afternoon munchies

teachermom3287

Hi! I've been off MFP for a while but I am trying to get started up and be more consistant again. My problem is the afternoon between coming home from work and dinner. I try to split my calories up evenly between 3 meals and 1 snack each day. I usually stay within my calorie range for breakfast, lunch and dinner. However, I sabotage everything by my mindless eating after I get home from work!!! During this time I absolutely crave junk food and sweets. Does anyone have any tips on how I can control my cravings during this time? Thanks!

cityruss

Stop following arbitrary meal times, calorie amount and frequency.

Owlfan88

Rework your calories to give yourself more for the afternoon snack? Try planning out what you will have so that it fits. It's a hard time! I find unless I'm super busy, I'm get really munchy then, but once I have sweets, I just want more. Fruit seems to be ok, but I do best with something with some protein (and maybe a little fat). Greek yogurt with fruit seems to do nicely for me. Good luck!

ewhip17

I'm the same way so I budget calories for that time of day. Same thing for later in the night where I always want to eat - I just budget the calories. In fact, my afternoon snack calories and PM snack calories are often as much as my lunch or dinner calories. It just works for me. It took some experimentation and it also took, as mentioned, foregoing the standard idea of meal times and sizes.

LadyMcClure

cityruss wrote: »

Stop following arbitrary meal times, calorie amount and frequency.

Agreed. Eat more, smaller meals. Eat 4 - 6 small meals if it helps you feel more satisfied.

SherryTeach

I just do my eating when I am hungry, not when the clock says it's time to eat. I often pre-log the whole day. I also avoid having any food in the house that isn't on my plan.

TinyTexn59

Sounds like you are looking for crunch and sweet. How about budgeting for a snack of two dates stuffed with almonds. It isn't too high in points, is sweet, crunchy and fills you up!

arditarose

Pre-log.

cnbbnc

For me....eating six times a day works best. I have my three meals and three small between meal snacks. I would just work a second snack in between lunch and dinner if your urge is that great. Why fight it? You can easily make it work in your calorie allotment.

rosebarnalice

For my 1400 calorie goal, my typical budget is roughly 200 breakfast, 100 morning snack, 300 lunch, 100 afternoon snack, 500-600 dinner, 100-200 evening snack(s).

PaytraB

Check to see whether your weight loss goals are too aggressive. With 20 lbs to lose, 1lb/week is a good setting.

I also like a snack after work and before dinner. I plan on a sweeter fruit such as grapes, where I get the feeling of having had a sweet treat (and I have).
Look through your diary to see whether there are places that you can shave off a few calories and still meet your nutritional goals.

yesimpson

I eat an early dinner, because otherwise if I make myself wait often I would eat loads of snacks, and then the same size dinner; whereas if I eat a big meal at 6pm I'm often fine until morning.

michelle7673

it's mid-late afternoon at work for me. hot green tea or hot peppermint tea. like, four or five cups.

Cortneyrenee04

baby carrots are a life (well, calorie) saver!

teachermom3287

Thanks so much for these great suggestions! I really like the idea of smaller more frequent meals, the tea in the afternoon, those low cal snacks ideas were great too and taking an afternoon walk! I am sure as with everything on this weight loss journey it will be just finding something that works for me, but I've got these strategies now! Thanks again everyone!

tigerblue

rosebarnalice wrote: »

For my 1400 calorie goal, my typical budget is roughly 200 breakfast, 100 morning snack, 300 lunch, 100 afternoon snack, 500-600 dinner, 100-200 evening snack(s).

This!

Only my goal is 1300, so I skip the evening snack unless I have extra calories or am super hungry.

Also, I often work out between 4:30 and 7, and this keeps me from snacking so much because I don't like for my tummy to be too full when I work out, and it takes a while for my appetite to rebound after my workout!

rwhyte12

Hi. You can buy whey protein and mix it with water or milk to have with each meal. You can get a bunch at Wal-Mart for cheap and they come in flavours like chocolate, vanilla and strawberry so taste like a milkshake. This keeps you full through the day.
If you mix up some seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, soy nuts (not nuts) and minor amounts of different kinds of raisins and then put them into baggies for three to four tablespoon. This is soooo filling.
If you add in good fats like olive oil or any of the other monosaturated fats such as putting olive oil salad dressing (fig or other flavour) onto a bit of salad, this will also keep you full.
Eating too many carbs can make you hungry.
Boiled eggs are another great thing to add to your lunch.
If you shift your eating of snacks away from carbs and more toward good fats, proteins, then you'll feel fuller and avoid getting too hungry.