Snack Battle

No Snacks, no sweets, no seconds. Except on Days that start with S. Too simple for you? Simple is why it works. Look here for questions, introductions, support, success stories.

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CarrieAnn
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Snack Battle

Post by CarrieAnn » Wed Oct 12, 2005 11:19 pm

Hi All!
Just wondering if anybody else out there still have a problem with snacking between long stretches between meals.

I'm fine between breakfast & lunch. My problem is between lunch & dinner. I have been doing No S for a few weeks now and have tried to go without any food between lunch & dinner. Some days work, others don't. So what I do on the days that don't work is have a little something like for example:
A piece of fruit, or a few crackers, toast or small serving of yougert. Then I leave a place for it on my plate at dinner. On the days I do that I eat less at dinner and feel much better in the late afternoon. So I think that is what I will do from now on. The only problem is that in my mind I feel I am breaking a rule of no snacks. Any comments anyone? Help :!:

Hugs & Love! :D
CarrieAnn

Rumba
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Post by Rumba » Thu Oct 13, 2005 1:22 am

Hi CarrieAnn,
I'll tell you my experience in case it might help you. I have found that when I know I will have a long stretch between meals, I need to eat protein. When I have a substantial portion of high-quality protein (maybe 5 oz) at a meal, I can last much longer. Even if the meal is healthy veggies, salads, etc. the absence of enough protein makes it hard for me to go long until the next meal.

Hope it helps.

sunnyday
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Post by sunnyday » Thu Oct 13, 2005 2:33 am

Hi CarrieAnn

I've been doing no s for a month now (only just joined the forum). I've been seeing good results but I've had the same problem with the time between lunch and dinner. I have a well balanced lunch with protein, salad and complex carbs but by dinner time I was often too hungry and not feeling very good.
For the last 3 days I have been having a protein shake in the mid afternoon. I make it with unsweetened whey protein powder, frozen berries, fruit juice and flax seed oil. It helps balance my blood sugar and I can tell myself it isn't a snack because it is a drink. I'm not sure if others will see this as breaking the rules.

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carolejo
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Post by carolejo » Thu Oct 13, 2005 6:28 am

I would say that the primary thing is that you stick to whatever rules you make for yourself, and are careful not to 'lie' to yourself.

It's only YOU you'll be cheating on if you do!

I think what everyone above has said is true and spot on. Like Rumba, I've found that a large amount of protein will help me to keep going until the next meal, but like Carrieann and Sunnyday, I also sometimes break the 'law' by having what is technically a snack.

I made myself an additional rule when I started out that if necessary, I would allow myself to eat up to 2 servings of fruit as 'snacks' in a day if I felt I needed it to balance my bloodsugar levels (I'm not diabetic or hypoglycemic, but I have noticed that I do have a sensitivity to this and it can make me feel pretty rough at times) or because I just wasn't going to make it without going postal. Most of the time, I haven't needed to eat the fruit. The mere thought that it's allowed within my particular version of NoS somehow makes it easier to bear. I end up eating about 3 fruits a week on average in this way so it's hardly a problem. When I do eat the fruit, on some level I think of it as a 'controlled failure'. A safety valve to prevent me haring off and consuming everything else in sight! I refuse to beat myself up about it, given that pre NoS the between meals hunger would have triggered a binge and I'd have eaten both fruits, two chocolate bars, a packet of crisps, some oatcakes or other crackers, cake, etc etc, all in a day. Compared to that, a couple of fruits is not going to do me any harm at all!

The other thing that can be helpful is chewing on a piece of gum. Sometimes I'm not actually as hungry as I thought, and was just after a 'taste sensation' or something to chew on. In those cases, chewing gum can help, although if you were really hungry, I'm pretty sure it would end up making matters worse, so watch out.

Anyhow, there's my 10cents' worth.

Hope you find a framework that works for you. Let us know what you decide to do, in any case.
C.
CaroleJo

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peetie
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Post by peetie » Thu Oct 13, 2005 3:00 pm

I have the same problem from time to time and find a sliced apple and a glass of water gets me from Point A to Point B.

I also think it's okay to tweak a little as long as you stay with the basic structure of the program. I've mentioned before that I need a very small snack before bed, or it contributes to sleep problems for me. It hasn't made me gain any weight, and it's what my body needs.

I also second the motion about protein. It, with a little fiber and fat, has staying power.

Peetie

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Tonsha
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Post by Tonsha » Thu Oct 13, 2005 9:55 pm

For me it's a warm drink. I fill up on as much water as possible, but about 4 hours after a meal I start getting hunger pangs. A warm drink seems to settle me down and makes me last another hour.

If I can get through that fourth hour, the pangs go away. (I may still feel hungry - looking forward to something to eat - but there are no more hunger 'pangs').

You mileage may vary.

DaveA
"The best diet is the one you don’t know you’re on" - Brian Wansink

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reinhard
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Post by reinhard » Fri Oct 14, 2005 4:08 pm

CarrieAnn,

What you're doing sounds very sensible. Just be careful that the late afternoon snack-meal stays small and that you keep it in mind when filling your dinner plate.

If this works. great. Don't give it another thought. But if you catch yourself turning this into a full-blown second dinner, consider the drink alternative others here mention. Yes, a glass of milk or a protein shake might have as many calories as a little snack, but psychologically there's less danger of it escalating.

Good luck, whatever you decide, and keep us posted.

Reinhard

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Azathoth
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Post by Azathoth » Fri Oct 14, 2005 4:54 pm

I support Tonsha's suggestion. I try to drink a minimum of 144 oz of water daily (I don't always reach this goal, but it helps to try). By drinking this much water, particularly if I start to feel little pangs of hunger, I find that I am able to get through it just fine and concentrate on things other than food. People rarely drink as much water daily as they should anyway, so I suggest making a concious effort to fit more of it into your everyday routine.

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CarrieAnn
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Post by CarrieAnn » Fri Oct 14, 2005 8:16 pm

Thank you all for your encouraging comments! It gives me plenty of options on thoes days that I need it.

Hugs!
CarrieAnn
:D

annolope
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In the same boat

Post by annolope » Sat Oct 15, 2005 12:05 am

Hi Carrieanne,

I hear ya!! I am fine between beakfast and lunch, but that stretch between lunch and dinner is a killer. The other issue is depending on what everyone i the family has going on in the evening, dinner may delayed to who know when. I think I going to give the protien drink a whirl. Does anyone have any good ideas for a brand of drink that you can buy ready made and that could be taken to work????? Would love to have suggestions.

Hang in there Carrieanne :wink:
See you down the trail!

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