How can I stop old habits?

Okay, I'm 6 months out and down 79 lbs. For some reason, this month I've noticed I can eat more than I used to and have started to go back to some bad habits. Mainly, snacking at night. Mind you, I don't eat AS much, but still...I'm doing it! Has anyone else found themselves doing this? If so, how do I stop??? I want to continue with my weightloss but feel I'm not moving the scales very much these days. I'm still working out 4 days a week and I do get in at least 64 ozs. of water daily. These carbs (snacks) are killing me! Why do I feel that I can eat them without feeling "bad"? HELP!!! Linda Shive Dr. Slotman 3/24/04 -79 lbs.

I am also 6 months out and down 107lbs.and have also noticed that not only am I able to eat more at a time, I am craving some of the old crap that I used to base my entire diet on. In the evening when I am hungry, I usually drink a protein shake. It is enough to fill me up and I just make myself go to bed. It keeps my metabolism going during my sleep and is protein so that is good.Plus it is chocolate flavored so it tastes good. I use Unjury and mix it with skim milk. If I just have to have something to eat, I munch on some sunflower seeds. In the shell. Takes longer to eat them and I get that salty craving satisfied. Iusually will eat about 1/4 cup of seeds in shell. Or if that doesn't fit the bill, I will eat some fluff. Which is cottage cheese, low fat cool whip, orange wedges and sugar free jello. Again, more protein and very low sugar and fat. This will fill you up so you wont want or need to eat anything for hours. I will also eat 2 crackers with brie. Again, more protein. Crackers aren't great but I am not eating many. Just two. I have to admit though that I will on occasion eat a piece of sf candy or a couple potato chips. I read the serving size though and then either cut it by 1/2 or even more. If a serving of chips is 13, I will eat 5. It is just enough to satisfy that craving. I try not to do this often but this is a new way of living and I am not going to deprive myself from eating everything that I loved. The key here is to control yourself. Try tomake better choices 99% of the time but once in awhile, a treat wont kill you. Nicole

Me too! I have found myself doing mindless eating. Like crackers when I drive or on the computer. Luckly if I eat to much or to much sugar I usually end up in the bathroom later, so the next time I think twice. What is weird is these cravings went away for a long while and are now back, so it is not like they are just habits...but they are cravings. I have a wedding this weekend but next week I am going to do a couple days of liquids and try to clear my body of carbs...I think that might help. Good luck to you. Donna

If you are a snacker and you allow yourself to do snacking of any kind - even if it's healthy - it's not going to help you in the long run because you'll end up right back at square one. I would really urge you to do whatever you can to keep your mind busy and off of snacking. My mom used to crochet while she watched TV and it was a highly effective way to keep her hands busy. Try something like that if you don't already do it. I wish you luck - it's hard to beat that snack monster. I am just very thankful I lost that habit years ago and that I don't have that struggle anymore. Dina 325/236/150

My greatest urge to snack comes when I'm sitting on the couch at nigh****ching television. I try to figure out what's going on. Sometimes, I feel the need to eat because I'm tired, but I want to stay up, and eating will keep me up. At those times, I just go to bed. Even if it's 9:30. If I'm tired, I should sleep, not use food as I did so many times in the past. In college my roommate and I would each eat a whole bag of crap when we were pulling all nighters (we both ended up MO) . Othertimes, I think I want to eat just because it's a habit with t.v. If I think that's the problem, then I'll go upstairs and play on the computer, read a book.. or I'll fold laundry in front of the t.v. but not sitting. That magnet in my rear end is lethal. And my other main driver for eating when I'm not physically in need of food, is stress. So I will think to myself, what's going on here? Am I upset about something? What happened today? And I will review my day and A-HA! it turns out I'm worried about something at work, or I'm mad at my boyfriend for forgetting something, or some other thing is going on that has nothing to do with physical hunger. And then I try to explain to myself that I'm not legitimately hungry, that what I'm trying to do is distract myself from the events of the day. Sometimes that works. Sometimes not. I try not to keep my old preferred snacks around. I would never buy snacks for my car, that is really scary to me, and I won't buy anything for my desk. If I do break down and have something, I will have a few handfuls and throw the rest away immediately so it's not lingering around. Because if it's there I will obsess about it. Thank God I have no children and my boyfriend likes stuff I can't stand. Good luck to you. This is our biggest challenge, I think. Jen