How can I control my over-snacking habits???

EquestrianLark135 · May 2011

I made a post recently about how I felt I needed personal help with my eating because I don't have any self-control when it comes to snacking after school...I just eat and eat and eat.....like I don't even care. Then I completely regret it at night and I want to just cry and rip my hair out. It just makes every day end miserably for me....so it needs to stop. When I made that post, a few people brought up the point that the only person that can really get me through this and accomplish this goal is ME. And it's so true. I just need to find that self-control I had when I first started this and hold it out until my body gets use to these new eating habits. SO, I'm going to continue to go at it alone (for the most part), but I do have a question. How the heck do I control my over-snacking problem??? :ohwell: I always say I'm not going to over-do it on the snacks after school, but then I pretty much eat what I see. Some days I even eat until I literally can't eat anymore (basically until my stomach hurts). It's like I need to eat one thing right when I get home that will have me completely full until dinner. Is there anything out there that will fill me up for a solid 3 hours?
Another big part to this is eating out of boredom...I have ALWAYS done this...my whole life. If I'm bored, or just on the computer or watching T.V./a movie.....I eat. I guess I don't need to ask for this one....I'm assuming the only way to stop this is to get up and actually DO SOMETHING (other than eat) when I'm bored or watching TV. Like go for a run or something...right??? It just takes a lot to convince myself to go do something when I'm lazing around. I'm hoping once we get a treadmill--SOON-- that this will be a lot easier, though. Because when I was babysitting my cousin the other day, I jumped on their treadmill twice just because I was bored. haha :laugh: I love running on the treadmill....I dunno why. But I guess that's a good thing! :bigsmile:
And I've heard the only way to stop eating so much sugary food and junk is to literally STOP eating sugar for a good 2-3 weeks and then you won't crave it anymore.....true??? :huh: I guess it makes sense. :ohwell:

Anyway....help needed on my little....or....big....snacking problem.... Thanks! :flowerforyou:

SassyStef · May 2011

why dont you just come home and make an early dinner. That way you can go ahead and eat and not feel guilty. Then when you are done with dinner go for a walk, come home have a snack and go to bed......are you drinking water. Maybe just start downing the water??

Good luck sweetie, I hope you find something that works for you!

suecq09 · May 2011

Its ok to have an afternoon snack - in fact...I try to make sure I do have a snack mid afternoon. Its important to keep me going. If you know your triggers to eat, avoid them. Plan things. Portion your snacks and make sure you aren't tempted to go back for me. I had the same problem at work just snacking all day. I found that drinking a glass of water curbed it, or chewing a piece of gum. My mouth was moving, gum achieved the goal. I also made sure I had snacks I could have as much as i wanted, like celery. I'd try focusing on drinking more water. DO avoid sugary snacks. Try fruit or veggies.

Missylydia · May 2011

I wrote this in my blog yesterday actually
"My eating was out of control. Eating was a hobby. There was nothing I liked better than going home and pigging out on tasty treats in front of a movie. And I was doing this several times a week. So I needed to get in control of my eating, not just see it as just pleasure but as the fuel for my body. But of course to not go overboard on the control thing, I do allow myself a wee treat here and there, but I account for it in my calorie allowance. I also eat food I don’t really like because it’s good for me and to train myself out of the food=pleasure mindset."

Also, I agree that keeping yourself distracted is a great way, but ultimately, you have to *really* want this!

Missylydia · May 2011

I wrote this in my blog yesterday actually
"My eating was out of control. Eating was a hobby. There was nothing I liked better than going home and pigging out on tasty treats in front of a movie. And I was doing this several times a week. So I needed to get in control of my eating, not just see it as just pleasure but as the fuel for my body. But of course to not go overboard on the control thing, I do allow myself a wee treat here and there, but I account for it in my calorie allowance. I also eat food I don’t really like because it’s good for me and to train myself out of the food=pleasure mindset."

Also, I agree that keeping yourself distracted is a great way, but ultimately, you have to *really* want this!

VixFit2011 · May 2011

I recently went thru a similar thing. I would be starving right around 4-5 PM would eat dinner then eat something, sometimes even sandwiches about 3 more times. I realize now that by eating 3 meals, 3 snacks, each day I'm not feeling starving. I try to eat something "heathy" and try to remember to eat regularly. I recently found that when I craved sweets if I eat a handful of walnut halves and pieces, the craving goes away and the sweets craving goes away too.

NoAdditives · May 2011

Yes, it is completely true about the sugar. But don't try cutting it out cold turkey, you'll only relapse. I was a lifelong sugar addict and last January I beat my addiction. I was craving chocolate at the time. It only too me one week to get over my addiction and they way I did it was very simple. The first two days I made myself wait to have a piece or two of chocolate until after I'd eaten my lunch. The two days after that I made myself wait until my afternoon snack. The two days after that I waited until after dinner. The seventh day I realized I didn't want the chocolate. It may not happen quite as quickly for you, but I highly recommend trying what I did.

As far as snacks that will keep you full, choose protein and fiber. Cheese and whole wheat crackers or a turkey sandwich can be both low in cals but enough to keep you full. There's nothing wrong with snacking if you are eating the right foods. Make sure you have lots of fresh vegetables and fruits in the house for snacks so if you do end up snacking a little too much you won't be going crazy with high cal foods.

jenbusick · May 2011

If your problem really is hunger, you can try FullBars -- go to CVS and look for them in the diet food section. You eat one with a full glass of water and it literally expands to make you feel full.

If you can't limit how much you're eating easily, try setting limits on WHAT you can eat. Tell yourself, "I can eat as much as I want, but I cannot have any sugar!" Sugar makes me hungrier, so if I stick to lo carb/high protein/high fiber snacks, I do much better anyway. If salty snacks are your problem, tell yourself you can eat whatever you want BUT NO SALTY FAVORITES. When I do this, sometimes I'll go through my kitchen looking for something that isn't on the forbidden list, and come up empty, and walk away without eating anything. It works in reverse, too: sometimes I tell myself that if I know what I really, really, REALLY want, I can have THAT, but only THAT. What I really really REALLY wanted today was a Cadbury cream egg, but of course now that Easter's over, I can't find any, so I didn't buy any candy at the drugstore when I was there.

If your problem is boredom eating, or habitual eating, read the relevant parts of Brian Wansink's book "Mindless Eating." He basically says, we get used to eating at certain times, and it becomes a habit -- for example, a lot of people have a bedtime-snacking habit. His suggestion is to establish a new habit. Just totally change what you do at that time. If your habit is to sit and watch TV and snack, then try doing something else -- something that occupies your hands, maybe, like knitting, or that gets you out of the kitchen, like taking a walk. You don't even have to do it forever; just until you get out of the habit of coming home and eat eat eat eat eating.

Another thing that helps me (when I do it, heh) is to commit to logging every. Single. Bite. Sometimes just the thought that I would have to take the time to look it up and log it makes it seem like too much work to bother eating it. I am using my innate laziness in my own favor!

I also liked the suggestion of making supper earlier.

Take all the suggestions you can get; there are days when it takes a whole toolbox worth just to get through the day.

Good luck!

TNGirlyGirl · May 2011

I am also an afternoon snacker -- after teaching all day, there's no way I can last until my husband gets home at 6:30 for dinner. The key for me isn't in denying myself a snack -- it's in portion control. I eat 12 mini-pretzels or baked crackers with a glass of water, and it's enough to keep me going until dinner. I've learned to count them out, put the box back in the pantry and LEAVE THE KITCHEN!! As long as I stay away from the kitchen and do something else for a few minutes after eating my snack I'm fine.

Good luck!! Relearning our eating habits is the key to making this a life-long success story!!

angp7711 · May 2011

I also have a danger time. It is just force of habit and actually it is from when I was a little girl in school. You got home from school and you snacked. I was a latch key kid and it was entertainment for me. Even now I can be doing fine and then when the kids get home from school and we start in on snacks and homework I have to be hyper aware of my choices at that time. I have certain foods that are my safe go-to foods that I am always allowed to have if I am hungry so it is never about letting myself be hungry. During trigger or habitual eating patterns though I try to only allow my safe foods. That way I am seeing food as fuel because usually I am actually physically hungry at that time it just gets overwhelmed with the emotional hunger. For me my safe foods are raw almonds, protein bars (high protein low sugar) protein shakes and string cheese. These are things that I usually won't overeat, they have protein and fat so they will keep me full and I truly see as fuel for my body rather than a treat for my emotions.
For me any processed carbs will send me into a binge during these times so I can't touch them or it will be a very slippery slope. For me there is no one portion of crackers, or serving size of graham crackers or other lowfat type of snack food. I will eat until its gone or until Im stuffed.

See if you can find your triggers. See if you can find other things to fill that time of day. And when all else fails bann yourself from the kitchen for a bit. I have done it over my night time eating. I will let everyone know for no reason am I allowed back downstairs after dinner if its a bad day. I make myself a cup of chai tea and hide from the food. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.

Hugs! and take care
Ang

EquestrianLark135 · May 2011

Thanks for the posts everyone! I loved reading through all of them and got some great ideas I plan on trying this week (and hopefully forever, if they work). To those of you who talked about habitual eating and eating out of boredom.
Like this one...

"If your problem is boredom eating, or habitual eating, read the relevant parts of Brian Wansink's book "Mindless Eating." He basically says, we get used to eating at certain times, and it becomes a habit -- for example, a lot of people have a bedtime-snacking habit. His suggestion is to establish a new habit. Just totally change what you do at that time. If your habit is to sit and watch TV and snack, then try doing something else -- something that occupies your hands, maybe, like knitting, or that gets you out of the kitchen, like taking a walk. You don't even have to do it forever; just until you get out of the habit of coming home and eat eat eat eat eating."

This is SO me....I didn't mention my bedtime snacking either. I have gotten SO into the habit of snacking like crazy after school, and snacking right before bed and sometimes even IN bed, that I can't help but do it every day. It just pops into my head at the same exact time every day and it's VERY hard to break the habits after eating like that for so long. And definitely, when I'm bored, the first thing that pops into my head is EAT! So, I do.

I drink a TON of water as it is, but I'll try lots of water whenever I start feeling the snack hunger.

I also really liked the idea of an early dinner. What would you suggest for an early dinner? Should it be really small and low calorie, or a full dinner?

EquestrianLark135 · May 2011

Oh, and another thing that makes this really difficult is the types of foods we have in this house. Some of you may or may not know about my family situation...but my parents are obese and my brother is overweight, and my parents buy a LOT of junk food and pretty much no healthy food. We currently have 5 or 6 bags of candy/chocolate, a bag of baked cookies, a couple bags of chips and a bunch of other unhealthy snackage. We don't have a lot of fruits and veggies and I have run out of the healthy snacks that I bought for myself when I first started. I'm doing my best to buy as much healthy food as I can when I can....but right now...I have no money. And my parents refuse to spend a lot of money on buying healthy food for me. SO, snacking healthy, is hard and near to impossible at the moment. I'm hoping these new ideas will help stop my snacking, and when I do have 1 or 2 snacks, I can just eat what I can find that is healthy in this junk food hell hole. :grumble:

sbowmann · May 2011

I think it's great that you are taking charge of your own health, despite all the temptations around you. Even though you live at home with your family, I'm wondering if you have the opportunity to cook for the fam? Maybe there could be one day a week where it is your responsibility to cook dinner for everyone, and in so doing, you could choose a more healthier meal? The benefit to this would be a better balanced meal for everyone, (at least once a week), create (better) leftovers for the next day, and give you the opportunity work in extra fruits and veggies. For example, your "weekly meal" may require fresh carrots , but you may not need the whole bunch. Of course, the extra carrots wouldn't go to waste, and you could have a healthier snack while helping everyone else. Just a thought.

Brandicaloriecountess · May 2011

I love food, I still do! I used to have zero self control. I used to eat sweets and junk food daily. Sometimes twice a day. Then I wanted to change, REALLY wanted to change. But before I could do so I had to be willing to give up foods I really enjoyed, and change my "relationship" with food.

Now I can be around foods I love and completely pass on them. Or limit myself when I want to indulge.

Seriously it isn't as hard to do as I thought it would be because I was finally ready and willing to make the changes. I don't know if this helps you any but it has helped me. I have never in my life been able to lose 40 pounds, let alone without any diet pills or gimmicks!

Good luck, feel free to add me If you'd like.

treadingpurple · May 2011

If I feel like I want to snack and snack constantly in the afternoon, my caregiver suggested that I eat an apple and then drink a large glass of water with it. This fills my stomach up and I am not hungry right away.

Jessie

melcowenfitness · May 2011

When you deprive yourself of food throughout the day, your body overcompensates when you do decide to feed it and you'll end up overeating.

Try eating every 2-3 hours - it's important to make healthy food choices at the same time. Eating like this will help keep your blood sugar regulated and you'll avoid the "crash and burn" feeling many people get by mid-afternoon.

I made small, easy changes I learned through an 8-week nutrition transition and it has made all the difference in the world. I'm not hungry, my mood and energy levels are more even-keeled and I've lost and kept off 28 pounds.

ibelieveinlove7 · May 2011

Wow! I'm the complete opposite - I have to make myself eat a snack (to keep my metabolism up)! Except sometimes I am hungry all the time, and in those instances, I try to make sure I am eating good snacks that I won't feel bad for overeating. Like red bell peppers - they are my absolute favorite. I like them in hummus and in guacamole or just by themselves. A really good way for me to control my portions has been to portion everything out ahead of time. However, I think this has worked for me because I will grab a baggie of snack and then just be too lazy to go back to the fridge/pantry/kitchen to get another, ha!

And, it is true about the cutting out sugar/carbs thing too. While I've never craved sweets, I learned that I always craved bread but after cutting it out for 2 weeks straight I've controlled that - and fallen out of it - and then went back to it. My boyfriend is really into sweets but he has weaned himself off too.

Good luck with everything!

nc1191 · May 2011

My weakness is definitely snacking, but I'm getting better. You have to remember, it's still ok to snack as long as whatever you're snacking on is healthy. The other day, I posted a topic asking people to name some healthy snack options for me and I got a lot of responses. Here are some of the things I bought when I went grocery shopping yesterday: sugar-free pudding (only 60 calories and takes care of the chocolate craving), snack size popcorn (100 calories), dannon light & fit yogurt (I've always enjoyed this brand and it's only 80 calories/cup), special k bars (90 calories), 100-calorie chips ahoy packs, rice cakes, and trail mix. I hope this helps a little! Good luck!

Kimblesnbits · May 2011

One tip I can give you is to take a couple bites then force yourself to rinse your mouth with the strongest mouth wash so you have the fresh minty taste in your mouth. Or even take those listerine strips, the strongest gum or anything close to it. It makes EVERYTHING taste bad haha! Thats what i do when i need to stop eating! You just have to force yourself to do it right away though or eles you'll go overboard with snacking...

Missylydia · May 2011

One tip I can give you is to take a couple bites then force yourself to rinse your mouth with the strongest mouth wash so you have the fresh minty taste in your mouth. Or even take those listerine strips, the strongest gum or anything close to it. It makes EVERYTHING taste bad haha! Thats what i do when i need to stop eating! You just have to force yourself to do it right away though or eles you'll go overboard with snacking...

That's an amazing idea! I may just try that one!

sweet_lotus · May 2011

Some of you may or may not know about my family situation...but my parents are obese and my brother is overweight, and my parents buy a LOT of junk food and pretty much no healthy food. We currently have 5 or 6 bags of candy/chocolate, a bag of baked cookies, a couple bags of chips and a bunch of other unhealthy snackage. .... And my parents refuse to spend a lot of money on buying healthy food for me. SO, snacking healthy, is hard and near to impossible at the moment.

That really sucks. So, all of these healthy food suggestions are moot, huh?

My niece is in a similar situation. Her problem is that anytime her parents actually be healthy food, her dad eats ALL of it. Like, he'll eat a pint of berries in a sitting and leave nothing for her.

My advice - don't keep food in your room. When you get a snack, as healthy as you can manage in your circumstances, bring it to your room. Stay in your room doing your homework with your snack, and don't leave until dinner. By distancing yourself from the food it will be less tempting!

My kitchen is tiny, and I use a small china cabinet as a pantry. I walk through the kitchen/hallway to get from the bedroom to the living room. Well, every time I passed by I wanted to eat, jsut from seeing the food! So, I moved the pantry and stashed the tempting stuff in hard to reach cabinets.

Seriously, distance yourself from the food. It works! Good luck to you.

How can I control my over-snacking habits???

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