Need Serious Help

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kris2600
kris2600 Posts: 149
in Health and Weight Loss
Making it through the day while staying within my calorie range is easy.... until dinner. As soon as I start eating dinner I go WAY over. Any help or tips??

Replies

  • MelL1205
    MelL1205 Posts: 1,200 Member
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    I often have the same problem... :ohwell: Even if I plan my meal beforehand, I somehow manage to mess it up. I've been getting a little better by continually reminding myself to slow down and stop eating. But I still have plenty of days (like today) where I am over my daily cals. Today was only 100 over, but other days it's worse. I am definitely interested to hear any help or tips from other people.
  • Robin_
    Robin_ Posts: 105
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    So step up your exercise (no idea what you are doing now), or shave off a some calories during the day. You said you had no problem staying within your calories during the day, so maybe you won't miss 200-300 of them and you can eat them for dinner or an evening snack. Best to all!
  • lindaobel
    lindaobel Posts: 3 Member
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    Hey guys, I have the same problem too sometimes. To counter this I usually try to plan my meals ahead of time and try to save my carbs for the dinner time because those tend to take care of the carb cravings I have. I also try to drink plenty of water while having dinner so that I can hopefully start to get that full feeling quicker. I hope it helps...
  • kristine518
    kristine518 Posts: 15
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    Drink a whole glass of water about 15 minutes before dinner. It will help fill you up.
    Also - have more veggies & salad and a smaller portion of meat. Then you might even have enough calories left over for a snack! Good luck!
  • rome2000
    rome2000 Posts: 4
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    Hi Kris, I think everyone faces this challenge at some point. There's many ways to handle this. I leave enough calories for dinner and a late snack, so if i go over on dinner, I forgo the snack. But I need to understand more from your perspective. Is its a craving and spontaneous last minute indulge on dinner? also is it take out, or at home meals? Also who do you eat dinner with? Influence could be a role here.
  • brainey100
    brainey100 Posts: 27
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    Not to disagree with anyone, but if I need to be frugal with my calories later in the day, I usually try to eat something that is high in protein because it makes me feel more satisfied and also stays with me longer. In other words, I don't get hungry as often if I eat foods that are higher in protein. My wife has a similar problem to yours. She enjoys foods that are starchy and higher in carbs for dinner. Then she is hungry an hour later and is mad because she has already reached her calorie limit for the day. Anyway, eating more protein is what I was told to do by a nutritionist and it works for me.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
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    I would say to up your exercise. Trust me, a lot of us exercise just so we can eat more. :P It's empowering being in charge of your calorie intake/output. I'll often do a 10 or 20 intense cardio workout so I can have a snack.
  • kris2600
    kris2600 Posts: 149
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    Hi Kris, I think everyone faces this challenge at some point. There's many ways to handle this. I leave enough calories for dinner and a late snack, so if i go over on dinner, I forgo the snack. But I need to understand more from your perspective. Is its a craving and spontaneous last minute indulge on dinner? also is it take out, or at home meals? Also who do you eat dinner with? Influence could be a role here.

    It is at home meals that I plan to fit into my day but.... I always end up having a second helping. Like last night. I fixed barbeque sandwiches for the family and instead of having fries and bread, I put the meat on a baked potato, baked some squash, and had two slices of tomatoes but it didn't stop there. My daughter didn't finish her sandwich so instead of throwing it out I ate that too. Then that just started a splurdge. I have a handful of shredded wheat cereal and some cookies. I go all day without even being hungry and then around two o'clock I feel like I am starving. I have tried eating every two hours and that doesn't help. Protein doesn't help me feel any more full than any other food. I have been to the doctor and nothing is helping.
  • heathcox
    heathcox Posts: 22
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    Hi Kris, I think everyone faces this challenge at some point. There's many ways to handle this. I leave enough calories for dinner and a late snack, so if i go over on dinner, I forgo the snack. But I need to understand more from your perspective. Is its a craving and spontaneous last minute indulge on dinner? also is it take out, or at home meals? Also who do you eat dinner with? Influence could be a role here.

    It is at home meals that I plan to fit into my day but.... I always end up having a second helping. Like last night. I fixed barbeque sandwiches for the family and instead of having fries and bread, I put the meat on a baked potato, baked some squash, and had two slices of tomatoes but it didn't stop there. My daughter didn't finish her sandwich so instead of throwing it out I ate that too. Then that just started a splurdge. I have a handful of shredded wheat cereal and some cookies. I go all day without even being hungry and then around two o'clock I feel like I am starving. I have tried eating every two hours and that doesn't help. Protein doesn't help me feel any more full than any other food. I have been to the doctor and nothing is helping.


    How are you eating during the day? Are you eating every 4 hours or so? Or are you starving by dinner time? I find if I eat every 3-4 hours during the day even if it's just a 1/2 cup of cottage cheese I stay fuller and am not so hungry at dinner.

    I'd also agree with upping the exercise. If you want some shredded wheat and some cookies make yourself do 15 minutes of cardio for it. Chances are after the exercise you'll more easily be able to pass on the cookie or find a healthier alternative. I find if I look at the calories and figure out how long I have to workout for to have it i'll find something with fewer calories to snack on. Good luck! You can do this!
  • kris2600
    kris2600 Posts: 149
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    Hi Kris, I think everyone faces this challenge at some point. There's many ways to handle this. I leave enough calories for dinner and a late snack, so if i go over on dinner, I forgo the snack. But I need to understand more from your perspective. Is its a craving and spontaneous last minute indulge on dinner? also is it take out, or at home meals? Also who do you eat dinner with? Influence could be a role here.

    It is at home meals that I plan to fit into my day but.... I always end up having a second helping. Like last night. I fixed barbeque sandwiches for the family and instead of having fries and bread, I put the meat on a baked potato, baked some squash, and had two slices of tomatoes but it didn't stop there. My daughter didn't finish her sandwich so instead of throwing it out I ate that too. Then that just started a splurdge. I have a handful of shredded wheat cereal and some cookies. I go all day without even being hungry and then around two o'clock I feel like I am starving. I have tried eating every two hours and that doesn't help. Protein doesn't help me feel any more full than any other food. I have been to the doctor and nothing is helping.


    How are you eating during the day? Are you eating every 4 hours or so? Or are you starving by dinner time? I find if I eat every 3-4 hours during the day even if it's just a 1/2 cup of cottage cheese I stay fuller and am not so hungry at dinner.

    I'd also agree with upping the exercise. If you want some shredded wheat and some cookies make yourself do 15 minutes of cardio for it. Chances are after the exercise you'll more easily be able to pass on the cookie or find a healthier alternative. I find if I look at the calories and figure out how long I have to workout for to have it i'll find something with fewer calories to snack on. Good luck! You can do this!

    Thanks so much! And yes I did do 45 minutes of cardio in order to eat dinner but still over did it.
  • Johnnyswife
    Johnnyswife Posts: 1,447 Member
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    Hey guys, I have the same problem too sometimes. To counter this I usually try to plan my meals ahead of time and try to save my carbs for the dinner time because those tend to take care of the carb cravings I have. I also try to drink plenty of water while having dinner so that I can hopefully start to get that full feeling quicker. I hope it helps...
    I do this as well, plus I have a snack an hour before I eat, so I'm not as hungry. I also try to avoid eating my favorite foods, like jasmine rice, since I always want more. My husband keeps me from overdoing it, but he's not always around so I have to try other methods.
    Good luck!
  • mcohan
    mcohan Posts: 116 Member
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    try serving yourself and then putting all the food away...eat slowly and give yourself a few minutes before eating more so you have time to feel full. also, it helps to get away from the kitchen when you are done eating. "out of sight out of mind"
  • totallytasha
    totallytasha Posts: 134 Member
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    Haha, I can relate! I feel a little better knowing I'm not the only one with this issue. I leave anywhere from 300 - 600 calories for dinner, because i know how I am, and I still almost always go over! Plus, not having a computer at home doesn't really help. After I leave work I try to figure out calories in my head, but when I put it in the next day it's almost always too much.

    I try to eat a more filling breakfast, and make sure I keep up on my snacks during the day, so that by the time it gets to dinner I'm not starving, because that's definitely a part of my problem. I put less pasta or meat on my plate, but more veggies, so that it's still full. If you can spare 100 calories for some milk or juice, I do that too, because it makes me feel far more full than water ever does. (Side note, really don't like water, and I think it makes me hungrier! :angry: ) If I'm still munchy after I've cleared my plate, I get up and do something else for 5 to 10 minutes first. Usually by then my food has settled, and I'm able to say no to another helping.

    Hope this helps!
  • ilike2moveit
    ilike2moveit Posts: 776 Member
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    Not to disagree with anyone, but if I need to be frugal with my calories later in the day, I usually try to eat something that is high in protein because it makes me feel more satisfied and also stays with me longer. In other words, I don't get hungry as often if I eat foods that are higher in protein. My wife has a similar problem to yours. She enjoys foods that are starchy and higher in carbs for dinner. Then she is hungry an hour later and is mad because she has already reached her calorie limit for the day. Anyway, eating more protein is what I was told to do by a nutritionist and it works for me.
    I need to try this. I'm always over on my carbs and under on my protein and I'm always hungry.

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