No snacking after dinner! Who's in??

[summerisacoming]

I'm not very good with diets and I really don't want to try one then have it fail. So this is my plan:

As soon I have finished dinner, I'm going to brush my teeth and make sure I don't eat anything else that evening. Simple.

Ok, it's not the most imaginative of plans, but here's why I think it will make a huge difference:

1. My worst snacking is in the evening
2. Eating chocolate in the evening makes me stay up late (caffeine) so I'm tired for work the next morning
3. Am I right in thinking that eating right before bed makes you store more fat?

I am 5'8'' and since having kids I now weigh around 12 stone (size 12/14). I want to be a size 10 again!

I'm going to start small and do this for 1 week, starting today. If all goes well, then I'll aim for a month, then two months (should be a well-formed habit by then), then drop sugar.

If you're in, let's report back every evening right before we go to bed to confirm that we didn't eat anything after dinner.

So who's with me?? Come on!😁

I’ve managed to get back on track with eating my evening meal between 6 and 7pm. A few twinges from my gallbladder. I’ve been lax over my fat intake just trying to get through what was probably covid. Also glad for the return to routine 😀

No weight loss this week same as last week. At least it wasn't a gain I suppose. More walking this week methinks!.

I'm back. Still weigh the same despite a week on an all inclusive holiday! I ate really well and the habit of not snacking and no late night eating stood me in good stead (or are my scales broken?)
I can't cut out sweet treats but I've noticed that I am naturally eating less of them and I am doing more home baking with seasonal fruits so I'm eating better in the sense I'm eating fewer processed foods.
I've been informed it's 100 days til Christmas today so my plan is keep up the good habits even as the warmer layers start to hide a multitude!

Day 71
I've done my teeth so I'm determined to not snack, but I'm just finishing up some work and I'm so hungry!

@Badatmostthings So 99 days to Christmas today - I love this! I'm finding it really hard to keep count of the days now, so I might start counting down days to Christmas instead (despite generally hating any mention of Christmas before November).
This has worked really well for me previously: e.g. if I have a dentist appointment in two weeks, I find it really motivating to make sure I floss everyday, not eat sugar, etc.

@Beaverbridge I went for a 20mins walk this evening, and it was really nice. I'm also aware the evenings I'll be able to do that are numbered as we head into winter, so trying to make the most of it.

90 days since I started this, and only a handful of blips. It amazes me that I can control no after-dinner snacking. I used to believe I had no discipline whatsover. Now I'm not interested in food after 7pm.

But, but, but, mid-afternoon I want to shovel down cereal and/or biscuits, and I have to find something physical to occupy me until the feeling passes. Earlier this week was horribly stressful. I ate half a box of a crunchy cereal, didn't really enjoy it, and threw the remaining half in the food waste bin. I have a supply of ryvita and cheese now for future emergencies.

I'd like to lose a stone by the new year.

Not posted for a couple of weeks but finally made the magical minus 2 stone!!. People commenting now on it. 5 ponds to loose to take me into next stone bracket.

Wow! That's amazing 👏👏 Congratulations! Have you been doing more exercise as well or just controlled eating?
I've managed to lose around 5lbs so far but lost so much bloat feeling a lot happier and more confident in my clothes. My husband said how slim I'm looking which was really lovely. I can comfortably fit in my favourite jeans and tops now and feel so much happier.

You've done so well! 90 days is a huge achievement. I've got a whole new look on snacking now and not been eating after dinner and it's making such a difference. I'm not craving food anymore like I used to.

I'm terrible with the pm cravings. I find downing a glass of water helps so much. I used to reach for biscuits.

@abbs1 Hi, only exercise has been about an hour to hour and a half's walk daily. No fancy diet either. Breakfast either 2 weetabix skimmed milk. Cup of tea with slice of brown bread toasted. Lunch if, at home crackers spreading cheese thinly spread. Dinner usually a Count on Us meal from Marks padded out with veg. Think cutting out the multi packs of kit kats have helped enormously!!.

That's amazing! I definitely need to get out and walk more. I've cut my eating down a lot. Breakfast is 2 eggs and a coffee. Then lunch is salad and a bit of pasta sometimes. PM snack if I'm struggling/bored protein bar and then proper meal foe dinner and nothing else.
Being in control of my eating habits and being more mindful has helped me so much.
My weak link was bread. I ate so much and it actually made me really unwell with IBS etc. I've not eaten any for over 2 months now and have never felt as good as I do now.

@abbs1 . Yeah me too, feel so much better loosing a bit weight. My legs aren't as sore and don't know if it's coincidence but restless legs at night seems to have stopped. Nighttime is the worst for me, can be fine during the day but I seem to associate sitting watching TV with eating rubbish which wastes my good effort during the day!. Glad you're doing well.

Staying aware of cravings now that it's colder and darker. Keeping physically active until at least 10am, and get into the garden as much as possible. Having a larger pm meal, and not feeling guilty for relaxing for a short while. Then swing into action again for others' tea, tidy up for next morning, and have a thick creamy coffee around 7pm when kitchen closes.

Weight loss is slow, but steady, and I feel so much better. Fewer aches and pains, calmer emotionally.

Can I join? Snacking is one of my issues I am trying to battle. I eat leftovers from kids meals on top of all other snacks like crisps etc. I find it hard to go from meal to meal without something in between.
I managed yesterday which I was chuffed about!
This thread might help with accountability.

I’m staring down a loaf of freshly baked bread… Aiming to not eat any. Send strength!!

Sounds delicious but don't do it! 🙈 I made some yummy homemade peanut butter cookies with my kids today and trying not to think about them sitting in the kitchen!

@abbs1 thank you for the encouragement - homemade treats might be better for us than ultra processed rubbish but they’re still unnecessary calories aren’t they? I managed to resist, I hope you did too?

Yesterday counted as Day 1 of no eating after tea. I’m going to take it one day at a time.

I succumbed to Halloween sweets a couple of evenings ago. My first time of eating after 7pm in many weeks. I'm really annoyed at myself. I knew how I would feel after, and that it would set me up for "just this once won't hurt" way of thinking.

today is going to be exactly the kind of day that would lead to a comfort-eating binge in the evening. So I'm planning exactly what to eat and when, and laying it out in the kitchen this morning.

Fortunately, there will be some welcome distraction for part of the early evening. So there'll be a natural break in any food thoughts until after 7pm, and then straight to bed with a good book or tv.