Hello everyone!

Frequent dieter, first time poster! I've finally gotten serious about losing weight, and am 1lb away from losing my first 20lbs, but, now that I've gotten serious, I want a way to connect to people going through the same thing. I'm so glad I found this site! Everyone seems so supportive and helpful, I think it's just what I'm looking for.

But on to my question. My biggest problem is snacking and sneak-eating (you know, eating when other people aren't around so you feel less guilty about it ). Does anybody have any tips for avoiding snack attacks? I'm sorry if this has already been posted elsewhere, I'm still trying to find my way around!

Thanks!

Hi foxxy - and welcome to 3FC?

As for the snacking, do you allow yourself snacks during the day? If not, start adding them in. Make sure they are a good mix of protein, carbs and fats - such at cheese with whole grain crackers, string cheese and fruit, yogurt and nuts, etc. This will help take the hunger edge off.

And also - try eating mints or chewing gum, the minty flavor will make you less likely to want to eat something.

You need to find the root to the snacking. Is it emotional, are you really hungry, bored, tired?

I have a hard time with snacking as well (why is it that it's easier if no one sees me eat it?)- but it really helps that I have VERY limited choices. Get the junk food out of the house if at all possible.

And

Welcome! Im not a really big snacker(except after my workout), but there are times when i get hungry in the middle of the day and for that reason i have a bunch of fruit bars. Actually, they really aren't bars they remind me more of fruit roll ups except they are organic and are so yummy and only have like 60-80 calories or so. I eat it slowly with a ton of water to pass my hunger. I get them from whole foods and i think they are worth a serving of fruit as well.

I also keep healthy snacks around...I too am a big believer that if no one sees the calories they don't exist! (That is a dangerous mindset, since those invisible calories have turned out to be a 100 pounds worth of fat.)

I do two other things...one is that I only eat in one place in my house, at the kitchen table. (Okay, I also eat at the dining room table when we have company.) That way I am less "triggered" to eat when I am in front of the tv or other places.

I also do things to keep my hands busy, handwork, crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, especially when I am watching tv. That makes it less likely for me that those empty hands will find their way to the mouth!

Hi and Welcome!

I like to plan for snacks during the day - healthy ones help me stay on track.

When the urge to snack is overwhelming and you've all ready had your planned snack....try doing some deep breathing. Take several long and deep breaths..it can really help with the stress of the moment.

Hi Foxxy!
Welcome & congrats on the 19 lb loss. That's amazing.
I too used to do the "sneak-eating" thing. I know that it was a learned behaviour for me. My mother used to eat bags of candies in her car and hide
the empty bags under the seat. Every once in a while I would clean her car for her for some extra money and would find the various candy bar wrappers,
empty jujube bags, empty chip bags etc.... all stored away under the drivers seat. I can remember thinking that I would never be like that.
I swore that I would never hide food and I would never be overweight. Well, fast forward a few years and here I am with the same emotional eating problems and the same weight issues. I remember the day that I realized that I was doing the same thing. Eating candies in the car and hiding the empty bag. I couldn't believe what I was doing. I grabbed the empty bag. Ran into my house and declared to my roommates "I ate this whole bag of candy all by myself on the way home from work - I have a problem" They didn't really say much and a few of them said that they do that sort of thing all the time but the lesson I learned is that I don't have to hide my eating. I believe that secrets keep us sick and stuck in mindset that we are less than and that we are disgusting and have no control. You'll get to a point where you won't be as hungry. But don't hide what you eat. All it does is make you feel worse about yourself and we all know that being overweight makes us feel bad enough as it is. Be proud of yourself for what you have accomplished. Try eating healthy snacks that you have worked into your plan. Do the deep breathing that someone else in the tread mentioned, but please do yourself a favour and don't try and hide your food. Your not fooling anyone and your doing a disservice to yourself. When you eat a snack that is off plan say "oh well" and get right back on your plan. It's a process and over time the more you can forgive yourself the more you'll gain self esteem and self respect and the less you'll feel the need to have those off plan snacks.
That's my two cents anyway! Stick with it & best of luck.
Tammy

I like to snack too but I did get rid of all the junk food when I first started so I wouldn't be tempted to eat something unhealthy. I now snack on healthy stuff within my point range.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

I think I need to find a hobby to keep my hands busy because most of my snacking happens when I'm bored...maybe I'll take up cross-stitching again.