Night time is my danger zone too. What I did before and what I just started doing again is just going to bed. If I can relax and close my eyes I will fall asleep and that keeps me from eating. It isn't helping me catch up on the shows I have DVR'd but I need to get back to where I was so I can feel like I am moving forward again. You can do it!
I find that the perfect snack for me at night after dinner when watching tv is the lowfat string cheese sticks. They are only 60 cals and VERY filling. I have 2 and it holds me till breakfast. You can also eat them slowly!!
Yes, sometimes we do eat dinner early, sometimes late. Just depends on what kids functions are happening...usually soccer and practices. I guess its just hard to find the middle road here. I am going to put snacks in my bag for sure. Ive always wanted to do crockpot dinners, that way, after soccer we dont hit the drive through (one of my weaknesses after practice)
And yes, NO MORE unhealthy food in our house!! Our lives depend on healthy food now
Crockpot dinners can be a lifesaver. www.allrecipes.com has some fantastic, quick recipes. One of my favorites is 4 chicken breasts, 1-2c light sour cream and a jar of salsa. Set on low for 6 hours (8 hours if the chicken is frozen) and serve over brown rice. Seriously yummy and takes about 5 minutes of prep.
Just a thought - you say you read in bed after the kids go to bed. Well, unless you have a fridge next to the bed, that means you have to actually take the food to bed with you, right? JUST DON'T DO THAT! go to bed without taking anything with you. It might just be more bother than it's worth to get out of bed to get a snack, and that might help break this particular habit.
And, as everyone else said, budget for lo-cal snacks and stick to it.
I don't think it's mistakes and slip-ups that work against weight loss, it's the "I've blown it so I'll keep eating and start fresh tomorrow" mentality.
Instead, I think the difficulty lies in doing it differently than the ineffective way we were all taught - learning to pick yourself up after the first mistake, and not letting it become a dozen mistakes before the next morning or the next "start fresh" moment.
The "start fresh" mentality is so ingrained, that everyone who has ever dieted knows that if you Blow It on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday, you get to binge the rest of the day and should start fresh the next morning, but if you Blow It after noon on Wednedday you get to binge all weekend and start fresh on Monday Morning.
And if you Blow It in October, then you get to keep eating without control until January 1.
We end up on and endless Diet/Blow It/Binge/Start Fresh rollercoaster.
I've failed off more than 90 lbs. I don't know if a day has gone by that I haven't made a mistake that in the past would have given me permission to binge for the rest of the day (or longer) because "I blew it."
You only "blow it" when you decide you have and give yourself permission to keep eating until your next start fresh opportunity. That opportunity is available 24/7. There is no "starting fresh," there's just "moving on," and moving on means treating weight loss like mountain climbing, by not deciding that a small stumble warrants jumping off the nearest cliff so that you can start fresh.
TXMary2- I should just go to sleep, but usually when the kids finally go to sleep or atleast settle down, Im still wired. Oh, and I finally caught up on all my DVR'd shows hehe
pointspluspioneer- ohh I love string cheese! The problem is, so does my son and he tends to eat them all...Hopefully with us writing down everything we are eating, we will all be aware of what/how much we eat and it will become easier.
Gale02- That chicken meal sounds SOOOO good! Ill have to check out that site. I need help in the cooking department, as I despise cooking hehe
linJber-Your right, its a pain having to get up and get a snack. Im going to make a rule: No food in our bedroom...we already only eat at the kitchen table
kaplods- Your absolutly right about Starting fresh! Luckily , (for me) I dont think that way. I used to a LONG time ago and it got me nowhere and its just an excuse to pig out.
kaplods - I just love your posts! For some reason, the way you word your common sense advice mixed with humor really resonates and "hits home" with me. Thanks!
Brush your teeth early!!!!! I find that has been helping me! Good luck from one late night snacker trying to break the habit to another! You can do it!
Brush your teeth early!!!!! I find that has been helping me! Good luck from one late night snacker trying to break the habit to another! You can do it!
Never thought of this one!! Thanks!
Good luck to you too!! This isnt a easy journey, thats for sure!
I was also going to suggest brushing your teeth early! That always works for me.. Food just doesn't taste the same and I don't like to mess up my fresh mouth lol..
I used to have this problem... BAD. I've been working on changing my meal times and it's really helped. I eat a latter breakfast and eat most of my calories mid-day. Then at night I'm barely hungry anymore and I'm not tempted at all to eat mindlessly because I'm already full.
I ration myself to a small treat/snack at bedtime. I LOVE chocolate and I used to take far too much for reading treats after bed time. Last night I had 2 squares of dark chocolate, and at least I can think I have had a treat? Don't get that poor me on a diet feeling? That feeling leads me to eat an entire block of chocolate...
Everyone is different, and I love that people on here are so real about things.
I tend to eat all my calories at night. I can say no to almost anything before about 6:00, then I feel like I can't say no to anything.
So, I just say no to everything. I just don't eat after 7:00 p.m. I don't necessarily subscribe to the "You can't burn it if you eat it right before bed" philosophy. I just know that I don't need calories at that point, and - for me, at least - two sticks of string cheese opens the floodgates. If I work out after 7:00 p.m. (which is actually pretty common), I will drink protein water after in the hope that it will help me maximize my work-out, and that actually hasn't been a problem.
Having said that, I find that I am STARVING in the morning. But in the morning, I like crisp, clean food to fuel my day, so I end up wanting fruit and whole grains and veggies. At night, those things just don't appeal to me as much. It 's the heavy foods and the candy that I really want.
And that's my strategy. And it's worked for me before, and is working now. But if it stops working, I can proudly count myself beside Kaplods as one who is failing her way to additional health and strength. (And the brushing my teeth early thing makes it easier for me to stick to the rule.)
It IS hard and something different works for everyone. Tonight I had the munchies so I have a 100cal snack pack (salty choc. covered pretzels). Sometimes it's something healthier like an orange. If I had junk in the house, I'd eat it. Period. I'm weak.
For me, I still like to eat the foods I used, just less of it. If that's you (and you're calorie counting) then make baggies (all counted out) of your favorite little snack (10 m&ms maybe, etc). Carrots are good too! I eat mine with dressing, but I measure it out!
Don't know why it's hard, but it is. Find a way to make it work. Hugs!
