Stay at home mom needs advice!!

nicolelridl

Hey everyone! So far I have lost almost 20 lbs. I feel a look a lot better from when I started but the hardest thing for me is my diet. I am a stay at home mom so it is hard not to want to snack during the day because it is so easy for me to just grab whatever I want. I was wondering if anyone had good ideas on what I can have around that is a good snack or even foods I can make at home that will keep me more full so I don't have the urge to snack. I just feel like some days I am hungry all day!! Please help me!

jangier

Many congrats on your weight loss to date! I have the same struggle when home with my kids or pretty much anytime I am at home with free range on the kitchen. Here are some things that have worked for me, hopefully they will help you too!

1.) Remove anything "bad" from the house and stop purchasing. If it's not there I don't eat it and everyone in the house has benefited. Trust me, we still enjoy food, but more of an occasional treat to go out for ice cream or have a small bag of chips with a picnic.

2.) Keep healthy snacks handy and ready to go. I would pre-measure hummus and put into containers with carrots in the fridge, same with PB, or ranch dip. If the veggies are pre-cut in a container with my dip, it's easier to grab and eat. Also helps when kids hungry and demanding snacks.

3.) Keep hydrated and drink lots of water. I don't know why, but when I am home I am less conscious of the water I am drinking even though it is right there! I usually keep a water bottle near the sink and try to drink as often as I walk by.

4.) Try to pair snacks or even all meals with protein to keep you fuller longer. If you are grabbing a few strawberries, also grab a hand full of almonds, or even keep yogurt handy. I LOVE CHOBANI YOGURT - it is like a treat for me with only 140-160 calories and about 15g of protein.

5.) Sometimes if the kids are napping and I want to snack, I try to force myself to do something else until the urge subsides. Sometimes clean, sometimes even just hop on treadmill for a few minutes. Anything to help me not think about a snack, for me I am usually not hungry, but just want to snack

6.) Salads - I find that if I eat a big salad, I am fuller. I think since you have to chew so much to get through the salad. I always try to have protein with the salad, grilled chicken on top, sliced lunch meats, chick-peas, tuna, or even hard boiled eggs.

Best of luck to you! Feel free to add me if you are looking for other mommy friends!

jsd_135

Hi. I'm a SAHM. Here's my suggestions:

Keep fruit on hand. This is my go-to snack during the day. I buy navel oranges and apples by the bag. Don't give up on this if you get a lousy bag of oranges or apples. Find a good supplier and keep going back. Trader Joe's, if you have one nearby, had terrific navel oranges this winter (Sky Valley). Bananas, of course. Strawberries are good right now. Lots of others, of course.

Nuts. Weigh them, since they're killer if you go overboard.

String cheese.

Lunch meat. Sometimes a deli slice or two of turkey or ham is really satisfying.

Cherry or grape tomatoes. I have a box of these sitting on my counter at all times. I use them for salads and snacks.

Keep some veggies cut up in tupperware in your fridge (carrots, celery, cucumber). Easy to grab for a quick snack.

Peanut butter on apples/celery.

Not necessarily a snack idea, but I also try to prep lettuce for salads (wash & spin) right after I buy it. I store enough for a few days in a tupperware in the fridge. Makes it easy to put together a quick salad-based lunch. For protein, I add any of the following: cheese, hard-boiled eggs, lunch meat, tuna, leftover roasted chicken.

I pretty much gained most of my excess weight on pantry carbs and finishing the kids' meals. I've cut all of that out.

Good luck.