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To Snack or Not to Snack?

Old 01-06-2011, 04:32 AM
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Question To Snack or Not to Snack?

Last time I seriously dieted, snacking or 6 small meals a day was in fashion. I tried that but usually ended up consuming more claories.

What works best for you?

I am finding I am better not to snack unless I am really hungry and meal time is far away. Then I will have a 100 - 200 calorie snack. I prefer having the calories to make 500 or so available for my meal, 350 calorie meals just don't work for me. Mary
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Old 01-06-2011, 05:07 AM
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I think it's really whatever works for you.

Personally, on work days I eat:

300 cals for breakfast at 6:00 am
100 cals (usually fruit) at 9:00 am
300 cals for lunch at 11:30 am
700 cals for supper at 5 to 6:00 pm
100 cals for desert (always 4-5 prunes) at 7-8:00 pm

On Weekends we tend to sleep in and have:

600 cals for brunch around 11:00
100 cals (fruit) around 2:00
700 cals for supper around 7-8:00
100 cals (prunes) around 8:00

So, I guess I don't really "snack"--I just spread my meals out so that I never get really hungry. This works for me, but as we know, YMMV.

Regards,
Michael
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Old 01-06-2011, 06:22 AM
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Default I'm with you Kumochi

I pretty much stick to 3 meals a day and have a snack (like you, 100ish cal) only when the next meal seems too far away. I too have tried the grazing mode that seems to work well for others, but it just results in over eating. Plus it take a whole lot more planning than I seem equipped to do to come up with 6 little meals that are within my calorie limits. 3 well balanced meals is about all the calorie calculated my little brain can handle .

Pam
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Old 01-06-2011, 01:58 PM
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Originally Posted by RunbikeSki
I pretty much stick to 3 meals a day and have a snack (like you, 100ish cal) only when the next meal seems too far away. I too have tried the grazing mode that seems to work well for others, but it just results in over eating. Plus it take a whole lot more planning than I seem equipped to do to come up with 6 little meals that are within my calorie limits. 3 well balanced meals is about all the calorie calculated my little brain can handle .

Pam
Yep, me too. Although I usually have a little something something around 4:00pm, but only because the kids are home from school and there is a feeding frenzy going on.
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Old 01-06-2011, 03:15 PM
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I basically realise something new about my body. I eat 2 or 3 meals a day depending what time I wake up. And yes I will snack but not having it fixed. It's more like if I'm hungry I will throw in a bite, if I'm not, I won't snack. Usually when I snack, it's nothing like a healthy snack. I snack on 1 or 2 chocolate chip cookies or some sweet lemon flavoured crackers.

But My body keeps losing weight still. In a month, with little exercising I lost 11lbs just working on finding out about my body. I still have my favourite food, still eating about the same foods as the past except for fast foods. The only difference is my food intake is literally half of what I can eat in the past.

So I feel whether you snack or not doesn't make much difference, rather "training" your stomach to feel full with lesser food is something worth working for?

As far as I know, this works for me. Good luck !
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Old 01-06-2011, 04:46 PM
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i eat every 3-4 hrs and stop at 10pm i wake up at 9 am i usually eat
breakfast-9-9:30
snack 12
lunch 3-4
dinner 7-7:30
snack 9:30-10
i eat 5 times day it works for me and i stay satified never over eat
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Old 01-06-2011, 07:45 PM
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Set meal or snack times don't work for me. I never know what time I will get hungry so I just eat when I do.

I think of it as the low fuel light in a car, my body doesn't care what time it is, hunger means I am low on fuel and I better feed it something soon. Even if it is right before I go to bed because you still burn calories when sleeping.
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Old 01-07-2011, 08:59 AM
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Originally Posted by Asianlady
Usually when I snack, it's nothing like a healthy snack. I snack on 1 or 2 chocolate chip cookies or some sweet lemon flavoured crackers.
!

AsianLady,
Your comment reminds me of a advertisement many years ago suggesting that a cookie (just 1) as an afternoon snack, or before a big meal, was good diet strategy. And you know what? I think that for many it is. The trick is, of course, stopping at 1 or maybe 2 if they are small. It satisfies the sweet tooth, can help even out blood sugar, and keeps a person from feeling so deprived. So I don't think that your snack is really all that unhealthy, especially since you manage to keep from eating the whole bag .
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Old 01-08-2011, 12:52 PM
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I eat breakfast at about 7 everyday, samething a bagel thin with fat free cream cheese and a yogurt. I sometimes snack between breakfast and lunch, and if I do, it's usually around 100 calories. Fruit, nuts, veggies, cheese. Something along those lines. Then I usually don't eat until dinner. I usually do have something after dinner before bed. I just seem to crave things at that time of the day.

I have been doing this since April and have lost 35 pounds. If I was stricter I would probably loose faster, but I am happy with the pace and the process.
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Old 01-08-2011, 02:24 PM
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I eat an apple or orange almost every afternoon for snack to hold me off until dinner.
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