Within your calories, do you snack if only a bit hungry?

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Aquaburry
Aquaburry Posts: 45
in Food and Nutrition
Like today for instance I wanted to get a flavor out of my mouth so I had some sweet potato. It's not even a bad thing really, obviously one could snack on something worse. But I ate the crumbs out of the bag and it was like 140 calories. Should I be worried about snacking even when I am not really hungry? Or should I even care if it fits within my calorie goals for the day?

Replies

  • MsBetteDavis
    MsBetteDavis Posts: 118 Member
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    personally if it's within my calorie goal (or even if it's a little over) I don't give a crap.

    I'm still exercising and trying to eat healthy. I'm not going to punish myself for giving into a craving I had.
  • ainarsraciks
    ainarsraciks Posts: 166 Member
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    I don't think there is anything bad with snacking when not hungry. You can ate to survive when you are hungry and you can also ate for pleasure. It's ok. But yes you should be aware of how many calories you ate, you should count snacks in my opinion. I guess there is no pint of counting 10 or 15 calories worth of snacks, unless you really eating tons of those. But 140 cals is quite considerable amount. They can seriously add up and that can slow down your weight loss or if too much even make you gain fat. Juts because you don't count them does not mean that those calories does not exists. By doing this you would just crate illusion, not great if you are serious about weight losing or maintaining. But it's ok to have some as far as you are conscious about them.
  • maineiac96
    maineiac96 Posts: 3
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    The occasional snacking isn't at all a bad thing. Like MsBetteDavis said, if you're a little over your calorie count for the day, it won't hurt. After all, the amount of weight you lose (the .5, 1, 1.5, or 2 pound programs) is based on the week. So one day won't make a huge difference.
  • Rlavigne93
    Rlavigne93 Posts: 119 Member
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    As long as you log it and are within your goal, I wouldn't see a problem. Most of my calories for the day I guess would technically be from snacks. I just prefer eating a bunch of small things instead of a few big meals.
  • theflatpick
    theflatpick Posts: 106 Member
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    Works for me if still under my calorie goal. Otherwise, I would feel like I am cheating on a diet, and worry about it. I am not really on a diet, just eating a set number of calories a day. I don't feel deprived of food this way, and it is working for me. Now, if you jump up and "snack" on a cookie 10 or 20 times a day, all bets are off if you are not counting those calories! Just count them.
    Good luck!
  • ttcbelieve
    ttcbelieve Posts: 181 Member
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    If its within your calorie...then it does not matter
  • Aquaburry
    Aquaburry Posts: 45
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    Yeah to everyone who is saying i 'don't count them'...I DO. Hence the 140 calories I counted. I absolutely monitor every calorie I eat...no matter what. I just had a half handful of cheerios for example, and I counted the 10 calories. My real question was is it OK to snack when only a wee bit hungry...like I could not stop salivating, but I wasn't really hungry, so I had some cheerios to dry my mouth. I should also mention I am not losing weight, I am maintaining. But thanks for everyone else's good answers.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
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    Yeah to everyone who is saying i 'don't count them'...I DO. Hence the 140 calories I counted. I absolutely monitor every calorie I eat...no matter what. I just had a half handful of cheerios for example, and I counted the 10 calories. My real question was is it OK to snack when only a wee bit hungry...like I could not stop salivating, but I wasn't really hungry, so I had some cheerios to dry my mouth. I should also mention I am not losing weight, I am maintaining. But thanks for everyone else's good answers.

    Are you maintaining on purpose? Also if you aren't hungry then consider drinking more water. If I'm not actually hungry but am craving food, it's usually because I'm thirsty. Either water or tea for me.

    But I also don't eat snacks anymore. Snacking leads to wanting to over-eat or binge for me, mostly because a small snack is not at all filling and thus I wind up bad at determining whether I'm actually hungry or not. I eat 3-4 large meals a day, only snacking I do I guess is if I'm splitting up my last meal of the day (e.g. 1/2 or 1/3rd of my day's calories) over a few hours, or when I have protein powder and maybe fruit before/after the gym as needed. But all eating I do is within or at least not much over my calorie goals.
  • Showcase_Brodown
    Showcase_Brodown Posts: 919 Member
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    I will do pretty much anything within my calories.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    personally if it's within my calorie goal (or even if it's a little over) I don't give a crap.

    I'm still exercising and trying to eat healthy. I'm not going to punish myself for giving into a craving I had.

    Ditto.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    personally if it's within my calorie goal (or even if it's a little over) I don't give a crap.

    I'm still exercising and trying to eat healthy. I'm not going to punish myself for giving into a craving I had.

    Ditto.

    Yup this...my motto is don't give up what you love or crave it only leads to disaster..ie binges etc.
  • sculli123
    sculli123 Posts: 1,221 Member
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    I eat my calories for the day and I don't care if it's considered a meal, snack, or anything else. All that matters is at the end of the day whether I hit my calorie and macro goal or not.
  • RaggedyPond
    RaggedyPond Posts: 1,487 Member
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    To be successful you shouldn't make yourself avoid certain things if you really want them. This just makes you yoyo back as soon as you are done losing weight. You eat what you want within you calories. Sometimes you go over and that is fine. Sometimes you may be a little under as well. You learn as you go. You learn if you eat X you will be hungry shortly later but if you eat Y you won't be hungry the rest of the afternoon and get to have a snack after dinner.
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
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    I snack all day long. It's the only way I can get enough calories in. I used to eat just three meals a day, nothing inbetween, but I am so active now that I lose weight if I sneeze. ;-)
  • 365andstillalive
    365andstillalive Posts: 663 Member
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    I'm not all that hungry right now, but I was also 700 or so calories short for the day. So instead of making a meal (because it's 8pm and I just made dinner like 2 hours ago), I'm eating a mix of gummy worms, ringalos, mike and ike, and white chocolate almond bark.

    The moral of the story is, food can be for pleasure, eat what you love and it'll make whatever your goals are (maintaining, weightloss, gaining) a lot easier, just keep track of your intake (which it sounds like you're doing) and s'all good!
  • sendcassie
    sendcassie Posts: 15 Member
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    Sometimes snacking just makes me hungrier and leads to an endless snacking cycle. Observe what happens to you after you snack and make your own opinion of it. Obviously if the snacking tips over your calorie goal you need to reel it in a little. I wouldn't snack while watching television either, pay attention to how much actually gets eaten. Good luck!
  • Aquaburry
    Aquaburry Posts: 45
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    yeah i never snack to a detrimental level. the snacks help me not overeat at meals, honestly. i just am never hungry for the meals. I'm a constant 'meh.' but i guess it is the way skinny people stay skinny right? eating like a bird 10x a day?

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