I love snacks

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tweitzel79
tweitzel79 Posts: 1
in Food and Nutrition
Team,

I started my nutrition and workout regimen this week. I am logging my foods and working out for 30 minutes each day, 5 days a week, on our elliptical. I think my biggest challenge is going to be snacks.

I love snacks.

I have a desk job, and snacks are abundant; mostly chocolate. There's also Pop Tarts, bagels, ice cream and more chocolate. How to I stop myself from gaining back all the calories I am burning from the elliptical? Alternatively, what snacks can I eat that I won't feel so guilty about?

Thank you in advance for your time,

Tim

Replies

  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
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    Cut your calories thru your diet itself. Trying to cut with cardio is a losing battle.

    1oz Dark Chocolate= ~155 cal
    Running 1 mile @ 185#= ~140 cal

    As you can see, cardio isnt the answer. Cardio helps mobilize fat for use as energy (IOW, fatloss). Diet accomplishes the goal.

    This is generalized.

    My snacks are beer, so, I cant make any good suggestions really. I consider fruit a snack.
  • Samstan101
    Samstan101 Posts: 699 Member
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    How do you stop yourself? Willpower! Remind yourself why you want to lose weight & get fit, remind yourself that eating stuff like bagels & pop tarts too excess is part of the problem and not the solution. Build the occasional treat into your daily or weekly calorie allowance so you can have a small amount of what you fancy without binging.
  • BernadetteChurch
    BernadetteChurch Posts: 2,210 Member
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    Don't buy chocolate, ice cream and Pop Tarts and then you can't eat them. Eat fruit instead.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    Often, when people want to lose weight, they punish themselves by cutting out snacks. What they don't realise is they could achieve the same weight loss by cutting out meals and keeping the snacks. :bigsmile:

    Eat **** and die-t.
    http://youtu.be/q5D5qb9ZHf8

    :-D
  • ImRemko
    ImRemko Posts: 34 Member
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    How do you stop yourself? Willpower! Remind yourself why you want to lose weight & get fit, remind yourself that eating stuff like bagels & pop tarts too excess is part of the problem and not the solution. Build the occasional treat into your daily or weekly calorie allowance so you can have a small amount of what you fancy without binging.
    ^this.

    And log your calories. Snacks are a lot less lovable when you see they destroy your goals.
  • KateK8LoseW8
    KateK8LoseW8 Posts: 824 Member
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    I too am a snack lover, and I've lost almost 60 pounds eating lots of them. Buy more healthful and filling options, like jerky, nuts, trail mixes (ones without candy in them!), grapes, carrot sticks with hummus, apples, yogurt (especially Greek as it has more protein than regular), and low-sugar protein bars (I like Pure Protein brand - they are very much like candy bars but more filling and more nutritionally sound). Take the time on the weekends to divide your snacks into individual portions so you can just grab them as needed.
  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
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    if your not looking to get "healthy" and just wanting to lose weight-eat whatever you want as long as its at a deficit. Log every snack and stay within your calorie goals.
  • terricherry2
    terricherry2 Posts: 222 Member
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    I'm a snacker. Fruit, yoghurt, smaller cookies, popcorn, vegetables, mini bags of chocolates, weighing things (especially high cal things like nuts where it's easy to go over), these are your friends. And you can exercise your way to snacking more. You just have to bust your butt to do it. I love peanut butter cup b&j so I go to spin or bodycombat before I eat it!
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
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    Bring your won snack. I make healthy protein cakes and put jam on them. So good!!
    carrots, eggs, various fruits, dark chocolate squares,

    I like to snack too.

    But a snack is just something to nibble on in between meals, no one says it has to be junk food. Make your choice and stick to it. If you cave to the M&Ms forgive yourself and get back to your healthy snacks.
  • niricava
    niricava Posts: 89 Member
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    I keep a drawer full of healthy snacks at work: protein bars (I love Think Thin - have half when I'm extra hungry), nuts, jerky, fruit, etc. I have everything pre-portioned already so I don't have to guess or stop myself from finishing the whole bag. I like sweets too but I only allow myself one or two mini size candies/bars when I get the urge.

    I definitely found that once I stopped having something sweet every day, I didn't crave it as much as I used to... it's all about willpower!
  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
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    Change your snacks. Special K has 100 calorie pastry crisps that taste like Pop Tarts, or if you have the calories, eat the Pop Tart. If you like chocolate, buy hershey kisses, but know that you still need to have the willpower to not eat the whole bag. I changed my snacks to more whole foods, but definitely keep chocolate and rice krispies treats around.

    If you have a fridge, my new snacks are frozen mango and pineapple with greek yogurt, chicken, cheese and avocado or edamame. Protein is the one macro that I seriously have to work on so I make sure to have it in my snacks.
  • Wrxsti23
    Wrxsti23 Posts: 62
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    I feel your pain! I too am a HUGE snacker and find that it normally happens out of boredom because if I am super busy I just don't eat as much. I do make it a habit to allow myself to incorporate a bunch of snacks in between my meals so I don't feel the urge to snack on something bad.

    I normally eat 1200-1300 on most days unless I work out like crazy or if I feel extra hungry.
    My tip for you is to eat smaller portions of breakfast and lunch to allow for more snacks.
    Here's my typical day.

    Breakfast-Egg white and spinach omelette about 75 calories
    Morning Snack- 100 calorie English Muffin with Cinnamon flavored laughing cow cheese 45 calories = 145
    Coffee with lite creamer= 15
    Lunch-P90X soup(3 Cups)= 160
    Afternoon Snacks-
    100 calorie popcorn
    24 Special K wheat crackers= 120
    Banana- 105
    PB2- 45
    Smarfood Selects Garlic Tomato Basical hummus popped chips= 100
    Dinner= 8 ounces of Swai Fish= 140
    Uncle Ben's Brown rice( 1 Cup)= 170

    Total 1175
    Then if I want dessert I eat a fudge popsicle (90 calories)
  • Fragilebird24
    Fragilebird24 Posts: 202 Member
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    Popcorn! You can eat quite a bit for under 200 calories and it's filling! You can buy lighter versions of microwave popcorn or air pop your own.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    I'm a huge snacker. I have smaller meals and hold myself accountable to my diary. That's the key really - to hold yourself accountable. It means on days I snack too much, I only have 200 calories left for dinner. But I deal with it. And I log everything before I eat it.

    I also try and satisfy my cravings with healthier foods - healthier ice cream (Breyer's vs Ben and Jerry's for example, or frozen yogurt instead, and one serving instead of 3), 100 calorie chocolate bars, Quest bars... You ask yourself if the 250 calorie candy bar is worth it, and you make it work.

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