How do YOU do it?
 

I am looking for tips, eh, different little ideas people have come up with, to distract yourself from the munchies. Ya know, how do you ignore it when it looks good but you know you are not really hungry. The munchies are my biggest weakness.:o

me too.

first of all, i plan for the munchies. i save points for the evening when i know i will want to snack. and i make sure i have healthy and/or portion controlled snacks available.

as for distracting myself - i get on 3FC or do other internet browsing, email, etc. watching tv makes it worse for me. sometimes i read a magazine or flip through the newspaper while i watch tv to keep my hands and mind busy. or i will go work out on my elliptical (which i need to do anyway!)

As a rule, I don't buy any. If they are not in the house, I cannot eat them. That seems to work best for me.

I had some leftover crackers and sesame bread sticks from my Christmas party that was on Dec 13. I finished the bag of the bread sticks this week, so I guess I did not too badly; but I simply know if the stuff is in the house it will be calling my name.

I chew gum or I exercise if I can....I do graze all day but it's like a serving of broccoli, carrots, etc & ff ranch dressing spread out :)

Gum. I chew alot of gum. Especially at work. Sometimes after lunch, i'm not hungry but my mouth thinks it wants something to eat...so i put a stick of gum in it. I chew it for about 1 1/2 hour. Then it's only about another hour till my planned snack time.

I only keep munchies around that are on plan. I measure them out into a little bowl. Then I go do something that requires me to move around (laundry, playing with the dogs) so I'm not sitting at the computer or in front of the TV or reading a book--so my mind will be on doing and eating, not just mindlessly eating.

After doing this for a few months I got so annoyed with how hard it was to snack, I basically quit snacking! Not even approved snacks (I'm on Atkins). Within 2 months of quitting smoking I had also quit snacking--less oral fixation I think. Sending you good-luck wishes.

I ask myself why I want it, and if it's worth it in the long run. Then, I get up and do something, rearrange things in the house, read etc to take my mind off it.

Lumifan, is that a Days of Our Lives reference?

Frieden...yes...my name comes from my favorite couple on Days. Sami and Lucas. I just love them. And the fact that i got to meet them in person...just makes it that much more special to me. I've been watching Days since i was probably in diapers. My grandmother watched it all the time.

Lately, I just have to fit a treat into my daily allowance, also I avoid the kitchen/living room area. For some reason when I'm downstairs I feel hungry but when I'm in my room I could go all day without eating if I didn't think about it. Something about being near food makes me want it regardless of whether or not I'm hungry.

I used to watch Days then I realized it will probably not end within my lifetime and the story line hasn't really progressed since I was 10 so I'll catch up in another 10-15 years.

I do a few things. I have snacks that I know are ok around the house, I think if I'm REALLY hungry, I pop a gum in my mouth or I brush my teeth. It keeps me from eating if my teeth are minty fresh and/or I get up and get as far away as possible from the fridge/pantry.

I do things with me hands to keep me busy- even started taking up video games! lol

I also drink more water and I will just go talk to my sister or husband just to get away from the food!

Drinking water usually helps me. Sipping ice cold water with a little bit of lemon keeps my hands and mouth busy.

I make munchies that are on my plan, as I can't usually buy the stuff in shops. But I do love cooking and experimenting with stuff, and when I am on the road, the muchies are versatile enough to make up for a meal. Non-plan stuff doesn't really attract me, as it is almost always possible to invent a on-plan alternative.

gum often works for me too.

only keep fruit in the house and string cheese yogurt better to choice 1 of them cookies or cake or chips or icecream ,I can go on and on.

I'm usually okay but today I ate a half bag of chips. Ugh. I was just so hungry!!!

Water, gum and fruit usually help me, though.

I ask myself if it is my stomach that is hungry or my heart. If I am genuinely hungry I eat something OP. I keep good healthy snacks on hand at all times. Baby carrots, salad fixings, low fat string cheese, raisins, walnuts, Kozy Shack 1pt puddings (I do WW), yogurt, 100 calorie granola bars.

I am not "stomach" hungry then I am "heart" hungry and that means it is my emotional eating issue that is coming into play. I ask myself..."What do I really want right now. What am I feeling." I journal, I call a friend, I play with my dog or to distract myself, I empty the dishwasher or start a load of wash. If I am STILL feeling snackish, I acknowledge that I am having an emotional eating moment and then carefully pick a snack food that fits into my OP foods.

I do not keep trigger foods for me at my home any longer. The kids don't need Oreos or Doritoes any more than I do. I am careful to not fall into a binge when I am dealing with emotional eating so atleast my emotional eating is controlled. Hope this helps.

GUM! oh my goodness... I have so many packs of gum around my house, in my car, in my purse.... thre are like a MILLION different kinds to choose from so it almost feels like a snack.

Or altoids, pop a couple and cruch them, the blast of mint really takes the edge off wanting to eat.

Or i chug 8-16oz of water. I know it sound rediculous but I keep a bottle at room temp (it doesn't go down as easy ice-cold) and just drink it fast. Sometimes it makes me feel not hungry at all!

Or a combo of all three.. haha whatever works!

You met the actors? What a nice memory. I've heard that Bryan Dattilo is very funny in person. I've never met any of them but have watched for years.

Projects, I'm painting the powder room right now, next is my son's room etc. Hopefully I'll lose the weight before I have the entire house painted!

I chew gum....I chug water....I play computer games...I MySpace AND Facebook....anything to take my mind elsewhere!

I keep reviewing the end result in my head... I'd much rather be walking around in cute little clothes @ 130 lbs than eating whatever it is I might want to eat that any given moment. That is really the only thing that stops me from over eating or eating things I know I shouldn't....

I am in the camp of if it's not in the house I won't be tempted.

Also I always keep a bunch of 10 calorie sugarfree jello's around and 20 calories sugarfree popcicles in the freezer along with some fruit.

I also know that a hunger pang or munchie urge only lasts about 10-15 minutes for me and if I drink a glass of water and wait 15 minutes I know the urge will pass.

Another trick I learned online that works for me if I am having a full blown hunger pang I will heat up some of that broth that comes in a carton and drink it down until I am full, it is only like 20 cals per serving and it tricks my stomach into thinking it is full until it is time for my next meal which is basically every 4 or 5 hours.

I like your distintion between "stomach hungry" and "heart hungry." I'll try to remember that!

When I am hungry, I let myself eat. But what I eat has to be real food. For instance, the other day there were a bunch of big (free!) candy bars on the break room table at work. They were calling my name and I was a little hungry (not much), but I reminded myself, "Those are not food." So I had a teeny little square of the chocolate and then ate my yogurt for a snack. Because I was hungry, and yogurt is food.

In these beginning days, I have to really limit my own access to things like potato chips and sweets. Later, I'll be a little better about being able to ration them but for now, I need to keep reminding myself that I can eat, but what I eat must be food. Potato chips are NOT food, they are junk. (To me).

If I can't resist, I try to make it mainly healthy. What I do, since I LOVE peanut butter, is take an apple or banana and slice it up, then spread a small amount of pb on the fruit. Not exactly healthy, but its not a candy bar.

I have been eating soy beans... They are called Edumume (sp???) They come in a pod, you have to pop em open, keeps hands, and mouth busy!! Also, they are a great source of protein.