Grazers... :-(

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deniseg31
deniseg31 Posts: 667 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
For those of you that do a lot of cooking...how do you NOT graze while preparing meals?

I was always so busy with work that I usually never made it home until well after 6pm. By them my MIL had already cooked and cleaned my house. I would get home and just eat whatever she had prepared. Well, the MIL is now gone and my work schedule has changed so I now have time to cook. I am usually starving by the time I get home with my kids and even though I eat a fruit, yogurt, carrots something on the healthier side I'm still starving so I end up grazing in a very awful way. Aside from eating my healthy snack I end up having some of these....couple of chips, cheese wedge, cookie, jello, crackers, pretzels, candy...

I do VERY well at work (breakfast/lunch/snacks). It isn't until I walk in the door at home and start preparing meals that I begin to graze like crazy and I'm just so upset with myself... :mad:

What snacks to you eat that keep you filled up? Any suggestions welcome....THANK YOU! :flowerforyou:
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Replies

  • candeebandland
    candeebandland Posts: 16
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    I've started packing a "bigger lunch" and trying to eat it half during my scheduled time and the other "half" an hour or so later. I think my lunch is too early 11;30 and like you even with a snack I'm STARVING on the way home. This strategy has been helping me.
  • castle88
    castle88 Posts: 27
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    If I were you I would get rid of all of those little tempting things in my kitchen and replace with fruit and nuts and healthy snacks, so if you do need something you are at least not tempted by the naughtier things!! The snacks themselves may be less tempting then also, and you may then be able to make it until dinner!

    However, I haven't had a look at your diary, but you do have a very long and very busy day, and if your feeling that hungry by that point perhaps you need more calories than MFP is suggesting?? Just try to swap them for healthier alternatives!

    A good <100cal treat that I love is either a few strawberries dipped in 4squares of melted dark chocolate or half a banana dipped in it, yummy and satisfying!
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    How do you have time to eat all that while cooking? I don't graze because I'm busy preparing the food...
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
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    I find that if I eat a snack an hour or 2 before I make dinner this helps a great deal. I also know that if I allow myself to get to a starving state, I make very bad choices.

    I would carry 100 calorie packs, nuts or gram crackers and eat them before I headed home from work if I were you. The key for me is not allowing myself to get hungry and stay hungry. Even if it is a bite or two of something.
  • spud1316
    spud1316 Posts: 39
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    I eat pecan and brazil nuts or cucumber, celery, carrots and peppers with a small amount of philadelphia extra light for dipping. Always works for me and tastes yummy.
  • MyaPapaya75
    MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
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    I graze when I cook something but I also log it...grazing does not mean having half a plate while you cook...if you log 1-2 teaspoons u will be fine
  • sms1986
    sms1986 Posts: 113 Member
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    I've never really had a problem with this, and since I've started logging my food, I always make sure everything is logged before I eat anything.
  • deniseg31
    deniseg31 Posts: 667 Member
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    Thanks you guys! I will definately try snacking on more veggies and such. Oh and BTW, I guess I should have mentioned that I don't do the grocery shopping. My husband is usually the one that goes shopping and of course he brings home all these things and when I complain about it he usually says "I'm not the one on a diet...you are." :(

    I'm going to try to keep a jug of water right next to me so everytime I feel like eating something "bad" I'll drink some water.
  • linnettbenson
    linnettbenson Posts: 63 Member
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    When I pack my lunch for work the next day, I always include a drive home snack. I drink a V8 low sodium 11.5 oz. can, 2 cheese sticks and a small apple. When I walk in the door, I have my hunger under control and can make dinner without grazing. Took awhile to figure out what and how much of a snack works for me but it is working.
  • vanillasugar
    vanillasugar Posts: 246 Member
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    I don't graze so much while cooking dinner (but I usually crock pot it or other fast and easy fixes so not a lot of time spent in the kitchen) but I found recently that I was getting myself into trouble when visiting my mom's house because my step-dad keeps a huge bag of peanut butter m & m's around and I kept getting into them. I discovered that I like being able to keep munching on something, so recently I started taking a pint of blueberries with me, or popcorn. That way, it's low cal and healthier and it's something small and bite sized that I can keep popping into my mouth and enjoy for a while. It's helping me.
  • thepetiterunner
    thepetiterunner Posts: 1,238 Member
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    Here are my "preventative" grazing techniques:

    - Eat a late afternoon snack (healthy) before I head home
    - Drink water and wait 10 minutes before I eat for any meal just to make sure I'm hungry and not thirsty
    - Cook healthy foods that "snacking" on won't derail me (veggies, etc)

    As far as the below comment regarding your husband:
    Oh and BTW, I guess I should have mentioned that I don't do the grocery shopping. My husband is usually the one that goes shopping and of course he brings home all these things and when I complain about it he usually says "I'm not the one on a diet...you are." :(

    It's true he's not on a diet, but you can tell him you're trying to make healthier LIFESTYLE changes for yourself. Also, if you're cooking for everyone, it's only fair that you have the ingredients you need to make healthy meals, right?
  • CrazyDaisysMommy
    CrazyDaisysMommy Posts: 472
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    I save my afternoon snack for right before I leave the office to go home. If I am still hungry, when I'm cooking, I'll have a spoonful of peanut butter, and that usually calms the bear within.
  • garnet1483
    garnet1483 Posts: 249 Member
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    The water is a great idea! The only real issue I have in the kitchen is tasting the food I'm preparing...and sometimes that's necessary. But I do usually keep a cup of water with a straw around, so that if I get the urge to put something in my mouth, I have that. It works a charm! And especially if I'm cooking for the upcoming meal, it's not bad to wait 20-30 minutes before eating something. If I'm cooking ahead, like on the weekends when I'll make meals for the whole week, I make sure to stop and actually eat real meals in between, as well as keeping the water handy. It helps to learn when you're really hungry, and when your mouth is just bored.
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
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    I actually do most of my cooking and meal prep the night before. For example, after I finished eating dinner and exercising on Monday, I got into the kitchen and cooked dinner for Tuesday night. I portioned everything out onto plates, so all I had to do when I got home was pop the plates into the microwave to reheat. It saves so much time and stress! (and you don't have to graze, because your actual dinner is ready to go!)

    I also set aside a block of time on Saturday or Sunday to cook and do food prep. I might cut up a bunch of veggies to have with dip, or make a big salad, or cook a giant pot of soup to have for lunch throughout the week.
  • Goosiesnougs
    Goosiesnougs Posts: 420
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    I shove 2 pieces of sugar free gum in my mouth!
  • jmmbrent
    jmmbrent Posts: 16 Member
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    This is a huge problem for me-- but let yourself eat-- but record everything in MFP. I have been doing this and it is such a pain to record a small amount of food it usually makes me not want to eat while I am preparing food. This works for me.
  • whitleynoel
    whitleynoel Posts: 198 Member
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    While cooking I normally try and do some cleaning while waiting.... If something has to simmer for 20 minutes or boil. I can empty the dishwasher, refill it, wipe off the counters, clean the floor, wipe out the fridge, or anything to keep your hands busy. And as a bonus that means that you have almost all of the dishes done and the kitchen cleaned up even before you eat!
  • caroldot
    caroldot Posts: 388 Member
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    I shove 2 pieces of sugar free gum in my mouth!

    That's a great idea! I will try this :)
  • Bentley2718
    Bentley2718 Posts: 1,690 Member
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    1) I don't keep junk food in the house. I know it's harder when you're not the only one who lives in the house, but try to work with your husband and whoever else you live with to compromise. My husband has some snacks around that aren't super healthy (e.g. nutrigrain bars), but also aren't things I like to eat, so it works out.

    2) I keep carrots, celery, cucumber, etc. out when I cook something I don't want to graze on. If they're sitting there staring at me, I'll eat those instead of something less healthy.

    3) Try to figure out if you're missing something from your diet. Are you getting enough fat and protein to keep you full?
  • heyghoge
    heyghoge Posts: 153 Member
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    i chew gum/suck on a piece of hard candy (ok, this can be upward of 20 cals but that's better than 100+, right?), or i portion out something in a bowl beforehand that i can dip my hand into instead of whatever i'm preparing: veggies, some grapes, that sort of thing.

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