Problems With Snacking

[Mark T]

I've been having problems with snacking recently. I?m struggling to keep my fingers out of the snack jar. Although, I?ve always been one for snacking I swapped all my snacks for low-GI such as nuts and chopped veg/salad. Sometimes I am generally hungry and fancy a snack, other times I suspect I?m snacking out of habit.

I noticed mostly because my weight went from ~66kg into the mid 67?s (OK, that?s not a huge weight gain really). I had dropped down to weighing myself once a week rather then the twice a week. Some of the weight gain might be because I?m a lot more toned (particularly my legs).

I've tried drinking more fluids, but that doesn?t always seem to help. At work it?s less of a problem because I only prepare myself a certain amount of snack pots, so once they are gone there is no snack left.

So what other strategies are there?

 

[Andy HB]

My simplest strategy is not to have anything in the house to snack on!

I'm terrible otherwise. Unless I apply an iron will .... which usually occurs AFTER I've been weak for a bit!

Andy 🙂

 

[Northerner]

I was always a regular snacker, but now the only things I snack on are nuts or sugar-free jelly. I know that one of the biggest things that stops me is the fact that for most other things I would need to inject unless I have dropped low. Over the months and (nearly 4) years my urge to snack has almost disappeared, although sometimes it can be very frustrating - if I wasn't diabetic I'd definitely be snacking still and probably the same if I had the control and lack of extra injections offered by a pump. I realise this isn't a barrier for you Mark though, so sorry it's not very helpful!

 

[imtrying]

If I knew the answer to that, I'd be about a stone lighter!!!

Chewing gum is another option...get lots of different (sugar-free) flavours so that you don't get bored, and then it's almost like eating something different each time 🙂 just don't eat too much...I'm sure someone will be along with the reason why soon!

I'll be keeping an eye on other people's answers with interest though too 🙂

 

[HOBIE]

I must be different ! Ever since 3yr old had to have fixed amount of food wether i wanted on not (1960s early days) . And let me tell you my parents must have gone through it trying to get a young kid to eat 50g of carbs 4 times a day !! I NOW ADORE MISSING MEALS ! 😉

 

[cherrypie]

Are your actual meals nutritionally balanced?
If you feel the need to snack then work out what your least meal was and was it big enough, did it have the right amount of nutrients and was it balanced? If your breakfast was only a slice of toast or a yoghurt then you will feel hungry mid morning. If others around you are snacking then it is very tempting to join in.
Snacking can become a habit that is hard to break.

 

[HOBIE]

Agree with you cherrypie !

 

[Mark T]

Are your actual meals nutritionally balanced?
If you feel the need to snack then work out what your least meal was and was it big enough, did it have the right amount of nutrients and was it balanced? If your breakfast was only a slice of toast or a yoghurt then you will feel hungry mid morning. If others around you are snacking then it is very tempting to join in.
Snacking can become a habit that is hard to break.

Hmm nutritionally balanced? Possibly. But over the course of a day or two they are generally calorifically balanced.

Breakfast is most often some natural yoghurt and a handful of walnuts. I try to keep that below 10 carbs in order to make sure I don?t go shooting up first thing in the morning.

Lunch is mostly a couple of slices of burgen, some protein based filling, mayo, a pear and a small packet of crisps (a treat)

Dinner is varies the most, usually is 3 small potatoes, (plenty of) vegetables and something protein based, sausages or a roast joint or similar.

Generally I add a snack of a pot (100g) of mixed nuts, some chopped salad/veg and sometimes I treat myself after supper to a scoop of ice-cream.

I could hold my weight with that type of meal schedule and my BG numbers have not been bad. But recently my hands have wandered to the nut jar when I?ve got home from work and usually in the evening as well. I don?t want to hide the nuts jar just yet since they are a useful source of calories and essential nutrients and I?ve struggled to identify other low-GI and relatively low-Carb items to replace them with.

 

[RSVP]

Have to say I agree with Andy.
Try taking away the temptation for just a week, to try & break the habit unsure if it will work though. I was told by a psychologist to make something a habit it takes 4 weeks so sadly going on that theory it must also take 4 to break one 😱

It's super difficult for me here with jelly babies & other hypo treatments every where I look I just have to walk round with blinkers on lol



Sarah

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

...Sometimes I am generally hungry and fancy a snack, other times I suspect I?m snacking out of habit.

I absolutely recognise that in myself. If I've had a few weeks of snacking at a particular time I can get very strong snack urges/hunger pangs right on cue regardless of how well I have eaten earlier.

It's a very difficult cycle to break out of. Distraction/change of scene/routine seem to be my best weapons.

 

[caffeine_demon]

Something I've noticed myself is that it seems no matter how much, or what I eat at a meal, I'm still hungry, sometimes less than an hour afterwards - ain't fair!

 

[Catwoman76]

I've been having problems with snacking recently. I?m struggling to keep my fingers out of the snack jar. Although, I?ve always been one for snacking I swapped all my snacks for low-GI such as nuts and chopped veg/salad. Sometimes I am generally hungry and fancy a snack, other times I suspect I?m snacking out of habit.

I noticed mostly because my weight went from ~66kg into the mid 67?s (OK, that?s not a huge weight gain really). I had dropped down to weighing myself once a week rather then the twice a week. Some of the weight gain might be because I?m a lot more toned (particularly my legs).

I've tried drinking more fluids, but that doesn?t always seem to help. At work it?s less of a problem because I only prepare myself a certain amount of snack pots, so once they are gone there is no snack left.

So what other strategies are there?

I never snack Mark, even though I could eat for Great Britain and I am ALWAYS hungry and I just put up with it always have done. I hope you can find something that works for you best wishes Sheena

 

[Robster65]

I never snack Mark, even though I could eat for Great Britain and I am ALWAYS hungry and I just put up with it always have done. I hope you can find something that works for you best wishes Sheena

Snap. It's probably 90% habit and boredom. If you can find something to occupy your mind, the feelings may just go away and new habits will form.

As an aside, 100g of nuts contains a possible 600+ calories.

Rob