for the last 4 weeks, i've been working really hard at not snacking between meals, and i've mostly succeeded! for the 1st two weeks, i didn't restrict my calories--instead just focused on not snacking--and then for the last two weeks i've been restricting calories as well. i feel that this is a big achievement for me, because i've always been a compulsive snacker. (I also have a binging problem but that's for a whole nother thread). i think it's finally becoming habit to NOT eat unless it's a mealtime!! hopefully it sticks!! it's amazing how much humans are creatures of habit...it's actually starting to feel like a habit now.
I like to snack. I don't see a problem with snacking if your choosing good stuff to snack on. Matter of fact, I HAVE to have a snack every couple hours or I get ravenous and want to eat whatever I can get my hands on. Oh, I'm a binger too, so having a snack helps keep that at bay. I try to keep fruit and low cal crackers and such on hand.
I like to snack. I don't see a problem with snacking if your choosing good stuff to snack on. Matter of fact, I HAVE to have a snack every couple hours or I get ravenous and want to eat whatever I can get my hands on. Oh, I'm a binger too, so having a snack helps keep that at bay. I try to keep fruit and low cal crackers and such on hand.
i never chose good stuff to snack on. it simply wasn't satisfying at all. in fact, even one granola bar wasn't enough--i'd eat at least 2-3 in one sitting, no joke--that would be an example of a satisfying snack. or a sandwich bag full of frosted mini-wheats (that's about 3 servings). eating an apple or baby carrots would just leave me thinking about more food. when i look back, i never want to go there again (even though it wasn't that long ago)...sounds kinda disgusting
Depending on a number of circumstances, I have to snack. I can't eat all that much in one sitting anymore, so a snack will tide me over until the next meal. My meals are generally low-calorie, so if I JUST ate my meals I would not be eating enough.
Just before I run (which is in the afternoon) I usually haven't eaten anything for a couple of hours. I need something just before I run or my runs are horrible because I simply don't have enough fuel to workout. A protein shake snack usually does the trick. Other times when I go to the gym I generally don't worry about this because it's right after a meal (breakfast or dinner depending on the day) so I have the fuel I need.
I was a compulsive snacker too, but I found that by controlling the amount I snack on and trying to listen to my hunger cues (i.e. do I need this snack, or do I just want it because I'm bored?) that I can keep my snacks to a reasonable amount of calories and avoid battling hunger inbetween meals.
I snack on Fiber 1 and pistachios because I can control myself around them >__>;; and I try only to snack when I'm actually hungry. If it's just a craving and I'm at home I have microwaved veggies with tomato sauce, because they're very savory and usually they get rid of my craving.
sontaikle, i do eat a snack every day for the same reason (so i'm not starving when i work out). but i pretty much consider it a meal. so i have breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner.
I used too. I'd eat it all. Chips, cookies, donuts. Blah. I was horrible. I am now just snacking on granola bars or fruit. It's been tough but it's better for my health. Also learned that some granola bars are really good. Chocolate & pretzel is my favorite from special k. I reward myself with 1 every other day or so.
I snack too - three meals, three snacks, everything is low calorie. Like sontaikle, if I didn't eat my snacks, I'd be eating too little.
Some of my snacks end up being more calories than some of my meals!
I pretty much eat the same snacks most of the time - snack 1: 1 serving of fruit, snack 2: raw vegetables and 1.5oz hummus or 30g cheese, snack 2: 28g popcorn.
I love to snack. That is my problem. I can't control myself. I tend to eat everything up at once. That's why I can't buy snacks. I don't have self-control.
Snacking is prob something I'll never be able to overcome. Instead I worked my plan around it. I don't eat full meals very often. Instead I spend the day munching, and never feel deprived. If I ate full meals on top of this, I prob would gain everything I lost back xD....
I'm a huge snacker. What I found that helped are to find healthy foods that have a "simialr" feel to my old foods to snack on.
For instance, instead of chips, that crunchiness I have substituted for celery and a little peanut butter. It's the crunch I like. I do the same with almonds, or pistachios. Now you do have to watch portion size, as you keep going you will get accustom to the new portions. Remember feeling hungry isn't an emergency! Drink lots of water too!
For sweet instead of cookies I do a Kashi Lean Bar, or greek yogurt with Kashi lean Crunch cereal and strawberries (my favourite) or fruits and raisons!
Just start to explore the healthy foods, see what you like and see if you can find something common in the texture that keeps your appetite. It takes some experimenting but keep at it and you'll figure it out
Definitely a snacker here! I usually go for pumpkin or sunflower seeds, nuts, raisins. My problem is that I don't feel like snacking when I'm hungry, but rather when I'm bored and have nothing to do and this boarders emotional eating. Sometimes I'd have an orange and my snacking cravings go away, I guess it's because oranges calm your thirst as well and maybe the will to snack has something to do with being dehydrated?
Surfergirl, I'm right there with you. I gave up snacking too and have found I don't miss it as much anymore. Like you, I could not snack "well." I found countless chip type snacks with like 110 calories a "serving"- then would serve myself the whole bag, which contains like 9 servings. I do really well on everything else, cutting cals on meals, but I discovered I snacked because I enjoy the mindless eating, not because I love the snack so much. I have found things I can have (steamed edamame with sea salt is really satisfying), but found that now that I've broken the snack habit, I'm not that anxious to find ways to keep it up. I have breakfast at about 8:30, lunch 12:30, a trail mix bar at 5:30 on my way to exercise, then dinner at about 7:30 pm after I get home from exercising. During the week, it's not such a challenge. On weekends, I still find if I'm vegging watching tv, I want a big bag of something to keep me company. So I sign on here and read success stories and look at before & after pictures!
any snackaholics out there?
