urgent snacking help
mysticmagi
Posts: 14 Member
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Before I start this post, I apologise for making yet another post on this issue
Recently, I've been snacking so much that, in the evenings, that I surplus at around ~500kcal(or more) almost every day. This includes either going back downstairs after eating dinner to eat or getting out from bed and eating anything I can get my hands on (both "healthy" and "unhealthy) things.
LI've tried everything that was suggested in the previous post (drinking water, distractions, saving calories for later), but these tactics either barely worked for a day or didn't at all.
I'm really desperate at this point, as I feel like im doomed to gain back all the weight I've lost. Is there anything else I can do? Or do I just have to up my willpower?
Before I start this post, I apologise for making yet another post on this issue
Recently, I've been snacking so much that, in the evenings, that I surplus at around ~500kcal(or more) almost every day. This includes either going back downstairs after eating dinner to eat or getting out from bed and eating anything I can get my hands on (both "healthy" and "unhealthy) things.
LI've tried everything that was suggested in the previous post (drinking water, distractions, saving calories for later), but these tactics either barely worked for a day or didn't at all.
I'm really desperate at this point, as I feel like im doomed to gain back all the weight I've lost. Is there anything else I can do? Or do I just have to up my willpower?
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Replies
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Why doesn’t saving calories work?
Not sure I looked on it as “saving.” I’ve got a calorie budget, I’m going to eat them. Its just when. I find delay to be useful. Much more useful than just say no.
Something I found was that I want my snacks to be appealing and satisfying. I wouldn’t see the point of holding onto 50 calories to spend the evening eating baby carrots. How tight are your calories set?
My 2 evening snacks are 120 calories for ice cream and 60 calories for my homemade banana oatmeal cookie. Its about 10% of my calories. I have the cookie just before lights out.0 -
Why doesn’t saving calories work?
Not sure I looked on it as “saving.” I’ve got a calorie budget, I’m going to eat them. Its just when. I find delay to be useful. Much more useful than just say no.
Something I found was that I want my snacks to be appealing and satisfying. I wouldn’t see the point of holding onto 50 calories to spend the evening eating baby carrots. How tight are your calories set?
My 2 evening snacks are 120 calories for ice cream and 60 calories for my homemade banana oatmeal cookie. Its about 10% of my calories. I have the cookie just before lights out.
Calorie saving did sort of work however I tended to eat more than I planned to anyway. (Eg, planning to eat one thing - I eat it along with something else, and I also pick up a few treats or something that are left around the house which I've tried not to do.)
My calories are set from 1200-1500, depending on what I feel I can manage that day.0 -
What would be you calories to lose .5 per week?
My family thought junk food was part of the food pyramid. For some reason thinking “that’s not for me” helped me to resist. After a few successful days a sort of stubborn resolve that I was going to stick to my plan set in. Keep working at this, you can find an answer.
Oh, and the deal I’ve always had with myself is this- give into some other indulgence- no ice cream. Ice cream wins nearly every time. That’s the importance of having snacks that have real appeal. Even if they seem like an indulgence. If you can work them in, the system works. A good plan is one we will actually follow.5 -
Yeah, did you set your goals to "Lose 1 pound?" If so, even if you go over by 500 that's just your maintenance calories - so you broke even.
You'll get there. It's often one step forward, then one step back while you're figuring this out. Make sure you're getting a good amount of protein and fiber in your evening meal. That will help a lot.2 -
Not sure if it was mentioned in your other post, but what works for me is brushing my teeth. Either after dinner or after your permitted snack for the night, brush your teeth straight away. Floss and use mouthwash too (just brushing didn't work for me, i have to floss and mouthwash too). I find that i don't want to ruin all my good hygiene after that by snacking further.
Won't work for everyone but works for me. Might be worth a try?2 -
Are you snacking because you are hungry or just for the sake of it?0
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mysticmagi wrote: »Why doesn’t saving calories work?
Not sure I looked on it as “saving.” I’ve got a calorie budget, I’m going to eat them. Its just when. I find delay to be useful. Much more useful than just say no.
Something I found was that I want my snacks to be appealing and satisfying. I wouldn’t see the point of holding onto 50 calories to spend the evening eating baby carrots. How tight are your calories set?
My 2 evening snacks are 120 calories for ice cream and 60 calories for my homemade banana oatmeal cookie. Its about 10% of my calories. I have the cookie just before lights out.
Calorie saving did sort of work however I tended to eat more than I planned to anyway. (Eg, planning to eat one thing - I eat it along with something else, and I also pick up a few treats or something that are left around the house which I've tried not to do.)
My calories are set from 1200-1500, depending on what I feel I can manage that day.
what are your stats and how big a deficit is 1500 cals for you?2 -
LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »Are you snacking because you are hungry or just for the sake of it?
For the sake of it: most of the time I'm actually quite filled up0 -
I try to keep my favorite snacks out of the house. Then when I start searching the cupboards, I don't find anything I want and settle for a cup of tea instead. If chips or crackers are there, I'll eat the whole bag/box. It's safer not to be tempted. (I am definitely guilty of big time snacking if I don't set limits for myself.2
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One thing that has helped me is to distribute the snacks into serving sizes. So I get something like a box of Cheez-it’s, I weigh out one serving and put it into baggies. It allowed me to actually visualize what I was snacking on. As a result, I slowly was able to cut back.
As mentioned, it might be beneficial just to keep things you’re tempted by out of the house for now until you can begin working them back into your diet. Keeping low-calorie food around like vegetables can satisfy that need just to snack, but it still boils down to self-discipline, assuming all nutrient needs are being met.3 -
I'm a mindless-after-dinner-not-even-hungry snacker too. What's helped me is flossing my teeth. Brushing is easy. I HATE flossing. If I had to do it twice in one night, blech. I have had a few nights when I've considered getting something to munch on, but remembered that I already flossed my teeth, and wow! How quickly I lost the urge to snack...1
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mysticmagi wrote: »LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »Are you snacking because you are hungry or just for the sake of it?
For the sake of it: most of the time I'm actually quite filled up
So you need to find something to keep you busy, if you're not hungry and you've eaten all your alloted calories you need a distraction. I find when I'm busy I don't think about snacking. Go for a walk, tidy a cupboard, do some chores, just find something to do.
And also try the 10 mins rule, if you fancy something say ok but in 10 mins - the chances are the feeling will have passed when the time is up.
Another tactic I've tried is sipping slim line tonic.1
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