Love to eat, Need help curbing appetite.

[ALIENROD]

Hello folks, I'm 31 yrs old 6'2 255lbs and while I am conscious of what I eat, I like eating a lot. Starting this week I started counting my calories and noticed how quickly the little snacks adds up. I want a healthy solution to curbing my appetite without starving myself. Any ideas?

[Inga · Accepted solution]

I If you'd rather not learn to curb... just go for the fresh fruits and veggies! you can eat a whole lot of volume of celery, romaine, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, apples, pears, pineapple, mangoes, strawberries, etc. for pretty minimal calories. Just limit the low volume, empty calorie stuff like dressings, dips, and added fats and add lean protein a couple of times a day.

[gerrymcd]

It was truly shocking to discover how many snack calories I was eating most days......250 here, 250 there.  Suddenly it was half the amount I should eat in a day, without even noticing!  

I found the best way not to snack is not to have easy access to stuff.  I had a habit of taking a large bag of trail mix, cliff bars, etc to work to eat if I was going straight to the gym.  Initially this helped by stopping me from thinking 'too hungry for gym, go home for dinner' as I was driving to my workout.  But, over time I discovered I was dipping into the trail mix throughout the day, and sometimes eating two or even three cliff bars -- for no good reason.   

I've replaced the trail mix with fruit.  Now I keep apples, oranges, bananas, etc on hand.  When I'm tempted to go eat junk I have fruit instead. 

[ALIENROD]

I don't really like getting protein bars because i find myself eating more than one. I do eat raw almonds from time to time. Not making any excuses but when i would stock pile on fruits it invited fruit flies. Show I cut them up and refrigerate them??

[Inga]

1. eat your fruit! Mine doesn't hang around long enough to attract too many.

2. google fruit fly traps. Fall is the problem season.

[PhxRussell]

I found that when you are tyring to curb your appetite, a handful of raw almonds and a glass of water works really well for me.  I also read, though I don't currently have the source, that drinking room temperature water helps curb your appetite.

[gerrymcd]

Raw almonds an a cup of green tea does it for me. 

[danid512]

Agreed on the fruits and veggies thing. Go prepared. Only take that stuff.

 One of my work locations (thankfully i am only there 1 day per week) is always overflowing with snacks... bad snacks. I have compromised here. I will take my lunch, and 2-3 snacks with me to work (this is usually two veggies and one fruit) normally. I will take an additional veggie snack portion with me on this day and I basically tell myself that if i eat my lunch, drink my water, and go through all of my snacks that I can then have one small "treat" at work that day. Funny part is by the time i eat that extra veggie, I am too full for that snack. Maybe one day of the month i will end up having something small but usually it is not as gratifying as I had hoped.

Other trick for me is drinking a LOT of water. Especially when my head starts telling me i need a snack.

Fruits and veggies will be your best friend. Another "volume" snack is popcorn which is rather low calorie but be careful what you add to it (salt, etc). Rice cakes usually make good snack items too. A small amount of almond butter, banana, etc will make it more filling. Peanut butter can throw the calories up pretty quickly so be careful with that.

[kaveh300]

I used to be 252 lbs and had a huge craving for sweets, i got down to 150 in a year. the way I changed my diet was that I phased out all the unhealthy foods. Similar to how doctors would take patients off of medications. For instance, I loved the brownie bites. I would eat handfuls of them daily. I kept lessening the amount I eat over a couple weeks until I didn't even desire them at all. what this does is keep your body from going into skock, because its gotten used to recieving the sweet every day. remember sugar is addictive, the more you take in the more your body will want it. you can also us this on any other kinds of food like rice/bread or sodas. I hope this helps, good luck.

[Inga]

fantastic post, kaveh.

I am always reminded that we all have a "sweet-tooth" because we are supposed to have it, it is how we are to seek out the best fruit. Modern life has just made it too easy for us to hunt down the brownie bites day after day LOL

[ALIENROD]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I think i'll do a combination of both Fruits, veggies and a reduction of my snacking. Going "cold turkey" may result in a binge eating so I'll gradually reduce my intake on the amount of sweets I have. Thanks for the ideas and support. I hope to help on of you in the future. Good Luck and Stay focus

[KristenAnne]

Try foods with high water content like most melons. Also think protein... Who says you can't have a 1/2 of a chicken breast as a snack?! This will keep you full longer. It's easy to spice up fruit with cinnamon that increases metabolism or hot sauce on chicken that will do the same. If you're hungry eat, but make what you eat work for you at the same time!

[DrBostorm]

I used to weigh in the 380-400lb range (380 was my first weigh in after starting to lose weight because I just didn't want to know). One thing that was constantly told to me when I was losing weight was that veggies and fresh fruits didn't get me to where I was, so go to town on them because they aren't going to keep you there.

That being said, one of the biggest things when you are overweight and constantly feel the need to eat... (At least for me)... You have to think of it as an addiction. If you are quitting smoking or drugs... When you reduce the use of it, your mind plays really cruel tricks on you and put your full body/mind into a panic mode. The same goes for food.

I know it sucks, and I know it's hard... but try and mentally power through it (eat what you are supposed to still... don't try starving yourself). I can honestly say the first week when I really finally told myself that I was losing weight, that I would lay in bed and sweat profusely and get enormous headaches. My mind started playing tricks on me, telling me that I wasn't going to be able to have any fun anymore since I'm going to be completely restricted in what I was eating.... The list goes on and on. Finally, I realized that if someone were to walk in on me and see what I looked like, they would think that I was trying to cure myself of a drug addiction. After that realization, I just gritted my teeth and told myself that I was not going to be controlled by it.

After a week, all of those crazy reactions and mental games completely disappeared. I was able to eat when I was supposed to and be perfectly happy with what I was eating.

I honestly don't know if you are in the same situation as I was in, but if you feel that you might be in the same area as I was... Beat out the cravings.

[chrstine1013]

GNC has high protein shakes - 25 grams of protein and 170 calories. Filling snack. Also, mason jar salads always avaiable in the fridge helps!

[zubz]

Great suggestions above.

I would also add:
-pre portioning your favourite snacks and writing the calories on them so you know
- find an activity to get you out of the house, like meeting a friend for a coffee and a walk.
-try new healthy recipes! (This one is my favourite). Lots of good healthy things can also be frozen for later lunches or dinners. Check out skinnytaste.com (she has the fat/calories/carbs/protein listed under each recipe)
-be easy on yourself! You didn't gain weight in a day, so you won't lose it in a day (Unfortunately!)

[Mary13]

I cfind your story interesting and compelling.  Isn't it amazing what you can accomplish once you just DECIDE.  I've defeated smoking that way and now I'm going to do the same with exercise and diet.

[maggiemay1969]

You can do this.... Somebody brought in a big box of Krispy Kremes to work today and set them on the break table for the taking...I merely looked. and actually wasn't super tempted because my eating has been so much better lately AND it makes me feel physically better...Think I'm finally weaning off the sugar...Really focussing on getting more protein for my snacks and not so much sugar....Christine1013 I am gonna see if I can get some of those GNC drinks. They sound perfect!

[KristenAnne]

Good for you!

Don't forget things like hard boiled eggs are easy to make and great grab and go protein. Just be careful not to drink too many calories. Keep up the good work!

[soccertl]

Lots of good suggestions here. I just want to add to not underestimate the power of water. Make sure you are drinking enough. 8 cups is not really enough for me, I like to drink 12-14 a day in addition to what I get from other drinks. Sometimes when you think you are hungry you body is really thirsty. Drink a cup of water when you think you are hungry and wait 5 minutes and see how you feel.

[cappyporter]

I like to eat a lot of fiber to help keep me full.  On average I eat about 40 - 50 grams per day and I've found it really helps. I work from my home so I'm surrounded by food so I make sure that I keep only healthy foods within my reach.  I do slip every now and then but these strategies have helped for me.

Cap