[Leap]

I am so picky. I can't decide if it's just excuses, but if I really don't enjoy something, aren't I just setting up to find a way around it? When I need something to do with my hands while I'm working, I reach for candy. It's small, abundant, and delicious. I'm looking to replace that.

I don't really like crunchy, so even healthy chips I tend to shy away from.
Fruit makes me hungrier, it does not satisfy me at all.
I hate hate cold vegetables, plus, with the crunchy.
I forget to prepare. I try, I really do. I put reminders everywhere and it works for a couple days, and then I find myself in a bind again and looking at the vending mackine.
I hate to cook, and cooked food is banned from the desks anyway so it doesn't smell like a restaurant.

There has to be things out there that I don't know about. Have I excuse-d myself in to an impossible corner?

[Tai]

Without fruits and veggies it's going to be more of a challenge. I would suggest either chewing sugar free gum or munching on a 100 calorie pack of popcorn. Since you can't cook anything at work, you'd have to prepare the popcorn at home and just eat it cold; but it's still good that way.

Also, maybe some different flavored hot teas or flavored no calorie water.

Good luck!

[peccavi]

If you can find it and like it -- roasted edamame. Kinda like eating nuts except much lower in fat so you can actually snack on them.

[Leap]

Tai - I had ruled out popcorn before, but I think I'll try it again. I had breakfast this morning and a granola bar a couple hours later and was starving by lunch. Anything is better than that feeling.

Peccavi - I love nuts! I will look for those, thank you.

I thought some more about it at lunch too, and want to try yogurt and things but it's gone so quickly. Maybe I should work on breaking that busy hand habit instead.

[Leap]

Oops, double post.

[joyc21]

What about soup? I'm not sure if this would fall into the "cooked food" category though. Healthy Choice has some choices that are low in calories & sodium that you could do in the microwave......Also, Lipton has soup packets and all you have to do is add hot water to them. It's only about 65 calories per pack but it is very high in sodium.......Yogurt is another option if you want something a little sweet.

[Leap]

I went to the store again last night. I looked at the 100 calorie packs (I'm awful about protion control) and got the popcorn one. It worked out well. I looked for single serving nut packages but couldn't find any. I know they exist, just at a different store. I got yogurt but forgot to bring it. I felt like I've been snacking all day but I'm so hungry right now. Thanks for the help and ideas!

[Prism21]

What about some mints? Or some low cal, sugar free hard candy to keep your cravings at bay?

[Tai]

Sorry, I missed the part about you not liking crunchy type foods. You might not enjoy the popcorn. You might want to stay away from the 100 calorie packs of sweets as well; you don't get much for the calories and may still feel hungry.

I second the recommendation to try yogurt. I eat mine with some Fiber One cereal on top. If you freeze the yogurt it makes it last longer and is similar in texture to eating ice cream.

A cheese stick makes a good snack as well.

[Leap]

I do like cereal or granola or something in my yogurt. I got some plain almonds, which I like, and found some popcorn to make at home that is a large serving. Plus, I sort of like it, but not enough to over eat with it. I'm going slow this time around, and I think it's working better than my other attempts. I hated going to the grocery store, but now it's like a treasure hunt. I don't buy just anything that looks good and feel bad because it's junk that's just sitting in my pantry, I leave with 1 or 2 things that I know I'll eat.