I just wondered if anyone out there was in my shoes and wanted to support each other on the forum.
I am a lady in my mid 50s with young adult kids and a job. I need to lose 20-25lbs and do a moderate amount of exercise - cycling, yoga and a bit of running.
I struggle with snacking and probably drink a little too much wine. I completely understand the concept of what constitutes a ‘good diet’ and I am okay with portion control at meals, but come 8/9pm when I feel peckish I can easily have two glasses of wine, peanuts, crisps, chocolate biscuits! I always feel rubbish afterwards, sleep badly because I am full of carbs and sugars. Wake up and tell myself I will start afresh today. But by the evening I am tired (vicious circle there!) and stressed (job, kids) and reach for the peanuts!
I am trying to find ways to break this pattern as have been carrying too much weight pretty much since the kids were born now 21 years ago!
If anyone out there can relate to this and maybe has found some solutions it would be great to chat.
Xx
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Edge1234
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Not so much like you now but I remember having teenage boys with empty legs! In the end I bought snacks for them, put the snacks in large tins and told them where they were and stopped buying unhealthy snacks for myself. There was no way I was going to sneak into a cupboard and open their tins for a snack. I would have felt so ashamed of myself. It worked. It broke the habit and I use it now for things my husband can eat and I can't. Won't work for everyone I know!
I'm in a similar boat to you, I need to lose approx 28lbs or so...I can be great all day, eat a healthy diet and then wreck it all in the evening.
I walk most evenings, do a couple of gym classes a week and also try to run at least twice a week but the evening snacking is completely undoing all the good.
I wouldn't have a drink midweek, only weekends but still crave the snacks every evening when I sit down. I love the suggestion in another post with the tins...I have 2 teenagers in the house so I can't have a completely snack free home.
I'm sure we will break this habit with the support on here...here's to both of us having a healthier slimmer Summer 🤞🤞😀😀
Hi I can definitely relate to all this. I always start of well in the morning then come late afternoon I seem to have cravings even after a good lunch. Sometimes in the evening too. My weaknesses are crisps and can eat up to 6 bags in one sitting!!
I now have given them up as I cannot eat just 1 packet, as once I start I cannot stop so I find it actually easier just to give them up!
Hope you manage to break your circle coming here often helps.
Thank you, I am focused on breaking this cycle. I have three young men at home so cannot have no ‘forbidden’ foods in the house as that would be unfair.
A couple of things may help your cravings in the evening...
It might take a leap of faith but try removing or at least substantially removing carbs from your last meal, instead, substitute in fats, including cream, cheese etc... One of the links that moreless originally provided you explains this in more detail.
Are you eating enough during the day? If you cut back too much then the body is going to naturally crave food.
Stay active on this forum and you will be more likely to be successful.
Thank you, you may well have a good point. I am actually hungry when thinking about snacking but think I shouldn’t be so I will re-look at the quantity and calorie count of what I am eating. Thank you x
Hi Edge1234 . I agree with Hidden , try to get more healthy fats into your day: double cream in your coffee, boiled eggs or cheese with salad for lunch, and a spoonful of low sugar peanut butter as a quick snack will fill your tummy more effectively than a bag of crisps ...honestly. ..and make it last longer by spreading it onto celery sticks.
Also I suggest using a measure for your wine. 150mls in a normal glass. Not the 175 or 250 measures that pubs now sell to make us drink more !!😉
I am a woman in my mid fifties, with menopausal hot flushes for quite a few years. I have lost 2 st since I joined here a year ago. I have found that low carb has made all the difference to me, I am never hungry and rarely want to snack any more. I just don't eat any carb snacks at all, I don't buy them now. I radically reduced sugar and other carbs from my diet, I've lost the weight, feel less tired, and it really helps with my hot flushes too. I find now that if I do eat anything sweet I almost immediately get a really vicious hot flush which tells me something!! If I really wanted a snack I would have maybe a little cheese and a couple of olives or a couple of nuts, but strangely since I cut the carbs I don't tend to get many snack cravings, it's the carbs cause the cravings I definitely recommend checking out the lchf forum, maybe someone who can do links will give you some pointers for that.
I do enjoy a glass of wine, but I have cut back and sometimes have a spirit (a measure of gin or vodka) in sparkling water as an alternative, with a slice of lemon or lime. I gave up wine for a Lent challenge on here and having gone without it for over a month I realised I could (and maybe should) be drinking less
Exercise is a good idea too, for our health and wellbeing, there are various challenges and groups doing a variety of physical activities. I take part in the 'time to get moving' weekly challenge. I think joining some of the challenges such as Lytham's Summer Challenge is good for motivation, as well as a bit of fun.
Your 25 lbs is definitely very doable, wishing you the best of luck
Like others here I really relate to the late evening snacking bug. After a busy day at work I value the peaceful time I get when everyone else has gone to bed but it does encourage the munchies and I also realised I wasn’t getting enough sleep, which is associated with weight gain. Going to bed a bit earlier has removed some of the late night temptation. In my case it is habit not real hunger so getting a warm drink (fruit tea maybe) can help distract. Good luck!
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