So I keep a journal to track my food and all of my frustrations and victories. Lately I have had the same frustration almost every day. I do absolutely amazing during breakfast and lunch, both food and activity wise, but the moment I come home everything falls apart . I can't seem to get a good pattern that I want to stick to. What is my malfunction? I was doing great up until about a week ago and ever since then have been having this problem with the last part of my day. Track started this week (I coach the varsity girls team) which I realize is probably playing some part in it. I don't get home until after 6, which is much later then I am used to. I've tried eating a snack (banana or a Fat free yogurt) right before practice as I thought I might just be so hungry by dinner that it might be throwing off my ability to control myself, but that hasn't worked either. Does anyone else have parts to their day that either are potentially disastrous or completely make you feel like all the success you had with the rest of your day was worthless? How the heck do I pull myself out of this slump?

Gosh! I can sure relate to going off the rails in the evening. Well, one suggestion I could make is that you have something with protein as your snack before practice. A banana or a fat-free yogurt don't sound to me as though they have enough staying power to keep you going. You're probably starved when you hit home.

So--take a half a peanut butter sandwich--only peanuts in the peanut butter, no sugar filler--or, try a REAL protein bar (not some bar that's mostly carbohydrates)--or one of those tuna medley packages from Bumble Bee--comes with tuna and some crackers. Or, 2% cottage cheese, at least 1/3 cup, maybe more, and some carrot sticks. Or Laughing Cow (BabyBel) cheese wedges with an apple.

You may find this makes a difference, so that you can eat your supper and then resist the snacks better.

I hope so!
Jay

Along with what Jay said, if it's possible you might want to have dinner practically ready to heat when you walk in the door. You might not be as tempted by other foods/snacks if you get dinner heated up & ready to eat almost immediately.

That being said, I think it's simply fabulous that you've been keeping track and that you're trying to rectify the situation! Keep working at it. You'll find a way to manage this, too!

Ditto the idea of a more protein rich snack before the team practice. A banana or yogurt isn't enough to tide me over between lunch and dinner, if I go to the gym after work. Seems to me like coaching track would be a similar situation.

I make sure I eat some cheese, cottage cheese, a protein bar, almonds, something with lots of protein about an hour before I hit the gym. It helps immensely with the afternoon/evening cravings.

.

Hi Kim - I can so relate to this.

Evenings were my worst time. The first month of my diet, which I started on Jan 1, I had a really hard time with evening bingeing. I was good all day, but let myself go at night, picking at junk. So, what I do now is only eat one portion of meat and two portions of an accompanying veg. For instance, cold chicken breast and a small salad. Or a piece of fish and some broccoli and carrots. It's enough to take away the overwhelming desire to binge on whatever junk I can get my hands on.

This is a really hard and fast rule I now stick by, even if we go out to eat. This allows me to have a little treat in the day, when for some reason my willpower is stronger and I don't have the urge to start bingeing.

A sample of my eating routine: morning, big bowl of fresh fruit salad. Lunch, chicken breast, lettuce & tomato on wholemeal bread, piece of fruit. Afternoon snack small bar of chocolate or a yogurt or piece of cheese. Supper, portion of meat and two veg.

I'm really pleased with my progress so far. But the weight only goes down if I stick to the meat/veg supper.

PS. I must say, FRESH FISH has been great for my diet. I try to eat at least 3 portions every week. It helps we have a shop nearby that sells great fresh fish, though. Fish is very filling and only a med size cod or salmon fillet leaves me feeling full.

ditto on the protein packed snack before practice. My favorite is one slice of whole wheat added fiber bread (70 cal) + reduced fat peanut butter (protein )

How about this, switch your dinner to breakfast or lunch? At least one of the days? Eat lunch later to stop that feeling of starvation. Eat dinner excessively slow. One bite, get up go to another room and come back -- take about 1/2 hour. Brush the teeth? Finally I find going into the bedroom, getting changed into PJ's and getting into bed early really works. I think something in my brain just shuts off when I get into bed. I watch TV, but I turn the lights off, and any desire for food does seem to die.

I don't know if this helps you, but I usually bring lots of food with me to work. I mean lots in terms how many times a day I eat. I could never survive with having just breakfast at home, lunch at noon and then nothing until I get home at 5:30. I am sure I would be attacking the vending machine (that contains absolutely nothing healthy) and the pop machine to keep me going.

I eat my main lunch at around 4 pm, especially on my treadmill days (currently, that is every other day). I want to be able to get on the treadmill after I get home, pee and feed the dogs, without having to eat. I cannot eat right before exercising and if I eat a substantial meal at 4 or so, it allows me to get on the treadmill by 6 pm and keep going for an hour. Then I have another meal when I am done.

oh I definitely keep a stash of healthy foods in my office.

Everything from the 5.5 oz cans of V-8 to protein bars to apples to sunflower seeds and almonds ... even packs of instant (non-flavored) oatmeal.

I know that I"ll be tempted to snack in the office and so need to keep things around that will defuse my desire to go buy a snickers bar and shove the whole thing in my mouth!

.

My difficult times are the long afternoon hours between lunch and dinner (I eat lunch at noon but don't eat dinner until 8 PM or later--I'm up until midnight or 1 AM) and then the period after dinner.

My solutions are to eat a smaller lunch and a smalled dinner (about 250 calories for lunch and 350 calories for dinner). This allows me to have two to three substantial snacks during the afternoon and one dessert type snack after dinner. I know I'm going to want to eat during these periods, so I don't fight it; instead I plan it into my calories for the day. I also really try to eat snacks that are high in protein and/or high in volume.

Some other tricks I use to keep from eating are chewing sugar free gum or sucking on sugar free hard candy. Anything that keeps my mouth busy and doesn't involve a lot of calories. Also, drinking beverages. With every meal AND snack, I require myself to drink 12 oz of some sort of calorie-free fluid (water with lemon, hot tea, iced tea, crystal light, etc.).