I need nice but no too bad snacks to stop me searching the cupboards like a crack addict looking for left over chocolate coins

[Bumperlicious]

Am bfing dd2 who is 4.5 mo. Am 2.5 stone overweight due to eating badly & lack of exercise. She is up twice in the night (and that is after being up all evening) and I am knackered, so doing any exercise is a non-starter, quite frankly I'm struggling to get out of bed in the morning.

I eat decent meals, but it is the volume, and crap on top which is a problem. Even when I try and be good & I know I'm not hungry I find myself desperately searching for something nice to eat in the evening. I have no time to myself and little pleasure at the moment. I need something nice I can look forward to in the evening.

What could I have that is easily rationable & not too bad? None of this 'one square of good quality dark chocolate' bollock!

I think you need to investigate low GI foods. They keep the hunger pangs at bay for longer. Something sweet will satisfy the craving but won't necessarily fill you up.

Pumpkin seeds are surprisingly tasty.

me too bumper
\I like hot choc - not the artificial tasting options stuff, but just normal hot choc made with skimmed milk (surprised to find it doesn't really taste that different)
Bu I can't really say it's been a miracle worker, bit it must be helping

I should add if you can eliminate sugary, sweet things from your diet eventually you stop craving it. I did it and feel far more energetic as a result. I'm breastfeeding too and can definitely relate to what you are saying.

If you can start building in some exercise into your day and stop snacking on the wrong things you can lose weight. I went from a size 20/22 pre-pregnancy to size 12. I had to cut out sweet things and exercise because I had gestational diabetes. I guess I am living proof that a combination of the right diet and exercise really does work. I started off with Davina's exercise DVDs and now run for 30 minutes, 4 times a week and walk around 2 miles a day.

Fruit teas can be good - very low calorie and hit the sweetness spot.

I'm in exactly the same position. On a bad day I've been known to swig cough syrup from the bottle just for the sugar hit.

Have recently discovered caramel macchiato at Starbucks, good for when I want to feel I've had a treat. They can do it with skimmed milk and sugar free syrup.

I have been having the same issue and have ealised that my worst snacking time ,is like a lot of people, in the evening when sitting around.

I have allowed myself 3 snacks to choose from at night instead of my usual crisps/biscuits/chocolate.

A bowl of musli is good (I love the Dorset Cereal one)

A slice of toast with peanut butter and banana

A bowl of fresh fruit salad (normally half a cchopped apple, a bana and a handful of grapes.

I have found this helps me but obviously everyone is different

Sugar free jelly works too - sweet and contains lots of water so not bad for filling you up

Try Jordans new 'Frusli' bars. They do some nice flavours - just had a red berry one - and they're quick and easy and not too bad for you.

Just don't eat a whole box in one sitting

Bumperlicious - if you want a sweet hit, try sugar free jelly. Or frozen low fat yoghurt pot from the freezer (take it out a bit before you want to it eat it so it thaws abit) - those are fairly low cal options for the evening.

How much water are you drinking? Alot of times, your body is telling you it wants a drink rather than food when you think you need to eat something.

Yoghurts are the French woman's secret weapon to keep weight down.

However for a big indulgent hit, microwave some popcorn for four minutes, drizzle a bit of sunflower oil over it, mix the oil around with your hands, then sprinkle some fructose/Splenda on it with some cinnamon, and then mix again. High GI but comparatively low in calories and very decadent.

A bit off topic but when I was up in the night BF I used to keep a little tupperware box in the bedroom filled with dried apricots and some healthy oaty type biscuits - used to feed and eat at the same time! Otherwise hunger pangs stopped me sleeping. Sugar free jellies are good I find if I need something sweet after dinner.

Ryvitas with raisins in are good, especially with a flask of hilights hot chocolate.

Eat a banana or some pineapple. Both incredibly sweet.

Thanks for all the tips. It's not that I don't like the healthier alternatives like yoghurt and granola, fruit etc. It's just they don't hit the spot. I completely agree that I just need to cut out the sweet snacks i just can't do it at the moment.

I don't like hot chocolate, which is a shame as I'm sure that would help. I might stick to coco pops in a similar vein. I'm tempted to buy a bag of fun size chocolate bars, would they be an okish treat? Marshmallows also delish but basically just sugar right? Pop corn also good but would have to be toffee to hit the spot and too moreish, I wouldn't be able to stop.

I like chocolate raisins but haven't been able to find any where the chocolate doesn't taste like wax.

"I need nice but not too bad snacks to stop me searching the cupboards like a crack addict looking for left over chocolate coins"

Fun size chocolate bars
Marshmallows
Toffee popcorn
Chocolate raisins
Coco pops

None of these are even vaguely "not too bad". They are completely empty calories.

You really need to re-think this.

Yes but there are levels aren't there? 4 months ago I was mainlining large bars of galaxy. I have moved on from that fortunately. I know how to eat healthily, before I got pg I was fine, then the hormones, sickness & crippling tiredness hit & I lose will power and don't care. I'm trying to get back on track but haven't got the energy or capacity to completely overhaul things yet. I'm am too hungry, too tired and too miserable. Yes I am aware that eating better may help, but they won't stop my baby waking up every 2-3 hours a night so in the meantime, and in the absence of any other pleasures of an evening, I would like to look forward to a cup of tea & small treat. I'm after least bad options. I do appreciate the help though.

Flavoured oat cakes.
The small bags are OK, and not too junky.

Really though, I'd go with fruit or veg. Pickles are good and less boring, or make a good dressing for greens and snack on that or smoked salt to sprinkle on raw veg.

Malt loaf? Oatcakes? The ginger ones are lovely and they do chocolate ones too. Neither one is as bad as a large bar of galaxy And they come in little cellophane packs of five or six which somehow makes it harder to eat the whole box on one go!

I was just coming on to extol the joy of malt loaf! Good call, bloominnora. It's low fat, sweet and filling and a couple of slices used to give me the oomph to function when I was v sleep deprived.

Oh yes, malt loaf is a good idea, and gooey & cake like. I don't mind the flavoured oatcakes but wondered whether by the time I have polished off a little pack whether or not I might as well have treated myself to a couple of foxes chocolate rings

That does remind me though, I have some chocolate chip oatcakes in the cupboard to try. Have aliviated tonight's cravings with some high juice and a bath as, for the first time in weeks, the baby has gone down for the evening. That makes such as difference. Plus dh is taking charge of feeds for the night, which again will help.