cutting out chocolate & bedtime snacks....question

[Sue C]

It is hard for me to say I'm going to diet (knowing I'll never be able to keep to it). What I've done so far in the New Year (yeah, I know it's only January 2nd--haha) is to eliminate chocolate and bedtime snacks (usually a bowl of cereal).

I would think this will have to help lose some weight, won't it? Or will that just keep me from gaining more?

Thanks so much for this new forum!!
Sue

 

[flutterbee]

It's calories in vs calories out. So, if you consume more calories in a day than you burn, you're going to gain weight.

If you've been maintaining your current weight by eating chocolate and bedtime snacks then cutting them out might help you lose. If you've been gaining, cutting those out certainly won't hurt.

 

[SearchingForRainbows]

I agree with Heather. If you do this, it should work. However, for me, I've found that if I totally cut out a food I love, eventually I'll crave it to the point where I've eaten every low cal item in sight, am not the least bit hungry, but still crave the forbidden food. In reality, I probably would have consumed less calories if I just had a small portion of the food I was originally craving.

I've read recently, I can't remember where, that it isn't the time of day you eat, just the amount of calories you consume. I've always heard that you shouldn't eat at bedtime but don't know if this really makes a difference or not. WFEN

 

[trinityroyal]

Technically, it doesn't really matter what time of day you eat. It is calories in vs calories out. However, if you eat late in the day, then you have far fewer calorie-burning hours ahead of you. And, whatever excess fuel that you take in and don't use up will get converted to fat and stored.

WFEN, I struggle with cravings too, but I have tried to pinpoint exactly what it is I'm craving, and I have found that helps a lot too. For example, when I'm craving chips, it seems that I need salt and fat, so I have a cup of chicken broth, which has both. If it's the texture I'm craving (because of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), there is a huge sensory component to food for me...often I'm craving the texture of something rather than the taste), I try to substitute something that has a similar feel in the mouth. So...if I need something dry and crunchy, then I cut pita bread into triangles and put it in the toaster oven, to mimic the feel of potato chips.

 

[Sue C]

I crave chocolate like crazy, but right now I have a crummy cold and not much seems appealing so I thought it was a good time to cut out chocolate. I overdosed on Christmas cookies and candy and gained some weight. (I needed to lose some weight in the first place, so this is not good.)

I like trinityroyal's suggestion of substitution. I need to buy some baby carrots and celery. I think they would be good to crunch on when I get my appetite back and start craving chocolate. This would also help with the little snack bags of chips I've been eating with lunch. I bought them for Melissa's lunches and husband eats them with his lunch, and suddenly I found myself eating them even though I didn't use to eat chips very often at all.

WFEN -- My sister has just one Hershey's kiss after dinner to satisfy her chocolate craving. I could never do that. I'd eat about 6 of them. So I have a feeling for me it's all or nothing when it comes to cutting out chocolate.

Wish me luck.
sue

 

[Hound dog]

Sue

Actually, I know this is gonna sound strange, but snaking on a bowel of cereal is a healthy, low calorie snack. I've had docs suggest it. Even the sweetened cereals are good for you. Packed with vitamins, and not as much sugar (even the presweet ones) as you might think.

And you could use it to fill that chocolate craving with less calories/healthier alternative. (Coco puffs, Cookie crisp, Coco Pebbles ect)

With the kidney disease I have to watch everything I put into my body. Nephrologist says, "Garbage in/ garbage out" I'm allowed only a certain amt of calories a day. No salt, little sugar, no caffiene (haven't managed that one lol), low protein, and as little dairy as possible.

I asked him if there was anything left I COULD eat. :rofl:

I'm not on a DIET. I had to change how I thought about eating/drinking. Since I'm only allowed so many calories, along with the restrictions, Nephrologist said the trick is to really stop and think about WHAT I'm putting into my mouth. Sort of like getting more for your buck in the food dept. lol

So when I'm gazing in the frig with a serious case of the muchies...... I'll look at the junk food vs the healthy foods. Junk foods/and soft drinks are going to use up my calorie allotment fast. And my body is gonna get very little in return for all those calories. Probably too much sugar, salt, carbs, fat-- with little or no nutritional value in return.

I thought he was nuts. But be darned if it didn't do wonders to think of it that way. I found I could actually eat MORE this way. And to my shock the pounds started to fall off without much effort at all. (you wouldn't believe the amt of food I can eat)

Also he made sure to tell me NOT to deny myself ANYTHING. Why? Because it's like shooting yourself in the foot. Soon as you tell yourself you can't have something is when the cravings for it start. Then we beat ourselves up for giving in. Then eventually give up on eating healthy altogether thinking we don't have the willpower to do it.

So I still eat junk food upon occasion. And when I do I do my best to keep it in moderation. Because for me the reprocussions are almost immediate. I'll go to Mc Donald's or some other fast food at times. I'll eat chocolate if I'm really craving it.

Oddly enough, giving in on occasion actually helps me stick to this new way I have to eat.

It would be even easier if I could actually afford to eat this way. :rofl:

 

[standswithcourage]

I dont think I can give up chocolate!!!!! Whenever I feel real stressed I have to have at least a little bit. Sometimes I have put any chocolate in the freezer. that way I dont see it very much and it is much harder!!!! Nuts are also good and crunchy and healthy.

 

[TerryJ2]

I crave chocolate like crazy, but right now I have a crummy cold and not much seems appealing so I thought it was a good time to cut out chocolate.

Ooooh, I do that too! I feel like it gives me a head start.

SWC, I agree that totally giving up your fave food is not a good idea. It makes you too crazy. I have a friend who lost 10 lbs on a Hershey bar diet. She craved them so badly that every time she went on a diet, she ate 10X more. So she decided to give herself 1/2 of one every other day. She lost her 10 lbs with-much less stress!

 

[Sara PA]

Since menopause I have slowly craved chocolate less. However, since it's come out that dark chocolate and almonds are health food when eaten in small amounts, I've made a habit of having 3-4 Wilbur Buds (about the size of a Hershey Kiss) each with about 5 raw almonds every day. Usually that's enough chocolate for one day. Usually.

I also discovered Chocolate Chex. For the moment at least, they are my favorite chocolate cereal.

 

[SearchingForRainbows]

Chocolate Chex - I've heard of them but never thought of trying them. I think I'll buy a box. Thanks, Sara!!! WFEN

 

[SearchingForRainbows]

Sue,

How did it go last night? I know you can do it!!! WFEN

 

[Sue C]

WFEN -- Thanks so much for asking!! Well, husband and I were watching TV and guess who ate a bowl of cereal? husband did....NOT me!! Yea!! We did have Orvile's "natural" popcorn earlier in the evening. The box said only 30 calories for 1 cup of popcorn. That didn't sound too bad to me. I probably ate about 1 to 1-1/2 cups and drank a small glass of cranberry/apple juice with it instead of a soda. Thanks for the encouragement!

I still have my cold and chocolate is not appealing to me. That seems crazy to me, but I am happy!

Lisa -- Sounds like a good idea to change my way of thinking, not go on a "diet." And it makes sense to not totally deprive oneself of something. But for now, I think I really have to do that with chocolate or I go nuts and have to have it every day (and not just a little).

Sara -- Chocolate Chex, never heard of them. There are only certain cereals I can eat that don't make me feel sick and shaky. (I love Chex but they make me feel sick.) Believe it or not, the one cereal I can eat is Lucky Charms. They're magically delicious, ya know!! :smile:

sue

 

[BusynMember]

I had great success with a "food diary." See my post about the Nutritionist. I was 180 lbs. and now weight around 125 (up from the 115 I was at the end of the diet--I'd like to get back to 120). And I did this while going through Menopause...lol. My Nutritionist told me it's better to eat a big breakfast then dinner because you have all day to burn it off. You don't get much action sleeping. Good luck :smile:

 

[Sara PA]

Chocolate Chex are rice and corn Chex, about half of which are chocolate. I think they have a good chocolate flavor but not as sweet as the other chocolate cereals. I like Chex cereals in general and like these more than I thought I would.

Lucky Charms? I'd never have guessed that.

 

[LittleDudesMom]

I think Special K makes a chocolate cereal now.

Sharon

 

[SRL]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sue C</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Lisa -- Sounds like a good idea to change my way of thinking, not go on a "diet." And it makes sense to not totally deprive oneself of something. But for now, I think I really have to do that with chocolate or I go nuts and have to have it every day (and not just a little).
</div></div>

The weight loss plan that I used between the birth of difficult child and easy child didn't deny any foods. The plan simply was to eat only when hungry and stop when you are full. Eat the foods you want and like, including chocolate. It took some time to really tune into the beginning signs of hunger and awhile to develop the discipline not to eat in between times but once I caught on I did well with it.

Ironically once I got into the habit of eating when I was hungry and stopping when full (ignoring what the clock said) on most days I wanted a small breakfast early in the morning, lunch on the early side at around 11 and then dinner quite late, around 8:30 or 9. I go to bed early so often I was eating shortly before bedtime and still was losing weight at a good clip. I don't know how my perimenopausal body will handle it though.

One of the reasons I liked this strategy is that I *like* good food and would rather have a small piece of good quality chocolate than a mountain of lesser quality stuff. I didn't walk around all the time thinking I was being denied all of my favorite foods.

My discipline was the problem and not the food. A limited amount of chocolate wasn't going to do me in--my inability to stop was.

SRL,
Kicking herself for not sticking with what was working

 

[Sue C]

Last night I finally craved a piece of chocolate but did not cave in. We had pizza for dinner and for some reason, if I eat pizza or fast foods, I crave chocolate much much more than if I ate any other food. Has anyone else found this to be true? I'm wondering why that is.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I don't know how my perimenopausal body will handle it though.
</div></div>

SRL -- I don't know what you mean by this, but I am going through menopause finely!! I found I've gained weight during this time. Guess that's normal, huh? I'm wondering if once I'm through menopause, some of the weight will just come off by itself??? Gosh--I guess I should read up on menopause, huh? But that would make me feel old!!! :rofl:

Sara -- About the Lucky Charms, I forgot to mention that I pour a bowl and then pick out about 2/3 of the marshmallows and throw them away. I once wrote to General Mills suggesting they make an "adult" Lucky Charms with a lot less marshmallows, but they never responded. (I have a few friends who eat them, too, and they hate the amount of marshmallows.)

sue