The Hunger Games

So.  I have never been keen on breakfast.  As a child I remember not really liking it – probably because then the breakfast you were given was cereal.  Now, cornflakes stuck together with chocolate and golden syrup are a fine thing, but I don’t really like cereal and I really don’t like milk.  I was also never keen on the idea of food, first thing.  I went to an all-girls’ school where competitive non-eating was a thing.  I remember being crushed when saying that I’d not eaten anything but had a glass of orange juice – only to be told that was “cheating”. 

But for years, we’ve been told that we must eat breakfast, that we have no chance of losing weight if you don’t eat breakfast as it stokes your metabolism.  I don’t really like an English fry-up – although I do love American breakfasts.  Yes, pancakes but also omelettes.  Actually I think I’ve only had omelettes in Canada…. Scones!  We had different flavour scones in Washington State.  French toast.  None of which make for a healthy breakfast nor a quick meal to have at my desk.  I tried porridge (with coconut butter and blueberries) – that was delicious but left me starving before lunchtime.  Marmite on toast is obviously amazing but not do-able in the office. 

It's fair to say that breakfast has been a trial for me, as back as far as I can remember.  But what REALLY ticks me off is that I now wake up starving.  From going from really not fancying food first thing, to making myself eat (to stoke my metabolism), I’m now really hungry first thing.  And of course, now there’s all this thing of 5:2 (a week) and 16:8 (a day) and ooooh fasting is so good for you.  Just as I can no longer do it. 

FYI my standard breakfast is Greek Yoghurt, raspberries and paleo granola (ie no grains). Yoghurt does fill me up but I have 5% fat at the moment and I think this goes against post-op rules – which are largely low fat, low carb.  Low fat yoghurt is not very nice.  I will have to think of some way to disguise the taste of it.  Think my granola will go too as I suspect seeds and nuts – and especially nuts – will be out.  I have yet to try this Skyr yoghurt (Beth: I looked in Waitrose for Icey but they only had Arla which I associate too much with yucky soya.  The hunt continues).

I often go to bed hungry too.  Especially if I’ve had supper at my mum’s, pre-choir.  I’d told her that I wasn’t eating carbs but she seems to think that pasta and couscous are not carbs.  It’s mostly pasta dishes she cooks – which are very nice, especially as she never used to cook, just heated up M&S ready meals – but don’t really fit with the programme.  Literally or metaphorically.