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Support for snacking on crisps and chocolate

131 replies

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 20/05/2024 21:10

I don’t want to put this in weight loss chat because then I feel worse (everyone has such nice, good diets there!).

But can I start a support thread for those of us (like me) who can hoover up an entire sharing pack of crisps (the big ones) to themselves. Plus chocolates and so on.

I don’t mind the odd treat like Rich Tea light biscuits or chocolate wafer biscuits.

But I need to post here when I get tempted usually of an evening and even not to buy them!

Please, no saintly 😇 people who say “oh I never ever snack!”

OP posts:
Proudbitch · 22/05/2024 07:51

Yes I need help!!! Im quite young and now have high cholesterol and it can only be because of crisps! It’s not possible to just have 1 small packet, I’m eating all 6, or a whole tub of Pringles etc.

Problem is I’ve gone up to doing it most days. Told myself I’m going to stop. I once cut out crisps entirely for an entire year which was amazing.

I can’t hear the ‘oh a little of what you fancy is ok’ as once I get the idea in my head, nothing can get in the way of that and I’m eating until all the crisps are gone.

it’s disgusting and I am trying so hard to stop!!

MrsElijahMikaelson1 · 22/05/2024 07:52

I work from home so day time when there it’s no one else in the house is my problem. Chocolate I can leave; I love sweets! And crisps-lots of lovely crisps 🫣

Proudbitch · 22/05/2024 07:59

I don’t buy crisps as part of the big shop, but whenever I’m home alone (a fair bit!) I go to the shop across the road and buy them.

yesterday I bought potato waffles instead. But unfortunately still ate the entire packet and then felt so unwell! And the day before I made my own popcorn.

ssd · 22/05/2024 08:05

We have a new vending machine at work and the McCoys steak ridged crisps in a (grab bag) are the best food group ever.

Funnywonder · 22/05/2024 08:28

I need a bit of support and accountability in this regard too! Crisps more than chocolate in my case, but I do love chocolate. I've always had more of a leaning towards savoury food though, when it comes to bingeing. Crisps, nuts, cheese and crackers. It's those big bags of crisps that are a killer. I know the answer is not to buy them, but I'm weak, especially when they're on offer! I buy crisps for the rest of the family and will resort to eating flavours I don't particularly like, because I haven't bought any in for myself. My other irresistible binge eating food is sweet and salty popcorn. I can easily polish off a whole family sized bag in one go. I mean, it's mostly pop rather than corn, isn't it?😆😆

Roguebludger · 22/05/2024 08:47

I need help. I have been writing down what I eat for a bit of accountability and released that from 4pm I have no will power. I stopped buying chocolate and biscuits for me but I'm embarrassed to admit I've started eating the kids junk food because after 4pm I cannot stop eating junk!

Love51 · 22/05/2024 08:54

Does anyone else eat while cooking dinner? It makes me hungry! I'll eat anything snackable at that point, so not buying crisps or chocolate doesn't help, I'll eat bread or cheese or anything. Then I'm not hungry for dinner but eat it anyway!

whatjobcanido · 22/05/2024 08:54

Lurking

FinallyHere · 22/05/2024 09:47

who can hoover up an entire sharing pack of crisps (the big ones) to themselves

Apologies if you are looking for empathy rather than a solution, in which please feel free to ignore my post. I'm afraid mine contribution is serious. I have come across enough people who do not want to hear this message to have learned to keep quiet.

Not sure why I'm posting this here. I think it's because I used to pretend that I was happy with my eating habits and try and ignore the impacts on my life.

Lots of people can moderate their eating of junk food and are happy with that. I'm glad for them, this is for anyone who isn't happy like that so here goes.

Feel free to ignore or report.

As a child, while my mother had control of what I ate, I was a skinny child and teen. My mother exercised firm control on limiting her own food intake and tried to encourage me to self moderate. I didn't see any benefit.

As soon as I had control of my own money and food choices, I steadily gained weight exactly by eating quite well and snacking on top. Especially for sweet things, for which I have no off switch. I would sometimes even find if I was full of chocolate I could squeeze in something tasting different, say peppermint creme.

People who react to alcohol with this 'no natural off switch' are considered alcoholics and encouraged to stay away from alcohol.

It took me until my sixties to learn that keeping away from sugar and simple carbs is the way to keep my sanity. I can eat my fill of meat, butter, creme and lots of leafy green veg, stopping when I am full. No urge to overeat.

That irresistible urge to overeat only overtakes me when I eat sugar and simple carbs, which are all the snack foods. No wonder really, imagine the profits in making foods (and drinks) which make people eat more and more rather than satisfying their hunger.

Knowing that is what happens to me is such a powerful motivator to me to keep away from those kinds of food. I see the benefit of not having that voice in my head encouraging me to eeeeaaattttt

Some people can just moderate their behaviour. It's much easier for me to abstain. It's just such a mental load to be constantly thinking about eating and/or feeling lethargic because of it.

Occasionally I do have some and then deal immediately with the consequences in terms of craving. Just to prove to myself that I can.

In day to day life it's easier to abstain.

It's important to me to have at least a small amount of the kind of goods that "get" me drawn in again available so I'm not abstaining because there isn't anything. I could always find a convenience store selling junk. I abstain because I don't want to get drawn back into their grip. I like the freedom that homes from not being in the grip of these foods.

Full disclosure, https://www.eatinglessonline.comm* got be started. Now, years later, it's just what I do.

Peaceandquiet9276 · 22/05/2024 10:31

Roguebludger · 22/05/2024 08:47

I need help. I have been writing down what I eat for a bit of accountability and released that from 4pm I have no will power. I stopped buying chocolate and biscuits for me but I'm embarrassed to admit I've started eating the kids junk food because after 4pm I cannot stop eating junk!

Another reason I don’t buy junk for the kids either as I would do the same!

sockarefootwear · 22/05/2024 10:38

I'm another one who just can't stop once I start on crisps and chocolate. Sometimes it's the evening, sometimes during the day if I'm at home. I've tried having healthier substitute snacks (lower fat/small bags of crisps, veg sticks and humous, hand full of nuts etc) but I eat that and then want the 'real thing' afterwards as well. Other than nuts- if I eat a few nuts I want the whole bag which is often even more calorific than the crisps (albeit with more nutritional value). I am sure that I am only over weight because of snacking, because my meals and sensible sized and balanced.

The obvious answer would be to not have crisps and chocolate in the house but DH and my teens want them as an occasional snack and can regulate their intake so will have a small portion then put the rest back in the cupboard. Then I see them and decide to have just a few but end up eating the rest. And then feel I need to replace them so the whole process starts again.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 22/05/2024 12:30

runningonberocca · 21/05/2024 22:28

No snacking done tonight. Just a banana. Like the way this thread makes me feel accountable!

Glad you like it!

We all have good and bad days re food and snacks. When you list them though, they’re there.

OP posts:
Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 22/05/2024 12:34

flutterby1 · 22/05/2024 07:48

Do you find it helps if you don't buy them and have them in the house ? I've never done this as I can imagine myself having to get in the car to go and buy some out of desperation but maybe I SHOULD stop buying them.

Also, I'm hoping it saves money , I bet I spend about £2.50 a day on crisps and chocolate. That's £912 per year !!!! A little holiday

It does help if you don’t buy them and not have them in the house. As the temptation isn’t there.

I suppose what you could do though is tot up how much you do spend, book a little holiday (or other treat) and that helps I think.

Today Tesco delivered me 4 lemons rather than oranges so I’m making lemon cup cakes with white glace icing and lemon zest. Sharing with SIL as her faves.

When I go to hairdresser later I’ll walk but trying to drag myself past the shops there!

OP posts:
Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 22/05/2024 12:35

Proudbitch · 22/05/2024 07:59

I don’t buy crisps as part of the big shop, but whenever I’m home alone (a fair bit!) I go to the shop across the road and buy them.

yesterday I bought potato waffles instead. But unfortunately still ate the entire packet and then felt so unwell! And the day before I made my own popcorn.

Such an effing nightmare! Whereas at work in person in an office you have to go out at home you can pop to the shop or kitchen whenever you like.

OP posts:
Twiglets1 · 22/05/2024 12:36

I would love to join this thread.

Crisps and chocolate are my weaknesses. I'm currently trying to lose some weight so won't be buying big packets of crisps or family sized chocolate bars for a while. I just can't trust myself! But neither can I face giving them up completely

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 22/05/2024 12:36

ssd · 22/05/2024 08:05

We have a new vending machine at work and the McCoys steak ridged crisps in a (grab bag) are the best food group ever.

I discovered this last year re steak McCoys! 🫣🙈🙊

OP posts:
BigDahliaFan · 22/05/2024 12:53

Ignore if you don't feel this is in the spirit of the thread....

Made up my mind at Christmas that I was going to do something about my snacking. I'm now at the point where I can have a family pack of walkers in the house and not even think about them. It used to be my stress response at work - back of Salt And Vinegar (the best crisps) and a couple of choc bars.

They know what they are doing these people who make these things - they are pure addictive.

What I think helped is

weighing the heaviest I've ever weighed!

Making sure I eat 3 meals a day (protein, lots of veg/fruit, bit of carb) at each. I eat enough that I'm full.

Hardly ever snacking - if I do snack it's a banana/handful of nuts. (I will still share some Crips once a week at the pub where I go for a quiz.)

My blood sugar is much steadier so I'm not getting a dip like I used to.

drinking less alcohol so not getting spikes.

Lost weight, look better and feel less in thrall to this awful snack industry.

When I was a kid a packet of crisps was a treat after swimming, we had a choc bar on a Friday, sometimes a Jacob's club biscuit in the week.

EasilyDefined · 22/05/2024 13:05

Late to the thread, but it's crisps for me. When the DCs were younger I used to just not buy them, after work I was rushing around picking them up and dropping them off places. Now they are older we still don't have crisps in the house (apart from one tube a week of Pringles which gets shared) but I'm not dashing off from work to pick the DCs up or take them anywhere and I stop on the way home on a pretext of needing something from the shops and buy crisps to eat there and then.

What does work for me when I'm feeling tempted on the way home from work is a bit of aversion therapy. When i get the urge I imagine the taste of my most hated food and it does put me off till I get home and am safe from buying any. Sometimes I manage several weeks without them by doing that. Inevitably I slip again, but overall I am definitely eating far less.

I agree about how disgusting those seaweed strips are.

Proudbitch · 22/05/2024 13:46

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 22/05/2024 12:36

I discovered this last year re steak McCoys! 🫣🙈🙊

Just delicious!!

In the spirit of joining in on this, I’m 5’2. Have gone from 56kg at my lowest (I barely ate so was completely unsustainable), hovering between 60-65kg for a few years, and now I’m early 40s have creeped up to 75kg.

Salt is my downfall, and wine. I have been stress drinking very regularly, and antidepressants for the last year so a combination of all of this has made me gain so much weight. I do exercise regularly, otherwise I’d probably be even bigger.

I’m in the obese category now with BMI. Blood pressure is getting too high, and I’ve developed slightly high cholesterol.

I have set my target on MyFitnessPal to 70kg for now, just to be a bit more realistic and hopefully find that more achievable than going all the way down!

Twiglets1 · 22/05/2024 13:54

BigDahliaFan · 22/05/2024 12:53

Ignore if you don't feel this is in the spirit of the thread....

Made up my mind at Christmas that I was going to do something about my snacking. I'm now at the point where I can have a family pack of walkers in the house and not even think about them. It used to be my stress response at work - back of Salt And Vinegar (the best crisps) and a couple of choc bars.

They know what they are doing these people who make these things - they are pure addictive.

What I think helped is

weighing the heaviest I've ever weighed!

Making sure I eat 3 meals a day (protein, lots of veg/fruit, bit of carb) at each. I eat enough that I'm full.

Hardly ever snacking - if I do snack it's a banana/handful of nuts. (I will still share some Crips once a week at the pub where I go for a quiz.)

My blood sugar is much steadier so I'm not getting a dip like I used to.

drinking less alcohol so not getting spikes.

Lost weight, look better and feel less in thrall to this awful snack industry.

When I was a kid a packet of crisps was a treat after swimming, we had a choc bar on a Friday, sometimes a Jacob's club biscuit in the week.

How did you stop the snacking though? I would love to do it but just can't find the will power.

flutterby1 · 22/05/2024 15:01

Anyone found alternatives?

Ok, nothings going to cut chocs and crisps but seaweed snacks I find are very good

And 85% dark chocolate, just sucking a square helps .... a bit

flutterby1 · 22/05/2024 15:03

Wasabi peas

Proudbitch · 22/05/2024 15:07

flutterby1 · 22/05/2024 15:01

Anyone found alternatives?

Ok, nothings going to cut chocs and crisps but seaweed snacks I find are very good

And 85% dark chocolate, just sucking a square helps .... a bit

Salt and vinegar rice cakes with low fat cream cheese spread on helps me a bit.

Also been trying to do my own popcorn, I have some truffle oil spray and salt which is tasty. And I tried out some nutritional yeast on them this week too! I ate a gigantic mixing bowl in one go, but figure that it’s ok

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 22/05/2024 16:34

flutterby1 · 22/05/2024 15:01

Anyone found alternatives?

Ok, nothings going to cut chocs and crisps but seaweed snacks I find are very good

And 85% dark chocolate, just sucking a square helps .... a bit

I can’t stand seaweed snacks or dark chocolate.

What’s helped me is eg today not eating anything outside meals apart from a nature valley bar but also decent lunch (home made egg mayo sarnie on Warburtons thins then peanut butter and marmite on toast with dinner. Didn’t really need the toast but figured it’d fill me up.

eating my 2 plums on way to hairdressers after work.

OP posts:
Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 22/05/2024 16:37

flutterby1 · 22/05/2024 15:01

Anyone found alternatives?

Ok, nothings going to cut chocs and crisps but seaweed snacks I find are very good

And 85% dark chocolate, just sucking a square helps .... a bit

What weight watchers have as zero point snacks are eg hard boiled egg, grapes which taste like candy floss, fruit, yogurt low fat. And rich tea light biscuits. They were always at weigh ins with hot drinks.

Do not do what I did buy muller chocolate dessert lights and Baby bel lights. And then scoff loads feeling it was because it was better.

I like salty foods and crunch so Ryvita with spread and marmite helps.

OP posts:
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