anyone got tips to stop grazing??!!

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purple_k
purple_k Posts: 16
in Health and Weight Loss
as the title suggests really...my main downfall is my snacking. It's not necessarily on unhealthy/sugary/salty stuff, often fruits and nuts but just grazing all day often adds up to 100s of calories..eeek. Anyone the same/ any tips!?

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  • missikay1970
    missikay1970 Posts: 588 Member
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    just stop! LOL for me, it was a matter of reading, watching t.v., going on a walk, taking a shower, or doing something else. i was also put on a very strict eating routine by my dr (eating every 3 hours) so that has helped, b/c i know if i can wait just a bit, i can eat a small meal. if i want to snack, i drink a glass of water and wait until my next meal-time. (6:30, 9:30, 12:30, 3:30, 6:30 and 9:30)
  • stfuriada
    stfuriada Posts: 445 Member
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    just stop!

    This.

    Or, drink water instead. Chew gum.
  • blkanmld
    blkanmld Posts: 18 Member
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    Grazing isnt bad as long as you included it in your meal plan..PLAN AHEAD!! prepackage your grazing meals so you can control what you eat!! I know its alot of work but it pays out in the end!!!
  • grrrlface
    grrrlface Posts: 1,204 Member
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    If I start going mad on snacking I drink a glass of water and go sit in another room. If the craving is still there after 10 minutes I choose a low calorie snack then find something to distract me like reading/tv or go for a walk away from the kitchen!! :P

    I get cravings bad after I've had a busy day and come home and just want to eat EVERYTHING. lol
    It is hard to curb it once you start so I understand!
  • Georgiamolliexx
    Georgiamolliexx Posts: 27 Member
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    Have like fruit or veg chopped and ready in the fridge so it's easy to snack on them then other foods because a lot of snacking is due to ease and it being quick.
    Also stop buyin it then the temptation is gone.
    Also I'm gonna start making a bottle of fruit smoothie in the morning and keep in the fridge so. Can drink that as its surprisingly filling :-)

    I have very bad will power too but I have stopped buying snacks and now starting to ea and crave fruit and drink instead :-)

    Hope this helps a little and good luck :-)
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    Intermittent Fasting (IF). There's a group here. I do a mild version in which I fast for about 14 hours.

    After dinner, I drink nothing but water (although I could have unsweetened beverages.) In the morning, I drink nothing but coffee with a little bit of skim milk until 12 to 1. In the afternoon through dinner I consume my usual range of calories.

    I do it several times a week. I find that the more I'm exposed to food the greater the chance of my making bad choices, or grazing when I shouldn't. With IF, you're simply not in "eating mode" for long stretches.
  • Ekoria
    Ekoria Posts: 262 Member
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    Hm I understand where people are coming from saying "just stop" but it isn't all that easy in my opinion.

    I can completely sympathise,I find in my line of work (sat on my bum all day in a office with people eating their lunches around me) the temptation to just "have a nibble" is very hard to shake.

    What I find helps it is pre-plan my snacking, I log every thing I intend to eat during the day at work and try to stick to it. I don't know if this will help you but I find it works for me.

    Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • rebeccadoudak
    rebeccadoudak Posts: 42
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    Don't stop grazing. Prepare your snacks ahead of time so you control your calories and graze on them throughout the day. Thats what i do :)
  • julieh391
    julieh391 Posts: 683 Member
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    You can eat every hour as long as you plan ahead and know how it will all add up. Fruits, veggies, popcorn, small amounts of nuts or trail mix, rice cakes, etc can all be eaten frequently without feeling guilty. Just log before you eat. And if you're like me and graze while you're cooking, chew gum or brush your teeth right before.
  • scagneti
    scagneti Posts: 707 Member
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    Intermittent Fasting (IF). There's a group here. I do a mild version in which I fast for about 14 hours.

    After dinner, I drink nothing but water (although I could have unsweetened beverages.) In the morning, I drink nothing but coffee with a little bit of skim milk until 12 to 1. In the afternoon through dinner I consume my usual range of calories.

    I do it several times a week. I find that the more I'm exposed to food the greater the chance of my making bad choices, or grazing when I shouldn't. With IF, you're simply not in "eating mode" for long stretches.

    This is what I do and have done 24 hour fasts (only water). It's taught me what actual hunger is and what mindless boredom eating is. Great for discipline and for making smart food choices.

    I'm sure people look at me weird when I say that it's not during my "eating window" but it also gives me a great excuse for why I don't consume any of the sweets laying around our office.
  • iamkenman
    iamkenman Posts: 1
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    I snacked on pickles and celery. Often with hotsauce. Gum also works really well. I work in office environment and with all the birthday cakes and bagels, pickles really saved the day. They are also really large for the calories so this fills your stomach up until it shrinks down from the lower number of calories.
  • purple_k
    purple_k Posts: 16
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    Thanks everyone, really helpful advice.

    Especially about pre-preparing my snacks and logging them into diary BEFORE eating them..cos that's the problem at the moment, I plan my breakfast, lunch and dinner but not snacks...so I end up not compensating for the unforeseen extra calories consumed in snacks throughout the day by cutting the calories in my meals as they are already planned in my head. Thoroughly preparing and planning seems the key! :)

    And about Intermittent Fasting...sounds v interesting and definitely worth a read, only on a quick work break atm but tonight I'm gonna try and read more about that. Thanks for all your replies
  • HotAshMess
    HotAshMess Posts: 382 Member
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    Consider what you're snacking on....make improvements there if need be (MORE veggies, if you're using veggie dip switch to the light version, ect). I snack on pickles....something about the pucker factor makes them extra satisfying. The most I've eaten is 8 (at 10 calories apiece, it really isn't that bad) and I had them for lunch that day. I might also try to have a bean burrito, or a pb sandwich in the afternoon (for carbs and protein) to get your through the rest of your day. I would start by evaluating WHAT you're eating because if those snacks aren't filling you or making you more hungry then they are defeating the purpose.

    Then I would look at planning your snacks. Some people just prefer to graze...and you might need to do that. Planning your snacks (what and when) is great for multiple reasons...if you get hungry before you anticipate, you have something ahead of time that your factored into your day. And packing your own snacks is better from a cost perspective and calorie perspective because you wont be turning into the vending machine monster eating anything that looks goo (which is what I do...I need a snack nearby or I lose it and end up with some vending machine crap). I also keep snacks in my lunch, like 90 calorie bars and 100 calorie packs. It seems to help.
  • bethanyka
    bethanyka Posts: 159 Member
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    Agreed- I have the same problem from time to time. Some days I have no urges and some days I eat this and that and continue. I copied this list from somewhere , some of the ideas are silly, but some are ok --- I usually take a walk, chew gum, read, do something for me, i.e. hair, pedicure, etc , make a list of healthy foods, ... either way sometimes I just read the list and say to myself, just stop eating !

    30 Things You Can Do Instead of Eating

    [ ] Call or e-mail a supportive friend.
    [ ] Go to the gym or for a jog.
    [ ] Read our Diet and Weight Loss Tips.
    [ ] Enjoy a long bath or shower.
    [ ] Chew some sugarless gum or brush your teeth.
    [ ] Put a puzzle together.
    [ ] Play a game with your spouse, children or pet.
    [ ] Tackle a household chore.
    [ ] Go for a walk.
    [ ] Do something you enjoy like knitting to keeps your hands busy.
    [ ] Experiment with putting your makeup on in a different way.
    [ ] Make a grocery list of healthy foods for the coming week.
    [ ] Walk out of the kitchen and give yourself a pat on the back.
    [ ] Reorganize a closet or junk drawer.
    [ ] Work in your garden, or start an herb garden in your kitchen.
    [ ] Do the laundry.
    [ ] Write in your diary about what you are feeling.
    [ ] Turn on some music and dance.
    [ ] Post in our Diet and Weight Loss Forums.
    [ ] Read a good book or magazine.
    [ ] Take a 15-minute nap.
    [ ] Drink a glass of water or other non-caloric beverage.
    [ ] Work out with an exercise video.
    [ ] Study a foreign language from sources you Google on the web.
    [ ] Apply a facial mask.
    [ ] Do a crossword or Sudoku puzzle.
    [ ] Read a Diet and Weight Loss Tutorial topic.
    [ ] Go on-line to find inspirational quotes to keep you motivated.
    [ ] Find a saying to repeat when you feel like eating.
    [ ] Make a chart and give yourself a star for not eating.
  • nichalsont
    nichalsont Posts: 421 Member
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    Isn't eating smaller meals more often supposed to be good for the metabolism?

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