I am horrible, need help

I don't think under those circumstances you can avoid eating snacks all together. I do think that you could pick up a lower cal option - an example would be mini wheats, or mini crisps. My favorite, though, is tortilla shells cut into nacho shapes - spritz them with water and drop a few herbs & salt on 'em and bake for a few minutes till crisp like a nacho. Then dip in tzatziki (or drop some cinnamon and a light sprinkling of sugar and dip in vanilla yogurt). I know it's just not the same, but it really does help me a lot. The calories still add up, but more like 200-300 calories which is reasonable.

Oh, the other thing that helps me, is to drink 2 full glasses of water before snacking. You'll feel fulfilled earlier.

Good luck!

carry a bag of your favorite fruits/ veggies/ wheat thins around with you so that when everyone else is snacking on chips you have something healthier to munch on. I also try to keep a bottle of water with me so that im not tempted to get a soda or something.

Do your friends know you are trying to lose weight? I don't tell many people b/c I'm a little self conscious and I also want to see if ppl will notice and say something w/o knowing (then you know they aren't just being nice). But if you are comfortable with it, it would help so they don't keep offering you food. Maybe hang out by going to the gym together or shopping at the mall (all that walking!). Having at least one person who knows you are dieting and who is supportive can make all the difference. Find that person/people in your life.

Another thing is to take control of the snacks available when you hang out. Maybe you like veggies or fruits, just make sure to eat them plain w/o dressing or whipped cream. Lately I've been eating lots of strawberries and they are low cal + filling to me. Not all fruits are the same... grapes have a lot of sugar so the calories add up fast. Edamame is a great snack with plenty of protein and fiber. Spend some time looking at nutrition info to see what things you like that are low cal. Beware of the packaged food that say they are low cal or are diet food.... they can have surprisingly large amount of cals, sugar, and sodium.

I chew gum to keep my mouth busy so that I do not want to munch. Social settings are my hardest times, but I have started allotting myself 200 calories (saving them throughout the day so I don't go over on my daily total intake) that I save for the evening that I will be with friends. I have a plan ahead of time so that I know exactly what I can eat and how much. I went to a potluck last week with friends and we had mexican food bar and I only consumed 143 calories because I went there with a plan already worked out in my mind and refused to go against it. They begged me to eat more and to eat dessert after because they insisted I did not eat enough. I was full and I stayed within my pre-planned calorie allotment.

if you like cookies then you can follow the same concept- get the 100 calorie packs of cookies so you feel like youre eating lots of cookies but its not that many calories Depending on where you live, the natural foods section of a lot of supermarkets carry better versions of cookies that are healthier for you, so you can take those with you for whenever you have a cookie craving

http://www.walmart.com/ip/15174345
they have them for pretty much any cookie
also, if you like homemade cookies, try subbing out the oil/butter for applesauce instead. (or use half butter and have applesauce). it might make the cookies spread a little more but it will lower the calories on them. Also, there are a ton of healthier cookie recipes out there on the web if you want to bake them at home

Also, if you bake at home, make the cookies WAY smaller & just give yourself a set number & that's it! I have been using the "recipe" setting quite a bit lately for my fav dishes. Sometimes seeing the break down gives you an OMG moment & deters you from eating them!

well if you are serious about your diet then you gotta talk to your friends because it has been proven they can be one of the biggest obstacles when it comes to this sort of thing.
"what's a few cookies, or a piece of pizza you worked out right?"
blah blah blah. In the end it is your body and you gotta be in control of it.

That being said I use gum to keep my mind off of food and water. I usually have a fiber one bar or 100 cal pack in my purse as well. Some times a banana just depends, but you gotta have your healthy options if you are having movie nights and all that.

My response is going to be a bit more agressive and maybe even sound a bit harsh BUT.......IF you REALLY WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT your going to have make a choice! How important is it to you, how badly do you want it? All the gum, tic tacs etc., in the world won't keep you from eating if you haven't made the decision to really take hold of your health and eat right! Your going to have to make the decision on how important this is too you. Everyday I have to make the decision whether to eat healthy or go out and get a pint of Ben & Jerry's icecream which is my favorite and honestly, losing the weight is much more important to me. Sure I have the once a week splurge meal or two but other than that I'm staying within my calories goals and chossing healthy fair. Once you get on track, you can work things into your daily calorie goal like a few cookies or even a dark chocolate hershey bar or whatever else is your down fall and STILL stay within your calorie budget, but bottom line is........Whats really important to you? This is something you will have to figure out and do yourself. I'm sorry, but I'm just being honest. Good Luck!