plastic cup on my desk.
Lunch totally depends. I try to bring lunch. Often that's a sandwich or wrap (with fruit and yogurt)--it so happens that's what I have today. Sometimes it's leftovers. Otherwise I'll grab something nearby. We often have food trucks in front of the building, or I'll get a sandwich from the cafteria in the building (OK) or one of the couple nearby places (Peruvian chicken: heavy).
Mid-afternoon, I'll drink water, tea, or--if I'm having a bad day--coke. If I'm hungry, I keep a pile of Clif Bars in my desk drawer.
I'm usually out by 6:30, so will go home and make dinner.
Mid-morning I'll probably have another cup of coffee, and will start trying to remember to drink water. I have a big plastic cup on my desk.
Lunch totally depends. I try to bring lunch. Often that's a sandwich or wrap (with fruit and yogurt)--it so happens that's what I have today. Sometimes it's leftovers. Otherwise I'll grab something nearby. We often have food trucks in front of the building, or I'll get a sandwich from the cafteria in the building (OK) or one of the couple nearby places (Peruvian chicken: heavy).
Mid-afternoon, I'll drink water, tea, or--if I'm having a bad day--coke. If I'm hungry, I keep a pile of Clif Bars in my desk drawer.
I'm usually out by 6:30, so will go home and make dinner.
Breakfast - I skip breakfast so usually just tea or coffee if I’m at a cafe
Lunch - Bowl of mashed sweet potatoes, avocado, apple, chicken or beef and all of it mixed with coconut oil, cinnamon and garlic. Takes less than 5 minutes to prep, most time spent after is just waiting to steam the potatoes and cooking the protein source. Can be made ahead of time and put in containers (I usually work from home so I make this during the day as a break). Not exactly a light meal but can be really filling.
Throughout the Day - Water most of the time, usually cut out caffeine past noon unless I’m at a coffee meeting.
Lunch - Bowl of mashed sweet potatoes, avocado, apple, chicken or beef and all of it mixed with coconut oil, cinnamon and garlic. Takes less than 5 minutes to prep, most time spent after is just waiting to steam the potatoes and cooking the protein source. Can be made ahead of time and put in containers (I usually work from home so I make this during the day as a break). Not exactly a light meal but can be really filling.
Throughout the Day - Water most of the time, usually cut out caffeine past noon unless I’m at a coffee meeting.
Breakfast: salt-free cottage cheese with granola, fruit and kefir all nicely mixed together.
Mid-morning: fruit
Lunch: Left overs from last night's dinner, or sandwich. I try to avoid lunches that are carb heavy or a on the greasy side. Today is salmon and beets with a bit of rice.
Mid-afternoon: fruit, nuts or a treat like cookies
Drinks: Just water
Mid-morning: fruit
Lunch: Left overs from last night's dinner, or sandwich. I try to avoid lunches that are carb heavy or a on the greasy side. Today is salmon and beets with a bit of rice.
Mid-afternoon: fruit, nuts or a treat like cookies
Drinks: Just water
Way too much coffee and cereal bars. Plus a normal lunch e.g. meat and veg.
For your needs the closest thing I found is a food delivery service for frozen home made meals. Some are.Veg only, but very tasty and filling.
For your needs the closest thing I found is a food delivery service for frozen home made meals. Some are.Veg only, but very tasty and filling.
I stopped drinking coffee because I was ruining my sleep schedule and appetite.
Drinks
- Loose leaf teas
- Soylent
Drinks
- Loose leaf teas
- Early morning something with caffeine (yerba mate, green, black)
- Afternoons (herbal teas, no caffeine)
- Morning or afternoon
- Buy a waterbottle and leave it at work, whenever you get up, fill it up.
- Soylent
- Morning or around 3-4 to keep the caloric intake up. It doesn't feel heavy one bit.
- Great mixed with some goldfish :DCan you recommend any teas that don't taste very bland (and aren't overly spicy/over powering)
I usually skip breakfast, have a coffee or energy drink in the morning, go out somewhere for lunch, go out about 75% of the time for dinner (cook the rest, trying to bump that up a bit), and maybe eat a couple squares of dark chocolate or cheese sticks at home as a snack or instead of a full dinner.
It's rare that I eat snacks while I'm at work.
Meals usually consist of some combination of the following: meat, cheese, salad, veggies. I avoid fruit, grains, and sugar.
It's rare that I eat snacks while I'm at work.
Meals usually consist of some combination of the following: meat, cheese, salad, veggies. I avoid fruit, grains, and sugar.
What energy drink do you have in the morning that helps you avoid sugar?
I just have a diet one (Diet Rockstar Punched is my favorite). Yeah I know it's artificial sweetener, but I don't have good enough sleep habits to kick the habit effectively.
Breakfast: Winter is coming so some oat porridge is nice - porridge takes only the amount of time to boil some water then pour water over the oats for 2-3 minutes, super convenient and super light yet filling. Add milk, condiments, etc.
Lunch: Most often something from a restaurant in the park I'm based in. If time is no issue 1-2 hours shared with a former colleague to catch-up, thoroughly nice and heartwarming; if only 30-60 minutes, the same food and source but take-out and eaten at desk. As I'm in northern China this is predominantly rice or wheat-noodle based. I tend to go for soupy noodles. If traveling and find a place with good bread I pounce on it, but there aren't where I'm usually based.
Afternoon: Some fruit: whatever's looking good and in-season in the local shop in the park or from visiting trucks.
Dinner: Depends on time. Like to do a good cook on the weekend and use some of that for convenience; a lot of comfort food especially bean-inspired,. Just variety from taste to ingredients: mix in a lot of stuff which isn't in a common (northern) Chinese diet (beans, nuts, cheese). If time is easy I'll buy a fish and/or some seafood and steam, stew or fry.
Drink: Water. Have always disliked coffee and never much into tea of any kind. Gin+tonic is good at any time and any place though leads to reduced capacity after consumption.
Lunch: Most often something from a restaurant in the park I'm based in. If time is no issue 1-2 hours shared with a former colleague to catch-up, thoroughly nice and heartwarming; if only 30-60 minutes, the same food and source but take-out and eaten at desk. As I'm in northern China this is predominantly rice or wheat-noodle based. I tend to go for soupy noodles. If traveling and find a place with good bread I pounce on it, but there aren't where I'm usually based.
Afternoon: Some fruit: whatever's looking good and in-season in the local shop in the park or from visiting trucks.
Dinner: Depends on time. Like to do a good cook on the weekend and use some of that for convenience; a lot of comfort food especially bean-inspired,. Just variety from taste to ingredients: mix in a lot of stuff which isn't in a common (northern) Chinese diet (beans, nuts, cheese). If time is easy I'll buy a fish and/or some seafood and steam, stew or fry.
Drink: Water. Have always disliked coffee and never much into tea of any kind. Gin+tonic is good at any time and any place though leads to reduced capacity after consumption.
Breakfast - Scrambled eggs
Elevenses - Croissant and coffee
Lunch - Local Burger or Pizza
Mid-afternoon - sandwich
Dinner - yogurt with banana
I blog about what I eat and why:
http://miceats.blogspot.com/
http://miceats.blogspot.com/
Breakfast: 2 eggs, bacon, avocado. A bit of dark chocolate with a cup of tea
Lunch: salmon in theriyaki sauce with lots lots of salad.
Diner: usually leftovers from salad and toast with some cottage cheese on top.
Drinks: water or mint tea
That's pretty much how my typical day (but not every day) looks like.
Lunch: salmon in theriyaki sauce with lots lots of salad.
Diner: usually leftovers from salad and toast with some cottage cheese on top.
Drinks: water or mint tea
That's pretty much how my typical day (but not every day) looks like.
I only drink water.
I only eat one meal a day, at 7PM.
I'm looking forward to exclusively eat beef for a whole month.
I only eat one meal a day, at 7PM.
I'm looking forward to exclusively eat beef for a whole month.
Coffee around 8am. Not much else till I get hungry around 1:30. Then a zero carb meal. Usually some mix of avocados, cheese, meat, sardines.
Then a dinner consisting of meat and vegetable.
Then a dinner consisting of meat and vegetable.
I eat salad most of the time(vegetables)...rest of the time, I grab some food from the nearest fast food. + Water/Orange Juice.
Mostly water, Sometimes tea.
Many many Coke Zeroes.
Drinks - coffee/tea I suppose?