Help with WILLPOWER!

steffmd25

Hi everyone! I have the exercise down pact. I run 3 miles a day, ab work everyday, and sometimes strength training. I just need to get my eating down right. I'll do great during the morning and early afternoon. But around 3 and during the night time, sometimes all I want to do is snack. Doesn't anyone have any suggestions.

drosenbauer

Did this snack urge begin when you started exercising?

jewelzz

i had to take out all the stuff I like to snack on at night out of my kitchen and not buy them again,
that way when i get a craving i have nothing or i make a healthy choice instead:bigsmile:

jongwoons

Lord knows I LOVE to snack. What I do is just have a little bit of different things...small servings of crackers, or fruit, peanuts, yogurt, etc...it depends on what you snack, and I always pay attention to serving sizes in order to know what to eat, especially when it comes to less healthy stuff, like the Oreos that were sitting around a while ago. I know that if you eat small snacks in between meals you will feel less hungry or less likely to snack late at night, it's worked for me pretty well

Bluesmilie

Drink lots of water and eat 100 calorie snacks



Add me

helenamonks

Lord knows I LOVE to snack. What I do is just have a little bit of different things...small servings of crackers, or fruit, peanuts, yogurt, etc...it depends on what you snack, and I always pay attention to serving sizes in order to know what to eat, especially when it comes to less healthy stuff, like the Oreos that were sitting around a while ago. I know that if you eat small snacks in between meals you will feel less hungry or less likely to snack late at night, it's worked for me pretty well

Ditto

msdebg

Well you are certainly not alone!!! I am the opposite right now, I am getting my eating under control and the exercise is not so good. I know I will get back to it so I am not too worried.

I have been like you are in the past. I would do great all day, exercise, eat right and then the evening comes and even the cat's start to look tasty!

What is different now and why is it working? I enter all of my food and drink in the food diary, and I don't fib at all. It helps tremendously knowing someone is out there watching me as opposed to friends or relatives nagging... Anyway I decided when I started this, that when I hit the button to close the day and tally up, that is the end, no more food.

My best strategy is when I eat dinner rather early like 6:00pm and then close out for the day. I sometimes drink decaf coffee or tea afterwords, but somehow the mental thing with "closing out for the day" is working.

Good luck!

EDesq

I am all for exercise and toning as you lose weight. However, exercise is ONLY Maybe 10% of weight loss and maintenance, diet (what you eat) is 90%. What I have noticed is that most people forsake the 90% for the 10%, in other words they place their focus on exercise when the main focus should be on diet. I believe people do that because of the 2 - exercise is easier and makes them feel better. No, exercise is not easy but of the 2 things eating healthy and/or restricting food intake is definitely harder. Common belief via TV and "trainers" and Ads show us the RESULTS of "exercise" BUT in reality what we see on "The Biggest Loser", PX 90, Zumba and all the rest is the RESULT of diet!!! Diet is not addressed as much because it is NOT Glamorous and does not work well on a TV show or selling products. So you can totally work your but off exercising, but if you do not eat properly you will NOT lose weight nor will you tone; BUT if you eat right and do a little toning or exercise you WILL lose weight, tone and maintain.

I say go with the 90% (diet) if you need to focus and can't do both at the level you are doing it now. Reduce your exercise because it is probably making you hungry. Weight loss and maintenance is hard and unless you get the eating part right goals won't come...that's the 90%. Exercise can never make up for eating poorly or overeating...it just can't. So focus on what you can Constantly DO and what will Constantly work. Frankly, all it takes to tone is You and a floor mat, everything else is excess unless you are an athlete.

steffmd25

@Drosen, No, always been a snacker. Sometimes good, and sometimes bad. But I have always been into exercise, even as a teen.

steffmd25

Thanks everyone of the great suggestions. I think if I become better with my recording exactly what I eat, I'm holding myself more accountable.

jongwoons

Making a snack menu for the next day also helps!
This is what I did for today and it's working very well with calories to spare for dinner ^^
This way I don't go over my calorie limit and know exactly what I'm going to snack. So much more convenient to know what to eat beforehand.

esam5

My reccomendation is "The Beck Diet Solution" its a book by a psychiatrists who has studied weight loss for years. It will give you ways to deal with your habits and overcome them.

great success to you!!!

E

dietitiandanielle

As a dietitian, here's what I tell my clients. A good rule of thumb is to not let more than 4 hours go by without eating. If you're eating regular balanced meals, you should get hungry around every 4 hours. Don't let yourself go past the point of hungry into starving. Have a snack but make it a planned part of your day. Include a healthy carbohydrate like whole grain, fruit or low fat dairy and a protein or fat source. Keep your snack between 200-300 calories. You'll feel more satisfied and will have to rely less on "willpower" which will fail time and time again in the face of true physical hunger. As far at the night snacking goes, same rule applies. You can have a small bedtime snack but again, make sure it is planned. Do not eat out of any container, bag or box. Also, if you think maybe part of your snacking issue is emotionally driven, do this simple test: ask yourself "Would I eat an apple?" If the answer is yes, more often than not it is true physical hunger as you'd eat an apple just to fill your tummy. If the answer is no and you're seeking something specific (like sweets, starches, salty snacks)...it might be head hunger. This is a simple tool that can help you differentiate between the two. If it's Tummy Hunger have a snack, if it's Head Hunger find a distraction or stress relieving activity.