How to Cut Snacking After Dinner!?

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jaydutchie
jaydutchie Posts: 11 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So, I’m a generally good eater throughout the day. I always get a healthy breakfast—eggs, toast (sometimes with half an avocado if I’m feeling fancy) and a turkey/veggie sausage. I don’t snack throughout the day. And I don’t have a problem with overeating at meals. My problem is at the end of the day, after working and treating my body well—I like to have a snack and just relax after dinner. So I have popcorn or chips or something like that. How do I cut those cravings? I think it’s more out of habit than actual hunger. Any thoughts? Thanks!
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Replies

  • savagecorey2
    savagecorey2 Posts: 14 Member
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    When I start wanting to eat I do a hot cup of tea and sip on it. Then I brush my teeth. Once I brush my teeth I’m done.
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
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    you can save calories and keep the snack
    or try brushing your teeth right after dinner and putting a big annoying sign on the pantry
  • LyndaBSS
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,964 Member
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    As the others said, if you're within your calories, it's not an issue.

    If you just want to quit the habit, in general, log into the Late Night Snacking thread. I'm on the app, so can't post a link. Logging into that thread has kept me from snacking for over 100 days now.

    Good luck!
  • Angierae75
    Angierae75 Posts: 417 Member
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    I leave room for a night snack. I don't always eat it, but I leave 100-150 cals in case i want a snack.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,742 Member
    edited September 2019
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    savagecorey2 wrote: »
    When I start wanting to eat I do a hot cup of tea and sip on it. Then I brush my teeth. Once I brush my teeth I’m done.

    Same for me, with the brushing/flossing. I generally eat dinner and then if I'm having something sweet I eat it within 1 hour usually. So my teeth are clean and kitchen is "closed" by like 7 pm.

    I'm careful not to go too low on calories so I'm rarely feeling legitimate hunger after that, anyway.

    I think it helps that my husband, despite being an evening snacker, goes for things I don't care about like chips, pretzels, or protein PB mixture. If he was snacking on tacos, ice cream or chocolate, I'd be in trouble.
  • zebasschick
    zebasschick Posts: 909 Member
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    i always have a bedtime snack. luckily for me, i love double chocolate chunk quest bars, sometimes with a kroger version of a sugar free fudgecycle (the kroger ones are yummier), so i get that last 20 grams of protein before bed.
  • jaydutchie
    jaydutchie Posts: 11 Member
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    Thank you guys! I like the brushing teeth idea and maybe opt for a protein heavier snack. I usually don’t go over my calorie limit but it’s definitely a bad habit that I wanna kick.
  • bear2303
    bear2303 Posts: 252 Member
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    seltzermint555 wrote: »
    savagecorey2 wrote: »
    When I start wanting to eat I do a hot cup of tea and sip on it. Then I brush my teeth. Once I brush my teeth I’m done.

    Same for me, with the brushing/flossing. I generally eat dinner and then if I'm having something sweet I eat it within 1 hour usually. So my teeth are clean and kitchen is "closed" by like 7 pm.

    I'm careful not to go too low on calories so I'm rarely feeling legitimate hunger after that, anyway.

    I think it helps that my husband, despite being an evening snacker, goes for things I don't care about like chips, pretzels, or protein PB mixture. If he was snacking on tacos, ice cream or chocolate, I'd be in trouble.

    Agreed with the above too! I have an issue with snacking after 8:00 p.m. sometimes i save my calories for an actual snack post dinner but most of the time i am just bored and looking for something to do so I snack. Because of this i've tried to implement that my kitchen is closed post 8:00 p.m. unless there is something specific that i know is built in to my day. It has helped me break through my plateau finally!
  • StaciMarie2020
    StaciMarie2020 Posts: 68 Member
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    In that scenario, I'd just budget calories for that snack.

    I'm the opposite - I feel the need to eat often thru the day. So I typically have a small breakfast/small lunch/small second lunch. I also eat a late dinner which factors into that I suppose.
    jaydutchie wrote: »
    So, I’m a generally good eater throughout the day. I always get a healthy breakfast—eggs, toast (sometimes with half an avocado if I’m feeling fancy) and a turkey/veggie sausage. I don’t snack throughout the day. And I don’t have a problem with overeating at meals. My problem is at the end of the day, after working and treating my body well—I like to have a snack and just relax after dinner. So I have popcorn or chips or something like that. How do I cut those cravings? I think it’s more out of habit than actual hunger. Any thoughts? Thanks!

  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
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    jaydutchie wrote: »
    Thank you guys! I like the brushing teeth idea and maybe opt for a protein heavier snack. I usually don’t go over my calorie limit but it’s definitely a bad habit that I wanna kick.

    If it's just a habit you don't want, the easiest way would simply be to eliminate the availability from the house. People and most things tend to follow the path of least resistance. It's easier to snack on something that's there vs having to leave the house just to buy a single serving of chips/popcorn. It may not affect your overall calorie goal to have snacks, but dietary habits are learned, which means they can also be retrained.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,219 Member
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    Usually it's easiest to break a habit by replacing it with another habit. In this kind of scenario, a non-food/drink habit would be best, and some have been suggested above.

    Another thought is to take up an absorbing new hobby or resume an old one, especially something that requires clean hands (sketching, needlework, playing a musical instrument . . . .) or creates dirty ones (gardening, painting, carpentry . . . .).

    If you want to or are willing to stay within a realm that includes some food/drink, something like a cup of special relaxing herb tea can be a good ritual.
  • PennyP312
    PennyP312 Posts: 161 Member
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    Typically, my calories are gone after dinner :(
    So, I chew minty sugar free gum. It really helps signal to my brain that my eating window is over for the day. Really curbs my cravings for snacks, usually 😉
  • healingnurtrer
    healingnurtrer Posts: 217 Member
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    That's a habit I've worked on too. After dinner I was frequently eating when not hungry, and I finish my calories at dinner. Since I was snacking to relax I just make sure I replace the behavior with something else to relax. Also I drink water. I say to myself- hey I'm doing this to relax now instead of eating after dinner. Instead of saying to yourself - don't eat, don't eat, don't eat- you could say - DO relax some other way. (Watch tv, chat w/ a friend, art/ creativity, go for a walk, relaxing bath, etc.)

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