Snacking

[Night Elf]

Argh! I've turned into a major snacker. I seem to eat all day long. A little here, a little there, but it adds up. My first problem is that I don't eat breakfast. I'm simply not hungry before noon. Then I decide I don't want a big lunch. An hour after that, I want to eat something. And that's when it starts. I seem to want to eat every two hours from noon until 10:00pm. Isn't it protein that is supposed to satisfy you? I eat too many carbs. I lost weight with Weight Watchers and maintain the loss, but lately I've really had a problem with wanting to eat too much. It's rather annoying to be honest. I don't like being hyperfocused on food. When I eat something, I'm already thinking ahead to what I can eat next.

[srs]

Is it emotional? Your last sentence reminds me of what I do when I get stressed dealing with my DD's medical needs. I'm not really hungry, I just want to feel better.

[Slartibartfast]

Even if you don't want a big lunch you need to get some sort of protien in you or you'll be hungry.

 

I like eating a hard boiled egg or two if I don't feel like a big meal but need something in my stomach.

[Annie G]

You might be better off having a set schedule for meals and snacks.  I used to kind of 'cluster eat' in the afternoons when the kids were little. I was so busy homeschooling and running after kids that I didn't stop to eat until 1 PM and then I just wanted to snack all afternoon. 

 

I had to work hard to change my eating habits, and it turns out I was able to teach this old dog a new trick. I eat three meals a day, sometimes really small ones, though. If i'm not hungry at meal time, I eat only a little bit. I've found that skipping meals wasn't helping me but eating just a little would keep me from snacking until the next meal. 

 

Dh and I have a small protein snack when he gets home from work at 4 PM and then we have dinner at 6.  But we both had to work hard to kick the carb habit. When we were snacking on carby stuff, we just wanted more and more...it was like an addiction! And I recall it being like you said- thinking about what snack was going to be next. 

 

It's a hard habit to change, and it took us about 6 weeks to really kick it. 

[Night Elf]

Maybe I should try the idea of having a time to eat. I usually eat a ight dinner because we eat at 5:30pm and no matter how much I eat then, I'm hungry again at 7:30 - 8:00pm. Like tonight we had Subway. I ate half the sandwich at 5:30 and will save the other half for 7:30pm. Then I think I'll plan a snack at 9:30pm. I can make it a protein snack. I'll try this tonight and see how I do.

 

And I do log every bite because I am on Weight Watchers. It's second nature now. I may eat little bites of things all day, but I write them all down. My weight has increased a little over the past couple of weeks because I'm eating more than I used to. There isn't anything particularly stressful going on, at least nothing more than usual. It could be boredom though.

[redsquirrel]

Try making a pot of tea as well.  My snacking has been cut down considerably when I have a pot of tea around. Or if you prefer coffee (I drink both) have that or decaf or whatever works for you. Just make it low to no calorie. I do use a tad of xylitol and a bit of milk in my tea but I don't drink if if I can't do that and that is better than snacking.

 

And try to be realistic in your meal times. I noticed that my meal planning always, always fell apart when I was making dinner. I was simply too hungry around 4:30-5:30 to be in the kitchen without eating. I would snack and snack and use up all my dinner calories.  :glare:  So, I put a meal there. Now, I have a planned small meal before I make dinner. It is often something like half a can of tuna on romaine lettuce leaves or a .5 cup of greek yogurt and .5 cup of fiber one cereal and a cup of green tea or some seitan with hummus, baked tofu with some steamed kale etc. I go for protein and fiber and try to keep it to 150 calories or fewer. I can eat it while I prep dinner for the kids.

 

My breakfast is usually before noon but is late morning and then I eat a late but filling lunch. I might have 6 oz steamed broccoli and .5 cup of black beans and some salsa, or 4 egg whites and some spinach etc.. Then I have that early evening meal and often a green smoothie with whey protein later at night for dinner.

[Tammyla]

If you drink milk, a glass in the morning can be an easy way to get a little breakfast in and jumpstart your metabolism.