Losing weight in a house full of snacks

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  • New_Heavens_Earth
    New_Heavens_Earth Posts: 610 Member
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    ladyreva78 wrote: »
    2 tricks did it for me:

    1. It's not mine and I'm not a thief.
    2. Pictured the dog slobbering all over it if 1 didn't cut it.

    Same with the office snack. Just pictures the guy who never washed his hands after the bathroom. He also had the annoying habit of rifling through all the snacks. Not eating that :sick:

    The office snack visualization works all the time for me! Especially since I work in a lab, and you know, urine samples :#
  • New_Heavens_Earth
    New_Heavens_Earth Posts: 610 Member
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    Check out Tasty. They have a YouTube channel that shows how to do healthy meal and snack prep for kids (and grown ups).
  • arobey11
    arobey11 Posts: 87 Member
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    estherdragonbat wrote: »
    GlamGoals66 wrote: »
    Deviette wrote: »
    First off: If you think that eating healthy tastes boring, then you're eating the wrong things! There's loads of really delicious "healthy" foods out there.

    2nd: Weigh loss doesn't require you to eat a certain way. You don't have to cut out a bunch of food that you used to eat. All you have to do is eat less of it. Most of us on here don't abstain from certain foods just because they're calorie dense, we just eat less of them. Some find that certain foods are "trigger foods" and those are the ones that you keep out of your house, but other than that, there is nothing wrong with eating calorie dense food in moderation.

    3rd: Just because you have children, does not mean you have to have loads of sweet snacks in the house. Excuse me as I make a possibly completely unfair assumption here, but if you do the shopping/cooking in your house, you just don't buy those things that you don't want to eat. Replace them with something else or reduce the amount you buy. Try making sweet snacks an exception, not the norm.

    Any chance you can give me healthier snack ideas? I normally just munch throughout the day on whatever I got for the kids, because everyone is on a different nap/school/playtime/bedtime schedule (tried to rearrange them to match better, but the toddler and big kid have VERY different needs)

    The kids end up eating super balanced and healthy meals (minus snack times) but I hardly have time to even microwave a Lean Cuisine while trying to manage everyone else. Husband helps when he can, but he often has to work from home AFTER an 8hr day already at work.

    Perhaps you know something that may just keep me full longer instead of low calorie? To avoid binging?

    My go-tos are Fiber One bars, individually-wrapped ice cream treats (like frozen Greek yogurt pops. Or, just discovered mini Rollo ice cream treats), roasted chickpeas, dry cereal, string cheese, veggie dogs, and Skinny Pop popcorn. Occasionally other stuff too.

    My husband found me the Weight Watchers peanut butter caramel ice cream candy bars - like an ice cream Snickers bar but 80 calories a pop. I thought I'd died and gone to heaven when he brought those home!
  • GlamGoals66
    GlamGoals66 Posts: 8 Member
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    LeGypsyRov wrote: »
    It's like this at my house: I made it clear we were getting healthier. If they wanted snacks that weren't, they had to keep them in a shoe box hidden from me. The cupboards only keep healthy foods. My philosophy is if it's not in the house, I can't eat it.

    I would love to do this! Can't until they're older though. We did stop getting ice cream and I'm trying to get them healthier more "natural" snacks like the strawberry newtons.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    GlamGoals66 wrote: »
    I have 2 kids (3 if you count my husband) who all have various sugary, high calorie snacks laying around the house, from fruit snacks to lunchables, cookies, poptarts, etc... How do you avoid temptation when eating healthy takes more time, more effort, and has zero flavor payoff compared to sweet treats?

    I have NO self control. Any tips on restraint?

    1.Buy less of the foods you have trouble moderating.
    Buy small containers.
    Let each person choose one of those kinds of snacks for the week and that is theirs. You need to choose something you like for yourself too. Something like dark chocolate, wasabi peas, etc might make a smaller amount more satisfying.
    Divide foods into baggies or bins with each person's name on theirs. When you finish your portion you are done. If you eat it all in one day or space it out that is up to you I guess.

    2. Put food away out of sight. It makes an enormous difference to me if the food in on the counter or in a cabinet or on a shelf.

    3. Get out of the kitchen. Get out of the house. Can't eat it if you are busy somewhere else.

    4. Don't eat out of containers while standing. Put a portion in a dish. Sit at the table.

    5. Plan your day. Have a set schedule for meals and snacks. Have a plan for meals even if you eat the same 3-4 things in rotation. Cook enough when you feed your kids so you can eat the same food together. Make them wait while you eat. They can learn that they will live if you spend a few minutes caring for yourself. Protein, fats and fiber tend to be more filling.

    6. Stock your kitchen with low to no prep foods that fit your goals better. It takes minutes to make a sandwich and grab a piece of fruit. Yogurt, cheese, fresh vegetables, cottage cheese, lunchmeat, a frozen meal, canned soup, whatever can fit your calorie goal and lifestyle.

    7. Log what you consume. If you have eating an adequate amount of calories then maybe drink a glass of water and wait 20 minutes for the urge to snack to pass. If you have a lot of trouble sticking to your goal examine if your goal is reasonable. You might need to go for a slower rate of loss.
  • jondspen
    jondspen Posts: 253 Member
    edited October 2018
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    You need to find stuff you like, that's easy to grab and go, and can also satisfy your cravings. I also find my cravings change over time. Water is a big help. I have tried to drink a cup of water before giving into cravings. Doesn't always help, but can get my mind off it for 5 min in hopes something else can interfere later. As a parent, I'm sure you understand. This helps the just want to munch - late night types of cravings. As for it's been 2-3 days and I can't get my mind off Pecan Pie...then I go to plan B.

    At this point I look at MFP and see how many calories I have remaining. Doing this first help me focus as I then go and look at the pantry/fridge and think about all the options I have before I eat. From there I think, am I hungry, or just craving something? Sometimes I can just make a small salad and be ok. Not usually though, so then I think how can I get the most bang for my caloric buck? Ice cream - fresh/frozen fruit with whip cream. Salty chips - veggie chips, peanuts, raw vegs with dip. Cookies/cake - this is probably my hardest to find a good substitute for, so I will limit portion size and/or augment with maybe some P.B (esp on a few nilla waffers is healthier than a bag of oreos, and has helped keep the cookie monster at bay). I also think about other types of healthier or lower calorie sweets (fruit, frozen ice milk or yogurt, Choco milk and a gram cracker, etc). I will also log properly and review my cheats. If I can't stay away from Twinkies, I will find something else to buy/make that replace (angle food cake and cool whip).

    It's not just the taste, but also the texture you have to consider, and the reason why you need to look at your typical triggers and see how to handle. Cookies, cakes, pies, ice cream...they are all sweets, but for me each is a different craving. Low cal chocolate covered pretzels or pudding won't help me when I want a piece of apple pie a la mode. Some people like sherbert (i don't) and are ok with this instead of ice cream. Some people like jello (yuck). Once you get an idea is it hunger, a taste of sweet or salty, or a specific item that is tripping you up, you can shop for yourself for substitutes or even better, ingredients make your own. Be careful though, the others in the house might start raiding your homemade stash of goodies. :)
  • jhilkene
    jhilkene Posts: 104 Member
    edited October 2018
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    ladyreva78 wrote: »
    2 tricks did it for me:

    1. It's not mine and I'm not a thief.
    2. Pictured the dog slobbering all over it if 1 didn't cut it.

    Same with the office snack. Just pictures the guy who never washed his hands after the bathroom. He also had the annoying habit of rifling through all the snacks. Not eating that :sick:

    This made me chuckle :D
    Sounds like my place of employment as well.

    @GlamGoals66 I also have two kids so I can understand the struggle.
    It's been said many times already, but the best option to help yourself (and the fam), is not to buy as much junk. Start slow and just buy less each time. No need to cut it out completely though.
    Also, food shopping after you have eaten will help impulse purchases. I buy lots of crap when I shop hungry.
    Then make yourself accountable. Log every cracker or cookie you eat.
    Try foods that are low glycemic, or fiber rich, to help you feel fuller longer.
  • xmarye
    xmarye Posts: 385 Member
    edited October 2018
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    happytree923 wrote: »
    OP, I'm noticing that you're using a lot of absolute statements- I don't have time to eat, I don't have any self control, etc. I'm saying this because I have a major issue with this too, thinking 'it's too difficult for my specific circumstances' will drag you down. When I start thinking like this I find it helpful to go into the success stories section and look for people who were successful with circumstances similar to mine.

    I totally agree! On my first day back I wrote a big rant about how I felt like a failure and that I didn't deserve to choose better circumstances for myself. Immediately I told myself, wait what?? I'm talking like someone that will fail. So I deleted that whole text and re-wrote one that acknowledged those thoughts as past behaviors I was chosing to kick to the curb because I deserve only the best, I know who I am and what I want and I am done making excuses. I know what I need to do and will do everything to achieve it! Etc.

    I think it's time that you have a sit down with yourself and put all your excuses on the table to examine them. I'm not saying your situation isn't hard, but you need to come up with solutions that you can execute. You need a plan! And you surely need to change that negative self-talk if you do want to develop good habits. I know, I've done it!! I have three kids under four and a very needy husband (when he's there, and he's often not as he works late and works weekends often, so I often juggle everything and when he is there he barely gets up for anything) that eat all sorts of junky food, often in front of me too! I divided the pantry in baskets, and there is a basket for my hubby's treat and one for the kid's treats. It mentally works as a barrier, like those don't belong to me and I won't reach for them.

    I also used to graze on the kids junk all day, while preparing them healthy meals. My solution was to stop snacking altogether. My problem was that I used to be snacking all day long on less than nutritive things. I needed balanced meals! So now I eat three meals a day, that I pre-log at the beginning of the day to ensure I meet my calorie goal. I make sure to include plenty of veggies and focus on real food that will fill me up and keep me from obsessing about the snacks in the pantry.

    For breakfast I've been eating lately is a quick veggie loaded egg wrap in the morning (whole grain tortilla, two eggs fried with onions and peppers, cut up spinach, tomatoes, with mayo, hot sauce and a tiny bit of shredded cheese) which takes about 5 minutes to make. I also used to make a huge frittata in the oven on the weekend that would last all week, so that's another option if you want to prep ahead!

    Lunch is usually a huge caesar salad because I just love it lately! I have a few chicken breasts that I baked ahead of time and chopped, as well as bacon bits (I cook the bacon on a pan lined with foil in the oven, clean up is minimal!). I add creamy caesar dressing, cheese and croutons. It all fits in my calories, is delicious and very filling! Takes less than 5 minutes to prepare! I also plan on trying a taco salad soon, which has ground beef with a ton of veggies and tacos seasonning and tortillas in pieces on top! YUM! Otherwise I also have leftovers from dinner with a salad or frozen broccoli that I can reheat in the microwave in 3 minutes.

    And for dinner I usually eat whatever I serve the family, but a small portion with a huge salad on the side.

    I also cut out pop and juice and drink plenty of water, from my water pitcher filtration system I got from the store. Loving that thing sooooo much. Makes drinking water much more enjoyable to me!

    Whether you chose to go for hard-boiled egg and instant oatmeal/overnight oats for breakfast, a greek yogurt parfait or salad for lunch and whatever for dinner. Just figure out ahead what you're going to do, and it will be much more manageable once you get in the midst of the chaos that is running a household!

    Hope these tips help! Feel free to add me if you want to connect and support each other!!

    Good luck oxoxox
  • Safari_Gal
    Safari_Gal Posts: 888 Member
    edited October 2018
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    GlamGoals66 wrote: »
    I have 2 kids (3 if you count my husband) who all have various sugary, high calorie snacks laying around the house, from fruit snacks to lunchables, cookies, poptarts, etc... How do you avoid temptation when eating healthy takes more time, more effort, and has zero flavor payoff compared to sweet treats?

    I have NO self control. Any tips on restraint?

    My tips that have helped me with restraint:
    Visualize why you want to avoid/limit these foods. Is it for weight loss? Healthier living?
    Put a sticky note on it that says - my glam goals (your name!) are more important then my immediate satisfaction.

    When you want those snacks- ask yourself- why do I need this right now?

    Focus on why you want to make this change. For whatever reason you are choosing to limit snacks or omit them...make the reason more important.

    Remember why this goal is important for you and tell yourself you are important enough to commit.

    I have a hard time moderating amounts of pizza, chips, candy. I omitted them all to banish the craving for them. I can’t eat 1 chip. I can’t eat 10 fries. So I decided to switch up my diet to foods I could control and would be more filling. Now 6 months later- those foods aren’t calling out to me anymore.

    Wish you well glamgal! No worries - you got this!


    🤗
    M

  • babysaffy
    babysaffy Posts: 232 Member
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    Deviette wrote: »
    First off: If you think that eating healthy tastes boring, then you're eating the wrong things! There's loads of really delicious "healthy" foods out there.

    2nd: Weigh loss doesn't require you to eat a certain way. You don't have to cut out a bunch of food that you used to eat. All you have to do is eat less of it. Most of us on here don't abstain from certain foods just because they're calorie dense, we just eat less of them. Some find that certain foods are "trigger foods" and those are the ones that you keep out of your house, but other than that, there is nothing wrong with eating calorie dense food in moderation.

    3rd: Just because you have children, does not mean you have to have loads of sweet snacks in the house. Excuse me as I make a possibly completely unfair assumption here, but if you do the shopping/cooking in your house, you just don't buy those things that you don't want to eat. Replace them with something else or reduce the amount you buy. Try making sweet snacks an exception, not the norm.

    This.
  • melnthom1
    melnthom1 Posts: 6 Member
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    I was an impulse eater as well and still am if I have not prepared in advance. I set aside a total of 2-3 hours a week (usually 15-30 minutes a day after my son goes to bed) to prepare healthy snacks/breakfasts/lunches throughout the week. I buy large bags of raw nuts, weigh them, and bag them as single servings while catching up on a TV show. I make sure when I shop to buy a variety of fruits and vegetables, such as apples, grapes, avocado, etc. I rinse and individually bag the grapes. I carry a knife, fork, and spoon in my purse to cut apples and avocados on the fly if I need to. I sometimes pre-log my food at the beginning of the day and use it as a checklist to make sure I don't over indulge. If someone throws something like a chance to eat a cupcake my way, I don't eat it unless I have unbudgeted calories left or can get some exercise in to offset the cupcake. Someone else has already said it...you need to make sure to eat fulfilling meals at almost the same time daily to ensure you do not go hungry. I keep Lara Bars in my purse and car glove compartment. I binge when I am too hungry because I have not planned well. I eat 2 large eggs, either hard boiled or scrambled almost every morning and a small avocado on the side. If I eat this, I am typically not hungry until lunch, but am always sure to have a premeasured bag of nuts or a piece of fruit at hand in case I do get hungry. Find a go to meal or two that you can count on to keep you fuller longer. The big thing is you need to look at your calories like your paycheck. You have to convince yourself that you cannot live beyond your means. If you have $200 and want to buy a purse that is $220, you need to work some overtime; when it comes to weight loss, exercise is your overtime. Increase your bank of overtime and you can snack more if you need to, but prepare and you should not need the extra calories.
  • wefts
    wefts Posts: 183 Member
    edited October 2018
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    Fiber is your friend , when you are running around with a gut that is empty it causes you to make poor choices .I stock the house with fibers and snacks meant to fuel me . almonds for minerals , yogurt for probiotics ( I buy plain and add frozen blueberries and a little sweetener ,Stock loads of veggies to allow for a filling meal addition or snack while adding fiber and vitamins You can have 2-3 cups of broccoli with a little butter for the same calories as a serving of pop tarts , I make baked treats that are healthy baked apples ( skin on ) with a little honey and rolled oats and a sprinkle of low cal sweetener , Brownies with black bean some oat bran and flax seed meal ( they are not low calorie as much as lower calorie with nutrition .a TBSP of oat bran added to a chicken and veggie soup bowl . yogurt and fiber in a smoothie . all of these things can help by making you more satisfied that will allow you to snack with restraint I am 1 and a half years into this journey and 44 lbs down . the most important thing is to not spend your non eating time feeling hungry . Hunger derails you .
    I have a husband that is constantly buying junk food , and feels it is his job to get me to have some .( at 71 he is not changing and he will not stop buying these things , I do sometimes move them so they are not in my constant line of sight ! ) I have learned to have 1-2 slice of Pizza and a large salad rather than 4 slices of pizza . or 1/4 of a huge bakery muffin and a cup of coffee . so you do not have to give up your favorite foods you need to learn how to feed your body so these snacks do not control you . it gets easier as you learn to enjoy healthier snacks and start to see progress . your charting and coming here for support is the easiest way to help yourself . This is a very supportive community and charting your foods will help you to see what works for you
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
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    GlamGoals66 wrote: »
    Deviette wrote: »
    First off: If you think that eating healthy tastes boring, then you're eating the wrong things! There's loads of really delicious "healthy" foods out there.

    2nd: Weigh loss doesn't require you to eat a certain way. You don't have to cut out a bunch of food that you used to eat. All you have to do is eat less of it. Most of us on here don't abstain from certain foods just because they're calorie dense, we just eat less of them. Some find that certain foods are "trigger foods" and those are the ones that you keep out of your house, but other than that, there is nothing wrong with eating calorie dense food in moderation.

    3rd: Just because you have children, does not mean you have to have loads of sweet snacks in the house. Excuse me as I make a possibly completely unfair assumption here, but if you do the shopping/cooking in your house, you just don't buy those things that you don't want to eat. Replace them with something else or reduce the amount you buy. Try making sweet snacks an exception, not the norm.

    Any chance you can give me healthier snack ideas? I normally just munch throughout the day on whatever I got for the kids, because everyone is on a different nap/school/playtime/bedtime schedule (tried to rearrange them to match better, but the toddler and big kid have VERY different needs)

    The kids end up eating super balanced and healthy meals (minus snack times) but I hardly have time to even microwave a Lean Cuisine while trying to manage everyone else. Husband helps when he can, but he often has to work from home AFTER an 8hr day already at work.

    Why can’t you also eat the healthy, super-balanced meals your kids eat?

    Perhaps you know something that may just keep me full longer instead of low calorie? To avoid binging?

    Maybe the big kid and the bigger kid (husband) can help more with the food. Or just make what you want to eat, that’s healthy and they’ll adapt or start pitching in.

    Find treats you like as healthy substitutes. Personally, I like Quest protein chips. Whenever we have a catered lunch (sandwiches) at work, I bring my own chips. I also love these low calorie/high fiber tortillas. bring them and substitute the bread. Voila! Healthier lunch for me!

    I’ve found better pasta alternatives for me (higher protein and fiber without sacrificing taste). And made no-bake healthy snack balls. There are tons on Pinterest. I also like these protein bars I found. To me, they taste like candy bars but with waaay better macros.

    I also don’t really eat much snack food. I’ll bring smaller meals as snacks. For me, much more satisfying.

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