I need advice on how to avoid snacking and going over my calorie limit

Options
2»

Replies

  • olyrose
    olyrose Posts: 569 Member
    Options
    After dinner snacking is my biggest problem! I've finally realized it's better for me to just plan for it than to try to be disciplined, fail, and be disappointed in myself every night.

    So now I add an evening snack into my diary, and I also leave a couple hundred calories unaccounted for in my day just to accommodate any unplanned snacking. I also buy pre-portioned snacks, like snack size bags of chips, fruit snacks, etc. so it limits the portion and calories. I'll also drink tea or something warm at night so that makes me feel a bit more sated too.
  • reddwarf63
    reddwarf63 Posts: 24 Member
    Options
    Do what i do, have a picture of my fat self with no clothes on as you go to the bathroom and ask yourself if thats how you want to look, i know i dont, so it motivates me to be healthy
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    Options
    I plan for snack. I am the OPPOSITE of IF ;) I eat often in a day. i just make the snacks fit in my overall daily calorie goal.
  • Taz6o5
    Taz6o5 Posts: 3,441 Member
    Options
    Drink lots of water
  • gallicinvasion
    gallicinvasion Posts: 1,015 Member
    Options
    hunnymoons wrote: »
    gallicinvasion wrote: »
    I buy favorite snacks and immediately portion them into 100 cal packs when I get home from the grocery story. I like snacking too, so I design my day to leave 100-300 cals at the end of the night so I can have one or a few snack packs from my snack bowl 😂
    I really like this idea omg, what would you typically put in these snack packs?

    You can put anything! The main ones I do are almonds, hippeas white cheddar puffs, bienna honey roasted chickpeas, dark chocolate pretzel bark, and Quaker mini rice cakes. After this Xmas i had tons of chocolate in the house, so I weighed it all out into 100 calorie packs and it’s lasted me FOREVER lol.
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    Options
    I don't just have a light snack. I go crazy. Knowing this, I purposely don't start, cuz when I do... its on lol. I sip coffee constantly, or use sugarless gum to help prevent myself from going for any snack foods.

    It's tough!
  • ataraxial
    ataraxial Posts: 185 Member
    Options
    Always have water with you, drink constantly. I eat 5x a day, but its 5 very low carb and calorie meals/snacks and I am rarely hungry (previous grazer). I also found if I eat eggs for breakfast im almost too full to eat my first snack.
  • IsETHome
    IsETHome Posts: 386 Member
    Options
    I have low cal pickles (not sweet ones, the dill) Calories are nominal 0-5 per pickle. Otherwise budget the calories in your plans. Eat lower calorie meals if you are going to snack. For example today, I had more snacks than normal - but that means no dinner (I'm not hungry because of the snacks) - I had about 4 different snacks (pretzels, popcorn, dried fruit, sugar pudding. Trade-off in calories. I still have 100 cals left for the day, so If I get hungry later tonight, I'll have some Progresso french onion soup or another low cal cup of soup so I don't go over. Sipping on low cal broth can help as well, just count the cal's in your day plan.
  • IsETHome
    IsETHome Posts: 386 Member
    Options
    gallicinvasion wrote: »
    I buy favorite snacks and immediately portion them into 100 cal packs when I get home from the grocery story. I like snacking too, so I design my day to leave 100-300 cals at the end of the night so I can have one or a few snack packs from my snack bowl 😂

    Yes, I have pre-portioned my snacks into 50-100 cal snacks, depending on what it is, and a bowl as well.
  • IsETHome
    IsETHome Posts: 386 Member
    edited January 2019
    Options
    hunnymoons wrote: »
    gallicinvasion wrote: »
    I buy favorite snacks and immediately portion them into 100 cal packs when I get home from the grocery story. I like snacking too, so I design my day to leave 100-300 cals at the end of the night so I can have one or a few snack packs from my snack bowl 😂
    I really like this idea omg, what would you typically put in these snack packs?

    I'm not sure about the original poster, but I make a trail mix, dried fruit mix, or pretzel mix under 100 calories and put them in a bowl. I have also made my own pear-sauce (like apple sauce) with 1 maraschino cherry in the center. Makes me feel like I'm eatin dessert - and freeze them, and take them out as needed into the fridge. I have a bowl in my fridge filled with multiple sugar free jello packs (10 cals each) - the cherry seems to satisfy my sweet cravings. I typically make large batches of small size portions when I'm not hungry so they are available when I am. When I go grocery shopping I'm reading all the labels now. I just don't buy pre-packaged items that don't fit into lower calorie, unless I can break them up.
  • leiflung
    leiflung Posts: 83 Member
    Options
    kimny72 wrote: »
    pierinifitness wrote: »
    Your solution has got to match your desire and discipline relationship to your goals. Some here can snack, I choose no snacks.

    Look yourself in the mirror each time you’re feeling like snacking and adk yourself, how bad do I want it, my goal or my snack. If the snack temptation is very strong, strip naked, look in the mirror and then ask the question.

    I agree that some people won't be able to moderate snacking and might ultimately do better without. However the idea of using unhappiness with what you see in the mirror to power through a normal desire seems like an unhealthy mindset to establish.

    I agree, but I still like the idea. Just make it something positive, instead.

    Every time you feel like snacking, sit down in a quiet place and check in with yourself. Ask yourself how you're feeling. Maybe write a page in a journal about whatever you're thinking about. Or think to yourself, is there something else I might enjoy? How about a walk?

    Don't bully out the snacking. Crowd it out with things that are good for you!
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
    Options
    Cardio exercise to make room for a snack,
    then,
    Too tired to snack.
  • Goober1142
    Goober1142 Posts: 219 Member
    Options
    I have hard candy. Not many calories and lasts a long time. Halls cough drops work pretty well too! Somehow food doesn't go well with them lol
  • Mike1804
    Mike1804 Posts: 114 Member
    edited January 2019
    Options
    Make sure you are getting enough green veggies during meals. Because they aren’t calorically dense and have lots of fiber, you can load up on them during meals allowing you to feel full for a longer period of time. Also try to keep snack-time balanced with protein, veggie, and some healthy fats. For me it also helps to stay away from processed foods and sugar. If I get any of those in my diet, my hunger don’t go away.
  • Cahgetsfit
    Cahgetsfit Posts: 1,912 Member
    Options
    You've been given some solid advice already :)

    I, like others above, try not to buy trigger snacks (for me those are crisps or things like peanut M&Ms. I can't control myself and eat the entire bag in one sitting). If I DO buy it, then it's after having made peace with the fact that i'm going to eat it all. So occasionally I do, just because I want to.

    On a normal day to day basis though when I am in a caloric deficit, I will eat 4 meals per day - breakfast, a first lunch which is a salad with protein, a second lunch which is more substantial with rice, meat and veg - and I usually have a 'desert' piece of fruit after that second lunch. Then after dinner I have a frozen juice tube which is like 47 calories - finishes off the meal like a dessert and takes ages to suck on.

  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Options
    If it’s not hunger, it could be habit. Consider replacing the habit. I like hand busy activities like knitting.
  • lillyblack1982
    lillyblack1982 Posts: 61 Member
    Options
    When do you normally get the urge to snack? What do you normally snack on? Is the issue that you are hungry, bored, or feeling unsatisfied?

    Normally right when I get home from work is a dangerous time for me. I’m hungry but dinner is an hour or so out. I could eat chips out of the bag or a few handful of nuts and then not have much left in the calorie budget for dinner. This week I’ve been coming home and eating a salad and then immediately walking the dog. The salad takes the edge off my hunger without being too terrible calorie-wise. Walking the dog for an hour earns me some extra calories. I make room in my calorie budget for wine, chocolate, and other fun stuff but in moderation. A couple hundred calories every day or every other day is fine for me and walking the dog gives me that extra wiggle room that it doesn’t kill me trying to scrimp and save calories for the fun stuff.

Categories