Tips and Tricks

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Kelsey87Mae
Kelsey87Mae Posts: 8 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
To help curb boredom eating.

I notice I'll do really good in the morning, but as soon as mid-afternoon hits, I'm struggling not to get a soda, chocolate (so much gifted chocolate at Christmas..), chips or any kind of snack/junk food.

I've tried just going cold turkey, but that increases my desire for junk. So I try to limit, but that leads to mindless eating.

Side note: I'm currently working on drinking more water.

Replies

  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
    Options
    -Save calories for a snack
    -Diet soda
    -Tea
    -Stick of gum
    -Go for a walk
    -Find a lower calorie version of your "junk" food that fits better with your goals
    -Experiment with new snacks. A protein bar for 200 or less calories can be chocolately and sweet, but more filling and with more protein than a bag of chips.
    -Stay busy
  • LulaicaLoses
    LulaicaLoses Posts: 36 Member
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    I would suggest finding options that will satisfy that craving without going overboard. For example, set aside some calories for your snack and break it into smaller pieces so it takes longer to eat. Or try some different snacks that may not be as aligned with snack foods. But I tend to organize a few snacks ahead of time and take them with me. They're not enough for me to count as a meal volume-wise (calories, they could be a small meal), but they tide me over and help with any cravings.

    For example, I keep some bags of Skinny Girl popcorn (Lime & Salt is to die for) when I'm in a salty snack mood since the bags are only 160 calories. I've also discovered Lenny and Larry's complete cookies which are 180-200 calories for half (and are extremely good sized) that I've been having half of in the mornings before work to help with my sweet tooth. And then I pack a small serving of a homemade trail mix to eat on my way home after work.
  • mlhjjm
    mlhjjm Posts: 36 Member
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    Afternoons can be hard for me too. I really like the flavored almonds (bbq or buffalo) and I keep a bag at my desk. I eat half a serving mid morning and half a serving mid afternoon. Hits the spot. I also like string cheese for a quick filling snack.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Take up a hobby so you're not bored
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    Tackle each problem individually in a concerted effort. Curb boredom. Curb mindless eating. Curb cravings.

    Don't do really good, just eat well, enough food and food you like throughout the day. Have meals ready at regular inervals. Eat more mindfully. Don't divide foods into good and bad. Food is just food.

    Don't bring edible things into your house unless you intend to eat them.

    When it's not time for a meal, do things you like/need to do that doesn't involve eating.
  • red99ryder
    red99ryder Posts: 399 Member
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    I have kind of shifted my calories around ,, light breakfast , decent lunch and light dinner , so lunch is normally my biggest meal .. also try to take a cat nap at lunch ( Im Old lol ) but when i get tired i seem to want to snack .

    good luck
  • ClosetBayesian
    ClosetBayesian Posts: 836 Member
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    Eat mindfully: plan your day in the morning (or the night before); include a treat, if you want one or you think you'll feel deprived without it. On weekends, I have a glass or two of wine after the kids go to bed; that wine is the first thing I enter into MFP, then dinner, then I plan breakfast and lunch based on what's left in my calorie and macro goals (roughly 1500 calories per day). Four or five days a month, I want chocolate every day; on those days, I plan my meals around two squares of Dove chocolate. I have chocolate, I lose weight, nobody gets hurt :) My diary is open, if you'd like to browse through it for ideas. Hope that helps!
  • tarothelp
    tarothelp Posts: 167 Member
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    It takes about 2-3 days for the cravings to leave you I have found. If you can give yourself a goal and do not eat sugar (honey syrup white flour etc) for just 3 days the cravings will leave you. In those 3 days if u absolutely MUST have something try grapefruit raspberries strawberries or clementines Once you have lived this way for a while (and it gets easy once cravings leave) slowly add back if you need to but maybe make choices like Lindt 70%dark chocolate instead of milk. You will find the milk chocolate too sweet by this point I bet!!
    I have had major sugar addictions and this works brilliantly for me!!
    Best of luck. Sugar really is evil and I'm my opinion should be avoided. We get enough sugar from natural sources like fruit dairy grains ... we don't need to add it to the diet. You will feel incredible once your blood sugar levels stabilize. Major energy
    Oh one more life saving tip for me... I use swerve brand sweetener in place of sugar it is erythritol. Do your research but this is the most like sugar and no bad aftertaste and it's natural. Does not spike blood sugar zero calories Good luck!
  • Kelsey87Mae
    Kelsey87Mae Posts: 8 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Take up a hobby so you're not bored

    I would like to start walking again. I used to walk all the time, but I spend 90% of my days at work and/or school cut-out daytime hours for walking.

    I've been slowly getting back into reading and art. But I want to start more active hobbies.
  • ClosetBayesian
    ClosetBayesian Posts: 836 Member
    Options
    tarothelp wrote: »
    It takes about 2-3 days for the cravings to leave you I have found. If you can give yourself a goal and do not eat sugar (honey syrup white flour etc) for just 3 days the cravings will leave you. In those 3 days if u absolutely MUST have something try grapefruit raspberries strawberries or clementines Once you have lived this way for a while (and it gets easy once cravings leave) slowly add back if you need to but maybe make choices like Lindt 70%dark chocolate instead of milk. You will find the milk chocolate too sweet by this point I bet!!
    I have had major sugar addictions and this works brilliantly for me!!
    Best of luck. Sugar really is evil and I'm my opinion should be avoided. We get enough sugar from natural sources like fruit dairy grains ... we don't need to add it to the diet. You will feel incredible once your blood sugar levels stabilize. Major energy
    Oh one more life saving tip for me... I use swerve brand sweetener in place of sugar it is erythritol. Do your research but this is the most like sugar and no bad aftertaste and it's natural. Does not spike blood sugar zero calories Good luck!

    If OP does her research, she will find that professional research does not support your opinion on sugar.
  • Kelsey87Mae
    Kelsey87Mae Posts: 8 Member
    Options
    red99ryder wrote: »
    I have kind of shifted my calories around ,, light breakfast , decent lunch and light dinner , so lunch is normally my biggest meal .. also try to take a cat nap at lunch ( Im Old lol ) but when i get tired i seem to want to snack .

    good luck

    You don't have to suggest napping twice to me. Lol.
  • Kelsey87Mae
    Kelsey87Mae Posts: 8 Member
    Options
    ClosetBayesian wrote: »
    Eat mindfully: plan your day in the morning (or the night before); include a treat, if you want one or you think you'll feel deprived without it. On weekends, I have a glass or two of wine after the kids go to bed; that wine is the first thing I enter into MFP, then dinner, then I plan breakfast and lunch based on what's left in my calorie and macro goals (roughly 1500 calories per day). Four or five days a month, I want chocolate every day; on those days, I plan my meals around two squares of Dove chocolate. I have chocolate, I lose weight, nobody gets hurt :) My diary is open, if you'd like to browse through it for ideas. Hope that helps!

    I really like your take on how you enter your calories. I usually try to plan my day ahead, but sometimes it just doesn't happen. I find those days are harder to figure out calories without going way over from getting 'to go' options.
  • ClosetBayesian
    ClosetBayesian Posts: 836 Member
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    Kelsey87Mae wrote: »
    ClosetBayesian wrote: »
    Eat mindfully: plan your day in the morning (or the night before); include a treat, if you want one or you think you'll feel deprived without it. On weekends, I have a glass or two of wine after the kids go to bed; that wine is the first thing I enter into MFP, then dinner, then I plan breakfast and lunch based on what's left in my calorie and macro goals (roughly 1500 calories per day). Four or five days a month, I want chocolate every day; on those days, I plan my meals around two squares of Dove chocolate. I have chocolate, I lose weight, nobody gets hurt :) My diary is open, if you'd like to browse through it for ideas. Hope that helps!

    I really like your take on how you enter your calories. I usually try to plan my day ahead, but sometimes it just doesn't happen. I find those days are harder to figure out calories without going way over from getting 'to go' options.

    There are days I'll plan things out the night before, when I actually have the time, as opposed to in the morning while trying to get myself and the kids ready for work/school. We also have a dry-erase board on the fridge where we plan out dinners for the week (tonight is chicken mole, tomorrow is pork loin w. roasted vegetables; Monday is leftovers; Tuesday is lasagna; Wednesday is lentil something); this helps immensely with tracking food, grocery shopping, and budgeting (and eliminates the what's-for-dinner questions from the kids - they can look at the board and read it for themselves!).
  • Trish1c
    Trish1c Posts: 549 Member
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    Pay attention to portions.

    I usually ate chips when I was bored. 1 serving equals about 11-12 chips. I dutifully count them out onto a plate then eat them very S L O W L Y because I know that is all I am going to get. I got my boredom junk food craving without completely destroying my calorie intake.

    I also learned to eat more filling lower calorie snacks. I've been mindlessly munching on fresh blackberries today. Even if I eat the whole 1/2 pint my calories won't be off the charts.

    Another great tip is what you think you want to eat, drink a glass of water instead. If you are still hungry after that then you can eat.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
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    Get up and walk.
  • 150poundsofme
    150poundsofme Posts: 523 Member
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    Great suggestions!
  • baby_65
    baby_65 Posts: 8 Member
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    you should never deprive yourself from what you like. You just have to have less of it. Make sure you track everything and you will be surprised. Say you want chips, put in small bowl and count out what 1 serving would be. But not depriving you will notice you may not even crave them anymore. I found sometimes the body just needs that salt intake once in a while. As long as you track everything you eat you will also notice what the caleries are and that will turn you off of it as well. I'm still struggling and have a ways to go. I have lost 44 pounds in the last year and so far the scale is still going down and not up.
  • Anna_137
    Anna_137 Posts: 167 Member
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    I find that I eat mindlessly more in the evening. Years of eating in front of the TV/computer makes me feel like I need food/snacks whenever I'm in front of it. I combat that with a combination of saving most of my calories for the evening for dinner/snacks, and keeping my hands busy while watching TV, like doing a jigsaw puzzle. I also took up knitting.

    They might not work for you if you're at work in the afternoons, but I guess the point is that you can replace your afternoon snack with something other than food. Maybe get up to get a glass of water? Or go for a walk like others have suggested.

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