How do you guys stop grazing all day long?
Some days I am worse than others.... I am still working on it. Here are some things that I try to do that work for me sometimes, and sometimes they don't! Today is a hungry day for me, so it's good for me to write these out!!! LOL
- drink a lot of water 1 hour after eating before next meal (water loading)
- eat dense protein every 2-3 hours (protein first)
- plan next days breakfast, snacks and lunch night before and pack... bring nothing else.
- keep no other food in my desk other than what I brought for that day
- if cake or candy is put out at work, I ask myself if it's worth it... (is it from a gourmet bakery, or just the supermarket... is my scale up or down... is it worth it? Can I wait 10 mins w/o having it? If I can, I can wait 1 hour, 2,3, rest of the day.... then it's stale and will taste gross anyway)
- read healthy food blogs, and recipe sites
- plan exercise schedule for week
-stay busy!
Like I said some work sometimes... good luck, we are all in this together!!!
- drink a lot of water 1 hour after eating before next meal (water loading)
- eat dense protein every 2-3 hours (protein first)
- plan next days breakfast, snacks and lunch night before and pack... bring nothing else.
- keep no other food in my desk other than what I brought for that day
- if cake or candy is put out at work, I ask myself if it's worth it... (is it from a gourmet bakery, or just the supermarket... is my scale up or down... is it worth it? Can I wait 10 mins w/o having it? If I can, I can wait 1 hour, 2,3, rest of the day.... then it's stale and will taste gross anyway)
- read healthy food blogs, and recipe sites
- plan exercise schedule for week
-stay busy!
Like I said some work sometimes... good luck, we are all in this together!!!
RNY Maintenance"Create your day"
When I'm at work, I bring a lunch box with a set menu. I bring a morning snack, a lunch and an afternoon snack. Then, I just kind of eat it all day long... but, because it's all set out, it doesn't matter if I eat a bit every hour, slightly less every 2, or big chuncks every 3-4. The total amount of calories are the same.
HW - 225 SW - 191 GW - 132 CW - 122
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(deactivated member)
on 9/8/11 8:11 am, edited 9/8/11 8:13 am
on 9/8/11 8:11 am, edited 9/8/11 8:13 am
I always start my day with a big breakfast . Protein TEA x 2 ...then protein in the formof FOOD AND healthy whole grain carbs .
breakfastand lunch are my big meals . I allow myslef to eat to fullness ... and to eat carbs to eat what i want basically ( i argue with myslef if its red velvet cipcakes lol) ...usually its just very healthy whole grain carbs like rice n beans or squash ... salad and protein . I try to drink a lot of water FIRST before i eat .
in the afternoon im not as hungry because ive basically eaten my fill .
I come home , usually have glass of red wine and perhaps a salad ...
if i havent properly eaten protein ill find myself hungry for it so ill make some very lean form of protein .
And thats pretty much it ...
I usedto be a nonstop grazer too ... Im VERY glad that slowly after my WLS i allowed myself to drop the habit . It was more a security blanket and ENtertainment for me ratherthan NECessary . I wasnt exactly HUngry ... it was head hunger and boredom and a feeling of entitlement combined with deprivation.
im very happy to report that I actually FORGET to snack very often these days
when im chained to a desk all day..I make SURE to walk walk walk my entire lunch hour and THEN snack a bit :) ... I find that REALLY helps my mood AND my weight lol
breakfastand lunch are my big meals . I allow myslef to eat to fullness ... and to eat carbs to eat what i want basically ( i argue with myslef if its red velvet cipcakes lol) ...usually its just very healthy whole grain carbs like rice n beans or squash ... salad and protein . I try to drink a lot of water FIRST before i eat .
in the afternoon im not as hungry because ive basically eaten my fill .
I come home , usually have glass of red wine and perhaps a salad ...
if i havent properly eaten protein ill find myself hungry for it so ill make some very lean form of protein .
And thats pretty much it ...
I usedto be a nonstop grazer too ... Im VERY glad that slowly after my WLS i allowed myself to drop the habit . It was more a security blanket and ENtertainment for me ratherthan NECessary . I wasnt exactly HUngry ... it was head hunger and boredom and a feeling of entitlement combined with deprivation.
im very happy to report that I actually FORGET to snack very often these days
when im chained to a desk all day..I make SURE to walk walk walk my entire lunch hour and THEN snack a bit :) ... I find that REALLY helps my mood AND my weight lol
Thanks so much guys for all your suggestions. I do think I am addicted to carbs and they are making my life miserable. :(
I've just got to work now and packed up my whole day and brought in cheese slices, cold cut meats, tomatoes and for snack crunch late in the day when i want it most some air popped pop corn. I've had 1 protein shake this morning before leaving home and brought in another to also add in to my grazing. Fingers crossed I can try and eliminate the carb monster. Night time eating is very difficult as all I want to do is eat all night.
Cheers from Karin (in Oz)
Like Gina, I knew going in I was a grazer so getting a DS made sense for me.
But I'm a sporatic grazer...there are days when I don't eat much at all except my protein and days when I have hand to mouth disease. I keep celery in the house along with peanut butter because it's not bad for me and it crunchies. And it's the sound of a crunch to my ears and the feel to my mouth that I seem to need.
Liz
But I'm a sporatic grazer...there are days when I don't eat much at all except my protein and days when I have hand to mouth disease. I keep celery in the house along with peanut butter because it's not bad for me and it crunchies. And it's the sound of a crunch to my ears and the feel to my mouth that I seem to need.
Liz
Duodenal Switch (Lap) 01-24-11 | Surgeon: Stephen Boyce | High weight: 250 in 2002 | Surgery weight: 203 | Lowest weight: 121 | Current weight: 135 | Goal weight: 135
(deactivated member)
on 9/8/11 8:40 am
on 9/8/11 8:40 am
one thing I find that really keeps me full is to have at least PART of my meals be raw food in its natural state . Like a delicious salad of homegrown Romaine lettuce, heirloom tomatoes and herbs for instance ... or half an organic apple cut into thin slices ...
the bulky water - filled fiber gets and KEEPS me stuffed ... and I really think theres something about eating raw ( U dont have to eat EVERYTHING raw AT ALL , just SOME by the way ) that REALLY keeps the insulin from rebounding and giving U cravings for more a few hours later .
Have U EVER craved MORE salad ?!! Didn't THINK SO !!!
every day I make sure SOME of my " carby " snacks are ... raspberries , a half a sliced peach ...or watermelon ..or mini carrots with a greek yogurt based fat free dip ...
its amazing how even THAT much really makes a difference in the urge to eat MORE ...
the bulky water - filled fiber gets and KEEPS me stuffed ... and I really think theres something about eating raw ( U dont have to eat EVERYTHING raw AT ALL , just SOME by the way ) that REALLY keeps the insulin from rebounding and giving U cravings for more a few hours later .
Have U EVER craved MORE salad ?!! Didn't THINK SO !!!
every day I make sure SOME of my " carby " snacks are ... raspberries , a half a sliced peach ...or watermelon ..or mini carrots with a greek yogurt based fat free dip ...
its amazing how even THAT much really makes a difference in the urge to eat MORE ...
I still do 6 meals. Now, in truth, I never was a grazer, so I might know nothing of what I speak. I was a volume eater, rather eat one mega meal and get it done. I can't so my meal rules are kinda like so:
my meal (when I'm on target) contains less than 9g sugar total. Not counting carbs, just sugars. So if I have BBQ something + peas + some dressing on salad, I'd only look to the actual sugars.
It must have a beginning and an end. Even if I must stand to eat it, it's on a plate, not out of a bag or bowl. If I'm eating on the run in my car, it's in small baggies, already portioned.
A meal lasts 15 minutes or less. Longer is grazing. When the 15 minutes is up, I'm done. No waiting til the full goes away and then finishing what's on my plate.
If it's a social event and we're going to sit for an hour to chat, or even 2 hrs, I may save some to eat 2 hrs hence if that's practical, like veggies on cold plate, but otherwise, I get rid of the plate to tell me the meal is ended, altho the social part can be forever and I'll refill my drink.
I often drink a protein before my meal. It doesn't fill me up made with water but it cuts the edge off my appetite, just a bit so I don't mow down the entire restaurant.
I suspect the beginning and end system may help you. You can eat nuts, or wrap meat of choice around some cheese sticks, portion 1-2 per bag, whatever you like. If you think you MUST have chips or crackers, put them in a very small ziploc to be eaten with your meat/cheese/fish also pre-measured. If your work day is 8 hrs, this might mean 3-4 meals like this.
There is no bowl of candy on this plan. No ice cream "just this once", cake? So, it's your best friend's bday or your child. Your choice. I opted for a spoonful of frosting. Hefty, true, but given a choice, keep the cake and gimme the frosting. When upper limit of my wt range, no frosting. No cake no matter what I weigh, cuz, well, why waste my sugar grams on something that isn't that great, right?
I hope you can find some tidbit here that might ring your bell. Being a volume eater, I need a beginning and an end to tell me I'm done. Yes, my pouch notifies me, but even at 17 yrs I still might try to outsmart myself. The habits might never die. So, I make rules. *I* make the rules that *I* can live with and if I cheat my own rules, then I pay a price.
You have to make rules that fix you so you can't outsmart yourself. I've outsmarted myself 3 times and paid with regain. I take to take me out to the woodshed and beat some sense into myself on more than one occasion. But I'm not answering to some nebulous "person" who doesn't live with my anatomy, my habits, my life style, my strengths and weaknesses.
I'd suggest you sit down with you and find where you are weak and where you are strong and set up your own rules. I have bunches.
No "tasting" of things in the kitchen unless I MUST for a new recipe.
Left overs. If I'm not going to eat it tomorrow, I don't need to fini**** Right Now. Waist or Waste?
OK, done. Just know that you are way not alone in having to forge your own path among the rules that are handed down by people who do not live as we do. I see some of the plans supported by degreed people and I would be defeated if I followed it! My 6 meals (or meal/snacks since some are merely a small fruit or something), are grazing to some minds. But then they want us to sit for 30-45 minutes over 3 meals _THAT is grazing, since you ignore the full feeling, wait til it passes and eat some more. ? Noooooooo.
O, yes, I'm really done.
my meal (when I'm on target) contains less than 9g sugar total. Not counting carbs, just sugars. So if I have BBQ something + peas + some dressing on salad, I'd only look to the actual sugars.
It must have a beginning and an end. Even if I must stand to eat it, it's on a plate, not out of a bag or bowl. If I'm eating on the run in my car, it's in small baggies, already portioned.
A meal lasts 15 minutes or less. Longer is grazing. When the 15 minutes is up, I'm done. No waiting til the full goes away and then finishing what's on my plate.
If it's a social event and we're going to sit for an hour to chat, or even 2 hrs, I may save some to eat 2 hrs hence if that's practical, like veggies on cold plate, but otherwise, I get rid of the plate to tell me the meal is ended, altho the social part can be forever and I'll refill my drink.
I often drink a protein before my meal. It doesn't fill me up made with water but it cuts the edge off my appetite, just a bit so I don't mow down the entire restaurant.
I suspect the beginning and end system may help you. You can eat nuts, or wrap meat of choice around some cheese sticks, portion 1-2 per bag, whatever you like. If you think you MUST have chips or crackers, put them in a very small ziploc to be eaten with your meat/cheese/fish also pre-measured. If your work day is 8 hrs, this might mean 3-4 meals like this.
There is no bowl of candy on this plan. No ice cream "just this once", cake? So, it's your best friend's bday or your child. Your choice. I opted for a spoonful of frosting. Hefty, true, but given a choice, keep the cake and gimme the frosting. When upper limit of my wt range, no frosting. No cake no matter what I weigh, cuz, well, why waste my sugar grams on something that isn't that great, right?
I hope you can find some tidbit here that might ring your bell. Being a volume eater, I need a beginning and an end to tell me I'm done. Yes, my pouch notifies me, but even at 17 yrs I still might try to outsmart myself. The habits might never die. So, I make rules. *I* make the rules that *I* can live with and if I cheat my own rules, then I pay a price.
You have to make rules that fix you so you can't outsmart yourself. I've outsmarted myself 3 times and paid with regain. I take to take me out to the woodshed and beat some sense into myself on more than one occasion. But I'm not answering to some nebulous "person" who doesn't live with my anatomy, my habits, my life style, my strengths and weaknesses.
I'd suggest you sit down with you and find where you are weak and where you are strong and set up your own rules. I have bunches.
No "tasting" of things in the kitchen unless I MUST for a new recipe.
Left overs. If I'm not going to eat it tomorrow, I don't need to fini**** Right Now. Waist or Waste?
OK, done. Just know that you are way not alone in having to forge your own path among the rules that are handed down by people who do not live as we do. I see some of the plans supported by degreed people and I would be defeated if I followed it! My 6 meals (or meal/snacks since some are merely a small fruit or something), are grazing to some minds. But then they want us to sit for 30-45 minutes over 3 meals _THAT is grazing, since you ignore the full feeling, wait til it passes and eat some more. ? Noooooooo.
O, yes, I'm really done.
Michelle
RNY, distal, 10/5/94
P.S. My year + long absence has NOTHING to do with my WLS, or my type of WLS. See my profile.
Hello, my name is Kelly, and I'm a grazer.
I have days where I don't graze and I'm so proud of it. Then some days it feels like a compulsion. Maybe I, too, am addicted. As I'm cutting out the carbs, I'm switching to healthier carbs. Even through baby steps. I loved eating plain tortilla chips. Now I eat a handful of Kix cereal. No more than a handful. Sometimes.
I know we aren't even close to being in the same time zone, but if you want my email address or phone number, just send me a private message and we can be accountable to each other.
Big hugs friend. This is a frustrating and defeating (feeling) issue. But together we can help each other.
Hey Vita lady, I didn't know you were from Washington.... Hi almost-not-really-neighbor!!
I have days where I don't graze and I'm so proud of it. Then some days it feels like a compulsion. Maybe I, too, am addicted. As I'm cutting out the carbs, I'm switching to healthier carbs. Even through baby steps. I loved eating plain tortilla chips. Now I eat a handful of Kix cereal. No more than a handful. Sometimes.
I know we aren't even close to being in the same time zone, but if you want my email address or phone number, just send me a private message and we can be accountable to each other.
Big hugs friend. This is a frustrating and defeating (feeling) issue. But together we can help each other.
Hey Vita lady, I didn't know you were from Washington.... Hi almost-not-really-neighbor!!
Thank you so much to all of you dear wonderful and helpful people. There are so many good tips in there that I can gleen from and try and forge my own path with this. Yes I am a grazer and luckily not a sweets grazer but mainly I love the "crunch factor" with crackers, chips, cereals etc and that is where my biggest weakness is of all.
Today I pre packed all my foods & snacks to take to work and I work around 10 hours a day so it's a very long day. I'm lucky there are no lolly jars and stuff like that at work and I work with all males in my department and they don't seem to care about that type of stuff. I'm very lucky that they all look out for me and know what I can and can't have as they have seen me go through some crap.
My food today wasn't all super great but better than I usually have. In no particular order I had this today.
2 protein shakes
1 handful of air popped pop-corn (organic suggestion from Mini-me thx)
Pick pack with 5 cherry tomatoes, shave lean pastrami, 3 cubes of cheese, 1 tablespoon of mixed beans & 1 tsp of chia seeds sprinkled on top (Yummo)
1/2 punnet of fresh strawberries.
2 x cups of tea
2 litres of sugar free water cordial (I hate plain water)
8 potatoe wedges with salsa (bad carbs for dinner)
See I can eat way too much for an RNYer :(
Cheers from Karin (in Oz)
(deactivated member)
on 9/8/11 9:53 pm, edited 9/8/11 9:58 pm
on 9/8/11 9:53 pm, edited 9/8/11 9:58 pm
to me it sounds fine .... Karin . I love my carbs too . I "get away " with indulging occasionally because I make sure I eat whatever salty thing it is fat free . ( like potato chips , pretzel crackers ... etc .. you CAN find most of em fat free ) . That makes a HUGE difference I think in the end ...
Its funny since I started allowing myself to eat my true cravings ( beans ... soaked overnight and prepared with spices not fat ) .. baked plain ( but s sweet and satisfing ) squash ... and potatoes occasionally in their natural state ( with the skins and with natural ( potassium ) salt as opposed to just sodium which makes U crave more and more .. and rice and beans ofcourse ....
Ive pretty much desisted with the pre- madesnack foods like the chips and the bread ... and the jellybeans ( I dont even WANT them )
I think the way I eat will only work in maintenance though ... but I'm writing it down because it DOES work .... amazingly .
Suzanne Sommers wrote some very interesting books a long time ago where she said the secret of the French was that they separated eating meat and greasy proteins from ( basically ) fatfree carbs by waiting two hours or so ..
I try to keep to that schedule ( unless I make a stew or something - but my stews are REALLY lean and veggie filled ...
The reason I do that is 1) its easy and 2) I dropped a BUNCH of weight sticking to her regimen in Europe for like two months when my relatives were feeding me all kinds of fattening food ...
I REALLY believe in fat free carbs... if Ure going to " cheat " with carbs .. do it fat free so U dont end up gaining . U may end up not losing ... but at least U wont gain .
I just read the package .. if its over 1 gram of fat per serving I don't go there . And if two servings for me equal the whole bag .. I calculate out the fat load beforehand ... realistically . Often that makes me rethink the idea of munching on whatever lol ...
snack foods are shocking repositories of FATS not just carbs and yes they are shockingly Fattening .... even the high sodium levels make U crave more more more just to balance out Ur potassium ... ( which of course isn't present so U just feel sick and crave the taste of " salt " ( potassium ) MORE ...
Its funny since I started allowing myself to eat my true cravings ( beans ... soaked overnight and prepared with spices not fat ) .. baked plain ( but s sweet and satisfing ) squash ... and potatoes occasionally in their natural state ( with the skins and with natural ( potassium ) salt as opposed to just sodium which makes U crave more and more .. and rice and beans ofcourse ....
Ive pretty much desisted with the pre- madesnack foods like the chips and the bread ... and the jellybeans ( I dont even WANT them )
I think the way I eat will only work in maintenance though ... but I'm writing it down because it DOES work .... amazingly .
Suzanne Sommers wrote some very interesting books a long time ago where she said the secret of the French was that they separated eating meat and greasy proteins from ( basically ) fatfree carbs by waiting two hours or so ..
I try to keep to that schedule ( unless I make a stew or something - but my stews are REALLY lean and veggie filled ...
The reason I do that is 1) its easy and 2) I dropped a BUNCH of weight sticking to her regimen in Europe for like two months when my relatives were feeding me all kinds of fattening food ...
I REALLY believe in fat free carbs... if Ure going to " cheat " with carbs .. do it fat free so U dont end up gaining . U may end up not losing ... but at least U wont gain .
I just read the package .. if its over 1 gram of fat per serving I don't go there . And if two servings for me equal the whole bag .. I calculate out the fat load beforehand ... realistically . Often that makes me rethink the idea of munching on whatever lol ...
snack foods are shocking repositories of FATS not just carbs and yes they are shockingly Fattening .... even the high sodium levels make U crave more more more just to balance out Ur potassium ... ( which of course isn't present so U just feel sick and crave the taste of " salt " ( potassium ) MORE ...
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