How on earth do I stop the after dinner snacking?!

You don't have to stop. You can eat less during the day leaving you enough cals to fit those snacks in.

This works for me.
I log any hot chocolate with bakery or ice cream I plan to have after dinner first thing in the morning. Then I plan the rest of meals accordingly to fit with my calorie goal.
Working out right before your scheduled snack could help you control the urges too.

Your diary isn't open, but first thing is to make sure your calorie goal is appropriate.

After that-- if you like to snack after dinner then just allow yourself more calories for that. I love evening snacking so I budget myself enough calories to enjoy a couple of snacks between dinner and bed. Generally I have some ice cream and then later some fruit or a veggie.

You don't have to stop. You can eat less during the day leaving you enough cals to fit those snacks in.

^This ... or trying doing something to keep yourself busy, and get your mind off of it. I have the same problem. I try to budget for a small snack in the evening. I buy those kids snack packs and eat one of those if I really need something. ( I buy them for my daughter, but I definitely eat more of them than she does )

Drinking tea works for me most nights..... once you get through a few nights without snacking, it becomes less of a habit


good luck

Instead of snacking on the things you mentioned, why not just eat an apple or a couple of clementines. If you aren't right up against your calorie cap it should be nothing to worry about.

1. Don't have things you can't resist in the house. If you must have them, buy "snack size" packets and keep them somewhere inconvenient. Things like 2-finger kit-kats are good too. Once you've had one you know its greedy to have two....
2. As others have said, eat a little later. Eat more slowly too, reminding yourself how full you are getting with this healthy dinner (NB you NEED to make sure its a healthy but filling dinner for this to work!!)
3. Find a hobby which means you can't snack because a)yoou need your hands and b) if you eat you'll get what you're doing messy. Knitting, sewing, crochet, scrapbooking - there's loads you can do while still sitting with your family,
4. Don't eat your dessert straight after your main - clear away eveything else first. You may find you don't want it immediately, in which case it can be your snack later!
5. Pre-log your snacks so you can work around them rather than them catching you out.
6. THINK about what you are eating. If you want cocolate, go and get yourself one or two squares of very good chocolate, then sit down with it and savour it sloooowly.
7. Finally, find healthier versions of what you love if you can't give them up - fat free yoghurt, reduced fat cheese etc. And there's lots of savoury snacks at less than 100cal per single serving bag.

If I've really run out of calories for the day I either go for a walk to earn more or go to bed!

If you enjoy snacking after dinner, then plan for it by spreading your calories out more throughout the day.

If you are snacking because you are bored or because it is just habit, then change your habits. Go for a walk, keep busy doing housework, workout.

Make sure you are eating something filling at dinner. Then, just don't do it. I find distraction works well for me. Go for a walk, clean up the house (stay out of the kitchen). Play with the family, ride a bike. Just don't sit there and think about the snacking. You got this!

I agree on distraction. For me, when I make my plate at dinner I try to make small portions so I am not overeating. If I still feel hungry afterwards, I always have found that during the 15 minutes of clean-up, putting away leftovers, and wiping down the table, the feeling passes. Then it's on to getting household chores done, playing with the kids, and bathing them. Depending on the time and the weather, a short walk with the kids is always nice before bath time.

Most nights I do end up eating a small snack after they go to bed, but not always. It depends on how active I was during the day, how I did on my calories, etc. I tend to eat more when I am active- exercise makes me hungry, lol. If I have room for it, I go ahead and have that small bowl of ice cream, or apple with peanut butter, or whatever. If I did not do well doing the day, a nice big pickle does the trick too! Oh, and I agree about not bringing the bag of chips/pretzels/snack in the living room with you. Portion out into a small container and put the bag back in the pantry! I usually use one of the kids small little bowls.

When you buy groceries be sure to buy your favorite fruit. Before you dive into the high calorie snacks, eat the fruit and drink plenty of water. The fruit will take care of the craving and will fill you up along with the water. Also, try not to sit around watching TV. Find a project. I lost 55 lbs on this site... 1 lb at a time and I've kept it off for over a year... don't give up!

I snack every single night.

Use the diary as a tool and pre-plan your evening snack. Mine can get crazy because I sometimes snack according to what micronutrients are a little low (calcium? milk or cheese, iron? a half serving of shredded wheat honey nut, Vitamin A? cantaloupe, etc.)

Some good evening snacks that might mesh well with your cravings:

1/2 cup greek yogurt mixed with 1/2 scoop protein powder or a tablespoon peanut butter, then beaten into a dessert-like snack. Add a little water if it is too thick.

1 ounce of a good goat or camembert cheese and a couple crackers that you like, weighed on the food scale to get either 1 serving or 1/2 serving and enjoyed slowly with a cup of sleepy time tea.

If you plan for your snacks and use the food diary and your kitchen scale to make these snacks just another meal, then I don't see any reason why you'd have to give them up.

ETA: go with fat and protein, fat and protein, fat and protein. It's more filling so you'll be less likely to head back into the kitchen for more.

There's no magic pill for that. Leave yourself some extra calories for after dinner and let yourself have one snack within those calories. And make sure you log it.

Heck I went to bed hungry last night, it's one of those days, but I refused to blow my goal.

I also struggle in the evening. The best way I get around it is to plan my meals in advance, and try not to use too many for lunch. I always have a salad with protein OR a vegetable soup for example. Then I usually get home from work at 5:30pm, have a cuppa to fill up a bit and loads of water then I put the kids to bed, do a 30minute workout THEN I eat tea. I know eating late is supposed to be bad for you but I eat about 8.15pm. This way, I am less hungry in the evening and I also have less time to snack because after tidying up it's nearer 9pm and I go to bed around 10pm anyway.
Good luck .

If you open your diary then people may be able to give you a little more insight.

Are you eating enough throughout the day? Is your calorie goal correct for what you need? I find that snacking comes when I don't feel satisfied.

Make sure you get plenty of protein and healthy fats to keep you fuller. Everything you eat during the day will contribute to how you feel at the end of it.

Make sure you're hydrated. Thirst likes to disguise itself as hunger! If you really feel you are hungry, drink a hot drink. Tea or coffee or even a cup soup. They will satisfy you for longer than a glass of water.

It does also have some elements of self control. If you are really serious about weight loss you will think twice about reaching for a snack. Put post-its on your snack foods with little questions on "Do I really want this?" "Will this fit in my calorie goal for today?" "Can it wait for tomorrow?"

I tend to drink loads of water which I find helps

I was going to suggest the same thing. Try drinking a full glass of water before dinner, then sipping throughout the evening. you should be drinking lots of the stuff anyway.

Also, try a nice COLD glass when you get a snack craving. Even if you add some low cal flavor, it's going to be better for you then a handful of chips if you're over your calories for the day. Maybe that small hungry feeling (assuming you're eating enough during the day) will make you rethink your choices earlier that is not allowing you to eat a snack late a night.

I always remember. Nothing is going to taste as good as healthy feels. Most of the time it works, but sometimes a splurge happens. Just get back on the horse and keep going.

Don't bring that stuff into the house. It's my first line of defense.

Also this suggestion is not for everyone but I have my eating on a schedule. I know that dinner is going to be at 4 (yeah I know, our schedule is weird) so I tell myself I can have one snack at 6 and one at 8. It helps me not snack in the interim if I know I'm going to have something in an hour and a half.