From the first bite...

Fammia

Starting again, this time with an open food diary. I am completely aware that my after dinner snacking has got to go! From the first bite... no matter what food, healthy or not gets me in the red and I delete my entire day over and over. This time I'm gonna keep all my entries regardless of outcome and somehow learn to change this habit and gain some willpower. Need friends to support me while I might have large red numbers showing but I have to be real and I cannot if I keep deleting in fear of how it looks. Crossing my fingers and toes that someone out there understands my struggle?

lorrpb

Great attitude. We have to be honest with ourselves as the first step in change.

Virkati

Would it help to set your diary to private? If part of the problem is that you're concerned how it looks to others, don't let others see it. That way you can be totally honest with yourself. Because truly, that's the honesty that matters. And I have a HUGE problem with the red numbers. You can be over by ONE calorie and the red yells at you. You can have the calories set at 1200, only eat half, and your number stays green. Personally I feel like it should be a RANGE, not a specific number. So I set mine a little higher than I actually shoot for. That way if I go over a little bit, I don't have an emotional reaction to the computer screen being bright red.

try_harderG

Here to help

Azurite27

Just remember that your diary is a tool for you. When others comment on it, they're just trying to help, not judging you. You need to be accountable to yourself first, so log honestly and overtime you'll improve. None of us achieved perfection overnight (and no one is actually perfect).

JanelleG0122

If you know that you like to snack after dinner, than just leave yourself extra calories at night to do just that. I try and make that my goal, especially on days that I know i'm going to catch up on my TV shows. It is not a sin to eat after dinner, and in reality the clock should not control when you eat. I understand some people may say don't eat x amount of hours before bed or something along those lines, but I lost over 30 lbs eating whenever the heck I feel like I'm hungry. To deprive yourself food when you're used to eating will set yourself up for frustration. It may also make you feel more hungry in the mornings, especially if your body is used to food later in the evening than dinner. Everyone has their own way of making a lifestyle change, and if that's what you want to do, by all means do it, if that's what works for you, but don't say you have to stop snacking to lose weight. An open food diary does help me, I know that i'm going to have days where that red screams at me, but that is just motivation to move more or do better the next day. Do what makes you feel most comfortable and make small goals before your big goal. Good luck!

Psychgrrl

Do you know why you're snacking after dinner? Are you hungry? Bored? Lonely? Frustrated? Opening your diary is a great idea if the accountability will help you, but what will help most is knowing why you overeat in the evening and then coming up with a solution.

mandipandi75

Psychgrrl wrote: »

Do you know why you're snacking after dinner? Are you hungry? Bored? Lonely? Frustrated? Opening your diary is a great idea if the accountability will help you, but what will help most is knowing why you overeat in the evening and then coming up with a solution.

+1

ncfitbit

Psychgrrl wrote: »

Do you know why you're snacking after dinner? Are you hungry? Bored? Lonely? Frustrated? Opening your diary is a great idea if the accountability will help you, but what will help most is knowing why you overeat in the evening and then coming up with a solution.

I agree with this.

Nighttime snacking used to be a big problem for me, but I've completely gotten out of the habit and I couldn't be happier. I thoroughly enjoy my planned treats so much more than the mindless snacking I used to eat in the past. Writing it ALL down has helped me put it in perspective. I will never waste my precious calories on stale pretzels and meh cheese or whatever it was I was eating at night. I think I ate too much of that junk precisely because it wasn't satisfying. Thinking about what I really want helps me to turn down all the other stuff. If you're too strict with yourself during the day and never allow for treats maybe that sets you up for the nighttime snacking.

BTW, no real friend will judge you for writing everything down. In fact, I think I notice friends commenting most on other people's diaries when they know the person has gone over and are proud of them for writing it all down. Most people here know how essential that is to getting a handle on our eating habits so that is something to be cheered.