When to eat?

[aflineman]

(Or I could call this, "Food for thought").:clown:

Here is the Scenario:
You only have (or can collect) enough food for one larger meal a day (due to logistics in cooking or whatever). When would be the best time to eat? Eat first thing in the morning (for energy throughout the day), or in the evening (to have calories to burn at night to stay warm).

[Smok]

I would eat at night . If I eat in the morning I will get hunger pains in the day . But if I do not eat in the morning I will not get hungry though out the day . It may be just me But that is what you asked ..lol Plus it would be easer to sleep with out hunger pains

[hoosierarcher]

My l latest time living under survival conditions food was either found all at once (a fish in a trap or a squirrel in a snare) or in bmall amounts all through the course of the day(fruit, wild plants,nuts,etc.) that were easier to eat as gathered then toted back to camp. mixing up eating small meals every few hours and one big meal at night proved problematic.Eating often increased my metabulism were I had a lot of energy to work; but I got hungier faster. As the nights got cold it was much better to eat hot meal before turning in.
If food was plentiful I ate only when hungry but drank water so as to never be thirsty.

[vthompson]

If it were me personally, I would hold off and eat late in the evening. I never eat breakfast, and I usually only eat in the evenings now. If I do occasionally eat in the afternoons, it seems to jump start my metabolism and I want to eat all afternoon.

[FVR]

I would eat when I can. Drink water always. Eating absorbs your bodies water, so if you eat make sure you have water.


I've been know while bowhunting in the early fall, if I find persimmons, berries, wild grape vine, just sit down and chow down.

I know I've spooked a few deer, bears, and hogs but the berries are sooooo good.

[crashdive123]

I would eat earlier in the day if I only had the choice of morning or evening. I would want to have the energy to do the things I needed to do. In your scenario you do not describe much as to location, time of year, what sleep system I have, etc. If being cold at night was a concern, some of my activities would revolve around building a shelter/sleeping area to keep me warm.

[Rick]

My natural cycle is evening. I often go all day consuming fruits and then eat dinner in the evening. So, based on your question and no other variables, I'd stay with my natural cycle. As Frank said, stay hydrated, of course.

[aflineman]

Thanks guys.
The question came up in our Scout Troop, and the concensus was to eat throughout the day if you could. If you couldn't, then a meal in the evening would help you sleep better and maybe stay warmer at night.
This was in the course of a discussion about surviving with minimal items on you.
I had never been asked the question before, and don't rememebr seeing it addressed in any books I have read or classes I have taken. So I figured I would ask it here as food for thought.

We kind of run these classes loose. Teach some shelter building, some fire making, some food/water scavaging, but leave it up to the kids to direct the show. Seems to help with them thinking on their feet and find solutions that work for them. (Although sometimes I have been known to take away whatever "tool" they are using at the time, just to make them think of some other way to do something).:)
The biggest thing we teach is not to panic, and make sure they are doing stuff to get noticed by any searchers. The rest just kind of seems to take care of itself (these are young and energetic scouts afterall).:)

[nell67]

Another thing to consider is,if you or someone in your group has diabetes,or even low blood sugar,each of these conditions require that you eat small amounts through the day to keep your sugar level as even as possible,not doing so could have dire consequences.

[trax]

Once you've prepared the food, you should be able to make it last throughout the day.

[jrock24]

I would eat in the AM, since my body is used to drinking dinner..

[canid]

i would not choose to eat a full meal in preference of eating several times throughout the day. apart from the notion that your body utilized food best if you eat smaller, more regular portions [which would be more important if you where on a meager diet], my body preforms better and my ulcer is happier if i do not go prolonged periods on an empty stomach.

even if you do not have an ulcer, regularly going 14 hours or more with you stomach empty of food [accounting for several hours of digestion after eating] might just give you one.

[Rick]

Ulcer? Talk to your PCP. You of all people know that's caused by H. pylori. A good antibiotic and you ulcer days are over. Been there done that and it's no fun.

[canid]

it's a duodenal ulcer that's come and gone for as long as i can remember. it keeps in check as long as i take care of myself.

it's all those weeks of binge drinking [long past] or of 3 day coding sessions with almost nothing in me but coffee that bing it out.

[Rick]

Still, it would be good to be check for the little beggars. They can produce techy stuff like cytokines that leads to a net increase in gastric acid secretion, which leads to an increased acid load in the duodenum. They can even invade the mucus layers. A quick test will confirm or refute their presence and if they are there (my money is they are) then a round of antibiotics will flush them out (pardon the unavoidable pun).

[canid]

hahaha.

well, the next time i can afford a doctor. i take antibiotics seriously, but i'll need them eventually for my tooth anyway. let them know of both problems and have them both taken care of in the same course.

[jessielavon]

(or I Could Call This, "food For Thought").:clown:

Here Is The Scenario:
You Only Have (or Can Collect) Enough Food For One Larger Meal A Day (due To Logistics In Cooking Or Whatever). When Would Be The Best Time To Eat? Eat First Thing In The Morning (for Energy Throughout The Day), Or In The Evening (to Have Calories To Burn At Night To Stay Warm).

By War Of Engagement Survival Eat 1/2 In The Morning And 1/2 At Night And Inbetween Do Some Forging And Wildcrafting

[tennecedar]

Hey jessielavon, how about heading over to the introductions section and tell us about yourself. Age, general location, experience level, etc. Thanks

You can find it here http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=14

[Rick]

@ Jessie - I don't understand what you mean by War of Engagement Survival. I also assume you meant foraging?

[crashdive123]

I don't know....a knife might come in handy.

[SARKY]

Science channel had on a program about our body clock. If you are a standard time body clock, your big meal should be breakfast followed by lunch and the smallest meal dinner. Snacking between (healthy snacks) is encouraged. If you have a fast or slow clock this changes when your big meal should be (time of day)but the order remains the same

[canid]

my metabolism runs fast and hot, so under ideal conditions i eat everything i can, every chance i get. it's a good system.

[crashdive123]

My metabolisim runs slow and cold, so under most conditions I eat everyting I can, every chance I get. It's a lousy system, but ......

[Rick]

Body clocks are just crazy. Mine is unbelievably accurate. I work up this morning and before I opened my eyes I thought 4:50 a.m. I peeped an eye at the clock and it was 4:56. I do that all the time. If I want to get up at 5:30 I generally wake up right at 5:30 with no alarm clock. I don't know how I do it. But I do. Some night I'm going to stay awake just to watch myself. Maybe I'll figure it out then.

[hoosierarcher]

hmmmm......can you say counterproductive?
I knew you could.

[MatthewnOK]

Science channel had on a program about our body clock. If you are a standard time body clock, your big meal should be breakfast followed by lunch and the smallest meal dinner. Snacking between (healthy snacks) is encouraged. If you have a fast or slow clock this changes when your big meal should be (time of day)but the order remains the same

I must have a super duper wonderifous body clock. I eat a large breakfast, followed by a brunch, then a large lunch, afternoon tea, before super snack, a large super, a before bedtime snack, and a midnight snack.:innocent:

[SARKY]

I must have a super duper wonderifous body clock. I eat a large breakfast, followed by a brunch, then a large lunch, afternoon tea, before super snack, a large super, a before bedtime snack, and a midnight snack.:innocent:

Are you sure you aren't a Hobbit???:chef:

[MatthewnOK]

Are you sure you aren't a Hobbit???:chef:

I'm 6'1 at 14 and don't have hairy feet...