How do I break the snacking habit?!

[jbastara]

Ok... so this is my weight loss journey so far
I start off my day great! I wake up early to squeeze in a 30 minute workout, eat my regular cereal (special K) breakfast, take the dog for a walk around the block (10 mins), and then head off to class or hit the books for homework. Sounds good right??
Then lunch hits. I usually do okay as far as eating healthy at lunch time, but I never seem full afterwords. I typically have a sandwhich of some variety, soup, a wrap, or whatever I throw together. After lunch I veg out for a bit, watch some TV, and play with the dog for a bit.
Then it hits... hunger! I want snacks, and the sweeter the better! Today I had chips (they were only 170 cals/2 cups tho), a banana, trail mix (the kind with m&ms), and a light popsicle (50 cals). Even after all that i still felt like I wanted more... but I resisted.
Dinner time rolled around, and I since i only cook for myself during the week (boyfriend only home on weekends) I was too lazy to cook anything healthy. So I boiled up two turkey hotdogs and at them with 2 pieces of whole wheat bread. To finish off all of this my dessert was a big spoonful of frozen yogurt.
I feel awful. I wish I could go back and make all that snack time go away. But at the time I felt like I couldn't resist. Like food is my drug. I don't know how to stop this. It is like a daily event... sometimes after lunch, sometimes after dinner, sometimes BOTH. I have healthy foods... lots of fruit, unprosessed nuts, but in the moment I want the sweetest/saltiest/fattest thing I can find. Disgusting.... any help would be amazing!!

 

[allyphoe]

Plan snacks into your day.

Today I had (each line being a separate eating occasion):
- a quarter of a bagel with cream cheese (leftovers from my kid's breakfast)
- a bowl of cottage cheese with mandarin oranges
- a handful of almonds
- half a sweet potato with a little butter and a big chunk of pork tenderloin
- a smoothie with milk, banana, raspberries, and flax
- a smaller chunk of pork, a handful of almonds, and a Nature Valley almond crunch bar (mostly nuts with a little brittle-like candy holding it together)

(I've still got calories left, so will have at least one more meal, but I'm aiming to maintain at the moment.)

Also, try adding up your calories. Hard to tell without measurements, but from eyeballing it, it doesn't look to me like you're eating too much. If you'd rather not snack, eat a bigger meal, but if you like snacks, just plan them in.

 

[maleficent]

Special K is hardly a good choice for breakfast - find a cereal that has fiber in it and less sugar and you should be kept more satiated...

 

[Blancita]

I think many of us can understand how you feel with the cravings. I also have a bad habit of changing all my best laid plans the second I smell some food, and I might even seek it out when I get a craving or just want to munch on something yummy.

You didn't say how many calories you've eaten by the end of the day. From what you mentioned, it doesn't sound too high, depending on portion sizes of course. Add up your calories for a few days and we can make some suggestions from there.

I agree with mal about the Special K. Its like eating a bowl of air in a way. Try the Kashi brand, they make organic cereal with lots of fiber and some protein so you'll be full longer. Though being full never seems to help me with the cravings, it does help when the hunger pangs hit. Its good to get some protein in the morning to keep you going longer.