600-900 snack calories???!

KF1216
KF1216 Posts: 175 Member
edited December 17 in Food and Nutrition
Yikes! I just looked back over the last couple weeks and have been averaging between 600-900 (sometimes 1200!) snack calories per day!!!! I need to get a grip on this and am planning to have a new rule called, 1 mornin snack and 1 afternoon snack, no snacks after dinner and all snacks must be fruit or veggie. Sound good? What are your go-to snacks and how many calories do you allow yourself each day?
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Replies

  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Most of my daily calories come from snacks. I purposely have small meals because I know I am a snacker and need to eat all day long b/c I have low blood sugar. There's nothing wrong with using that many calories for snacks as long as they're not all junk food :)
  • I love an apple or a few pieces of sliced mango, but I love pistachios and almonds and will grab a handful and this usually will tide me over. Low-fat string cheese does the trick sometimes too - 50 cal in one!!! Good luck -
  • shine_
    shine_ Posts: 150 Member
    Depending on what my main meals have added up to during the day I snack if I'm hungry/if I need to to bring myself up to 1200+ calories. I don't really have a limit on them. Most days they add up to 300ish though. I snack on nuts, dark chocolate, berries, sometimes fruit but it depends on how much sugar I have room for that day, cottage cheese and almond or cashew butter.
  • KrystleKiri
    KrystleKiri Posts: 135
    I noticed you don't have any water logged... Are you not drinking any, or do you just not log it? Water HELPS. I used to be a horrible snacker. Now, I eat solid meals, and drink a lot of water, I aim for 10-12 cups a day. It's filling, and it totally gets your mind off of snacking.
  • LJ102011
    LJ102011 Posts: 110
    I like to have Special K crackers (16) with a slice of colby jack cheese cut into 16 pieces to go on top of each cracker and an apple. Very filling and satisfying!
  • kdickey31
    kdickey31 Posts: 27
    I try to eat a lot of fruit and veggies for my snacks because they fill me up faster. But I also like Special K cracker chips, a little salty snack and you can have 27-30 for 110 calories, For chocolate snacks i like 100 calorie fudge shoppe cookies and for sweet snack either special K cereal bar or a lucky charms cereal bar both around 100 calories. I don't get too many calories on non-workout days only 1200 and on workout days around 1600-1700 so I try to snack light but if you feel you don't like big meals I would also recommend trying protein bars and shakes they fill you up for anywhere from 150-300 calories depending on what you want. Hope this helps!! Good Luck
  • LeenaRuns
    LeenaRuns Posts: 1,309 Member
    There's nothing wrong with snacks as long as long as they fit in your daily calorie budget and are healthy (the occasional unhealthy snack is okay too, of course). I typically do a plain greek yogurt with peanut butter or cheese, crackers, almonds, and fruit. Hummus with veggies is another good option.
  • shaylasade
    shaylasade Posts: 28 Member
    My daily caloric goal is only 1320 calories, so I really don't have many free calories to splurge on snacks. My go to snacks include:

    1 serving of sugar free smoothies - 100-220 calories depending on which kind I get
    1 serving of dry fruity cheerios - 100 calories ...the whole grains in them tend to keep me satisfied until my next meal :-)
    1 serving of pistachios - 160 calories
    1 granola bar - 100 calories
    100 calorie chocolate covered pretzels - these are for those days when I can't stop craving sweets :-)
    Yogurt (light and fit or yoplait fat free) - 80 - 110 calories ...yogurt definitely coats my tummy and makes me feel satisfied longer

    I normally only have 2 snacks each day. A mid-morning snack and a mid-afternoon snack before I work out. I hope this helps.
  • marieautumn
    marieautumn Posts: 928 Member
    snack on fruits, veggies and nuts. they will fill you up for longer and have less calories. try to pick berries as they have the least amount of sugar.
  • Sl1ghtly
    Sl1ghtly Posts: 855 Member
    There's nothing wrong with snacking, as long as you're meeting your nutritional goals. Peeking at your diary, it seems that the snacks are what help you meet those goals.

    If you chose not to snack, those low cal meals gotta go.
  • Schraudt814
    Schraudt814 Posts: 496 Member
    I like to have Special K crackers (16) with a slice of colby jack cheese cut into 16 pieces to go on top of each cracker and an apple. Very filling and satisfying!

    That sounds SO good!!
  • sdubya04
    sdubya04 Posts: 28 Member
    I'm a snacker, too!!! I get low blood-sugar if I don't have SOMETHING around 9:30 and 3:00. I try to keep it 100-200 calories. but sometimes I could just "snack" all day! I try to have mostly protein..like a cheese stick or yogurt and fruit. I'm real bad about chocolate. I think you'll do better now that you are aware of it. Good luck!
  • -small apple and some low fat string cheese
    -a few almonds (been hooked on Emerald's cocoa roasted almonds)
    -a slice of ezekiel bread with hummus and cucumber or PB2 with a few slices of banana
    -blue diamond almond rice crackers with hummus
  • lchovet
    lchovet Posts: 68
    I eat 2-3 snacks a day, Plus 3 meals. I personally try to keep my snacks between 100-200 calories range. And try to include some protein in all my snacks. So I could possibly have up to 600 calories in a day. Don't think there is anything wrong with have high snack calories as long as they are healthy snack and your still with in your goal.
  • mmklinemm
    mmklinemm Posts: 58 Member
    There's nothing wrong with snacking as long as you're making healthy choices and staying within your calorie goals. I don't like to put limits or rules on myself - that's too much like dieting, which always failed.

    That said, my snacks are typically things like apples, nuts, cheese sticks, granola bars... Much better choices than the oatmeal cream pies and chocolates I used to gobble down. :)

    ETA: I have my diary set up to include 3 meals and 3 snacks.
  • MrsLVF
    MrsLVF Posts: 787 Member
    You can have your snacks, but try to have a good balance of protein, veggies & fruit, in that order:smile:
    And save the ice cream for a treat, like once or twice a month, instead of every day.


    Edit:
    I snack almost all day. I have a bit of something every hour or two. I also plan ahead so I have food with me when I'm out of the house.
  • jam3114
    jam3114 Posts: 250 Member
    I'm a snacker so I have to alllow them in my calories.
    Yesterday I snacked on Banana, Hazelnuts, Apple + crunchy peanut butter (it is yummy) & a chocolate treat at night time
    Total snacking calories 625
    But thats how I keep a lid on not indulging in the mindless late night snacking that takes me over my calories.
    I don't feel hungry during the day because I'm snacking & I don't feel guilty because I'm still within my calories - its a win win :happy:
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    My afternoon snacks are generally 250 - 350 calories because I workout after work and don't want to be hungry when I'm doing it. For that my go to snacks are:

    apple or veggie sticks with peanut butter
    apple slices with hummus
    Kashi TLC chewy granola bar with fruit or almonds
    fruit and dry roasted edamame

    If I have a morning snack it is usually smaller, around 70 - 150 calories. For that I like:

    Kashi TLC chewy granola bar
    Piece of fruit
    11.5 oz low sodium V8
  • creativefrugalmom
    creativefrugalmom Posts: 267 Member
    Special K Crackers with Hummus or laughing cow cheese wedge
    Special K Cracker crisps
    Homemade smoothie (frozen berries, 1/2 c almond milk)
    Veggies with ranch
    PB & Apple
    Stila 100 calorie bars
    Baked tortilla chips and salsa
    ff/sf chocolate pudding w/ff whipped cream
    Applesauce
    any kind of fruit or make a fruit salad
    hard boiled egg and string cheese
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    If you are naturally a snacker, I would make sure to save calories for nighttime snacking too. Working with your pattern of eating will probably be easier than forcing yourself to change long term habits. Make sure you get good quality snacks that are filling and fit within your calorie goals.
  • TrailRunner61
    TrailRunner61 Posts: 2,505 Member
    Yikes! Those snacks definately add up! I have to limit sodium so it's even harder for me, especially since I love, love, love popcorn. I ended up with roasted edamame (it has salt and is high in calories but its good calories and I limit it to 1/8 or 1/4 cup, unsalted homemade trail mix (sunflower seeds, fruits, nuts) also high in calories but it's great for when you have exercise calories, i love the caramel corn and chocolate crunch rice cakes (50 cals), homemade smoothies made with fat free plain greek yogurt, skim milk and/or juice, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, etc., raw veggies, I cut up a whole head of cauliflower, 3 heads of broccoli and several carrots and bag them up for the week. It's a lot cheaper and I use them in cooking too. Frozen fruit bars are really good and about 70-80 calories. If you have Schwanns, they have fat free frozen raspberry, orange cream bars that are delicious, big and 70 cals. I love those. Plain greek yogurt with 15 cal per tablespoon jam & a bit of ground flax seed or toasted wheat germ or sunflower seeds added, 35 calorie bread as toast or if you like peanut butter & jelly, that works, just measure what you put on it.
    You don't have to eat just carrots and celery sticks. You can eat anything if you can control your portion size. If not, stick with all 'healthy' stuff and pick a day that you will treat yourself. I did that at first until I had my snacking under control. Now I know that with exercise and moderation, I am not on a diet. It does get easier! Good luck and <hugs>
  • codylawson
    codylawson Posts: 11 Member
    To be honest, I follow this simple rule. ITFYM. Meaning If it fits your macros, meaning protein carb and fats. I follow this with the simple rules of dont go over your calorie limit and you are fine. If I want a can of coke, I'll have it but ill pay the price later when I only have so much calories left and im hungry lol. It teaches me to be careful of what I put into my body without going overboard on the sweets.
  • KF1216
    KF1216 Posts: 175 Member
    I noticed you don't have any water logged... Are you not drinking any, or do you just not log it? Water HELPS. I used to be a horrible snacker. Now, I eat solid meals, and drink a lot of water, I aim for 10-12 cups a day. It's filling, and it totally gets your mind off of snacking.

    I just don't log water - I did for a while but always drink 12-16 glasses a day so I figured I was ok not to log it. I LOVE water:)
  • KF1216
    KF1216 Posts: 175 Member
    You can have your snacks, but try to have a good balance of protein, veggies & fruit, in that order:smile:
    And save the ice cream for a treat, like once or twice a month, instead of every day.


    Edit:
    I snack almost all day. I have a bit of something every hour or two. I also plan ahead so I have food with me when I'm out of the house.

    re: ice cream - all the local icecream shops have opened up so we've been taking the kids ...hopefully the noelty wears off soon bc I can't afford it! LOL! Plus the other night I bought a box of the WW dark choc raspberry ice creams and I just can't have that stuff in my house! I ate like 3 of them two nights in a row so I just threw away the rest of them last night. That's the problem with a lot of the snacking I do - it would be plenty healthy but I eat too much....like tortilla chips and salsa, it's SO hard not to eat half a bag. I love having a spoon of peanutbutter as a quick protein snack but I love peanutbutter so much that I end up having more than just a spoon and then I'm screwed.
  • FitLink
    FitLink Posts: 1,317 Member
    Yikes! I just looked back over the last couple weeks and have been averaging between 600-900 (sometimes 1200!) snack calories per day!!!! I need to get a grip on this and am planning to have a new rule called, 1 mornin snack and 1 afternoon snack, no snacks after dinner and all snacks must be fruit or veggie. Sound good? What are your go-to snacks and how many calories do you allow yourself each day?

    Are you within your goals for calories and nutrients? If you are, why would this be a problem? I don't call anything a "snack." I renamed the "meals" in MFP to times of the day, and I don't call anything a meal or snack. I eat my main meal at about 3:30 in the afternoon, and I eat everything else when I'm hungry. I often eat three or four times before noon, 100 cal or less each time, then I usually don't eat until my main meal. After that I eat several times in around100 cal amounts before I go to bed. At times, I practice IF and don't eat the morning stuff, eat a slightly bigger main meal and add in a couple more snacks in the evening. But I do not stress about WHEN I eat. I just watch that it fits my calorie and nutrition goals.
  • FitLink
    FitLink Posts: 1,317 Member
    I noticed you don't have any water logged... Are you not drinking any, or do you just not log it? Water HELPS. I used to be a horrible snacker. Now, I eat solid meals, and drink a lot of water, I aim for 10-12 cups a day. It's filling, and it totally gets your mind off of snacking.

    I just don't log water - I did for a while but always drink 12-16 glasses a day so I figured I was ok not to log it. I LOVE water:)

    I don't log water either because I always get more than enough. And I do not find it helps with hunger. If I'm truly hungry, liquids cause stomach pain for me. It could be my central pain syndrome, which confuses some kinesthetic sensations with nociceptive sensations.
  • MrsLVF
    MrsLVF Posts: 787 Member
    You can have your snacks, but try to have a good balance of protein, veggies & fruit, in that order:smile:
    And save the ice cream for a treat, like once or twice a month, instead of every day.


    Edit:
    I snack almost all day. I have a bit of something every hour or two. I also plan ahead so I have food with me when I'm out of the house.

    re: ice cream - all the local icecream shops have opened up so we've been taking the kids ...hopefully the noelty wears off soon bc I can't afford it! LOL! Plus the other night I bought a box of the WW dark choc raspberry ice creams and I just can't have that stuff in my house! I ate like 3 of them two nights in a row so I just threw away the rest of them last night. That's the problem with a lot of the snacking I do - it would be plenty healthy but I eat too much....like tortilla chips and salsa, it's SO hard not to eat half a bag. I love having a spoon of peanutbutter as a quick protein snack but I love peanutbutter so much that I end up having more than just a spoon and then I'm screwed.

    Getting the treats out of the house is a great start :smile
    Besides, if it's not good for you, it's not good for the kids. I tell the kids ice cream is a treat, not a snack. And we're stocked with healthy snacks. But once a month we go out for our ice cream treat.

    I have little tupperware containers that hold 2TBS I fill them up with peanut butter & have one with me for a quick snack with an apple :)
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  • valerietoxii
    valerietoxii Posts: 93 Member
    I did the same thing when I first started and I still do it occasionally. I love to snack between lunch and dinner. It's a huge struggle for me. Good luck with your goals; they are good ones!
  • FitLink
    FitLink Posts: 1,317 Member
    I did the same thing when I first started and I still do it occasionally. I love to snack between lunch and dinner. It's a huge struggle for me. Good luck with your goals; they are good ones!

    I don'r understand the struggle. What's wrong with eating when you're hungry?
  • KF1216
    KF1216 Posts: 175 Member
    I have been going over my calorie goal most every day for a couple weeks so I think cutting back on snacks can help with that.
    Yikes! I just looked back over the last couple weeks and have been averaging between 600-900 (sometimes 1200!) snack calories per day!!!! I need to get a grip on this and am planning to have a new rule called, 1 mornin snack and 1 afternoon snack, no snacks after dinner and all snacks must be fruit or veggie. Sound good? What are your go-to snacks and how many calories do you allow yourself each day?

    Are you within your goals for calories and nutrients? If you are, why would this be a problem? I don't call anything a "snack." I renamed the "meals" in MFP to times of the day, and I don't call anything a meal or snack. I eat my main meal at about 3:30 in the afternoon, and I eat everything else when I'm hungry. I often eat three or four times before noon, 100 cal or less each time, then I usually don't eat until my main meal. After that I eat several times in around100 cal amounts before I go to bed. At times, I practice IF and don't eat the morning stuff, eat a slightly bigger main meal and add in a couple more snacks in the evening. But I do not stress about WHEN I eat. I just watch that it fits my calorie and nutrition goals.
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