i need some help with unhealthy snacks

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  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
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    There will always be something more tempting than fruit. It boils down to making a conscious decision to grab the fruit instead of whatever else.

    Simply this. There are no tricks. You have to choose not to eat the junky stuff. You are in control.
  • Thena81
    Thena81 Posts: 1,265 Member
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    look at the carb content and avoid processed snack foods like Quacker chewy bars who are high carbs and have hidden sugars <i know cause i used to eat em like craze til i got the Dont Eat This, Eat That book>
    go for fruits and such! there are some low fat and low crap having frozen items, you gots to do a lil research is all! good luck!!
  • Lisa__Michelle
    Lisa__Michelle Posts: 845 Member
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    I START my shopping trip in the produce section lol. I snack on Kiwis, grapes, cherries (if they are on sale), strawberries, apples, etc. I keep them on my middle shelf at eye level so I see them first when opening the fridge. I also buy nuts (raw.. NOT roasted because that means they put a wax glaze of sugar on them).
  • suemac14
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    Try to find something that you LOVE that is good for you. Tonight I made a Greek yogurt dip that is essentially the dressing on a Gyro. It is terrific! I dipped carrots in it and actually felt like I was cheating. I had 21 of the cleaned baby carrots and 2-3 TBSP of the dip for only 150 calories. I may have some more before bed!
  • tyhjones
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    We make our own snack mix - cereal, nuts, dried fruit. We also separate food into servings as soon as we get it home from the store so there is no guessing how much you are eating. It also makes packing lunches much easier - most of it is already to pack. We also try to keep plenty of fruit.
  • tyhjones
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    We make our own snack mix - cereal, nuts, dried fruit. We also separate food into servings as soon as we get it home from the store so there is no guessing how much you are eating. It also makes packing lunches much easier - most of it is already to pack. We also try to keep plenty of fruit.
  • sonyachan
    sonyachan Posts: 518 Member
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    Make sure you are eating wholesome meals with plenty of protein and calories so that you stave away those cravings. And eat healthy snacks before you feel so hungry. That might be enough to get you to stop going for the junk!
  • houstonmacbro
    houstonmacbro Posts: 99 Member
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    i dont know how to not run to something really unhealthy for me can you give me some advice on how to choose fruits over bad foods

    Snack bags with dried apricots, raisins or dried figs. 1/4 cup is about 110 calories for any of those fruits.
  • jessingh84
    jessingh84 Posts: 13 Member
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    I had the same problem: the hubby that loves to eat junk, eat out, and just treat himself and me to food always. I think that the most important step is that you recognize your weakness for junk food. It tastes good and sometime you just want to indulge; AND you have to be fair with yourself. If your going to eat a whole lot of junk food, then your not going to loose the weight you want to. BUT if you loose weight then you have to learn how to work with yourself and your own conscious to eat junk food sometimes and healthy others. Its a hard battle, but I'm sure if you can begin your journey to bettering yourself, then you can surely make the decisions necessary to make sure you meet your goals. Another trick, is simply to make sure you keep track of your calories and burn all of the junk food calories you put in. That may be a way to adapt so that you still meet your goals while indulging, and it may also make you realize how much work it takes to get rid of the fat from eating the junk food. As for the fruits, think of it this way, one candy bar = 2 oranges. =) and until you learn to love em, mix em. For example, make a smoothie with strawberries and if their not in season then just buy a yoplait smoothie pack and whip it up with some milk. :) Good luck!
  • houstonmacbro
    houstonmacbro Posts: 99 Member
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    We make our own snack mix - cereal, nuts, dried fruit. We also separate food into servings as soon as we get it home from the store so there is no guessing how much you are eating. It also makes packing lunches much easier - most of it is already to pack. We also try to keep plenty of fruit.

    Serving sizes are key. I used to just open the trail mix and wolf it down. Now I know that 1/4 is 180 calories, so I have a MUCH gentler hand.
  • econut2000
    econut2000 Posts: 395 Member
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    It's tough because I've always had the exact same problem! If it was in the house I was going to eat it.....right now!!! My fiance can eat 5 chips and be satisfied - I need the bag. BUT I have changed my mindset. I don't know what happened, but it was like I woke up one day and said I wasn't going to poison my body any longer. So I have had very little junk food in the last month since I started (Christmas and New Years' was a different story :wink: ) Although there are leftover sweets in the house still, I only caved one night!

    What I have found is if you are eating processed food, you crave more processed food. So the less prepared foods you buy for yourself (and your family!), the less you will want the junk. I haven't been craving it -- I have been eating a more Mediteranean style diet and I've been doing quite well. (I know 3 lbs doesn't look like much but I have neurologic/endrocrine problems that make it tough for me to lose weight).

    Good luck!!
  • houstonmacbro
    houstonmacbro Posts: 99 Member
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    Veggies are great to nibble on the trick though is to have them cut up in your fridge so you have no excuse to not eat them!!

    I'm a fan of baby carrots and celery sticks. Separate or together.
  • defiancechick1
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    Can I have that recipe?!? I love gyros and the sauce!:smile:
  • theresamichelle78
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    Hi-not sure if this was mentioned already, but I found that substitution worked best for me. Low fat ice cream instead of regular (put it in a small bowl and it feels like you're eating more), chex mix instead of chips, fiber one bars or brownies, Skinny Cow treats, fiber one and chocolate cookies.....

    This things might not be as healthy as fruit, but, for me, they are more realistic. I know that I am not going to turn to fruit everytime I want a snack, so I turn to a fiber one brownie instead. :)
  • theresamichelle78
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    I like to eat dry chocolate chex and cinnoman cereals (I mix them) or Reese's peanut butter cup cereal for a sweet fix
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
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    My laziness has almost always trumped my desire for junk food, so I just try to make the healthy options easier to get than the unhealthy ones. Like if my fiance wants ice cream or cookies or whatever, when she's done whatever's left gets buried in the back of the pantry or in the freezer under my like 15 lbs of frozen veggies. 6 ounce plain chobani yogurt and a packet of splenda are right up front in plain view. Out of sight out of mind, and if it's a pain to dig something out...I probably won't.


    It is still a conscious decision not to go for junk, but it's easier when I give myself excuses not to go the junk food route.
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
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    Don't keep it in the house and I live by the rule ...if you can get it from a vending machine don't eat it.
    like i said i have a hubby and kids and they all love junk food to much and forget not to get it

    That's rough! It's really hard to avoid sweets when your spouse keeps them around the house. It may be time to sit down and have a serious talk with your spouse about keeping treats around the house. And how old are your kids? You don't have to keep junk food around the house for them! All the sugar just makes most kids hyper anyway.

    The best advice I can give you is to make sure you have healthy snacks available. So when you get a craving for potatoe chips, make sure you have some fresh fruit or pistachios (that havent' been shelled) around that you can eat instead.
  • fyceasar
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    My husband is a junk food junky and so am I...well my while house is if I let them. I noticed whatever snacks I buy they eat if it's junk or healthy so I try to buy fruit and wash some up and put a bowl on the kitchen table it's right when you walk in the kitchen and on my dresser and they eat it if I don't guess what we want...JUNK!! My kids like yogurt, nuts, trail mix, I buy fruit by season. My husband still likes some of his junk sometimes but he goes to the store himself and keep it out of my sight.