3 - 6 pm Carb Binging

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Lee_Fitnesspla
Lee_Fitnesspla Posts: 29 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Carbs, specifically sugar (cookies are my nemesis) are my biggest diet problem. I can be 'good' all day but get on these crazy carb binges between 3 pm - 6 pm. Any ideas on how to prevent these binges?

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  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
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    prepare yourself with snacks and don't let yourself get hungry! I used to do this also. Now at 2:30 I have a greek yogurt, or a blood orange, or a something! just not cookies. Have it ready! Know all day that is what you are eating. Even if you are NOT hungry at 2:30-3pm. eat it! I snack all day before I know I will binge. Water helps also but I find ONLY if you got to have a snack to go with it.

    My problem was when I was making the kids lunches and prepping supper. I would binge then. :neutral: Not good. Now I eat something before I leave work. I have it set that no matter what, I eat SOMETHING. When I get home. I drink a big glass of water.

    I don't binge anymore.
  • courtokinesis
    courtokinesis Posts: 8 Member
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    this is my problem, too - i feel fine, and then i get home & i'm ravaged. I only want cookies, chips, candy. Hot tea helps me - and remembering that when i want those bad things, i'm not really hungry. it's mostly routine.
  • Lee_Fitnesspla
    Lee_Fitnesspla Posts: 29 Member
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    I typically have a snack (almonds, power crunch bar, probiotic yogurt) around 2 pm but haven't tried alternatives like hot tea.

    I'm wondering if I should replace my mid-afternoon snack with some sort of supplement/shake?
  • murp4069
    murp4069 Posts: 494 Member
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    Are you losing weight? If you are, then perhaps your binges aren't as bad as you make them out to be.

    I've found that if I want a snack in the afternoon, that Smartfood Delight popcorn (35 calories per cup) has worked well. It satisfies my carb cravings but also is low calorie - you can have 3 full cups of popcorn for 105 calories. As for sweets, I also keep 100 calorie fudge cookie packs in my office which I find very satisfying. TBH the primary reason I snack in the afternoons is out of routine, not out of hunger.

    Also, are you eating enough earlier in the day?
  • Lee_Fitnesspla
    Lee_Fitnesspla Posts: 29 Member
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    murp4069 wrote: »
    Are you losing weight? If you are, then perhaps your binges aren't as bad as you make them out to be.

    I've found that if I want a snack in the afternoon, that Smartfood Delight popcorn (35 calories per cup) has worked well. It satisfies my carb cravings but also is low calorie - you can have 3 full cups of popcorn for 105 calories. As for sweets, I also keep 100 calorie fudge cookie packs in my office which I find very satisfying. TBH the primary reason I snack in the afternoons is out of routine, not out of hunger.

    Also, are you eating enough earlier in the day?

    Sadly I've stopped losing weight. I'm stuck and have been over about 2 months now.

    Most of my meals are eaten by 3pm. Dinner is served between 6 and 7 pm (depending on whether or not I go to the gym after work). I definitely don't have anything to eat after 7:30 pm.

    I'll have to look into the Smartfood popcorn. All i really need is something to keep my cravings away until dinner. It's harder said than done.
  • Joanna2012B
    Joanna2012B Posts: 1,448 Member
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    I eat my veggies late in the afternoon...around 3pm. I have a carrot, some sugar snap peas, cauliflower etc. I eat them with no dip or my homemade guacamole. I then eat two of my homemade energy bites, go to the gym and then go home and cook dinner. If I am very hungry after the gym I have a glass of chocolate milk while dinner is cooking. I find doing this keeps me from over eating at dinner too. It's worth a try. I can post my energy bite recipe if you'd like.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    My willpower depletes as the day goes on. I avoid the before-dinner gorge using a variety of tricks.
    - Eat a snack late in the afternoon.
    - Make sure there is some protein in it. This might be cheese and crackers, or half a protein bar.
    - Have a salad made up and ready to go in the refrigerator for random snacking.
    - Have dry popcorn made up and ready to go both at work and at home.
    - Tell myself I'll wait ten minutes and if I still need a cookie, eat a cookie.
    - Eat one cookie.
    - Drink a glass of water first.
    - Do something other than eat after work, like knitting. Hard to eat and knit at the same time.
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
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    Don't eat the first one! My triggers are nuts, and pork rinds. Once I start, I can't stop. I don't buy them any more.

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