What do you guys think

Heer is my eating routine Breakast 8am snack 10am lunch 12:30pm 2:00pm snack I leave work at 4pm, and get home around 4:40 Between 4:40 and dinner time, which would be around 6:00 -6:30 or so, I have a difficult time controlling my snacking. I seem to have a snack here and there while I am cooking, and still have room for my dinner After dinner is also a problem.... around 8:00pm, I start snacking again, and sometimes, like last night, I can't stop myself.. I know I am full, but it's like the flavor of salt or sweet did not datisfy me, so I continue eating a variety of snacks until I feel fulfilled. All of this excess snacking is really impeding any weight loss I may have had, and I need to get it under control. If you guys have any insight or advice, I would appreciate it greatly. Thanks everyone,

I know EXACTLY what you are saying!!!! I have the same problem. If I HAVE to have something sweet I try to go for some kind of fruit or sf popsicle. Something to calm the craving.  Salty hmm...I never really get the salty cravings but maybe a couple of pretzels not ALOT just a few to stop the craving. Then force yourself to do something like go for a walk or clean or read something to totally take your mind off food...get on the computer play some games. That is what I did last night, even though it's like the cravings take over my brain and it is all I can think about even though I am not hungry...just FIGHT it. lol....good luck!

Hmmm, been there and done that.  For me, I have my water close at hand.  Sometimes right after supper I still feel hungry.  So I wait it out and drink, drink, drink the H20.  Most times the hunger goes away.  If my sweet tooth is calling to me, I first look at my calorie counts for the day to see how everything is going.  If I'm under then a sugarfree fudgesicle is my first choice.  If I'm close on my count, then a sugarfree popsicle it is.  Now if I'm definitely over my count, then I stay out of the kitchen, sip on my water and keep myself busy with projects. Supper time can be a real killer too.  If need be I get out one of my 100 cal snack packs to tide me over.  If I didn't do that I could really go over my points with grazing before supper. Hope these ideas help.  Now for me, I don't have set snacks.  I definitely eat breakfast first thing in the morning and then I let my tummy dictate if I'm going to have a snack and when lunch will be. Melinda

Hey Snuggle, My suggestions:  Consider pushing back everything you eat during the day (between 8 and 2:00) back one hour (e.g. have breakfast at 9 instead of 8).  That way it won't be such a long gap between your afternoon snack and dinner.  Of course, if you're starving by 8 a.m., this won't work.  But, that gap between 2:00 and 6:00 is just too long to go without eating.

About your snacking during the evenings.  What works for me is not having anything in my house that I know I have problems with.  In other words, if it's not there you can't eat it.  Like Christa said, fill your house with healthy, low cal snacks that you don't think you'll abuse.  What I mean by that is yes, sugar free popsicles and fugdgesicles are a great low cal snack.  But, if you find yourself eating the whole box in one sitting maybe you shouldn't have them around. Every evening after I have my dinner I whip up a fruit smoothie.  I use a cup of low fat or no fat soy milk, non-fat vanilla yogurt, a banana, and about a cup and a half of whatever frozen fruit I want.  It's so good, it's like a milk shake and very filling.  I'm stuffed after I drink it.  Also this is how I get my daily calcium.  You can mix any fruit in that you want, or eliminate the milk and/or the yogurt. Christa's suggestion about finding something to do after dinner is also a good one.  Take up a hobby, go for a walk, workout, do something that occupies your hands, like knitting, crocheting or needlepoint, work on a puzzle, etc.  What you do is not the important, just find something to do that you find interesting rather than snacking in front of the t.v. (or whatever) all evening. I hope you find some of this helpful.

There are some good suggestions in this thread so far. I would also add: have you tried nori snacks? I'm not some delusional nut who's going to tell you they taste just like potato chips -- they DON'T -- but hear me out. At 5 calories each, they have a nice salty/spicy flavoring. If the snackmonster calls my name late at night when I KNOW I'm not actually hungry, I nibble on 3 of these until the episode passes. They're good, but not something I'd ever binge on, so I love keeping them around. I buy a brand called Emerald Cove at my local natural foods store.

I think you're eating too frequenty.  Space your meals out more.   Breakfast 8am Snack 11:00am Lunch 2:30pm Snack: 5:30pm Dinner 8pm

Janina -- I have to disagree with you on this one.  It's always better to eat smaller more frequent meals because it keeps your metabolism constantly going.  And, unless you're going to bed at midnight, I wouldn't recommend having dinner at 8p.m.  Although how many calories you eat per day is more important that when you ingest them.  Which means I don't agree with the school of thought that says that you shouldn't eat a morsel after 7p.m.  If you're not consuming more calories than you can burn during the day, I don't think it really matters when you consume those calories.

You'll notice I didn't REMOVE any of her meals & snacks - I simply spaced them out.  I'm well aware that eating smaller meals more than 3 times a day works better, but she's eating every 2 hours, when she could be eating every 3, consuming the exact same calories.  If she eats every 2 hours, she's running out of meals to eat a day too quickly, and therefore, wanting to snack when snacking is no longer allowed.

This is my eating routine although I am a stay at home mom... I get up at 8 but have to take thyroid medicine and wait and hour before eating, 9am breakfast which is the same thing every morning, a protein smoothie 1serv frozen cherries 1c plain nonfat yogurt 2 TB Davinci caramel syrup 1 scoop protein powder You would be amazed at how long this keeps you full and is about 320 calories. 12pm lunch(usuallly 2oz tuna, two wasa crackers, and some type of fruit) 3:30pm or 4:00pm snack(usually 1oz almonds) 7pm dinner 9pm snack At 9pm I always have a Hershey Reserve 65% Cocao, I love these things. They are 190 calories and I run to my nearby Publix every night after dinner to get one. Buying it any earlier and I can't be trusted to wait till 9 to eat it. I allow myself 1800 calories a day and always keep food journal to kinda see where I am at all times. Even when I have a bad eating day I write down every single thing I ate during the day. I also weigh everyday and write it down in the journal. I eat just about the same breakfast and lunch everyday, snack and dinner varies. I also drink a 16.9 bottle of water before every meal or snack and before bed and that equals out to be about 85 ounces. I also freeze SF koolaid in an ice tray and suck/eat on it if its not time to eat yet.  I know what I do may not work for everyone but thought maybe sharing it might benefit you in some way. Candy

I suggest trying a few meetings of Overeaters Anonymous.  I was not able to get my overeating under control until I had worked their program.  Now I have 146 days of imperfect abstinence (abstinence from compulsive overeating and bingeing).  It's a spiritually-based program, and it really works!

Denise Phares