Fighting the urge to munch... - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

StorybookMama · 09-26-2003, 01:48 PM

I am not hungry. I am not craving carbs, necessarily, but I do have a strong urge to munch. Just had my lunch portion of celery with cream cheese...

Do you guys keep between meal snacks around that are Atkins-friendly? Or, do you just will yourself to not eat until lunch or until you get hungry.

I am so accustomed to eating every few hours that going 4-5 hours between meals is hard without wanting to snack.

I am drinking water as an attempt to curb the urge...but it's not helping much.

Just venting here.

angel-eyes · 09-26-2003, 02:40 PM

I'm a wuss when it comes to willpower, Atkins suggests 3 meals and 2 snacks or 4-6 mini meals. Maybe you need to adjust your larger meals and spread them out more. Personally, I like to snack on protein bits.....a cheese stick 1 oz, 2 pc bacon with cr. cheese, 2-3 sausage links, a hard boiled egg or even 5 olives....you get the idea. If you are going without food for more than 5 hours, then stop!! Celery and cream cheese is a good snack to have as it is both creamy and crunchy. Hang in there StorybookMama......you're doing great!

Leenie · 09-26-2003, 02:43 PM

My hubby breaks his salad down and eats it several times through out the day, not me, I scarf it down at lunch lol. I do however keep some soy nuts available, olives and celery.

At night is my difficult time, I love to crunch so I eat pork rinds w/sour cream or melted cheese.

Kim in NJ · 09-26-2003, 02:50 PM

In my first month, the hardest part was to stop the midday munching. In the past I gave up on Atkins because of all the "soft foods". I needed to crunch something. So this time I was prepared and I would cut up a dill pickle into small pieces and keep it crisp and cold for when I got the munchies. I'd also have almonds or mixed nuts and truly MOST of my carbs in that initial month were from nuts because I needed the crunchy feeling.

Now I'm in my 12th week and I still snack midday occassionally (ie sugar free jello, or mozzarella chunks) but no where near the urge I had in my first month on program.

StorybookMama · 09-26-2003, 03:59 PM

Thanks all!

Good to know that I'm not alone in the munching thing.

I did this yesterday. Ate my breakfast in two stages and then lunch in two stages. Then dinner. No snack, but then I was eating more often and was very satisfied.

I sometimes feel like I need more bulk - but I really don't. I am just learning how to listen to my body again.

Appreciate the advice!

LittleFreedom · 09-26-2003, 04:43 PM

Great advice! I needed that today, we had a birthday and we had Krispy Kreme Donuts and a gorgeous white cake with "real" butter creme!!! OMG! Since I knew it was coming, I brought to the "party" some egg muffins (scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, cheese, and just a few green onions... bake in muffin pans for 20-30 min - great for toting around) and was fine during the party! However, my muffins are gone (everyone ELSE ate them

) and I went to Walgreens and got an Atkins Endulge ... IM SUPPOSED TO BE ON INDUCTION!!!

but it was either that or a piece of that yummy-looking cake!!! So here I am now.... Krispy Kremes and Cake staring me in the face and I was able to curve that temptation with an atkins bar, better than cake ; BUT - I think I went over my carbs for the day and it's only 1:30

This a.m.:

Coffee with cream & splenda = 3 carbs
3 Egg Muffins ??? carbs probably 2 each so 6 carbs
1 pk of 3 Endulge Peanut Butter Cup (1 serving) = 2 "net" carbs?
Eating a bag of olives (10) = ??? carbs
Oh yes and three Smints! (10mints =2g carbs)
Later lunch Ill eat Salad greens with ham and a slice of Amer Cheese

Dinner? I plan on chicken/mayo and chopped cucumbers and just a few pieces of onion for flavor.

Do you think I'll go over the 20 carb limit? That Endulgence bar just made me feel like I cheated

LittleFreedom · 09-29-2003, 01:36 PM

I couldn’t help it; I had to weigh in today I lost 4.5 lbs so far. Whew! I was so worried about eating that Endulge Atkins bar on Friday and thinking it may have hindered all my hard work! Plus I STILL had cravings Saturday morning and I made cream cheese and whipped heavy cream with a Splenda packet and ate that throughout the day- the cravings finally wore off Saturday night! Now I see that for me, any sweet-treat, be it Atkins-friendly or not, is going to plunge me headfirst into carb/sugar cravings!

KarenW · 09-29-2003, 03:17 PM

Cravings! I had them so bad the first two weeks! One thing that I can recommend that helps is to make sure your meals have a high fat %. Add a little extra mayo or olive oil to your salad. THe fat will help you curb the cravings. After the 1st 2 weeks it does get better I promise!!

Now I always have atkins friendly snacks in the house, hard boiled eggs, Pork Rinds, mozzerella cheese sticks, cream cheese and celery! Pork rinds realy help when TOM hits and I have that salt craving!

dinki · 09-30-2003, 01:45 AM

I never thought until reading here that the Atkins bars add to my cravings. I am going to do my best to stay away from them and see how I do. This is wonderful reading all the helps and pointers from people that are going through what I am

THANK YOU

dinki

jenny 1 · 09-30-2003, 10:00 AM

The book states that after a few days the urge to eat the bad treats goes away? Is there something wrong with me then??

I think about chocolate (real chocolate), cookies, cake, candy, cheesecake and etc all day everyday. I just have to not do it. And it is hard.

Most people I know have said that they had no problems and didn't think of junk food and a slight few I know said they were as tortured as I am over it. I have not given in because I know it won't taste as good as I have built it up to taste and the guilt and disappointment will leave a bad taste in my mouth for days.

Does anyone do baking for the holidays? I have begun my trial runs. I have learned a good trick. Make a dessert that you don't like, obviously no temptation. I made saltine toffee cookies (so easy and cheap) and no problem, I packed them and sent them to my guinea pig. I think I will be making many toffee desserts this season.

Froufy · 09-30-2003, 11:39 AM

First make sure that nothing you are eating may be triggering those cravings - even foods with splenda or other artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols can cause insulin spikes and trigger those cravings.

Second, are you taking any supplements? There are a few that can help reduce sugar cravings such as chromium and l-glutamine? Check your Atkins book, around the supplements/vitamin info area, and I think he lists several supplements that help to reduce sugar cravings and stabilize blood sugar.

Good luck..you can do it!

Froufy

KarenW · 09-30-2003, 03:42 PM

Jenni - How long have you been on induction? THere are some people that it takes more than 2 weeks to get over the cravings. Maybe too you moved out of induction too soon. I have been on induction 8 weeks and plan to stay there for at least 2 more months. I get cravings now and then, but usually if I go too long between meals on the weekends.