HOW did you quit your horrible SNACKING habit?

KKishaA

Hi again!

Being committed to logging all my food the last weeks has really opened my eyes about my eating habits. It is literally BLOWING MY MIND as to how often I eat unscheduled!!! I wake up in the morning and remember all the bites of this and that that I did not log the day before - It is NO WONDER to me now why I have stayed the same weight for so long. Or why I have gained. How I could be so unaware of this habit before I don't know but I am so grateful that I see it now so that I can work on fixing it.

What have you found to be successful or was the aha moment for you that allowed you to quit snacking?
For me I find that:
1)If my meal was not big/satisfying enough I snack
2)If I am in a hurry or frantically doing something I will snack
3)If I am hungry while I am preparing a meal or if I have to wait to eat for some reason (waiting for boyfriend, food is cooking) I will snack. This is especially true in the evening after I have taught my cardio class. I get home and I want to EAT.

By snack I mean, 5 or 6 almonds, a handful of cereal, ripping a piece off of a protein bar or a piece of bread, half a spoonful of p.nut butter.....Sometimes all at the same time!!

You know what is annoying too? I am seeing all these half eaten, bitten off pieces and partially gone foods all over the cupboards and kitchen and it is obviously because IN A PAST LIFE I WAS A MOUSE AND I GNAW ON THINGS RANDOMLY!! It sounds funny but I am really almost disgusted by this habit and although he has not said anything yet (we recently moved in together) I bet it drives my boyfriend crazy!!!!

Thanks for any wisdom you may have

freemystery

I have 0 advice, I am a snack MACHINE. But in on the thread to see if I can get some wisdom too!

I know I snack I just try to control what I snack on at work. So it's like celery/ bell pepper city at my desk. But yes, I absolutely graze all day and it's a bad habit that I want to break.

MG_Fit

As cliche as this may sound, carrying a bottle of water around with me where ever I go, generally helps. I usually drink 104 to 136 oz. of water / day. I don't know if it's that or a mental thing, but I rarely snack anymore.

kk_140

I do this terrible thing where I take nibbles of my friends unhealthy food! So my partner will order pizza and I'll make something healthy for myself, but have two bites of pizza. We will go to a movie and I will not order popcorn for myself, but will eat a hanfull of my friends! Sometimes I've had 300+ calories at the end of the day in nibbles (weekends are especially bad)

I have found that I can avoid this just by doing the actual math of it and logging it in my head. When I want that bite of pizza I try to think "a slice has 400 calories, I could eat that slice in 12 bites. Each bite is about 35 calories."

This thought process turned my mindset from "its a nibble so it doesn't count" to "that bite has the same amount of calories as as tablespoon of ranch"

So basically, maybe try relating those snacks to something you do count.

Lesa_Sass

You first need to distinguish between hunger and just eating to eat. Am I hungry or is it there and I want to eat it.

Second, do not keep such a variety of sugary snacks in your house. I will buy enough treat snacks for one per day. If I have a variety of them, I will eat them. Try an apple with your peanutbutter or make some kale chips. Kale chips for me are great, I can eat lots of them and they do not hinder my progress.

Third try to get more protein. I find if I have a snack that is higher in protein, I do not feel as hungry.

I agree with the drinking of the water. You may also want to consider cutting your alcohol use out to see if it is causing the inhibition to go down and make you feel it is okay to eat the things you do after you drink it. Just give that 2 weeks to see how it goes.

I know for many of us snacking was what we did at night as a family so it is engrained in us. Every night we had some kind of treat while watching TV. Whether it be popcorn, icecream, nilla wafers and milk and so on. So for me, it was relearning a behavior. Now I go to visit my parents and it is the same thing, a piece of pie, a bowl of icecream, a rootbeer float......I have to say no, or make sure I work it into my calories for the day.

Greenrun99

Stop buying on the foods you snack on.

lauraspberry

I drink a glass of water when i'm hungry. If i'm still hungry after that, I eat and I limit my intake of sweet foods as it tends to make me hungrier

kommodevaran

Make sure you eat a variety of foods and enough fat and protein, so that you aren't unknowingly starving. And try to eat only at meals (duh, I know).

The_1_Who_Knocks

The secret for me to stop snacking was just to eat a half cup of whole oats as a snack halfway between meals. 150 calories, filling, and takes care of the urges.

DrJenO

Since you know you like to snack, go ahead and plan your day around it.

I eat 5-6 times a day, every day. I have to, or I go nuts with hunger. I have breakfast around 175-250 cal; mid morning snack around 200 cal; lunch around 350-400 cal; afternoon snack around 100 cal; dinner with 600+, up to 1000 if I've done cardio that day; dessert if I have anything leftover.

As you see, I like to hoard my calories for the evening, but you could just as easily front load.

I have them planned out. I pack food every morning to bring with me to work. My snacks typically involve at least some protein; I've said goodbye to the handful of saltines or a single apple.

GBrady43068

Three things:

1) I try to have lower-cal snacks available...a piece of fruit, carrot sticks, celery sticks, cherry tomatoes etc.

2) I am trying to eat snacks BETWEEN meals....the #1 type...so that I am less hungry and prone to binge on bag of potato chips, pint of ice cream, etc.

3) Trying to drink more water...some of the time I'm "hungry" my body is really just asking for water. I'm better at the first two than this one..I really have to make myself...not because I "hate" water but because I don't consume that much liquid period. I've been awake about 4 hours and all I've had to drink so far is a single cup of coffee. :P Guess that means I need to go get some water...

mschicagocubs

Keep busy, drink lots of water & coffee when I'm at work craving a snack.

GBrady43068

Stop buying on the foods you snack on.

And also this one if I absolutely can't control myself. I can always drive out and buy a single-scoop ice cream cone if I really really REALLY want it. (or whatever the craving is)

Things that I don't have out of control cravings for, I can just parcel out from the bag into "serving" sizes in plastic Ziploc type baggies. For example, a serving of the pretzel sticks I tend to snack is 11 pretzels..so I just toss them 11 at a time into baggies and then grab however many baggies for that day's snacks.

eldamiano

I didnt have one. I just said no to snacks all the time.

KKishaA

I am planning on raising my protein for sure during meals and prep/plan/log my dinners before hand. I am shopping and cooking today to take care of that.
I am tossing all left over crap out today as well.
II love the water idea! I could definitely drink more. I used to drink 3liters daily, not sure why I stopped. Thanks everyone!

RedArizona5

I give in haha I try to pick and nibble and focus on only my snacky meaning no tv or texting or computer screens just my snacks and me because once its gone its on my hips and i want to make that sucker count but I do keep portion in mind and thats why I pick but not as often as I just have a piece and let myself enjoy:) BUAHAHAHAHAHA Life is so short!!!

RedArizona5

I think the best way is to just avoid buying it in the first place and if you must have some, make a pit stop for a single serving only, that way when its gone -its REALLY gone!! I used to do that and love how that worked and still do occasionally-you get your fix and you move on-no more temptation than you can handle=)
Now if its healthy stuff or everyday non junk foods strictly, then, there is an issue I see happening. I think food and our relationship to it is such an active yet vital one for ourselves. And to learn how to implement the use of it successfully in our daily lives. I have to eat and when Im hungry I have to evaluate what can I do to change things so that I can have this bite of food and still be in a deficit? Do I need to up my activity level if my appetite or metabolism is dying for energy?If so I would just have a small snack and move on. But i def. do not by any means necessary snack before dinner time and on rare special occasions only. I am blessed to be disciplined in such a manner. We were poor grown up so we really didn't have food to scnack on. Dinner was our food to eat so we had to wait. My uncles would be very strict on that topic and I am very blessed for that. And it IS a choice too. I mean if you tell yourself you must not have one bite to spoil your dinner then you should by all means follow that through and be a spirit of your word!!

misscem94

When I took control of the shopping and removed the snacks option from my food diary. When the rubbish isn't in the house, and I don't have the diary option, I stick to the three meals a day.

LoraF83

I snack all day. I enjoy it.


I just make sure to keep a supply of lower calorie items on hand to munch on and I preplan my day. I eat a lot of fruit (bananas, apples, clementines, grapes, etc), string cheese, yogurt, hummus and crackers, nuts, granola bars, ice cream bars, frozen chocolate covered strawberries, etc.

ndnss83

me too have the same problem... after work when I come back I need to eat and eat.. I wont stop... I drink mere than 3.5l through out the day.. I read all advices.. I will try few.. thanks for posting this topic..

Francl27

Yeah I haven't. I still do it. I just had my lunch... then a yogurt... then 3 animal cookies... then 2 chocolate eggs. That's fairly typical. In the end it's all about trying to fit it in your day (ok it might not happen today) and typically my meals are smaller to make up for that (400 calories or less).

leggup

Make yourself weigh and log everything before you put it in your mouth. The fat that you're only remembering the food later means that it's mildness eating; you may not even be hungry. Taking the time to weigh and log every bite means that you have to hold yourself accountable that "just a nibble" of some foods can be 50-100 calories and add up fast.

Other tricks to keep you from wanting to graze:
-Keep lower calorie snacks in the house that you can eat with purpose. 100 calorie snack packs, baby carrots, mini muffins, etc. Pick something that you want to eat, determine how much of it you can eat in a day, and then enjoy it. You don't have to be a mouse, nibbling here and there. Chewing gum or eating mints can also help if it's more of an oral fixation.

knra_grl

Fit snacks into your plan, or eat 6 mini meals per day...instead of 5 or 6 almonds count out the 21 (I think that's the entry I seen for almonds on the data base) and enter in your diary if you only eat 7 - eat 7 three times throughout the day, your snacks are entered and accounted for - end of problem - enter your one protein bar - eat half now and half later - again your snacks are entered in your diary - no problem - not hard to do, just do it. Or enter the half or third serving size - whatever - but if you are leaving open protein bars in your cupboard what do you do? toss em after a few days?

AllonsYtotheTardis

I just didnt' quit snacking.

Instead, I plan for it.

mmm_drop

Well, I haven't.

I snack A LOT. I like to snack, so I just snack on "better" stuff. I eat raw nuts, protein bars, fruit, veggies, and yes, chips and candy too. I just make sure my snacking doesn't get out of control and take me over my calories for the day.

I've found that allowing myself to eat ALL the food has made it easier for me to eat at a deficit.

jofjltncb6

I used the patch.


A lot of people I know have been successful with the e-snacks though.

davidaward14

A easy trick I had found is to carry no " cash". No money, no honey!

ottermotorcycle

Snacking isn't the problem - failing to log it is. Taking a bite of this and a bite of that, having a few almonds or part of a protein bar - those are healthy habits, if you're aware of them. Probably the easiest rule you can stick to in this case is that if you can't be bothered to log it, it's not worth putting in your mouth!

Other than that, very low calorie snacks (I'm talking dry lettuce, celery sticks, etc), sugar-free gum and water will keep you busy.

janelann222

I am also a huge snack lover. I think what helped me is buying 100 calorie pack snacks. I like the chocolate dusted almonds, Jolly time popcorn, pringles, etc. They have helped me a lot (with portion size and having a nibble of a craving while not going overboard). I also drink a lot of green tea to fight snack cravings.

davidaward14

The secret for me to stop snacking was just to eat a half cup of whole oats as a snack halfway between meals. 150 calories, filling, and takes care of the urges.

I did the same thing to. Works very well!

QuietBloom

There is nothing wrong with snacking, you just have to log the calories and try to hit your macros. I eat sometimes close to 50% of my calories 'snacking'.