Q: how can I stop snacking between meals?

hannahhughes16
hannahhughes16 Posts: 3 Member
edited November 19 in Food and Nutrition
any tips would help. I find myself mindlessly snacking between meals when I'm not even really hungry or wanting a sweet dessert after a perfectly filling dinner. Help!

Replies

  • annamontalvo920
    annamontalvo920 Posts: 18 Member
    There's really no easy way out of this! You just have to re-program yourself to stop it. I would drink a cup of water every time I felt the urge to eat. I would eat something just because I walked in the kitchen. It wasn't easy at first but after a while you don't even notice it.
  • macksboyer
    macksboyer Posts: 1 Member
    Months ago I found a pretty effective way to curb my sweet/chocolate tooth. I buy fat free/sugar free pudding mix...put it in 1% milk...only a bit more pudding that you'd use if you were letting it set up. I really enjoy the taste and texture of the mix before it hardens. It took some time to adjust to the sugar free taste...but it helps me.
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    Go for a walk, drink a cup of tea or water. Do something you have been putting off.
  • markscho
    markscho Posts: 4 Member
    Set goals...Allow yourself snacks between meals, but factor them into your day's calorie intake. Set a time for the snack and look forward to it as a reward. Then as the poster above says...drink something if you think you feel hungry before snack time. Water is good but sometimes making a cup of tea or a hot drink will take your mind off food.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    Just don't eat them? Strengthen your willpower by using it...

    If I have planned meals and meal times I can get through no issue.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    Snack if you want. Just eat less at mealtimes.

    Whatever fits your daily calorie limit.
  • goaliesmate
    goaliesmate Posts: 49 Member
    I found that eating more at mealtimes solved the problem. It is just a matter of eating at times of day when you are hungry, not when habit dictates you should have a certain size of meal.
  • juleszephyr
    juleszephyr Posts: 442 Member
    Pre-log your food for the day and allow a few calories for a sweet dessert even if it is only a couple of squares of chocolate or a fruit yogurt. I usually work in a couple of Oreos a day or some dried fruit, nuts and choc chips!!
  • CJsf1t
    CJsf1t Posts: 414 Member
    I found eating sugarfree mints/gums a good way to avoid snacking between meals. Also try drinking water whenever you feel like grabbing a snack.
  • 10inprogress
    10inprogress Posts: 89 Member
    From a budgeting perspective I know that it's going to rob me of a proper meal if I snack a lot. If I do need to snack I make it healthy like fruit or veggies to keep me on track. How bad do you want it?
  • algwynt
    algwynt Posts: 76 Member
    all,ways have a healthy snack available.
  • DanielleLawson2
    DanielleLawson2 Posts: 3 Member
    I've learned that eating snacks help. But only healthy snacks. I eat lettuce for my 2 snacks a day, 3 hours after breakfast and lunch - that's only 14 calories a serving. It stabilizes your blood sugar and helps keep your portion sizes small.
  • Cchioles
    Cchioles Posts: 276 Member
    Replace Your Snacks With Heatlhy Snacks And As Long As Your Staying Within Your Macros And Calories.. You'll Be Fine!
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
    What worked for me is eating bigger, more filling meals less frequently. Not to the point where I am stuffed and can't move, but I'm satisfied and stay satiated until the next meal. There's no need for snacking because I don't get hungry in between meal times.

    Not going by the clock also helped me. Once I got familiar with my hunger cues and not eating just because it's breakfast time etc., made things so much easier for me.

    However, if you want a sweet dessert save some calories for it after dinner. There's nothing wrong with that. :)

    Good luck!
  • Dani9585
    Dani9585 Posts: 215 Member
    For me, it's having a good amount of fat, protein and fiber for each meal. For example, I'll make up a huge salad, put on my dressing (I like balsamic vinaigrette), and then top it with 2 eggs over easy cooked in bacon grease. It's surprisingly filling and probably one my favourite meals to have.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    Cchioles wrote: »
    Replace Your Snacks With Heatlhy Snacks And As Long As Your Staying Within Your Macros And Calories.. You'll Be Fine!

    yup, this.
    also ask yourself why are you wanting to eat. if it's not hunger, i'll have something to drink or go do something. I think a lot of 'grazing' is due to boredom.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Plan your snacks ahead of time. Mindless eating has to stop if you are going to maintain a weight loss.

    If you are sitting in front of the TV .....do something with your hands. Learn to knit, crochet, or cross stich, play solitaire, a simple video game....anything to keep you somewhat occupied. I always have a big glass of ice water available when I watch TV.

    I plan an afternoon snack BEFORE I get home from work. If I wait until I get home there are just too many options to "graze" on.

    I do have sweet snacks (and desert) from time to time. If I temporarily cut out sugar when I'm "on a diet" how does that teach me to deal with sugar when I am maintaining?
  • ihatetodietalways
    ihatetodietalways Posts: 180 Member
    Maybe you should go as far away from the kitchen as possible with a glass of water and read, or other hobby until bedtime.
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,059 Member
    Up your fat and protein intake at meal times. These will keep you fuller longer. One of my favorite meals is a fatty serving of steak, like NY strip. Generally around 240 calories per 4oz serving, and keeps me full until dinner when I have it for lunch, or full throughout the night.

    Another trick would be to preportion out sweets/snacks into ziploc bags, so you know what a serving is before you grab it. Write down the nutritional information on it if it will help you visualize how many calories you're eating. A lot of it comes down to trial and error through practicing moderation, and learning to tell yourself "no" and mean it.
  • punkrockgoth
    punkrockgoth Posts: 534 Member
    I have planned snacks for myself between meals, which help keep me from getting hangry. As for boredom/mindless snacking, I swear by sugar free gum.
  • blink1021
    blink1021 Posts: 1,115 Member
    I have found that eating smaller meals and eating 5-6x per day helps me from snacking. Its when I go 4 hours between meals I find myself wanting to snack mindlessly especially when cooking. I also crave sweets after a filling meal. I have started using a meal replacement shake in the mornings for breakfast and I have the chocolate one and that seems to help me with my cravings and its surprisingly good and affordable.

    I also prepare all my food for the week and portion it out so I am not tempted to grab more it takes time to do it but I am thankful for it on days I am running late and all I have to do is grab the container out of the refrigerator and go.

    My day today:

    5am - workout
    730am - drink shake on my way to work
    1030am - plain greek yogurt with fresh strawberries
    12 - 1pm - leftover skinny baked chicken nuggets, garden salad and onion vinegarette
    230 - 330pm- 3/4 cup of celery and 2tbs peanut butter
    630pm - skinny pesto brown rice over swiss chard
    8-9pm - I may have a snack I usually don't need it but in case I will have 1oz of low fat cheese

    I usually have a harder time in the morning than the afternoon sometimes I forget my afternoon snack and that's ok but I do have it and I am not reaching for a vending machine or drive thru.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Don't pack snacks?

    I only eat what I pack. Problem solved.
  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
    Add in more filling foods to your meals so that you aren't hungry between meals. What are you eating for your meals?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited June 2015
    for one thing, you could just plan those snacks into your day if you know you like to snack...I have to have my afternoon snacks, so I plan for them rather than mindlessly eating them.

    beyond that, these kinds of things are just habits...nobody can really help you with breaking a habit, it's simply a matter of willpower and not doing it.

    I just started a cut to finish off a cut I started back in March but never finished...I don't log so I have to come up with ways to get myself into a calorie deficit. I've chosen to reduce my consumption of desert and curb some of my drinking. I'm in the habit of having desert pretty much every night...usually some kind of dark chocolate, ice cream, or candy...it's a habit and it's annoying as hell to finish my dinner and not have desert...but within a couple of weeks, I will hardly even think about it. If I really need something, I grab a handful of blueberries or something.

    Same for the booze...I am in the habit of coming home and having a few cocktails or beers most nights...I've established that I will allow myself a couple glasses of wine mid week and good times on Saturday nights...again, PITA because it's habit...and my ice tea just isn't cutting it....but it will be fine within a week or two.
  • Cocoa1020
    Cocoa1020 Posts: 197 Member
    hannahhughes16 wrote: »
    any tips would help. I find myself mindlessly snacking between meals when I'm not even really hungry or wanting a sweet dessert after a perfectly filling dinner. Help!

    try making a protein shake. and having that between breakfast and lunch and if you want an after dinner sweets, try making a frozen protein fruit bars. i would throw in a cup of berries with a scoop of protein, blend it and freeze it. they are pretty good. :)
  • shawna771
    shawna771 Posts: 3 Member
    Good suggestions from many people. I have found it effective to eat approx. 5 times/day, and keep each "meal" under 250 calories. Then I get to eat regularly and stick w healthy but enjoyable food. I like smoothies a lot, especially since I discovered low cal / high protein recipes that are dessert substitutes (using cottage cheese (no flavor once blended whatsoever), Stevia, and xantham gum (key ingredient) to make them thick and creamy). If you don't eat much, a chocolate smoothie becomes as satisfying as a milkshake.

    Also, drinking water or flavored water, or snacking on low calorie fruit (any berries) will fill you up.

    Some professionals recommend brushing your teeth when you get a food craving. It is ok option if mild toothpaste - nothing sharp or burning.

    Last idea, sometimes replacing craving w even a few minutes exercise will do the trick for me. Makes me feel good all around bc I achieved something positive. Plus, that energy of a craving goes into that five minutes on bike. Between satisfaction, and change of thought process, or even desire not to waste that effort put in, craving goes away.
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