How to stop being a serial snacker

[froggie255]

I have about 2 stone to lose. My meals are improving and I'm trying to eat in a calorie deficit. But I have a huge problem with snacking at the same time everyday. It's like I go on a compulsive binge. I will have done brilliant at meals and calories all day then it hits 5pm and something takes over me and I probably eat as many calories in about 20 minutes as I have all day - biscuits, crisps a, crackers, cheese, chocolate. I have them in the house for dc but I just can't stop myself gorging on them.

I know this is preventing me losing the weight I need to and everyday I promise myself I won't do it but like I said, it's almost gone past a choice now and is something I just do. If I were busy at that time it might help but it's my toddlers mealtime and while I'm in the kitchen preparing her evening meal I just constantly pick at stuff. How can I overcome this?!

Placemarking because im exactly the same. I think a hefty chunk is hormone related

Create snack boxes with low calorie snacks in - the packs of 100kcal biscuits, babybels etc in and write how many calories are in each one. Like these
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGJ4C5cqh/

theyve really helped me

For me even if i don't have sugary or carby snack food in the house, its like my body will seek out the most calorific options we have in, whether thats cheese, meat, nuts, milk/yoghurt, healthy fats like avocado.

I can't not have these things in as i have a DC who needs to gain weight (medical advice), but i can see, clearly, that i simply eat too many calories.

A few things you could try:

Instead of trying to stop it altogether try cutting down. So say if you have 4 X crisps and 2x chocs for the next week absolutely allow yourdfel, guilt free to have 3x crops and 1 chocolate. then the following week cut down a bit more.

Chew gum at that time

Brush your teeth just before that time.

Snack on healthy boring things like cucumber and carrot sticks

Intermittent fasting (16:8) stops me picking at things because I just can't if it's outside of my eating window. It also stops me snacking within my eating window because I don't want to undo the effort I have made. I also try to eat high-protein food like a protein yoghurt for pudding and then I'm too full to want to snack.

Could it be that you undereat all day, so you're just hungry?

Do you eat proper breakfast and lunch?

Following for tips, have no advice as I'm the same

I'm was having terrible binge snacking and the only way for me to prevent it happening is to clean my teeth, no matter what time of day.
I don't scrub them to within an inch of their enamel but just enough to freshen up.

Then it's the old "drink plenty of water" which also fills me up.

I'm also much better if during the day I prepare a small bowl of chopped fruit, halved grapes, chopped melon/strawberries and a few blueberries are my go to, and if they're already prepared I'll keep off of the not so healthy things.

Not easy but preparation does go someway to helping.

Don't buy junk, and keep a good diary on my fitness pal

Minimising ultra processed foods especially biscuits and eating rich dairy lots of veg and fruit and wholemeal bread (preferably home made or not ultra processed). Snack on nuts

Myfitnesspal really helps me, because I have to log everything so it helps to keep me much more accountable. I have mine linked to my watch and have a daily target of 1200 calories but it will give me a greater allowance if I expend more doing exercise, even just busying around will give me a bit more.

But if I reach for a snack the thought of having to scan it in and see 250 calories disappear just for 2 mouthfuls isn't worth it. Well sometimes it is and I do, but more often it isn't so I don't, and I used to be exactly like you once mid to late afternoon hit.

It really helps me. And if you have other friends using it you can link to theirs and egg each other on which is even more motivating/mortifying 😂

Accept that’s when you get hungry. Hardboil some eggs and keep them in the fridge. Have a toasted brown bread egg sandwich with butter, salt and pepper, and some shredded lettuce, and a big cup of tea/coffee (decaf if preferred). You have crunch, protein, fibre. Have a smaller dinner. Or if you’re not hungry at dinner time, don’t eat dinner.

I have more willpower in the morning. So I eat my breakfast as late as I can, then my lunch is naturally late, and I don't feel as hungry late pm when i have an energy slump. Sometimes I have a can of fizzy flavoured water or something to feel like I've had a bit of a treat (I dont drink many fizzy drinks).

@MySoCalledWife I am terrible at doing this. I starve myself all day and then stuff sugary crap as my blood sugar crashes and makes me feel wobbly.
Bad habit.

Increase your protein as it makes you feel fuller for longer. Have packs of sliced chicken or ham in fridge. Even buy a lump of ham and boil/bake it to pick at as it can work out cheaper than packs of ham. Definitely track on my fitness pal. Also if you have an Alexa set a task/reminder for around that time. You can set it to say "eating now will not make you feel good later" at 5pm. "kitchen pickers wear big knickers" at 5.15.
Dont snack on nuts, they are ridiculously high in calories. You'd be better having the crisps!
Stick a couple of dumbells or exercise bands in kitchen and make your habit doing a bit of movement while your child is eating.

Could you try changing your mindset about what's considered a treat?

I mean, all of our kids eat the odd bag of crisps or have a biscuit, but they're very bad for kids bodies, as well as ours. They aren't a treat in the long-term; they're ultra processed, fatty, salty, sugary, shit really.

So I would just reduce buying them. Kids don't need to eat it regularly, buy more fruit. If you don't have it around, you'll all be healthier.

Thank you, some great tips. I've been using my fitness pal to track my calories but it's pointless really because I don't log these snack binges (there's usually too much to log) so it's never accurate. I do try to have sensible meals but I am usually pretty hungry by this time. It's habitual too - I see it's time to make dd dinner which means it's also snack time for me. I need to break that association in my brain.

Very simple. Don't have these at home.
I have little self control with crips so they were bought only on the day when they are to be eaten. Nothing else worked. It hpa to get out if the habit and now they even last 3 days if I have them here😁

And time snack. I have something in the middle between lunch and dinner totake of the hungry eyes later. I usually have lunch at 12 and dinner at 7 so snack like apple, corn cake with marmite etc at 3. Stops pre dinner starving

I tend to look for a snack around then because I'm tired, but for me, 'a snack' is a meal's worth of calories consumed standing up at the fridge or cupboard. Instead, where I possibly can, I eat dinner at 5, then no food after that. I can resist snacking after dinner but 4-5 pm is a total danger zone.

Can you break down what you see as a sensible meal? Example of your usual breakfast, lunch and dinner?

Just because if you are not properly filling yourself up at meal times then you will be more inclined to snack, so it would be good to see how much you are restricting yourself at meals.

I would say also as a personal take, that calorie counting isn't always the most helpful thing. I say this as someone who did it on MFP for years. It does encourage you to eat less than your body really needs at times, and to not always go for the best option (e.g. you might be going for low calorie/ fat free/ low fat processed foods which aren't really good for you).

I've worked with a personal trainer and nutritionist and come to feel that it's much more about what you are eating than the quantity.

But first of all, let us know your normal meals?

Are you having enough to eat at lunchtime? I notice that on three days when I eat lunch at work (in France so three courses and plenty protein, minimal carbs) I don’t even think about eating again until dinner at 7pm. On days that I just have a sandwich or a bowl of soup with bread, I’m starving by 4:30 and reaching for bread / cheese / etc.

or build it into your diet? Drop the ultra processed crap, just eat a bit of cheese, and you won’t be starving by dinner time.

Swap these snacks with lower calorie snacks? Ie instead of having a huge chocolate bar, have a small fredo chocolate that's 95cals? I always let myself down with snacking so I just don't keep any snacky bits in the house - maybe just a packet of crisps for after lunch - then after dinner I'll walk over to the corner shop and end my day with a nice chocolate and a tea - feels like a reward

I could have written your post op, I’m exactly the same I get home from work around 5 , start having a healthy snack while I’m cooking dinner and before I know it I’ve eaten half the contents of the kitchen cupboards 🤦‍♀️ if there no junk I’ll literally stuff anything in my mouth, crackers, nuts, bread etc especially if it has butter on it! The worst thing is that after I’ve eaten all that junk I can’t eat dinner so I don’t get anything healthy to eat.

I think that it would her better if I just had dinner ready to go the second we came in the door and eat it then even if it seems early. I keep thinking I’ll start meal prepping or using the slow cooker so the most I have to do is heat it up. Unfortunately I’m just not that organised at the moment!

Some things that help me-
I have a bottle of water on the side and try and drink instead of snacking. I’m amazed that I am often really thirsty.
Pre-load snacks into MFP then you know you are allowed some and don’t get into the mindset of, I’ve started snacking now and there’s no point trying to record anything so I’ll just carry on. Or just jot everything down on an old fashioned piece of paper and load to MFP later.
Have boring snacks like vegetable sticks or plain popcorn or Ryvita.
Remind yourself that they are not your snacks. If you shared a house with other adults would you eat their food? Can you resist ripping open bags of crisps in the supermarket? I bet you can because it’s NOT YOUR FOOD.

Id also seriously think about the messages you are giving your kids about what counts as a snack/treat.