Tips for combating afternoon cravings?

KatieK1146

Hello!

So, I do really well on tracking and staying within my calorie goals most of the day but the afternoon slump weekdays at work is when I get a lot of cravings (usually chocolate, sugar, snack foods) and it gets harder to stay on track.

Any tips for what has worked for you if you have had similar issues in the afternoon (or other times)? Thanks!

ps: new friends welcome!

kelleyjhale

I love celery and apples with PB2

KatieK1146

thanks!

Isabelle_1929

I used to be craving for sweets, and decided to change my habits by eating non-sweet food as a snack in the afternoon. Like nuts, or vegetables and hummus or beef jerky, cheese, etc. It really helped a lot to get rid of what I think was - for me - just a bad habit.

jennifermi

I saw a article on what you really want when you crave certain things and it said if sweets then you need more fruit or nuts/seeds. Sunflower seeds work well for me (and am allowed to eat them at work)

DylanThomas2

Anytime I get a craving I look for the nearest krispy kreme doughnut shop and then burn it to the ground. Teach those dirty doughnut making *kitten* to tempt me.

makena78

It's not healthy. But, I pop some popcorn and it fills me up. I don't add anything to it and it's just plain. I get the single serving bag.

musicalityrnb

These are some nice tips to take into consideration. That afternoon slump can really be a drag sometimes.

KatieK1146

Thanks for all of these helpful tips!

Although maybe not the arson one, but it made me laugh

arditarose

makena78 wrote: »

It's not healthy. But, I pop some popcorn and it fills me up. I don't add anything to it and it's just plain. I get the single serving bag.

How is that not healthy?

I often bring a 120 calorie bag of popcorn to work. It's a pretty decent size and way more satisfying than 120 calories of banana or fruit.

jim180155

Weekdays I normally "eat" a smoothie for lunch. It's more filling that it sounds at 461 calories, 13g of fat, 46g of carbs, 46g of protein, and 11g of fiber, plus it has most of the stuff that I should be eating. I still used to get hungry mid-afternoon, but have been okay since I started delaying eating my lunch until around 2pm. Since it's a smoothie, it's easy to get away with eating at my desk while working. I use my 30 minute lunch to walk instead of eat.

My problem is late evening, after dinner, when I'm still hungry and start thinking about what I might like to eat. I do pretty well all day long, but I'm pretty weak-willed at the end of the day.

arditarose

Greek yogurt with PB2 and/or an oreo is yummy. It makes one cookie go a long way. I also eat some chocolate at work. I'll buy a bar of expensive dark chocolate, eat 2 squares, and share with my co-workers. My lunch also usually consists of 3 parts, so it's spread across the day a little and pre-logged which helps. There's usually a big salad, a yogurt with yummy fixins or the popcorn (or the chocolate), then something super low calorie like cucumbers dipped in salsa, then a late afternoon snack which is often a quest bar.

jim180155

arditarose wrote: »

makena78 wrote: »

It's not healthy. But, I pop some popcorn and it fills me up. I don't add anything to it and it's just plain. I get the single serving bag.

How is that not healthy?

I often bring a 120 calorie bag of popcorn to work. It's a pretty decent size and way more satisfying than 120 calories of banana or fruit.

I agree. Also, popcorn is a good source of fiber and antioxidants, and is the perfect food for mindless munching in front of the TV because it has a lot of bulk for the calories. If you add butter and/or cook in oil you undo the low calories part though.

arditarose

jim180155 wrote: »

arditarose wrote: »

makena78 wrote: »

It's not healthy. But, I pop some popcorn and it fills me up. I don't add anything to it and it's just plain. I get the single serving bag.

How is that not healthy?

I often bring a 120 calorie bag of popcorn to work. It's a pretty decent size and way more satisfying than 120 calories of banana or fruit.

I agree. Also, popcorn is a good source of fiber and antioxidants, and is the perfect food for mindless munching in front of the TV because it has a lot of bulk for the calories. If you add butter and/or cook in oil you undo the low calories part though.

Yep. I often eat a big bag to myself many nights in a row. I like volume and popcorn is an amazing bang for the calorie buck.

kingjabou

In the mid day I like a fruit Greek yogurt (low sugar and full/low fat depending on my macros for the day) with a serving of PB2 powder, when mixed it is like a pb&j. Fixes the mid day sweet tooth.

themedalist

For me, these oatmeal chocolate chip "cookies" work really well. Good source of protein too. Oatmeal is my go-to food for feeling full.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10186904/ode-to-oatmeal-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-protein-cookies

LipingHZ

Totally agree with the Greek yogurt. You can add fruit or honey to sweeten it up and it's great for your breath too!

tamiandtoto

I like to have a cup of hot tea. Depending on which kind I'm in the mood for, I might add some stevia or a bit of almond milk to it. I take my time drinking it and it fills me up.

Mussronkey

At the start of the week I have a glass bowl in the refrigerator at eye level containing raw broccoli, radishes, mushrooms and carrots. When I get that bored but not really hungry temptation I snack on a handful from the bowl. It helps! For the pantry I have a similar setup but with dry roasted mixed nuts. These two blockers have helped me stay away from grabbing the bad stuff. Try it!

bluestar188

Mixed fruit with tajin

KatieK1146

Mussronkey wrote: »

At the start of the week I have a glass bowl in the refrigerator at eye level containing raw broccoli, radishes, mushrooms and carrots. When I get that bored but not really hungry temptation I snack on a handful from the bowl. It helps! For the pantry I have a similar setup but with dry roasted mixed nuts. These two blockers have helped me stay away from grabbing the bad stuff. Try it!

Great idea to have that stuff eye level!

faithyang

tamiandtoto wrote: »

I like to have a cup of hot tea. Depending on which kind I'm in the mood for, I might add some stevia or a bit of almond milk to it. I take my time drinking it and it fills me up.

I do this too. It does help! It may not take away the cravings when it gets really bad, but it does fill my belly and prevents me from physically really gorging myself when it gets bad because it's not empty!

oh_happy_day

I use green tea, high quality dark chocolate, green smoothies and cookie dough protein balls. And lots of water! I try to stay busy around that time too, so I'm distracted and don't notice the cravings.

catjan

Fizzy water works for me

scarlettsdad

Personally I just try to occupy myself until the craving has gone.

marytgrady

Eating two hard boiled eggs (whites only) at 3pm helps me forget about food for a few hours