how to stop SNACKING??

hey guys!

my problem is that I snack on stuff almost all the time at home. I love ice cream, cookies, salted peanuts etc -not healthy! I can't even watch TV without snacks anyomore! I just get restless and can't concentrate on what's on the TV. Does anyone have the same problem? And do you have any tips on low-cal/healthy snacks?

I'd really appreciate your help!

Belle

I had to eliminate all that kind of stuff out of my home. Try grabbing and handful of carrot sticks or a few almonds (watch the fat though) when you "need" to snack. I know thats easier said than done when you are craving junk food. My favorite is a celery stick shmered with Laughing Cow cheese (35 cal in the cheese)

Good Luck!

i agree eliminate all junk food

if it's not there, you can't eat it, and it's unlikely you'll go buy it every night

but other than that, what really helped me is planning ahead. plan your calories out in the morning and leave a couple hundred for a snack while you're watching tv.

Like for example if your deficit calories are 1600... eat 1400 calories during the day, then when you settle in for the night to watch tv, fix a 200 calorie snack and enjoy, guilt free.

There are two sides to the coin.... First, as everyone has said 'don't have ice-cream, cookies etc., easily available'.  Second would be 'don't watch so much TV'.   If you find other things to do with your evenings  - even reading a book burns up more energy than watching TV - then you could add extra exercise to your day and not feel the need to mindlessly snack at the same time.  Two birds, one stone.

I snack all the time.  However, my snacks are healthy and within my calorie goal for the day. 

Today's snacks - celery stuffed with farmers cheese

Apple slices dipped in 1 tbs warm peanut butter, then in 1 tbs wheat germ

1 low fat, sugar free oatmeal cookie (my friend bakes them for her diabetic husband, and I'm going there for tea today. 

Other snacks I like - plain yogurt mixed with any chopped fresh fruit or berries, sweetened with stevia, carrots or steamed broccoli with yogurt dip, Triscuits crackers with slivers of hard cheese, sugar free chocolate pudding, nuts, sunflower or pumpkin seeds, roasted chickpeas, celery with salsa, 1 piece of dark chocolate (50 to 75 calories), hard boiled egg or deviled egg, slices of deli turkey or roast beef, a few whole wheat unsalted pretzels. 

The posibilities are endless.  Aside from the pretzels and crackers, no packaged junk is needed.

These snacks are eaten between meals and sometimes at night. 

I find the best way to change a "bad" habit is to replace it with a "good" habit, and to take baby steps.  If you feel you are snacking excessively (i.e., exceeding your calorie target), I would start by making a plan to save some calories for my evening snack, plan a healthy alternative to what I normally eat (claire has some great suggestions), save it for a specific time rather than continuously grazing.  I also find it best to move to a different location for eating, so if you usually eat while watching tv, move the snack to a different location.  This will start to re-train yourself to disassociate "eating" with "entertainment".

In addition to the changing the nature of the snack, it would be helpful to add something besides tv/snacking into your evening.  Maybe take a walk after dinner, maybe call a family member/friend, maybe get on line and check into the CC community.  Change up your routine so you don't miss your current dysfunctional routine.

After some time, you may find that you no longer need to eat in the evening, but if not, it won't derail your weight loss, since it is accounted for.

I have the same problem. Having the food in the house is the biggest problem for me. For example, if I have ice cream in the house, eventually I'm going to have it at night while watching tv. My big challenge every day is to not snack after 8pm because that's always when I go wrong. So for me 1) no cookies or ice cream in the house, 2) good snacks in case I really am hungry - my favorite is garlic hummus and carrots, and 3) stop watching tv. Watching something just because I'm bored is when the desire to eat is the worst. If it's a show I'm really interested in I'm not spending much time thinking about food. So sometimes the best answer for me is to stop watching tv and particularly doing something that uses my hands. Reading a good book - if it's a good book I'm focused on that for hours and never think of food. I like drawing and painting and that I have to totally stop doing that if I want to have a snack - which is another reason that tv and eating happens so much, you can do both at the same time. Lastly, I used to knit while watching tv and I'm thinking I should take that up again. It's great for keeping my hands busy while still catching up on my favorite shows. I'm not saying you should take up knitting (it's definitely not for everyone) but try to think of something you could do with your hands while watching tv. There's also the option of doing some type of exercise while watching tv - sit ups or even stretches.

It also depends on whether you're eating because you're hungry, or just because you're bored or whatever. If you're actually hungry, maybe your meals need to be more substantial.

This is my problem as well, but I have 3 young boys in the house who can and should have ice cream etc.....

I think by removing foods from your home you are not getting at the CORE of your problem....for me emotional eating.

I agree with the response change up your routine at night....if that is your week time.  Just one short walk or some exercises....may put you in a different mood and change the thought of snacking on "bad"snacks.

I think portion control is huge as well.....I have a BIG bowl of light, or sugar free or fat free ice cream just about every night.  I look forward to it, I count my cal's to have it and I truly enjoy it. 

So bottom line for me deal with it.  Use some self control, count your cal's so you can have the snack you really are craving in a counted out amount and also really figure your triggers for snacking.

Good luck! You definitely are not alone......MANY of us are on the same page.

Okay, thanks so much for the help, you guys! I really appreciate and you have given me so many helpful tips!

frozen grapes = good snack