Help!

cbelt82

Hey Y'all!

Well, I've been on and off this thing and I just can't seem to stay motivated! I am constantly getting on and off the wagon! I want to lose about 10 pounds. Starting monday I am going to start doing pilates and walking at night. My biggest issue is just getting the motivation....especially with eating. I have a bad habbit of skipping breakfast...lunch I do pretty good (just eating tuna and crackers)...and then dinner I eat whatever is available. I don't eat alot in one sitting but I sit at a desk all day long and constantly need to be snacking on something. I've been trying to stick to pretzels or something but I give in alot. The other thing is my caffeine. I drink coffee at home and I know the creamer I use isn't the best for me. I also give in and buy coffee at gas stations that probably have alot of sugar in it. Help....any advice? Diet tricks?
HELP!
Love,.
Cassie

diannethegeek

One thing I do is pre-measure all of my snacks into single serving baggies so that I know when to stop when I feel like mindlessly snacking.

Don't worry too much about skipping breakfast. If that's what works for you you'll find that plenty of people lose weight without their morning meal.

ZugTheMegasaurus

It sounds like you know exactly where you're going wrong, really. So I'll just ask a few questions/point things out.

Why is skipping breakfast a bad habit for you? It doesn't sound like you're bingeing at lunch because you're too hungry (like some people have a problem with), so what makes you think it's problematic?

Why do you feel you constantly need to be snacking on something? Are you actually really hungry all day? If that's the case, I might suggest having more substantial meals. Tuna and crackers isn't much to keep you satiated; it's probably on par with whatever you're snacking on in terms of calories and size. If you're just eating out of habit or for the mouth-feel, try drinking water constantly instead or chewing some gum.

As for coffee, ditch the creamer and stop buying it out. A tablespoon of whole milk has less than a third of the calories of an equal amount of creamer, without the sugar and chemicals. Make it at home and take it with you in a travel mug; I have one that completely seals off and is spill-proof so I can fill it and actually put it in my bag to take with me. Compared to what I'd spend on buying coffee every day, it paid itself off in about a week.

cbelt82

One thing I do is pre-measure all of my snacks into single serving baggies so that I know when to stop when I feel like mindlessly snacking.

Don't worry too much about skipping breakfast. If that's what works for you you'll find that plenty of people lose weight without their morning meal.

Hey! Thanks for the reply! I DO pre package my snacks... I haven't been measuring though. I used to. When I first started this thing last year I was hardcore about it. But I guess I've become lazy! lol I will most def be pre measuring....thank you for the advice!
Love
Cassie

cbelt82

It sounds like you know exactly where you're going wrong, really. So I'll just ask a few questions/point things out.

Why is skipping breakfast a bad habit for you? It doesn't sound like you're bingeing at lunch because you're too hungry (like some people have a problem with), so what makes you think it's problematic?

Why do you feel you constantly need to be snacking on something? Are you actually really hungry all day? If that's the case, I might suggest having more substantial meals. Tuna and crackers isn't much to keep you satiated; it's probably on par with whatever you're snacking on in terms of calories and size. If you're just eating out of habit or for the mouth-feel, try drinking water constantly instead or chewing some gum.

As for coffee, ditch the creamer and stop buying it out. A tablespoon of whole milk has less than a third of the calories of an equal amount of creamer, without the sugar and chemicals. Make it at home and take it with you in a travel mug; I have one that completely seals off and is spill-proof so I can fill it and actually put it in my bag to take with me. Compared to what I'd spend on buying coffee every day, it paid itself off in about a week.

1. Skipping breakfast: Well, in all reality I'm just not hungry in the morning. lol It could be that the coffee kind of curbs my appetite
2. Snacking: Its a boredom thing. And I'm a creature of habbit. Going to try to do the gum thing. If I DO need to snack ...what would you suggest I keep at my desk(I don't have a fridge at work)
3. Coffee without creamer?? I can't! hahahahah I think I'm just going to start by cutting back on the creamer. For sugar I just use Splenda

Thank you for replying!
Love,
Cassie

psse01

I know what you mean about getting lazy on the measuring but it has made such a HUGE difference to me...I learned how "off" I was on certain things...especially the stuff I love - like nuts...and steak.
I have been taking a couple of hours on Sunday to make a healthy soup for my lunch during the week and to measure out and individually package everything from grapes to the rice chips so that during the week I can just grab and go and they are already saved in "My Foods" so I don't have to think about it. It helps to keep me from cheating too.

Staying positive and not beating myself up when I slip helps me as well.

Good luck all!

ZugTheMegasaurus

1. Skipping breakfast: Well, in all reality I'm just not hungry in the morning. lol It could be that the coffee kind of curbs my appetite
2. Snacking: Its a boredom thing. And I'm a creature of habbit. Going to try to do the gum thing. If I DO need to snack ...what would you suggest I keep at my desk(I don't have a fridge at work)
3. Coffee without creamer?? I can't! hahahahah I think I'm just going to start by cutting back on the creamer. For sugar I just use Splenda

1. If you're not hungry, don't worry about eating it. I've never been a breakfast eater and now don't have my first food of the day until about noon. No point in forcing yourself to have food you don't even want.

2. For snacks you can just keep in your desk, you might try nuts. The protein and fat will be more satisfying and you can often find them in single-serving packs so the portioning is easy. I also keep a box of instant oatmeal packets in my locker for days I forget to bring anything. And you can bring fruit or vegetables with you on a daily basis; you can't store them without a fridge, but they're fine being unrefrigerated for the hours between packing them and eating them at work.

3. I found it pretty easy to go from creamer to plain milk (I just couldn't afford the creamer anymore but the switch was easier than expected), but you might try weaning yourself from one to the other by doing half creamer and half milk for a while so you get used to the lower level of sweetness gradually.

mcdomi

Some things that are working for me this time around are tips I picked up at the gym:

1) Make your snacks from protein rather than carbs. So I will have a small can of tuna as a snack, or some cooked chicken or egg. The protein will fill you up and is not "moreish" as carb based snacks are.

2) Drink lots of tea! I drink tea at my desk all day long. Gives me an excuse to get up and make a cup every half hour or so, get away from the monitor, and drinking it relieves the boredom of sitting staring at a screen all day. There are also some awesome flavours out at the moment - strawberry shortcake flavour, creme brûlée flavour etc... 0 calories of deliciousness

3) As someone already suggested, chewing gum is also working really well for me.

Good luck!!

mcdomi

I have been taking a couple of hours on Sunday to make a healthy soup for my lunch during the week and to measure out and individually package everything from grapes to the rice chips so that during the week I can just grab and go and they are already saved in "My Foods" so I don't have to think about it. It helps to keep me from cheating too.

Thats a really good idea - I'm going to try this as well - Thanks!

cbelt82

I know what you mean about getting lazy on the measuring but it has made such a HUGE difference to me...I learned how "off" I was on certain things...especially the stuff I love - like nuts...and steak.
I have been taking a couple of hours on Sunday to make a healthy soup for my lunch during the week and to measure out and individually package everything from grapes to the rice chips so that during the week I can just grab and go and they are already saved in "My Foods" so I don't have to think about it. It helps to keep me from cheating too.

Staying positive and not beating myself up when I slip helps me as well.

Good luck all!

Thank you so much! By the way, whats your opinion on Rice cakes?
love
cassie

cbelt82

1. If you're not hungry, don't worry about eating it. I've never been a breakfast eater and now don't have my first food of the day until about noon. No point in forcing yourself to have food you don't even want.

2. For snacks you can just keep in your desk, you might try nuts. The protein and fat will be more satisfying and you can often find them in single-serving packs so the portioning is easy. I also keep a box of instant oatmeal packets in my locker for days I forget to bring anything. And you can bring fruit or vegetables with you on a daily basis; you can't store them without a fridge, but they're fine being unrefrigerated for the hours between packing them and eating them at work.

3. I found it pretty easy to go from creamer to plain milk (I just couldn't afford the creamer anymore but the switch was easier than expected), but you might try weaning yourself from one to the other by doing half creamer and half milk for a while so you get used to the lower level of sweetness gradually.
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1. The only thing I notice is I eat lunch at 12 and I'm not that hungry so I usually just eat Light tuna with a couple crackers. But when I get off work at 5pm I'm so hungry it hurts!

2. Good tips! Thank you!

3. As much as I'd hate to lose my creamer I will give that a try

cbelt82

2) Drink lots of tea! I drink tea at my desk all day long. Gives me an excuse to get up and make a cup every half hour or so, get away from the monitor, and drinking it relieves the boredom of sitting staring at a screen all day. There are also some awesome flavours out at the moment - strawberry shortcake flavour, creme brûlée flavour etc... 0 calories of deliciousness

3) As someone already suggested, chewing gum is also working really well for me.

Good luck!!

Ummmmm where do I find these teas you speak of????????
Love
cassie

elyelyse

in my opinion, the desire to constantly snack is something you want to examine. Sometimes we really can't resist the urge, and when that happens, trying to pick healthy snacks is important, but if you are constantly looking for something to munch on, that's different from "hunger". Ask yourself if your body really needs that food... or do you just want it.

Two thing that helps me stay disciplined in this area are 1) eating snacks that have good nutritional value. some proteins and a little fat will satisfy me for longer than (just) pretzels and 2) logging the TIME that I eat. If I can look at my log and see that I last ate something just an hour ago, I have more ammunition for the internal argument about eating-not eating. I tell myself that if I just ate something good an hour ago, I am not actually hungry. I KNOW my body can go at least a few hours before I have real hunger. The part of me that wants to eat gets sent to its corner, it can't win that argument. (ok, lol sometimes it does win anyway... but a lot less often than it used to)

psse01

I like the chedder rice cakes ok but they are kind of bland....I found RiceWorks Gourmet Brown Rice Crisps and now they are the only "chips" I eat. They are so much more flavorful then the rice cakes...they really satisfy my crunchy-salty cravings.

beast8618

A lot of these tips have helped me personally. Such as drinking a lot of hot/cold teas that you brew. Chewing gum has saved my life. It sounds weird I know but it holds me off to my meals and at times I'll have 2-4 pieces just to make it to lunch or dinner. Dentyne fire slim to fit pack only has 2.5 cals a piece. Also fruits/veggies are the best to keep at your desk especially apples, bannanas, carrots and celery. If you have to have something to kill that sweet tooth, I would suggest the nabisco 100 calorie packs. My wife has a big sweet tooth and loves these snacks. Just try to limit yourself until you can have a more substantial meal. Sugar free jello/pudding packs have been great for me. Its prepacked and has low cals and its portable. Its ok to have coffee but the creamer has to go. Skim milk in your coffee will be beneficial and FYI coffee dehydrates you. So be sure to drink twice as much water than coffee.

TXtstorm

Good morning! Here are my little ideas for you:

1) For coffee creamer, I'm with another poster on trying limited amounts of whole milk and then the Splenda you mentioned as a sweetener. I wound up switching away from whole milk simply because even buying little pint bottles and keeping them in the fridge at work they'd go bad on me frequently and then I'd wind up with no good choices for modifying my coffee. So I switched to the Land O' Lakes Fat Free 1/2 & 1/2 product with a longer shelf life and Splenda. The LoL product has 20 calories per 2 Tablespoons, but it does have a bit of corn syrup and some chemical products to produce the creamier texture and prevent spoilage. Overall, though, I'd rather use it than most of the actual coffee creamer products. If you like flavor in your coffee try adding small amounts of vanilla extract, ground nutmeg or cinnamon, or cocoa powder.

2) Snacks:
a) I like hummus and vegetable strips (red or yellow bell pepper, celery, zucchini or yellow squash) dipped in hummus. I pre-measure out a couple of tablespoons of hummus and pack up the veggies and I'm ready to go. Good hummus is flavorful, contains some protein, and is only about 40-60 calories per 2 tablespoon serving depending on brand and flavoring ingredients.
b) Try fruit with some protein along with. Cantaloupe chunks and pieces of lean deli ham. A good apple and a 1oz piece of pepper cheese (pepper jack or chipotle cheddar). Berries and nuts.
c) A fruit and nut bar? Just be aware of what goes into the ones you pick in terms of sugars, carb fillers, sodium, and fats. I kind of like some of the Kind brand bars. I keep one in my work bag because it can stay there for days or longer and I always have something I could eat if I develop between meal munchies or to keep me from having that horrible "Godzilla Eats the World" feeling occasionally at the end of the work day before dinner.
d) For refrigeration, most of the items I mentioned or something like a splenda sweetened Greek yogurt would all stay safely cool enough in a insulated lunch bag of some sort with an ice pack tucked in.

3) No breakfast... I'm kind of like you, not much hungry early in the morning, but if I don't feed myself something, preferrably with at least some protein to it, I find that I just get hungrier and hungrier throughout the whole day and it's both very uncomfortable and likely to lead to being unsatisfied with normally filling meals and the chance that I'll seriously overeat. I suggest that you do something small and that is either pre-prepared or very quick to make. Keep small amounts of prepped veggies and shredded cheese and eggs on hand and you can make a 1 or 2 egg omelet in 5 minutes or less. Try the "refrigerator oats" ideas. Cook ahead egg circles and turkey sausage patties, toast up a single piece of a whole grain bread and split it in two so you can build quick b'fast sandwiches. If I eat hot cereals I prefer steel cut oats or cracked wheat as they are chewier and have more fiber so they seem to stick with me longer. Regular breakfast cereal just leaves me hungry enough to chew off my own arm 2 hours later.

Hope there's something useful in there for you!

ScottCadi

I can't say my answers are the best, but they work for me.

I have been told by my doctor and nutritionist to eat something w/ protein for breakfast. 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, or a hard boiled egg, or some sandwich meat and cheese. My goal is 30 protein w/ less than 5 carbs. My wife is doing it w/ 20 protein and less than 5 carbs. It seems to be working for both of us, as she has lost 7 lbs in a few weeks and is lighter than she was before she got pregnant w/ our last child. She is now 9 lbs from her goal.... (I am about 100 lbs from mine, but I have/had a LOT more to lose).

I also do the snack portions, and have found almonds to be a great super food snack. High protein, low carb, relatively reasonable calories... and they tend to give you the feeling that you've eaten something.

Hope you make your goal!!!!

skipbeat97

1. If you're not hungry, don't worry about eating it. I've never been a breakfast eater and now don't have my first food of the day until about noon. No point in forcing yourself to have food you don't even want.

2. For snacks you can just keep in your desk, you might try nuts. The protein and fat will be more satisfying and you can often find them in single-serving packs so the portioning is easy. I also keep a box of instant oatmeal packets in my locker for days I forget to bring anything. And you can bring fruit or vegetables with you on a daily basis; you can't store them without a fridge, but they're fine being unrefrigerated for the hours between packing them and eating them at work.

3. I found it pretty easy to go from creamer to plain milk (I just couldn't afford the creamer anymore but the switch was easier than expected), but you might try weaning yourself from one to the other by doing half creamer and half milk for a while so you get used to the lower level of sweetness gradually.

If you eat a little bit of something, say a few crackers or even a few grapes, it'll kick start your metabolism. That's why when you eat lunch, it's starts your metabolism and your so hungry when you leave work. It doesn't have to be a full breakfast, but I suggest eating something before you leave. Maybe a whole wheat english muffin with your coffee, or even just half a cereal bar. Anything will work as long as you start up your metabolism. And I still highly recommend that measuring your snacks thing. Bring 2 or 3 100 calorie baggies with you for between lunch and going home. It'll help you curb that hunger.

cbelt82

Oh my goodness! Y'all are awesome!!! Getting such good ideas! Super broke until Next Thursday so I'll be a little limited on what I can get at the store but I am sooooo excited! Gonna def get some hummus and Veggies and eggs. I haven't had cottage cheese since I was a little girl and I didn't like it then... then again I didn't like coffee until about a year ago so I should probably try again! hahahaha