Living the Lifestyle: Wednesday, 09/07/2022

misterhub

This is a thread for everyone. If you're new to GoaD, or to weight loss, your questions and comments are always welcome. If you're maintaining, or a long-term loser, your thoughts on the topic may be just what someone else needs to hear. If you're reading this, join in the discussion!

Each weekday, a new topic is offered up for discussion.

Monday - crewahl (Charlie)
Tuesday – Flintwinch (Tim)
Wednesday - misterhub (Greg)
Thursday -imastar2 (Derrick)
Friday - Wildcard

Today's Topic: TV/Movie Snacks

Do you snack in front of the TV, whether binging on a tv show or a movie or a sporting event? If so, what do you eat? If not, is it because that is just not something you do, or is it a conscious choice not to do so? If the latter, from where does your discipline draw? Lastly, how have your snacking choices changed over the years?

Flintwinch

I do snack, but don't change my planned snacks because of a sporting event, movie or TV show. At a live sporting event, like a recent baseball game I attended, I had some ice cream, something that I don't keep in the house. I used to snack on you-name-it junk food, but now it's fruits, yogurt, and other healthy stuff. Conscious change that is now a habit and mostly an unconscious habit. Big change.

crewahl

I snack, therefore I am. 🤷‍♂️

I’m one who strongly needs to know that what I do is my choice rather than anyone else's direction. Having to make decisions because “the program says so” or because I don’t have enough points left triggers feeling of deprivation. My solution for that has historically been to rebel and eat whatever I want. So to avoid that, I protect my points early in the day so that I have flexibility in the evening. That means I’m making the choice to snack, and how much.

Yeah, therapy might help.

So I snack. It’s not rare to spend half of my daily points on snacks. Last night I had 3/4 cup of Chex Mix and a Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale, followed by a fudgsicle as I went to bed. Those three things are thirteen points, and I get 22/day. My most “routine” snacks are 20 grams of BBQ Pop Chips for two points, and a Healthy Choice fudgsicle for two points. The chips get eaten while reading or watching TV, and the fudgsicle is a before-sleep snack.

Part of what’s working for me is nibbling - little bites. I can make those chips or the Chex Mix last a half hour. I’ll eat each piece of Chex in two separate bites so it lasts longer. It’s almost more about the fact that I am snacking rather than what I’m snacking on.

Before WW, it was all about volume. I would eat maybe a third of a half gallons of ice cream in an evening. I might have two FlufferNutters with milk. After WW, as I evolved my habits, it was a large bowl of popcorn with olive oil from a Misto and some sort of seasoning. Right now, I’m generally doing chips and fudgsicles. Who knows who I’ll be tomorrow?

crewahl

Tonight’s primary snack was two ounces of tawny port and a ounce of Roquefort, eaten over an hour or so.

steve0mania

Snacking in front of the TV is one of my biggest challenges for managing my weight.

I generally don't snack during the day. After dinner, however, I had been a habitual snacker, particularly if I'm sitting in front of the TV and relaxing. I wish I could claim that I make conscious choices about snacking, but that's not really how it works. Instead, it's much more of a habit for me (read, Pavlovian). It could be 30' after dinner, and if I sit down in front of the TV, my mind immediately wonders what I could have as a snack (or as an alcoholic beverage).

I am currently back to weight-loss mode, and so the after-dinner TV snacking is the key area for me to limit. There isn't much else I can cut back on in my day, so this is important to me.

I've now simply said that I can't snack after dinner during the week (Sun-Thurs), period, the end.

I've been working to remember a couple of ideas when my mind starts to think about snacks. First, I've been using a mantra: "I'd rather be skinny." I will literally say that in my head a few times, over and over.

Second, I've tried to engage my rational brain as well. I also remind myself that I just finished dinner, so there is no way that I'm actually hungry. I remind myself that the feeling of wanting to snack is really just a trick my brain is playing on me, rather than a physical sensation or need.

There is a fair amount of willpower involved, and I appreciate that living on willpower can be challenging.
At the moment, I seem to be winning the battle, but I also appreciate that I have to flip "no-snacking in front of the TV" into a habit in its own right.

crewahl

steve0mania wrote: »

I've been working to remember a couple of ideas when my mind starts to think about snacks. First, I've been using a mantra: "I'd rather be skinny."

I’m finding that temporizing is helping me. “Oh, I could have that now, but I’ll put it off until later . . . “ . . . . and later, and later . . .

steve0mania

crewahl wrote: »

I’m finding that temporizing is helping me. “Oh, I could have that now, but I’ll put it off until later . . . “ . . . . and later, and later . . .

I used to take an approach where I would specifically plan to have a small snack at a particular time. For example, I won't eat anything now, but I will have a serving of popcorn at 9 pm. That wasn't a bad strategy, because delaying was easier than saying "no." Unfortunately, I need to learn to say "no" more often!

Al_Howard

In all reality, the only thing that keeps me from snacking is doing the dishes (one of the few regular chores I have). Now right after they are done, well.....
Usually have an apple, perhaps some baby carrots, and last thing usually, a Fiber One fiber bar. Would like to stop, but probably not in this lifetime.