I think one of the hardest parts about being home with my kids all day is controlling my appetite! Some days I feel like I spend ALL my day in the kitchen fixing lunches or getting someone a snack. Now that my baby is walking she literally stands at the fridge, holds onto the handles, and screams! I catch myself eating…every…single…time I enter, even if I’m not hungry.
Do any of you have this problem?
I’m writing this only 2 1/2 days of no munching AND NO sweets. I’m feeling proud, to say the least. I’m pretty excited because I also just beat my personal record which is embarrassing to say…1 day. Yep…it’s that bad! I’m not trying to cut out sweets completely because I know I would fail for sure. I like the sweet stuff too much! I’m just trying to find a way to be a little better during the day/week so that once a week (or so) I can indulge myself in a rich double fudge brownie with Blue Bell ice cream (or some other tasty treat)…and not feel guilty. So if you are like me and looking for ways to stop the munchies, keep reading. If’ you already have it figured out, please leave a comment and let me know so that I can add it to my list.
- brushing my teeth after finishing a meal ~ To me there is nothing better than having minty fresh breath and I really hate ruining it on a little snack.
- preparing freezers meals ~ If I’m not cooking everyday, but just putting something in the oven or crock pot, it really eliminates the time I spend in the kitchen
- chewing gum ~ It’s sweet and keeps me from popping in a couple goldfish or teddy grahams.
- make a spinach drink ~ Milk, orange juice, banana, blueberries, a couple handfuls of spinach, vanilla, and a couple drops of Stevia create a sweet and healthy drink to hold me over to the next meal.
- make healthy snacks ~ Check out Suzanne’s yummy Heart Healthy Banana-Oat Bread. I’ve already made it twice and it’s DELICIOUS!
- keep water near ~ If I find that I want something to munch on I take a big drink and it helps me not feel like I “need” something right then.
- freezing treats ~ I’m sharing this one reluctantly because this really doesn’t work for me all that well anymore. I froze a bunch of cookies so I could use them to put in lunches. I discovered one day that they taste REALLY good frozen…so I’m more likely to pop one out of the freezer now.
- positive thinking ~ I tell myself I can do it.
{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m with you on this one. It gets tough. I’m trying to be a little more goal orientated. I find that filling up on soup and keeping very busy helps me a lot!
Keeping busy is definitely something that helps, and who doesn’t love soup? Thanks!
I have a morning snack and an afternoon snack. Usually nuts, string cheese, yogurt, fruit…that helps me stay full and away from the naughty stuff.
Darn that naughty stuff!
Brushing my teeth really helps me too…
I have to have a no snacking policy! If I start I can’t stop. On the days that I actually abide by the policy I have a handful of peanuts in the afternoon and a piece of dark chocolate is my daily treat.
I try to tell myself like I tell my kids,
“No, you can not have a treat….your going to be eating dinner soon!”
Aubrey you forgot one of our secrets of scraping the top of the cool-whip off!
Ha ha…I find myself telling my daughter no all the time and then proceed to do it myself! Not good… Oh yes, we musn’t forget to scrap the cool-whip off!
I have tried eating yogurt (nonfat but flavored) mixed with 1/2 c cottage cheese, it sounds gross but it’s not, tides me over between meals because it’s high in protein. Also putting fresh veggies or fruit washed and in snack bags for on the go. Chewing gum helps me too and brushing teeth after meals. I agree drinking lots of water helps. So glad the banana bread was good for you! Thanks for the reminder on these things. xoxox Suz
I have tried the yogurt and cottage cheese together, it is pretty good. Getting ready to make another batch of banana bread! Thanks Suzanne!
I loooooove your blog! I’ve been blurking your for awhile.
And spinach in a smoothie?? No way! I’ll have to try that! Sounds gross but I’ll let you know what I think!
Thanks Rachel! You really do need to try the spinach smoothie…my girls love it! Let me know if you want a recipe….one that I’ve kinda made up that is tasty!
When I’m having a really bad day and I need to avoid the kitchen I get out of the house by going for a walk or to the park. If the weather is bad I spend time on a project in the basement. I’ve also found having set times for snacks and meals helps. I will offer a snack at a certain time and if the kids don’t want to eat then they will have to wait for the next meal or snack. No munching in between. Some days are harder then others, but I try to stick to it.
Setting times for snacks and meals sound like a great idea! Thanks Sharee!
When you get to be my age it pretty much takes over your will power. I have been dieting since Nov. I find if I put a few pictures that I dislike of myself on the inside of my cupboards or on the bathroom wall, fridge door and any where else you tend to look for treats. It makes me stop and remember why I really don’t want that. I don’t diet on the weekend. I try to practice what I have been doing all week and I find that if I want to have desert with my husband I don’t feel bad about it.
by the way I have lost 28 lb’s.
Way to go Vonnie that is awesome! For some reason I thought that it would get easier as I got older…dang! I love the picture idea. Keep up the good work….keep us posted on your progress!
Okay, just had to come back and tell you, I’m drinking my spinach-ish smoothie and you’re right! I can’t tell! I only had banana, strawberries, kefir ( have you tried that stuff?? It’s like yogurt times 1000, packed with lots more GOOD bacteria), SPINACH, and sugar (did that just make it UNhealthy? haha!). It is awesome! And the best part? My 3 year old is drinking it because she thought it was CHOCOLATE! The spinach turned it brown!!!
Yay Rachel! I have tried the kefir, but not in my spinach smoothie… that sounds yummy! I’m going to have to try it now! I don’t think a little sugar will cancel out all the good green stuff!
My kids are a little older but my trick to keep myself out of the snacks is to divvy everything up into snack baggies and make it so there’s just enough for their lunches with no extras. Then I put everything in the “this is just for lunch” cupboard which is another reminder to me that these snacks are not mine. If I eat a snack, I know I’m taking it from a kid, and I also know that I’ve just made extra work for myself because now I’ve gotta go back to the store or bake something to replace it. It’s just not worth it! Also, if I divvy it up all on one day then I will only sneak a taste once rather than every day when I’m putting lunches together–see, one Cheetoh instead of 12 or 15 or half a bag! It makes packing lunches in the morning go so much faster too!
Wow, great idea Lori! Isn’t it funny how in our mind it is really wrong to ‘take’ something from one of your kids…even if you paid for it! That will save me every time if I think of it in that way. Thanks!
I have decided that there are certain foods that I just cannot have in the house – even if my kids really like them. Cheetos are my #1 temptation so I simply don’t buy them. My will power is seriously low and I will have inhaled the whole bag before I even realize what I am doing. I usually buy snacks for my kids that I personally don’t like or are not a temptation- raisins, pretzels, yogurt, stuff like that. I’m probably the meanest mom but I figure if it’s not in the house then I won’t be tempted to eat it.
What an awful mom you are!
Seriously, I wouldn’t but you in that category for not buying Cheetos! You are just helping your kids create healthy eating habits.
My best tricks are listed here already- wash and cut veggies in bulk so they’re easy to reach in the fridge; designate foods as “not mine” (though mine are for my husband, not my kiddo yet!); drink lots of water and in the winter, hot tea; on hungry days, leave the house! I also wanted to mention Amazing Grass Green Superfoods powder in Chocolate- mixed with any type of milk, it tastes like chocolate milk, and yet it’s packed with all kinds of crazy-good-for-you stuff. It makes me feel like I’m indulging when I’m actually being healthy, and a full glass fills me up. It’s also good in smoothies, though I try to add fresh greens to mine. Amazing Grass make a kid’s version, too! It’s available at Whole Foods or amazon.com.
That Amazing Grass Green Superfoods powder sounds intriguing! I’m definitely going to have to get some of that. Thanks!
I try to plan activities to keep me busy around the usual times I would get the munchies.
It doesn’t help that I have a major sweet tooth. I am always telling my husband if he buys treats, get the ones I don’t like.
Thanks for all your tips!
You’re welcome! I’m with you on the sweet tooth…sure gets frustrating at times. I sometimes find myself eating something sweet even if I don’t REALLY like it, but I’m getting better!
I also find that the more I exercise, the less I want to snack. It’s a psychological thing mostly – I think I don’t want to ruin whatever benefit I’ve just derived from exercising. I also find that if I spend a little more time making good lunches and dinners (meaning appetizing to me as WELL as my young children – so not mac&cheese or ramen
, I’m less apt to snack because I know there’s something better coming, or I’m just not as hungry because I ate something earlier that wasn’t just empty calories.
I completely agree! If I eat good healthy meals and exercise I find myself less likely to snack as well. Thanks Cynthia! We need to update our list with everyone’s great tips!
It helps me to eat savory snacks; I can’t stop with the sweet ones and they pack too many calories in small amounts anyway. Raw veggies and nuts (always have a bowl of each out on the counter), crackers and hummus, small salads, roasted broccoli (spread florets on jelly roll pan, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt; broil until it starts crisping), roasted garbanzo beans (dump a can on a jelly roll pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and garlic powder; broil until browning and crisp), turkey jerky. They are more like a mini-meal, so they keep me full until the next meal, and they taste great! I spend as much time preparing these as any other snack (often less time), so it’s been nice that way too. The beans and the broccoli sound weird, but they’re actually good–even to my three young boys.
Thanks for sharing your savory snacks with us! I have tried the broccoli and it is delicious, but I’ve not tried the garbanzo beans….I’ll have to try it! Thanks!
Oh, this was such a relief! I’m a “grazer”… I don’t do large meals, but I can be *snacking* on something all day long. Glad to find I’m not the only one!
Liked all your tips, but I would just add: whole grains! For some reason, they’re more filling to me, and apparently, quite good for your heart? Any snacky food you can switch to or substitute with a whole-grain version will make a difference!
Thanks for the whole grain tip! Any place you can sneak something a little more healthy, I say go for it.
Great ideas! This is one thing I have really struggled with lately. I’m going to give the great ideas a try!