Snacks are taking up my calories!

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Mtleiker
Mtleiker Posts: 160
in Health and Weight Loss
I suck at cooking so im always snacking but i stay within my calories but I'm never full cause I'm just snacking. Its mainly fruit, meat products, or these artesian baked chip or one cookie or weight watchers snack size ice cream thing. So I have to work out extra. Anyone else beat this problem. It's such an addiction especially since I can't cook. Also what calories count , is it the net calories or food calories I should be more focused on.
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Replies

  • lilpoindexter
    lilpoindexter Posts: 1,122 Member
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    It sounds like you are just looking for excuses for the failure that you think is imminent.
  • calroz2
    calroz2 Posts: 2
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    try high protein snacks--they fill you up more. peanut butter and apple slices, hard boiled eggs, laughing cow light cheese, greek yogurt. stuff like that. good luck!
  • backpacker44
    backpacker44 Posts: 160 Member
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    It sounds like you are just looking for excuses for the failure that you think is imminent.

    Agree. Excuses excuses. I know lots of people that can't cook at alllll but still eat meals.
  • laele75
    laele75 Posts: 283 Member
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    Learn to cook. It's not as hard as you think, Humans have done it since we figured out that cool fire thing.

    That will not curb your snacking. I cook and I snack. I like to snack. Change your snacking habits, portion control and make sure most of your snacking isn't junk.

    Eating small healthy portions throughout the day isn't bad for you. If you're eating the good stuff, you need to change your thinking, not your eating habits.
  • epie2098
    epie2098 Posts: 224 Member
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    I eat about 2-300 of my 1500 calories per day in snacks. The trick is to make sure they're good-quality food. Whole fruit and veg, greek yogurt, trail mix, a handful of nuts, or a good-quality bar (Luna, Clif, Lara, Taste of Nature, Kind etc.) will be good. Artisanal or ww cookies etc. aren't going to provide you with a nutrional bang for your calorie buck.

    See what you can do to get better at cooking - the one thing you can do to take ultimate control of your health is to cook your own food from ingredients you choose. Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution book is a good place to start, and there are a gazillion YouTube videos out there on almost any technique you could need.
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
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    Most of my meals are high-protein snacks that function as meals because they are calorie-dense. My typical day will comprise of two actual "meals" and three of these high-protein treats.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
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    I learned to cook. Try it.
  • jdsgirl13
    jdsgirl13 Posts: 6
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    Stick to whole unprocessed foods. Almond butter on apple slices is very filling and tastes great. Raw almonds, in moderation, are also filling snacks. Cut out sugar altogether if you can, this just causes you to want more.
  • Mrs_Bones
    Mrs_Bones Posts: 195 Member
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    I eat about 2-300 of my 1500 calories per day in snacks. The trick is to make sure they're good-quality food. Whole fruit and veg, greek yogurt, trail mix, a handful of nuts, or a good-quality bar (Luna, Clif, Lara, Taste of Nature, Kind etc.) will be good. Artisanal or ww cookies etc. aren't going to provide you with a nutrional bang for your calorie buck.

    See what you can do to get better at cooking - the one thing you can do to take ultimate control of your health is to cook your own food from ingredients you choose. Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution book is a good place to start, and there are a gazillion YouTube videos out there on almost any technique you could need.

    This! Make sure your snacks are good quality, healthy foods. Hint: Not all, but most, stuff that's in pre-made little packies aren't going to offer boundless nutrition! Go for whole fruits and veggies which fill you without loads of calories! And seriously, learn to cook. It's not difficult, it just takes a little desire to learn. When I stopped eating beef and pork when I was nine, my parents said, "Okay fine, but we're not cooking a seperate meal for you." So I learned to cook.
  • farnswg
    farnswg Posts: 1
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    Arby's Jr roast beef or ham, 210 cal. and $1
    If vegatarian, Subway salad?
  • ohenry78
    ohenry78 Posts: 228
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    You don't need to know how to cook to make a turkey sandwich or something. Check youtube -- there are tons of cooking videos for beginners. "Can't cook" is no excuse because win today's age of information, there's no such thing as "can't cook". You just "don't want to learn how" to cook :)

    PS -- This isn't meant to be harsh, just true. Them's the breaks in the wild world of the forums. But take it to heart -- you THINK you can't cook, but try changing that and I think you'll be surprised.
  • strflt
    strflt Posts: 29 Member
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    All calories count. Sorry. Unless you meant by "Net" that staying in your calorie limit counts most? If so, then yes.

    I had to learn to cook, too. It's work, but nothing else can make up for it, unless you have a personal chef in your pocket.

    Start simple and work your way up. I recommend sandwiches to start with, then move to really easy recipes with 4-6 ingredients. I do this, and eat two to three hundred calories in snacks. Upside of cooking healthy meals is snacking on whatever I want. Chips.. oreos... whatever.
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
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    I learned to cook. Try it.

    yah... might be time to put on the big girl pants.
  • SexyDexie
    SexyDexie Posts: 48 Member
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    Snacks with fat and protein make me feel fuller. Nuts and cheese are what I eat and I can stay within my calorie limits. Eat a pickling cuke or two. They are low cal and fill you up.
  • angelcurry130
    angelcurry130 Posts: 265 Member
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    a few other posters have suggested learning to cook. i would just like to add to that and say pick 3 - 5 things you love to eat. find recipes for those foods and learn to make them. don't go crazy and try to cook everything that pops in your head. just learn those 3 - 5. once you can make those foods on your own without thinking about it (like say, spaghetti sauce or chilli), then move to other foods. that will help you with figuring out more filling meals.

    you also said you love snacking. try making your own snacks. like, baked zucchini chips or kale chips. there are also dozens of recipes out there for home-made granola and trail mix (just be sure to limit your chocolate or candy additions with those!) stock up on fresh fruit or even make yourself a bunch of salads (try to keep a few servings in tupperware in the fridge and add toppings within reason). if you pre-plan your snacks and make them healthy, you won't have to worry about a random splurge so much.

    hope that helps.
  • JuiceBars
    JuiceBars Posts: 78 Member
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    The desire to change must be greater than the desire to stay the same......make better choices. It is not hard to find healthier snack that you don't have to cook if you must snack. There are some great choices already suggested.
  • MysticRealm
    MysticRealm Posts: 1,264 Member
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    Just google "low calories, easy recipes"

    I never cooked growing up and really have zero talent at it but I can still make meals. Pasta is super easy to make (just boil noodles and warm up sauce in microwave) Ground turkey, just fry it (my pans are non stick so I don't even use any oil or spray), then add some seasoning. One I like is 1/4 cup salsa (especially this more organicy stuff from co-op), 1/4 pasta sauce, a bit of hot sauce. Change up amounts depending on how much sauce you want and mix it into your ground turkey
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
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    It's a preference. You don't have to eat "meals" like most people. The days when I know I'm going for a PR I eat 80% of my food in the morning (mostly one meal) and save 20% after the gym. If you're finding it hard to stay under your calories you're suffering from probably lack of fiber, water, and possibly protein/vitamin rich meals. You don't need to know how to cook with a crock pot. Throw **** in and turn it on. You could mix dried soup mix into yogurt and eat whatever veggies you like. There are always solution around problems.. it just takes creativity and patience.
  • yo_andi
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
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    Eat real food. Work out. Problem solved.
  • melindasuefritz
    melindasuefritz Posts: 3,509 Member
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    stop snacking or eat snack and lots of ice water and have a bigger lunch or supper so u arent snacking all the time

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