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Free tool · ADHD and food

Eat by the clock

For when you forget to eat all day, then eat everything at 10pm.

Takes two minutes. No email. Your answers stay in this browser.

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Why it happens

Your brain reads signals from your body all day. Hungry. Thirsty. Needing the loo. Tired. This is called interoception.

With ADHD, hunger can be easy to miss. Or it can show up as something else, like being irritable or tired. When you're focused on something, or masking, it often doesn't get through.

Then the evening comes and your focus drops. The hunger arrives all at once. That's your body catching up. It isn't greed.

So fix it at 10am, not 10pm. Don't wait to feel hungry. Eat by the clock.

Read the full chapter →
Step 1

What time do you usually get up?

Your three eating times

  1. 8amFirst thingSomething small. Toast counts.
  2. 12pmMiddle of the day
  3. 4pmBefore the eveningSomething more filling. This one makes 10pm easier.

Then your evening meal as usual. Move any time to fit your day. These are reminders, not limits. Eat in between too if you want.

You set these times. Nobody is making you.

If you have diabetes or you're pregnant, follow your medical advice first. The same goes if you've been given a meal plan.

Step 2

Easy food you can keep where you can see it

Out of sight is out of mind. Pick a few things you can eat without cooking or deciding.

Foods

Up to 3 of your own.

    Where will you put it?

    Anything counts. It does not have to be a meal.

    Step 3

    Put them in your phone

    Set three repeating alarms in your clock app. Use these words as the alarm name.

      Step 4

      Your card

      Your RESET Power

      Eat by the clock

        Keep in sight:

        Where:

        Don't wait to feel hungry. Eat by the clock.

        yourresetpower.com/eat-by-the-clock

        On your phone? A screenshot of the card works too.

        If it's already 10pm

        Eat something. You're not failing the plan. Tomorrow, start with the first alarm.

        Already at the cupboard tonight? The 10pm Kitchen Kit (£3) is for that moment: what to do now, and how to land afterwards. See the 10pm Kitchen Kit

        Read more

        From the free guide, ADHD and the Eating You Can't Stop:

        Forgetting to eat, then eating everything

        The food rules you grew up with

        Need help now?

        If you're skipping food on purpose to make up for eating, or eating feels out of control, Beat's helpline is free: 0808 801 0677.

        If you eat large amounts and can't stop most weeks, even on days you've eaten, that can be binge eating disorder. It's treatable. Talk to your GP.

        Feeling faint or dizzy? See your GP this week or call 111. The same goes if you're losing weight fast.

        If you're struggling to stay safe, call 999 or Samaritans on 116 123. Or text SHOUT to 85258. 18 or under? Childline 0800 1111. Not in the UK? Find the number for your country.

        Your RESET Power. Your answers are saved in this browser only. Nobody else can see them, including me.

        This is a planning tool, not medical advice. If ADHD medication affects your appetite, talk to your GP or prescriber.

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