STARVED between lunch and dinner!

Jamie_Marie

Ok, so I've noticed a terrible pattern.....I tend to snack A LOT inbetween lunch and dinner. I have been told to have a low cal snack between the meals, however, I am terribly hungry still and a 100 calorie snack (or less) just doesn't cut it and my stomach is still growling until I eat dinner. I do eat breakfast so I'm not sure what more I can do and still remain under my calorie goal.

What should I do, any ideas??

vickyrep

Hi,

Congrats on the lost lbs so far!!

What are you eating for a snack now?

lucky1ns

crackers and cottage cheese?

mandaface015

You should look at how many calories you need to eat during a day. Lets say it is 1500, a 100 calorie snack is definitely not enough. I split up my meals so i eat 5 300 calorie meals a day. That usually keeps me satisfied. Also i dont count my vegetable calories so eat as many as them as you want! Hope this helps.

durbanski

I find starting the day with something even if its just a protein shake is good to coat the stomach. I eat Quaker granola 90 cal bars as a snack if i need something. I recommend drinking lots of water to keep the stomach happy between meals.

crux

Home made hummus & celery sticks.

I make my hummus to include olive oil but it does not need it. 100 cals worth of good home made hummus I find quite filling and with celery it feels like I ate quite a volume of food for little calories.

Jamie_Marie

Thanks! Usually for a snack I will eat a light yoplait yogurt or a salad - I try to stick with under 150 calories. But still isn't satisfying me!

shellybressler

I am the same way you are and i found what works for me (so I don't over induldge at dinner) is I eat several times during the day. I am eating 100 to 200 cal every 2 to 3 hours and that way I feel like I am always eating...

fitinyoga14

i had the same problem that you do for a while and i experimented with different kinds of foods as my snack. nothing was working for me. then i decided to change the time of the day that i work out from 6 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon. after i come home from school, i have a small snack and relax for about 20 minutes. then i get up and work out. after i work out, i drink a huge bottle of water. doing this keeps me distracted and curbs my hunger also. i also had more energy for the rest of the night!

NickiChase

What are you having for lunch?? You may need to add more protein to that meal (and a little extra fiber won't hurt either!) For a snack, I find an apple and lowfat string cheese (about 160 calories) helps me make it to dinner. We also eat dinner earlier than many (about 5:30ish) since we have small children. My big vice is a late-night sweet, so I make sure I have (or "buy with exercise") enough calories for a little ounce of dark chocolate before bed. Good luck!!

Jamie_Marie

You should look at how many calories you need to eat during a day. Lets say it is 1500, a 100 calorie snack is definitely not enough. I split up my meals so i eat 5 300 calorie meals a day. That usually keeps me satisfied. Also i dont count my vegetable calories so eat as many as them as you want! Hope this helps.

What do you usually have for dinner at 300 calories? My husband eats and eats (and actually is trying to GAIN weight) so we have to meet in the middle and when he cooks, I have to watch my portion control BIG TIME! Bless his heart, he tries but he doesn't understand how much calories really are in food!

Crunchytxmama

I've noticed that what I have for lunch makes a big difference in how hungry I am in the late afternoon. Yesterday I had a double fiber english muffin with 1 oz. of mozzerella cheese and tomatoes, and a banana, and by 3:30 pm I was feeling so hungry, weak, and tired. I don't think I had enough protein. Today I had a cup of homemade lentil soup and 1 slice of WW bread and I didn't notice the weak, tired feeling at all.

Jamie_Marie

What are you having for lunch?? You may need to add more protein to that meal (and a little extra fiber won't hurt either!) For a snack, I find an apple and lowfat string cheese (about 160 calories) helps me make it to dinner. We also eat dinner earlier than many (about 5:30ish) since we have small children. My big vice is a late-night sweet, so I make sure I have (or "buy with exercise") enough calories for a little ounce of dark chocolate before bed. Good luck!!

Thanks for your reply!! Usually for lunch I make some sort of sandwich using Arnold Thins Selects (LOVE THOSE!) with Weight Watchers cheese, healthy ones turkey/ham and a tad bit of free mayo. Then have some Quaker Rice Snacks, or baked chips.....some days I have salads. I think my biggest problem is boredom too.....I'm currently unemployed (been looking for a job for the past year) as my husband is in the Marine Corps. Usually between lunch and dinner is when I have less things going on....

smith_km

Try to eat a protein and vegetable for lunch. The combination of the two will keep you full a little longer. Another idea is to split your lunch in half. Eat half at lunch and the other half in the afternoon when you start to feel the hunger pangs come on. Still the same number of calories, just in half.

Jamie_Marie

GREAT - Thanks for all the helpful advice!! I appreciate all the support!

MacMadame

I find I get less hungry if I make my snacks protein-based rather than carb-based.

Rikste

it looks like you don't have a problem between breakfast and lunch...what if you divide up your lunch? into 2 lunches is that possible? like in time frame 12 pm and 2 pm and a snack at 4 pm maybe depending on what time you have dinner

tinabosquez

Try a whey protein shake or a protein bar. When I am in need of something sweet or chocolate, I drink a triple choc whey protein shake, and I throw a banana in it. SOOOOOOOOOOOOO YUMMY. Also, I am addicted to the atkins choc caramel crunch protein bars, they taste like a piece of cake.........just watch them around the hubby, mine isn't trying to lose weight but he is stealing my bars because he loves them!!! :laugh:

mmains

Try eating more protein for lunch and combine protein and carbs (fruit, veg, starch) for your snack. Don't go more than 4 hours between eating. The protein will help fill you up. A snack that I love is grape tomatoes and a string cheese. Or hummus and crackers or veggies. Even an apple with almond or peanut butter. Good luck!

mworld

i had the same problem that you do for a while and i experimented with different kinds of foods as my snack. nothing was working for me. then i decided to change the time of the day that i work out from 6 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon. after i come home from school, i have a small snack and relax for about 20 minutes. then i get up and work out. after i work out, i drink a huge bottle of water. doing this keeps me distracted and curbs my hunger also. i also had more energy for the rest of the night!

this works well for me. If i workout in the morning I have a huge appetite for the rest of the day.

stacykc437

You could try to drink a cup to two of black coffee or tea with your low calorie snack (it is a mere 2 calories/brewed, and curbs hunger). If you do not like plain coffee or tea, you could add nonfat milk and/or Stevia for flavor (that would not have a negative affect on your caloric intake).

ChellieIrish

What do you normally have for brekkie? I try and have a big portion of my cals in the morning so they have time to get worked off during the day plus it seems to keep me fuller for the rest of the day for me that is usually a big bowl of cereal at the moment Readybrek topped with apricots :happy:

I like to snack on popcorn usually late in the afternoon which keeps me going till dinner time

hcwhipple

I find that if I eat carbs ( crackers, toast, pretzels, etc.) for my afternoon snack I am STARVING for dinner. I started to eat a protein like a hard boiled agg and an apple or celery and peanut butter. This fills me up way more than a serving of pretzels would and it is still usually under 200 calories.

Good luck and keep up the good work! ( I know how it is to be home during the day and to not eat all day long!

NickiChase

What are you having for lunch?? You may need to add more protein to that meal (and a little extra fiber won't hurt either!) For a snack, I find an apple and lowfat string cheese (about 160 calories) helps me make it to dinner. We also eat dinner earlier than many (about 5:30ish) since we have small children. My big vice is a late-night sweet, so I make sure I have (or "buy with exercise") enough calories for a little ounce of dark chocolate before bed. Good luck!!

Thanks for your reply!! Usually for lunch I make some sort of sandwich using Arnold Thins Selects (LOVE THOSE!) with Weight Watchers cheese, healthy ones turkey/ham and a tad bit of free mayo. Then have some Quaker Rice Snacks, or baked chips.....some days I have salads. I think my biggest problem is boredom too.....I'm currently unemployed (been looking for a job for the past year) as my husband is in the Marine Corps. Usually between lunch and dinner is when I have less things going on....

Totally understand the hunger/boredom thing. Now that you have recognized it, you can change it! Take a walk, go volunteer at your local school, sign up for a class online, there are lots of possibilities!! But first, get rid of those rice snacks!! They totally killed me... I got them for free and tried to incorporate them, but I think that they are too high on the glycemic index for me, even the whole grain ones! I feel a crazy crash every time I try to eat them. If you need a salty sidekick to your sammy, (which sounds great by the way, just be sure to get at least 3-4 oz of meat in it) go for whole wheat pretzels, but I like to add filling fruits or veggies to my lunch, the more colorful the better! Depending on where you are stationed, you should be able to get some yummy and fresh ones at your farmer's market.

aippolito1

Neither yogurt or salad are good to "keep you full". Salad doesn't have a lot of filling things unless you throw a LOT in there to fill it up...chicken, hard boiled eggs, nuts, etc. but I know you're not if it's under 150 calories. Try something high in protein. Canned chicken or tuna with a few crackers or veggies. Carrots are very filling. I bought some vegetable juice (50 calories) and it fills me up for a couple hours. :happy:

jennylynn84

Protein! Okay, I'm one of those people that typically goes over the MFP protein setting (which is low anyway) but I find that a protein snack keeps me going in the afternoon. Almonds are good. Planters has the NUT-rition series. I find the loose mixes to be a little on the high side for my recommended calorie goal (and for the amount you get to eat), but they also have the NUT-rition snack bars. LOVED the Energy mix bar. Blue Diamond is another brand - they have 1 oz snack bags of plain unsalted almonds that are 160 calories.

Or, if you're more of a quantity gal - which might be the case since you're bored. Grab fruits and veg. And instead of fixing a salad and just eating it straight, graze on a plate or zippy bag of your faves for a while. I have filled a sandwich bag with baby carrots, brought it to work and nursed the thing for like an hour and a half! Munching the whole time, so my hands don't get bored and reach for something else that's not as healthy. And most fruits and veg are not very calorie dense and so perfect for grazing.

The afternoon is hard for me too! I forgot my snack when I went home for lunch and I'm STARVING!

Best of luck!

mommyhof3

I am an afternoon snacker and I make popcorn and snack on that. It is something that lasts and I can pick at it until dinner time. I also drink my water

succeedin2

Hi maybe you want to make your breakfast bigger for instance today mine was a wheat raisin english muffin (Trader Joes), 2 pcs turkey bacon I wrap in a foil sheet I cook the bacon before I leave home takes less than 5 mins. and then I warm both up when I get to work and eat with jelly separate. Also I have a cup of coffee w/ flavored creamer fat free sometimes I have Kellogs Granola Cereal w/ Raisins and low fat milk sometimes I add the turkey bacon depending on my needs if I have aerobics or something at work we have a chef so sometimes I might even have one pancake with a small amount of syrup those items fill me up. I usually have an apple small or med. for snack. I am not hungry until lunch and typically I am a true snacker! Also lots of water. Veggie juice is good also graham crackers with peanut butter might help watch the portions on that.

fauxdetresse

i always snack on white cheddar rice cakes. 40 calories per cake.

ropsnik

Try a 1/4 cup of Almonds or a Gala apple. These satisfy my snack cravings.