quick - help me resist an evening snack?!?

My first day here. I've eaten over my calories today :0(
Starving hungry and craving crackers and cheese.
What am I doing wrong? Any encouraging words to help me stay strong?
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Replies

  • lilalief
    lilalief Posts: 76 Member
    If you can, go to bed and get some rest. Avoid temptation. You can do it :-) some days are just tougher than others. Whenever I can and I crave for something at night, I go to bed or workout, depending on the time, haha.
  • SweetLove1988
    SweetLove1988 Posts: 353 Member
    Can't really help unless we see your diary and what you are eating.
  • KristiLeighS
    KristiLeighS Posts: 112
    if you really are hungry first drink some water then if you need to eat something do it. you should never be starving. tomorrow is a new day for you to make better food choices so that doesn't happen.
  • skinnysushicat
    skinnysushicat Posts: 138 Member
    Wow quick responses - thank you! How do I show you my food diary? (off to explore settings). I know EXACTLY why I went over - I ate 2 Mr Kiplings at a family lunch!!!
  • ahmadfahmy
    ahmadfahmy Posts: 214 Member
    My first day here. I've eaten over my calories today :0(
    Starving hungry and craving crackers and cheese.
    What am I doing wrong? Any encouraging words to help me stay strong?

    fill your house with healthy snacks.....
  • skinnysushicat
    skinnysushicat Posts: 138 Member
    I guess I just thought as I'd eaten overall a healthy day (apart from the cakes...) that I should be feeling full :0(
  • skinnysushicat
    skinnysushicat Posts: 138 Member
    I have been sipping water, it helps a bit :0)
  • joyhealey
    joyhealey Posts: 3
    Cheese will pile on the calories! Drink water to make you feel full.
  • cruzcrzyMarie
    cruzcrzyMarie Posts: 251 Member
    If you are a coffee drinker this helps too.
  • skinnysushicat
    skinnysushicat Posts: 138 Member
    Don't like coffee, but might have some decaff tea - the milk will add a few more calories though!
    I know cheese is awful - I am veggie, and it is my downfall. Cream crackers are pretty bad too!
    I have shared my food diary. Apart from the obvious Mr Kiplings, what else should I change? This is a pretty average day, except usually I would eat less lunch but more dinner - the same sorts of foods though.
    I think I should swap to a healthier breakfast - it's too sugary!
  • amyLhuff
    amyLhuff Posts: 102
    Always have healthy snacks if your still hungry after a big glass of water eat something small. And if you workout that will give you extra calories just in case you do need to go over them. Your body should get used to the amount of calories soon it took me a couple weeks before I was used to eating less. Fill your day with lots of veggies protein and fiber.
  • sz8soon
    sz8soon Posts: 816 Member
    Eat something if you're that hungry, unless you are just bored and in that case go brush your teeth, take a swig of mouth wash and find something to do before you go to bed.
  • Hi. You have only just started. Have you planned your food in advance. I am doing a plan (through gym) and have my meals and snacks pre-planned. I do blip once in a while but I try to put right straight after.
    It may be that you need to go back a few days...plan your menus for next week / buy food that you need/ plan snacks. The throw out the stuff you are trying to avoid. By the way - 2 crackers and a small piece of cheese is ok before bed...swap to cottage cheese and you can have more. Protein before bed is allowed. Not seen your food diary...can you give an eg
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    It looks like you could stand to get some more protein in your diet. Protein, fat, and fiber all help to keep us feeling full. Ditch the crackers next time and go for hard boiled eggs, Greek yogurt, beef jerky, almonds, or anything with more protein.
  • pbrinnm
    pbrinnm Posts: 39
    This is a strategy my trainer offered and it helps me figure out if I'm really hungry or if something else is going on:

    1. I ask myself if I'm hungry enough to eat the least appealing food (i.e., celery) I can think of.
    2. If I'm willing to eat the food then I'm really hungry and I know I'm eating wrong (usually not enough protein) that day.
    3. If I'm not willing to eat celery then I'm bored, under stress, something else that leads to emotional eating.
    4. I address what is leading to emotional eating (I change my routine, take a short walk, something that gets my mind off of whatever I'm craving).


    My strategy might not work for anyone else, but it helped me figure out that my cravings are frequently in my head. I also gathered data about my cravings and that's when I figured out I crave when I eat too many starchy carbs and not enough protein.
  • Some_Watery_Tart
    Some_Watery_Tart Posts: 2,250 Member
    I dring a big glass of water and go read a book. But I also keep celery in the fridge for "just in case". Celery is so low-cal it's practically a freebie. And it helps with the need for "crunch" that I get in the evenings.
  • Ed98043
    Ed98043 Posts: 1,333 Member
    It's your first day and this is part of the learning process. So now you can eat something and go over your calories, or be hungry and not go over your calories. Either way, tomorrow you'll know better.
  • AspenHarrison
    AspenHarrison Posts: 8 Member
    If it's too early for bed, drink up on water... chew some sugar free gum... chew ice. Smelling lemons or mint is supposed to help. Brush, gargle, and floss. Look at motivating pics and inspirational messages (I go to pinterest) or just check out some good sites, like dailyhiit :)
  • GormanGhaste
    GormanGhaste Posts: 430 Member
    Look at motivating pics and inspirational messages (I go to pinterest)
    Haha, that wouldn't help me, my Pinterest is filled with recipes :)
  • iceman7840
    iceman7840 Posts: 110
    My advice...don't expect to move mountains on the first day. Your diet doesn't have to be abolutely perfect right away. Slowly cut things out and progress towards a healthier way of living.
  • khall86790
    khall86790 Posts: 1,100 Member
    If you are hungry, go and get a piece of fruit.
    It's better to go over with a piece of fruit than a snack that is bad for you.
    Alternatively, drink 2 glasses of water and go to bed.
  • amaysngrace
    amaysngrace Posts: 742 Member
    I cant because I am craving one myself. I am ravenous right about now! If I eat anything more than dinner, I will be over.
  • manderson27
    manderson27 Posts: 3,510 Member
    I wouldn't worry too much as you have only just started. I found it helpful to just eat normally the first week or two but log everything. That gave me a good idea about my eating habits, portion size and time of day that I over indulged. Then I set about finding alternative lower calorie options and moved my meals around to make sure I had enough calories for the evenings when I was at my most hungry.

    You will sort it out so don't beat yourself up over a couple of cakes this early in the game :flowerforyou:

    For now I would eat something, some fruit or a plate of salad so you are not hungry and as other posters have said learn from the experience.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    Load up on veggies. It takes time for your body to adjust. Just keep at it.
  • toofatandy
    toofatandy Posts: 74 Member
    What is hungry your mind or your stomach?

    Wait 20 minutes and it will wear off.

    Let your body switch to using the excess fat stores.
  • skinnysushicat
    skinnysushicat Posts: 138 Member
    Thank you all for the suggestions. I might try a mug of hot water and lemon, which I find very soothing!
    I plan the evening meals for our family in advance, but think about health in general rather than fat content / loosing weight. So we have some meals that are nutritious, but high in fat. We have 3 kids 5 and under, so obviously they need richer foods, and my husband is very very active so he can eat a lot more than me!

    I don't plan my lunches, and I always have the same for breakfast.

    Interesting about protein - today I had milk (in tera / on cereal), small amount cheese (lunch), boiled egg (lunch) and soup with lentils in it (dinner). Is that not enough? It's hard as a veggie - can't eat beef jerky, that's for sure!! :0)
  • janerfitnesspal145
    janerfitnesspal145 Posts: 55 Member
    When we (husband and I) first started MFP, we used the first few days (maybe a week) to just track what we were eating. We were amazed that some of the foods we thought were healthy were really high in sodium or sugar. We've used MFP as a tracking tool to help us make better choices and plan our meals ahead of time. If we're having a dinner that is a little higher in sodium, we make sure the next night we have a lower sodium dinner, etc.

    So don't worry about the first few days or week, give yourself some time to track what you're eating, then you can start making better substitutions. Good luck!
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    Yep-it's hard to break old habits. Snacking was one of the hardest for me. What I eventually did was keep my meals small so I could have snacks when I wanted. If you find you just don't want to give up evening snacks, eat a little lighter at lunch, or use skim milk instead of creamer in your coffee. Find where you can save calories elsewhere so that you can use them when you really want them.

    It takes time to figure out what works for you. Meanwhile, hang in there! Sometimes you just have to white-knuckle it, I'm sorry to say. Don't be too hard on yourself if you go over, it takes time to get used to new ways of doing new things.

    You got this!
  • angelique_redhead
    angelique_redhead Posts: 782 Member
    I have a large glass of water. If I'm still hungry after that I have an ounce of cheese. It's the first day. Your body is just trying to make you cave. Don't let it!
  • skinnysushicat
    skinnysushicat Posts: 138 Member
    And thank you for all being supportive :0)
    I am proabably expecting too much of myself right away. Today was a bit atypical as we were at family's house for lunch, so I had less control over what was available to me and when (and what temptations were in the way!).
    Tomorrow I am at home all day. What is a fast, healthy, low calorie, filling, high protein veggie lunch? Or is that asking too much all in one meal?!? :0)