Good Morning. What do you do now if you don't graze?

I graze when I'm bored too.  This unemployment is making it really difficult, particularly because my metabolism was raised post plastics and I did graze just to keep my calories up.  So now I'm back to having to really examine everything.  Exercise is slowly coming back and I can now walk 3+ miles so I try to schedule activity with a friend.  I caught my scale going up a pound so have to be more aware.  I think I still have water retention post plastics but I can't rely on that to keep me where I want to be in the long run.  I may in fact now have an ounce of plastics weight still left on me.

I try to drink hot tea when I'm antsy.    I have to go back to tracking my food now that I can't eat like I did for the last two months when I needed additional calories. 

I kind of do controlled or planned grazing.  I just can't get in enough calories unless I eat often so I plan things.  I was just saying how I noticed I can't eat a lot earlier in the day but in the evening I can eat more so I would say that most of my calories come from dinner and after wards.  What I avoid is impulsive or unplanned eating.  I try not to eat something just because it looks good.  If I do see something that I want and it fits into my eating I will include it into my plan, usually by eliminating what I had already planned on eating and swapping it for something else.
For instance I usually plan on eating popcorn as an evening snack but I may decide to have something equivalent like nuts or instead of a protein shake I may have protein pudding.  Yesterday I was at Whole Foods and they had samples of cheese out so I added that to my afternoon snack of a protein bar.  I guess what I am trying to say is that I don't just eat whatever I want, whenever I want, but try to fit things into my daily food plan.  What seems to help, believe it or not, is the rule about not drinking with meals or for at least 30 minutes after eating.  That gives me some structure since I drink so much Every day.  Once I have finished eating I set the timer on my phone for 30 minutes so I know when I can drink again.  That tells me that I am done eating so I don't just keep going on and on.

I am a bored/stressed grazer so if I am either of those things I am going to be hunting for something to put in my mouth.  I tried adding a protein drink at night and that helped with the night time boredom eating.

I weigh everyday because I want to keep it under control.  If I ever hit a certain weight, I really start being more concious of what goes in my mouth.

Exercise helps me so much - it helps me not snack as much because I think it helps me feel better.  I do less snacking when I am exercising.

Good luck Gina.  I really think staying connect to support helps us to all stay on track better.  When I tend to drift away for a day or two I seem to do worse with my eating.

Linda

GRAZING = a four letter dirty word!

I to have to watch myself because I love food! I find that I get busy during the day I eat but I guess not enough but Im not hungry so at the end of the day when I am at home and sitting the light in my head starts flashing GRAZE..
So I do have times when I munch all day

 I suck on ice chips. It helps a lot.

Hugs, 

Liz

For a while I had to graze to get all my calories in. But now I don't so I had to break myself of the habit. I noticed that if I always eat around a certain time, my body gets used to it and tells me I'm hungry even if I'm  not. I have to break the habit.

I have also discovered that I aften think I am hungry when I'm thirsty. So now I try to judge how dry my mouth is and if I'm actually thirsty. I'm getting better at reading my "thirsty" signs so now I don't feel the need to graze as much.