Toughest Times of the Day

Machka9
Machka9 Posts: 25,699 Member
edited November 16 in Health and Weight Loss
What are the toughest times of the day for you ... the times when you're most tempted to eat a little bit more than usual?



For me, there are 2 times ...

1) Lunchtime: my coworkers start making their lunches at about 11:30 am ... and the place fills with delicious smells. I don't take my lunch until later.

2) Right after work. I'm not sure why, but the moment I walk in the house, I'm ready to eat everything in the cupboard.

2 months in and so far, I've been good ... I haven't given in to temptation at those two times, but there are days when it is really tough. Today, for example, the place smells like an Italian restaurant right now ....

Replies

  • Nyappykim
    Nyappykim Posts: 57 Member
    Hardest time for me is when people plan to go to Dunkin Donuts or the convenience store down the street during break. They always ask me if I need anything, and I always politely tell them no thank you.

    I've denied every offer they gave me to pick something up while they're at the store, that now they just buy me stuff... I don't know why people feel like it's necessary to buy me a snack or a sugary drink that contains more sugar than my daily sugar goal.

    Like today, we had a pizza party, and I just stuck to my homemade sandwich happily since I'll be eating my fast food of the week tomorrow. They kept telling me to just eat a slice or let them buy me a soda after I told them numerous times that I was fine... A lady ended up buying me a very sugary lemonade that I ended up just putting in my bag.

    *sigh* Toughest times are definitely when people continuously try to get me to eat junk food and I have no idea why they find the need to.
  • karen_fitzgibbon
    karen_fitzgibbon Posts: 736 Member
    edited April 2015
    They probably feel guilty eating it in front of you. I know I do. Well not necessarily you yourself lol but I hate eating in front of my co workers, I always feel the need to share or offer. It's a thing my mum taught me.

    As for the difficulties during the day? As soon as I walk in the door after work I head to the fridge lol. During cooking dinner in always want to pick. So i pop a piece of sugar free gum in my mouth. It stops me.
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
    edited April 2015
    2:12 am or pm. I always see this time. It's Wierd and it makes me feel annoyed.

    But in all seriousness I would say late afternoon. Just wanting to get home from work. Chillax. Getting hungry after lunch and start thinking " do I want pizza tonight? Maybe some chooksy's"
  • ChaseAlder
    ChaseAlder Posts: 804 Member
    Late evening, especially on nights my husband works. I feel sad and lonely and I've always turned to food in the past. As far as combating this problem, I keep tons of low-calorie options available (canteloupe, strawberries, dried apple rings, jars of dill pickles, and sparkling water and Diet Ginger Ale to name a few) around and leave plenty of room in my calorie budget for evening snacking. If I walk away from the dinner table with no calories left for the night, I am SURE to say "screw it" and binge on whatever I want. By making room and having plenty of options, I rarely run into problems.
  • Nyappykim
    Nyappykim Posts: 57 Member
    They probably feel guilty eating it in front of you. I know I do. Well not necessarily you yourself lol but I hate eating in front of my co workers, I always feel the need to share or offer. It's a thing my mum taught me.

    As for the difficulties during the day? As soon as I walk in the door after work I head to the fridge lol. During cooking dinner in always want to pick. So i pop a piece of sugar free gum in my mouth. It stops me.

    Kind people are dangerous! :P
  • fengkycar
    fengkycar Posts: 30
    After lunch on the days I'm home with my kids (which is right now). They are napping, I'm having some down time (Netflix), and the need to snack creeps up on me. I just had a jarrah hot chocolate and am distracting (and motivating) myself with MFP forums.
  • kate_19o
    kate_19o Posts: 13 Member
    After dinner/nighttime! For YEARS, I'd eat whatever I could get my hands on after dinner, puddings, chocolate, cake, sweets, biscuits. Still have a super sweet tooth and have slipped on occasion, but coming as far as I have is progress enough for me!
  • JenniferInCt
    JenniferInCt Posts: 431 Member
    kate_19o wrote: »
    After dinner/nighttime! For YEARS, I'd eat whatever I could get my hands on after dinner, puddings, chocolate, cake, sweets, biscuits. Still have a super sweet tooth and have slipped on occasion, but coming as far as I have is progress enough for me!

    This is so me! I can do fine all day, then have a healthy huge dinner and literally 5min later i get an intense craving for anything good. I think it's because im used to having dessert? Who knows but lately i either let myself have a small treat, or ill drink a hot cup of coffee or lots of water and wait for it to go away. These are the times im grateful to whoever made 40calorie fudgicles.
    Kinda strange that the only times i really ever have a "craving" is only after ive had a big filling dinner. Lol my guy is always shocked when i say "i want something good to snack on" as hes usually incredibly full.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    It was getting in from work and then evening times, but I adjusted my diet so that when I get in from work I eat something filling (toast, cottage cheese, avocado and tomato) and after dinner I tend to have a few hundred calories in case I need to snack at all...

    But I have to say after 9 months of this, I really don't feel any great issue with any time ...it's true that it becomes a habit and just what you do (most of the time)
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,699 Member
    edited April 2015
    kate_19o wrote: »
    After dinner/nighttime! For YEARS, I'd eat whatever I could get my hands on after dinner, puddings, chocolate, cake, sweets, biscuits. Still have a super sweet tooth and have slipped on occasion, but coming as far as I have is progress enough for me!

    This is so me! I can do fine all day, then have a healthy huge dinner and literally 5min later i get an intense craving for anything good. I think it's because im used to having dessert? Who knows but lately i either let myself have a small treat, or ill drink a hot cup of coffee or lots of water and wait for it to go away. These are the times im grateful to whoever made 40calorie fudgicles.
    Kinda strange that the only times i really ever have a "craving" is only after ive had a big filling dinner. Lol my guy is always shocked when i say "i want something good to snack on" as hes usually incredibly full.

    I know the feeling!! And I can't explain why I'm hungry moments after finishing a decent dinner.

    But since I've been here, I've been eating low-cal yogurt with a bit of light whipped topping in the evenings. How much I eat depends on how many calories I have left, but I weigh it all out just to be sure. And it seems to meet the need for an after-dinner desert.

    Sometimes, like last night, I add some blueberries and/or grapes to it because I have enough free calories for that. :)


    Oh yes ... some nights, I also have a cup of Tetley tea - Cinnamon Orange with a rooibos blend. It is a really nice, sweet tea ... but naturally sweet without sugar added, and with no calories (or maybe just one or two ... they don't list any on the package). Sometimes that's enough to ease the urge for something sweet. :)

  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,699 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    It was getting in from work and then evening times, but I adjusted my diet so that when I get in from work I eat something filling (toast, cottage cheese, avocado and tomato) ...

    I have been doing this.

    At first, I tried to wait between my last afternoon snack (something small about 4 pm) and dinner, but we often eat dinner around 8 pm and that's a long wait.

    So in recent weeks, I've been doing toast, cottage cheese, a mango when they were in season ...

    I'm still hungry and would like to eat more then, but it takes the edge off.

  • erinelizabeth882
    erinelizabeth882 Posts: 102 Member
    Netflix time, after dinner and before bed!
  • PKM0515
    PKM0515 Posts: 3,089 Member
    edited April 2015
    Stressful afternoons at work. I have a very generous co-worker who brings in all kinds of delicious things to share. Her desk is always well-stocked with multiple kinds of candy, chips, etc. (Just walking to the paper shredder/copier can be very hazardous as I have to pass her desk.)
  • jascakes
    jascakes Posts: 26 Member
    When i get home from work! I get back about 4pm but my partner doesnt get back till about 6.30, so dinner is at about 7. I start work around 6.30am so its a long day!

    I end up having a nap or reading to stop myself going for any and all food I can get my hands on, but it's hard.
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
    About 3pm at work. Dunno why, always get the urge to munch something then even if I'm not hungry.
    Early evening at home, I want chocolate or cake or something desserty, again regardless of actual hunger levels.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    it really comes and goes for me.... right now i am having serious munchies mid morning, mid afternoon, and before bed. i *usually* am able to resist LOL

    the night one is probably the hardest though. ive been failing pretty miserably with that one lately LOL
  • 7lenny7
    7lenny7 Posts: 3,498 Member
    The hour before bedtime is usually my downfall. I find it easy to stay on track all day but have to really be careful I don't overdo it at night.
  • NoIdea101NoIdea
    NoIdea101NoIdea Posts: 659 Member
    Mine is definitely mornings and late at night, although I know mornings it is because I have essentially not eaten for 7 hours, and night times because I know that my body is actually tired and telling me to sleep; however, it is easy to interpret that as 'eat a load of sugar and stay awake!'
  • Cardio4Cupcakes
    Cardio4Cupcakes Posts: 289 Member
    2-4PM at work. It's like a slow time, I'm getting distracted of whatever I'm doing at work. Ready to snack.
  • scottacular
    scottacular Posts: 597 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »
    What are the toughest times of the day for you ... the times when you're most tempted to eat a little bit more than usual?



    For me, there are 2 times ...

    1) Lunchtime: my coworkers start making their lunches at about 11:30 am ... and the place fills with delicious smells. I don't take my lunch until later.

    2) Right after work. I'm not sure why, but the moment I walk in the house, I'm ready to eat everything in the cupboard.

    2 months in and so far, I've been good ... I haven't given in to temptation at those two times, but there are days when it is really tough. Today, for example, the place smells like an Italian restaurant right now ....

    1) At least though when you're feeling hungry then you are hungry knowing that hunger will soon be satisfied. But maybe break your lunch down a little bit so you can have a small snack about this time?

    2) This might be the best time to plan a large meal then? If your body is demanding food, maybe it's doing so for a reason.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,699 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »
    What are the toughest times of the day for you ... the times when you're most tempted to eat a little bit more than usual?



    For me, there are 2 times ...

    1) Lunchtime: my coworkers start making their lunches at about 11:30 am ... and the place fills with delicious smells. I don't take my lunch until later.

    2) Right after work. I'm not sure why, but the moment I walk in the house, I'm ready to eat everything in the cupboard.

    2 months in and so far, I've been good ... I haven't given in to temptation at those two times, but there are days when it is really tough. Today, for example, the place smells like an Italian restaurant right now ....

    1) At least though when you're feeling hungry then you are hungry knowing that hunger will soon be satisfied. But maybe break your lunch down a little bit so you can have a small snack about this time?

    2) This might be the best time to plan a large meal then? If your body is demanding food, maybe it's doing so for a reason.

    1) I just tell my stomach and cravings to shut up. Sometimes I go out for a walk. And occasionally I do have a small snack. But a banana just isn't pasta with cheese or a grilled cheese sandwich. :grin:

    2) My husband does the cooking ... and so we eat late. But I have been having a small snack when I get home which helps. Today it was 100 grams of cottage cheese, a pickle, and a wholegrain rye cracker.

  • sarahlifts
    sarahlifts Posts: 610 Member
    3 pm - 5 pm is hard for me. I truly struggle.

    I struggle bc I am bored and alone in the office. If I choose to eat something from the junk cabinet no one sees me so it didnt happen...shameful.

    the danger hours are also a problem time bc I wake at 3:45 am hit the gym by 5:30 am get to the office at 8:30 am and finally eat breakfast. I Lunch at 11:00am. These meal times are too close together. If I had a later lunch I'd be okay.

    What I've done to get over this hump is save all my snacks for late afternoon.
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