Hi :) Im trying to lose weight/tone up but end up sancking on crisps like twice a day (very unhelathy) what could i eat??

[sophia_evans]

I'm on a gluten and dairy free diet, and already eating over 5 fruit and veg a day :/

[Mmmm]

I'm eating nuts. - a few go a long way.

[barny]

i dont eat crisps or sweet things bread is my downfall if i want to snack i have a apple but i do eat a lot of bread gf that is think that is my problem lol

[maidforit]

Hey Sophie, It sounds like you are working really hard at your diet. You don't say what you eat the rest of the time. It sounds like you probably aren't eating enough at meal times so your body is craving the crisps.

The key to loosing weight is eating well and enjoying your food. A couple of years ago I helped my mum loose over a stone in a month (that was just the beginning), it wasn't through following any kind of diet, I made her dinner every night and she had left overs for lunch. There was no scrimping on portion size or using low fat anything. Because she enjoyed her meals and felt full and also had desserts she didn't feel the need to snack.

I know a lot of people complain that they don't have the time to cook, but batch cooking is a great way to make up extra meals and freeze and soups are great and filling for lunch times. Learning to enjoy cooking and eating will do more to help weight loss and keeping it off than any diet ever will.

[poing]

I sometimes snack on nuts, 70% dark chocolate, unsweetened dried fruit and seed mixes, rice or buckwheat crackers with something on like pate or salmon if I've recently been shopping... I often make a hot drink first rather than going straight for the snacks.

When my iron levels are dropping (I have problems with them), it makes me totally ravenous and I will eat pretty much anything I can lay my hands on and find it quite difficult to stop. Last week I polished off a box of pumpkin seed 9 bars in one go, and then went back for something else. I'd better get some more iron supplements in.

The best way to avoid problems with what I eat is simply not to buy it, so I've pretty much stopped buying crisps - they are one of the most moreish foods in the world and not something I need in the house on one of my crazy hungry days.

I also try to keep hunger at bay by eating a filling breakfast most days, involving eggs or bacon or leftovers - anything with protein really. I've been known to eat lunch at 11am if I'm that hungry... rather than having a snack and waiting for an official mealtime.

I think the main thing is to identify something you can eat instead of the crisps. One of the more way out things I heard of was cucumber with salt and vinegar. You sort of get the crunch and the zing, but without the unhealthiness of crisps.

[KayVee]

Try Bananas! They certainly help Andy Murray's fitness - he isn't overweight is he on his snack?

Please check your crisps' ingredients anyway as, sadly, wheat is used to carry flavours, preservatives and a lot of other unhealthy stuff like "flavour enhancers" (salt, monosodium glutamate etc.).

I'm really enjoying some Japanese rice biscuits we recently discovered at Waitrose - problem is they are very "more-ish". Their brand name is SAKATA and they come in a variety of tastes too and are really worth trying. They are gluten free, but unfortunately, milk powder is an ingredient, so if you are actually lactose intolerant, not just avoiding dairy products for another reason, then these are sadly not for you.

These are the best cheese/dip biscuits by far, that I've come accross.

[LHine]

If you're okay with corn, you can make your own popcorn. Just a little oil, so not many calories. And if I add paprika I need much less salt. But it's still snacking. My main advice would be to keep trying to improve your diet, but in the meantime do not criticise yourself. Our culture tries to force-feed us junk and if our (for other people) healthy options are limited, then it can be a struggle to eat well. You'll get there.

[coeliacvegan]

As mentioned above, nuts are a good suggestion (I am also gluten-free and dairy-free). Nuts and seeds have been wrongly stigmatised as fattening, whereas in fact the fat that they contain is healthy, and they are also good sources of protein. Obviously you don't want to eat massive quantities, but a handful makes a good and satisfying snack.

One of my favourite discoveries is Nakd Bars, which are made entirely from nuts and dried fruit, without any gluten, dairy or other nasties. Waitrose sells them, as do most health food stores. They come in several different varieties, and are great to grab for moments when you don't want to mess around with food preparation,

Rice cakes spread with cashew nut butter are another good and easy snack (the protein in the nut spread helps to keep you full), and I also love houmous with raw carrot, pepper and celery to dip.

Also, as others have already said, make sure you are eating enough at mealtimes. Provided you are eating bealthily, which it sounds as if you are, then portion sizes aren't so important. Eating slowly, savouring each mouthful, will ensure that you finish your food feeling nourished and satisfied. That way you may find you don't need to snack after all!

Oh, and make sure you're drinking enough (water that is!). Sometimes we mistake the feeling of dehydration for hunger...

Good luck!

[FionaGFG Administrator]

Fruit, fruit fruit, veg veg veg, nuts & more nuts. What are you eating for breakfast & lunch if you need to keep snacking in the day?