Afternoon snacking

[AmandaVT]

Good morning hive!!

 

Hoping I can get some advice in helping to curb my afternoon munchies. 

 

I need to lose weight. I have about 40 lbs to lose. (ugh) 

 

I have successfully curbed my after dinner snacking habit. I have one small square of dark chocolate after I clean up the dinner dishes and then go brush my teeth. Clean kitchen and brushed teeth now signal to me that the kitchen is closed for the night. 

 

My other "problem time" is mid to late afternoon. It sounds silly, but clean teeth and kitchen haven't helped because I know that the kitchen isn't actually closed since dinner has yet to be served. 

 

Does anyone have a good strategy to either curb hunger mid afternoon or keep yourself from snacking then? I am always working during those hours and we have a very small house, so I have to be right next to the kitchen. Gum isn't cutting it. 

 

I cannot lose weight if I don't keep my calories under 1400, so I really can't be adding many calories that time of day. 

 

Thanks!!

[regentrude]

Have you tried having the largest meal of the day at midday? A real, substantial, warm, dinner type, meal at lunch time will keep you full until a light dinner.

[kiana]

What kinds of foods do you tend to snack on? When I was trying to break my snacking habit I had to actually eliminate (for a while) any sort of prepared foods that would make a convenient snack so that I had to actually stop and cook to get food. I found it was easier not to snack on leftovers if they were packaged and labeled "Tuesday supper" or things like that so that I knew I was shorting supper instead of just disposing of food that's otherwise going to waste.

[bolt.]

Could you try "two half lunches"?

[Cosmos]

Why do you snack then? Is it because you are actually hungry or because you want a break/indulgence? If you are hungry and it is several hours until dinner, then you should probably eat something. A piece of fruit is a healthful snack and will probably fill you up until dinner. If it's because it's a habit or you just want a break from your work, then choose an alternative that satisfies that for you. Maybe fix yourself a lovely cup of tea in a pretty cup and spend ten minutes recharging.

[Laura Corin]

I snack after lunch, but I only snack on raw veggies.  I see this as a good thing to up my veggies and they don't add much energy.  I like carrots and snap peas - the crunch is satisfying.

[AmandaVT]

I don't know how to multi-quote, so I'll answer best I can! 

 

regentrude: that's a thought. I typically try to eat small at lunch and dinner in the summer is generally a big salad. But, big salad at lunch could work too. 

 

kiana: it depends. It can be anything from apple slices and a handful of raw almonds to less healthy options like leftover pancakes or cookies. Sometimes, I'll have "just a bite" of something to take the edge off, which leads to more bites and I know that those little bites add up. 

 

bolt: I could try that. I make overnight oats for breakfast sometimes and I was also thinking that I could eat those in the afternoon. At least, it would be fewer calories and a healthier choice. 

[kiana]

Yeah, and since you start off intending to have nothing and have just a bite and just a bite and just a bite, it would probably help to actually measure out your snack and say "that's my snack" and it would probably add up to less in the long run. 

[zoobie]

If you're consistently hungry then, you need to plan it into your day. I have a serving of macadamia nuts and iced coffee at 3.

[HTRMom]

Start an afternoon tea habit? You could have tea and one or two saltine crackers.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Greta]

I stopped snacking between meals when I read The Obesity Code.  I would keep a special beverage on hand that I would only drink during that time that my body wanted its usual snack.  Something unsweetened and zero calories, but still something special that I didn't drink at other times:  my favorite flavor of La Croix, or a fancy tea from a local tea shop, something like that.  Sometimes, hydration itself stops hunger.  Plus the psychological factor of it being a "treat" really helped.  I got used to it, and I don't have mid-afternoon cravings anymore, unless I didn't eat enough at lunch.

[gardenmom5]

Have protein.

[J-rap]

I'm a snacker, but I kind of do what Bolt said.  I have a very small lunch around 11:30 (when I'm hungry but not starving) and then an afternoon snack, which for some reason I have always loved.  I just make sure that together, it's generally like a healthy, well-rounded meal.  

[J-rap]

If you're consistently hungry then, you need to plan it into your day. I have a serving of macadamia nuts and iced coffee at 3.

 

That sounds so good!

[Carol in Cal.]

I approach this a little differently.  I find that no matter when I start eating, early or late, I'm hungry off and on for the rest of the day.  So I try to start fairly late.  I really question feelings of hunger in the morning--am I really hungry?  Or just thirsty?  Or just wanting to relax (which I can do without eating)?  This way once I start eating it is usually after noon, and then it's easier to eat only twice and still not feel deprived.

 

I do have coffee with milk and sugar first thing in the morning.  But other than that, I mostly don't eat until the afternoon.

[matrips]

When my kids were little, one of their 'snacks' was the veggie I planned to serve at dinner. They were hungry then and ate lots of the veggie. it worked out well.

I drink a cup of tea every afternoon.

[Lady Florida.]

If you're consistently hungry then, you need to plan it into your day. I have a serving of macadamia nuts and iced coffee at 3.

 

I agree. If you're actually hungry, build it in to your diet plan instead of trying to fight it (save the fight for sweets and junk food). Plan a small healthy snack that includes protein so you can stave off hunger until dinner. 

 

Keep some cut up vegetables in the fridge. Keep nuts on hand. Other ideas are trail mix, hard boiled eggs, peanut butter and apples or bananas. If you want something sweet mix a very small amount of jam in some plain Greek yogurt (add a bit of granola if you like).

 

I sometimes make a bean or other legume salad that lasts about a week. I include some veggies and a light dressing (lemon juice or vinegar based), and have a small dish when I get hungry. Often for me the difference between eating a healthy snack and an unhealthy one is time. If the healthy snack is already prepared I'll choose it. If it's easier to grab something less healthy that's what I go for. So, by making healthy snacks ahead of time I eliminate that problem.

 

I know you said you want to cut afternoon snacking but sometimes trying too hard to fight the munchies can backfire. Try to plan healthy, low (or lower) calorie, easy snacks into your day.

Edited May 18, 2017 by Lady Florida.

[OneStepAtATime]

If you are genuinely hungry you may not be getting enough of the right nutrients.  It isn't just calories.  Your body needs nutrients.  Eating a really small, very light lunch means your body may not have enough to function on until dinner.  A good balance of foods to keep your brain and body functioning throughout the day may work better.  I agree with others, to keep from over snacking you might measure out portions ahead of time and have them immediately available.  I started doing that and it really helped.  Have you consulted with your doctor on a health diet plan for the long term?  That might help, too.

 

You might consider looking into something like MyFitnessPal.  DH started using it and then I did.  It has been a HUGE help.  I can track my food intake very easily and can see where I am missing important nutrients and where I am ingesting too much of something (including sodium and sugar).  I can have a snack in the afternoon by just looking at what I have already eaten, what nutrients still need filling, how many calories I have left to go and just schedule in a snack that meets my needs. Nearly everything these days has a bar code, including fresh produce from a store, so I usually just need to scan the barcode of a food and adjust the amount to whatever I actually ate.  It is very quick and easy to do.  Once a food is scanned in I never have to scan it again, I just select it from the list.  It also tracks my exercise and my sleep, including deep and light sleep.  It does require a smart phone and you have to wear the watch but if those would not be an issue this might help you.

[solascriptura]

I've tried to curb mine but it hasn't worked. I've just learned to include it in my calorie count for the day. Less guilt and it keeps me on track.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

If you are otherwise happy with your eating plan, some ideas already mentioned are good:

- a hot beverage

- budgeting snack calories into the day

- a larger lunch with protein and fat

 

If you're up for thinking outside the box:

- keto (you'll have more satisfaction on less calories, so won't feel hungry all the time)

- intermittent fasting (if you are not naturally hungry in the AM, you can push your calorie "window" to later in the day, allowing more food during those hours where you are actually hungry.  This works great for people who do not naturally desire breakfast, but can work for others as well.)

[HSmomof2]

I have a snacking problem. Especially in the afternoon. If I eat one snack, it turns into 5-6 snacks. For me, I cannot snack and lose weight. What I do in the afternoon is have a plain latte. It satisfies me enough to get to dinner without going on a snack binge. We have a coffee shop I walk to in the afternoon, and I've decided $3/day for a coffee is reasonable enough if it helps me lose. I've lost 27 lbs basically just by not snacking.

[SparklyUnicorn]

I snack on raw veg if I feel like snacking.  Drinking water, coffee, or tea helps too.