I noticed if i am stressed or dont drink much water during the day i will snack and snack, i try to tell myself i dont need the snack,i will start afresh at the next meal with less calories and excercise more, i also thought will start writting down what i eat daily.What do you do?:biggrin:

I write down what I eat using www.thedailyplate.com. It also tracks my exercise. It tells you how many calories you burned for the day.

I also keep sugar free gum and sugar free hard candy around (on my desk at work, on the kitchen counter at home, and in my purse). When I get the urge, I stick one of those in my mouth. My favorite hard candy is the sugar free werther's original hard candy and sugar free jolly ranchers. The sugar free life savers are also good. If I'm home during the weekend and just keep wanting to eat, I'll go do something...swim in the pool, go shopping, go for a walk around the neighborhood, play with my dog, call a friend, etc. I'm also thinking about picking up some of my hobbies that I haven't done in a while.

Good luck!

I keep a food log of everything I eat each day - qty./calories/carbs/protein amts. I find it really really helps! I just made it up on my computer with Excel. I do realize that every time I go to "snack" it's really just my old habits of eating because I was bored. I'll open the fridge without thinking. I catch myself everyday and then I'm happy that I know I am changing that pattern so I don't snack. Don't get me wrong, I do grab something if my stomach is growling and the hunger is legitimate. My dr. says to eat 5-6 small meals a day. I'll eat a piece of cheese or deli meat or grab a protein shake/protein bullet. But that's why this is such a great tool. It helps your brain to make the right choices. It's up to you to decide what you're putting in your mouth. If you know you haven't had enough to drink and you're reaching for that snack - grab a drink!!! When your body needs liquids, it can really feel like hunger. Drink first and see if you're still hungry. If it's real hunger, grab something with protein - that will really take the hunger away. I'll even just eat a sugar free pudding cup if I'm craving sweets. Remember, it's a tool. You have to make the decision on how you succeed. I'm not trying to make you feel worse, but you know that the snacking isn't good if it's because of stress. I'm sure you'll figure this out.:party:

i think we all go through a snacking phase. i know i have mine once a month when i am close to my cycle. what i try to do is just have a smaller than my already small meal and have more of them throughout the day. and snack to what my craving is. maybe its peanut butter and something sweet so i dip a nice apple in it...or maybe its fish and i indulge on shrimp cocktail all day long..two here, two there. then i feel like i satisfied my craving. the thing is --snacking to me is okay and long as its not over excessive and it has to be healthy!

Thank you for all the info, will put the info into action when the urge to snack next arises.

i get on here, this forum has saved me so many lbs its not even funny!!

i get on here, this forum has saved me so many lbs its not even funny!!

Good advice!!

I use my "snacking" as a barometer for whether or not I need a fill or I just need to check my "habits".

If I had good restriction at a fill a few weeks or months back and I now find myself "grazing" in the evenings -- I need to look to see if I am following the rules at meal time --

• Heavy on the Protein, then veggies with little or no carbs.
  
• No drinking for half hour before and an hour after.
  

That SHOULD hold me til bedtime. If it ISN'T, or I find myself thinking "I should go to bed early before I start eating again!" then it's probably time to get a new fill.

I don't wait for the scales to tell me when it's time for a fill. I didn't get this surgery to lose weight -- I got the band so I would not be tormented by HUNGER while I lost weight!!!

Think about it!

Think back over every diet you've ever tried and failed -- what derailed you. The hunger!

Some of it is head hunger (boredom, years of conditioning, etc.) you can distract yourself out of that. But if you're really and truly hungry, then your pouch is emptying too fast and you need some tightening.

Wow....this thread came at the right time. I have been fighting the head hunger and Im bored syndrome...Today is a new day and I am starting out fresh and with a clear mind. Thank you everyone for your wonderful tips to put me back on track...I so needed this thread.

Kathy

Between stress and an obvious need for a fill, I've been snacking a lot too. I'm trying to keep them as healthy as possible, like a low fat cheese or something. I also try to drink some water first and hope the "feeling" goes away.