I can stay on plan through lunch, but I get so hungry after lunch that it's a real struggle to stay OP.

I eat a sensible breakfast around 7am, around 10am I have a morning snack of a piece of fruit, at noon I have a healthy lunch and then around 3pm I'm starving!! So I wait until 4pm which is when I try to have my afternoon snack (a piece of fruit or a yogurt) and it seems to just whet my appetite for more! Because of my husband's work schedule we usually have dinner around7pm, so that leaves me with around 4 hours of just thinking about food and convincing myself that splurging wouldn't be that bad. I don't know how many days I've blown it in the afternoon after having done so well in the morning!

Any advice?

What are you having for lunch?

I try and have something hot (LIKE HOME MADE SOUP). It works for me. some times a hot drink takes the edge of hunger. good luck, keep strong.

My kids come home for lunch so we have our main meal of the day at lunch. Yesterday, for example, I had beef kebab with mango salsa, rice and broccoli and slices of pineapple, kiwi and mango for dessert.

Here's an idea--just something you could try and see if it's any better.

Have that good breakfast, maybe even add a little more food. Then, skip the morning snack. Eat lunch at noon, and then have two afternoon snacks--one at 2:30 or 3, and the next one around 5. Then have your dinner at 7. Make sure that you include some protein with your afternoon snacks--like tuna or cheese of some kind, maybe a hard boiled egg.

You'll soon know whether it works better--of course, stay within your calorie range or points or whatever you are using.

Jay

I agree with JayEll. Do try to vary things some, regarding when you eat and the portions. A lot of it will be trial and error! Protein helps many people feel full. and may be something you can try. Don't starve yourself during the day if it makes you want to binge!

Another trick I use in the evening is a cup of tea. I like the flavor, it gives me something to put in my mouth, and seems to fill me up for a little while.

Hi Jolly,

I find that I'm hungriest in the afternoons when I don't have some form of protein with my breakfast and with my snacks. The protein really makes a difference for me. How many calories are you consuming in the earlier part of the day? Are you eating enough? What type of activities are you doing in the afternoon? Can you get in a really good workout....maybe a DVD or a good walk? I find that I'm less likely to want to overeat if I've put in the effort of a great workout.

Hang in there. You can do this!

that is causing you to want to eat or overeat in the afternoon. My guess is that you are having a glycemic reaction to the natural sugar in the fruit and that is causing you to want to eat more.

I would switch the types of foods you are snacking on to a combination of fruit like an apple (which the natural sugar is released into your body much slower than those tropical fruits you are eating) and a piece of cheese. The cheese will have some fat in it and protein which will both curb your appetite and provide satiety which your other food choices aren't doing.

We too eat a later dinner which is usually 7-7:30 pm each evening. Having an small apple and a piece of cheese is still around 150-200 calories and you won't feel like overeating at your evening meal.

Distraction works, too, keeps you from obsessing for a little while, I come to 3FC and play a few games, or lurk. make a telephone call, take a walk. do a crossword puzzle anything to keep my mind off food for a few minutes. I also have made friends with Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedges. 35 calories per wedge, good for a snack.

If you can't make it from 12 to 4, have a little snack at 2! I eat at 7, 10, 12, 3, 5 and 7ish. A lot of people are snacky after dinner - I'm not, I'm snacky/hungry in the afternoon, so I made my plan accordingly.

Thanks for all the good advice. I sometimes have to force myself to have breakfast and a morning snack because I'm not naturally hungry until around 11am. So, I think I will try moving both snacks to the time between lunch and dinner and see how that works.

Pamatga, I had also wondered if maybe my lunch was causing it. of course, I don't always eat as much tropical fruit as I did yesterday, but yesterday's episode seemed to be worse than usual too. So I will eat more protein in the afternoon instead of fruit.

And, like Bargoo suggested, I'll try to keep myself distracted. I can't always leave home in the afternoon and take a walk like I'd like to, but I can always do some sort of exercise for a few minutes -- and that's what I need to do: find a new way of making it past those cravings wihtout giving in.

Thanks again for all your suggestions!

Yeah, I think you can have a more substantial snack in the afternoon and certainly something with more protein, fruit and yogurt is all sugar, I would agree that you could add a string cheese to this. You could have nuts too, though those can be hard to control/portion wise. Peanut butter with something might be a good choice.