Hello:

First of all I want to thank you to take some of your time to bring me some help. I am a 31 old woman that consider herself a healthy, active and very positive person. I have a problem that for some people seems to be very normal but for me is very serious. It is serious because it mess up with my mind. To get you more in the picture I woke up Monday to Friday at 4am in order to have time to do my workout. I ran 2.5 miles every day do Yoga and Pilates and some dancing. In my opinion I don't look that bad if I compare myself to other mothers of my age. The situation is that I think I attack the fridge due to anxiety. I eat every two hours and I consider I don't stay hungry when I finish my meals. Is not hungry what makes me eat when and what I should not. For example the other night I was sleeping and for some reason I woke up in the middle of the night and I ended in the kitchen eating a amount of cookies that I don't want to mention or remember or I will start crying. I have been fighting with ONLY 5 pounds that I want to loose for more than 6 months and well I know that this cookie, candy whatever thing that contains sugar its what is messing up my plan. This happens two or three times a week and well I just don't know what to do. The reality is that it doesn't affects my weight because I can eat a pack of cookies and the other day I do double of the running because of that. I just feel bad of myself, because I am not doing the right thing, is not normal, I get mad, and well I can admit it gets me a little depressed. Whats the point of waking up at 4am and do all the workouts that I do if I am going to throw everything outside the window with a pack of cookies.

I already tried the healthy snaking thing.. But when this happens my brain seems to switch to other's person thinking.

I am not feeling very well today.
Thanks for your advice.

i have found that high protein snacks curb my appetite. stuff like jerky, protein shakes, and boiled eggs. high fiber snacks should also have a similar effect.

later, and good luck!

It sounds like your having sugar cravings which can be a way your body is telling you that it's not getting what it needs to work properly so it's demanding the quickest fix (sugar).

Are you including good high-quality low glycemic carbs in your diet or a bunch of refined carbs? Are you really restrictive on fat and protein? Do you eat too much salt? Do you eat too little for what you're expending during the day?

Each of these things can cause sugar cravings. In addition, I've read reports that cinnamon is an effective blood sugar regulator and I have taken to adding it to whatever I can. I haven't kept scientific track but I definitely don't think I've had too many sugar attacks during my recent 35 pound weight loss.

Corally, you are not alone.

There's a bunch of us trying to figure this challenge out.

As the cold weather has descended, I'm even more ravenous for snacks.
At work - especially when my co-workers bring in cookies and donuts, it can get real difficult to avoid having 2 or three of those fancy cookies.

I'm going to look harder for some alternatives -- higher in fiber and protein -- like Richie suggested...with the exception of jerky, which I like, but haven't found one that doesn't have too much salt or preservatives.

can you wake your husband up? can you call someone? can you try to listen to music instead? can you write? take a bath. have some water. can you allow yourself a few cookies? can you not keep the cookies in the house or keep them in a separate area and designate that area for the kids/others? are you eating enough before bed? are you eating enough in general? just some things to think about.

I'm glad someone posted this. I usually just stick to granola bars for snacks, but it's getting old. For my and Corally's sakes, what are some examples of good high-quality low glycemic carb snacks?

Desirable Foods

Breads:
Coarse European -Style, Whole Grain wheat or Rye Pita Bread, Cracked or Sprouted Whole wheat

Cereals:
Compact noodle-like high bran cereals (All-Bran, Fiber One) Coarse Oatmeal, Porridge, Coarse Whole Grain (Kashi) Cereal mixed with Psyllium (Fiberwise)

Pasta, Grains and Starchy Vegetables:
Pasta (all types) Barley, Bulgur, Buckwheat (kasha) Couscous, Kidney Beans dry, (Lentils, Black-eyed peas, Chick-peas Kidney beans, Lima beans, Peas, Sweet Potato, Yam (soybeans lowest) Most Vegetables.

Milk Products:
Skim, 1%, cottage cheese, (lowfat or regular), Buttermilk, Low-fat plain yogurt, Low-fat fruited yogurt, Low-fat frozen yogurt ( artificial sweetener)

Fruit:
Most fruit and natural fruit juices, including apple, berries, cantaloupe, grapefruit, honeydew, oranges, pears, grapes, peaches, applesauce, (Cherries, plums and grapefruit lowest).

Meats:
Shellfish, "white" fish (cod, flounder, trout, tuna in water), Chicken, turkey, cornish hen, venison (white meat no skin), Egg substitutes (cholesterol free) cottage cheese

Moderately Desirable

Breads:
100% Stone Ground whole Wheat, Pumpernickel, 100% whole grain Rye Crisp Cracker

Cereals:
Grape-nut cereal, medium-fine grain oatmeal, (5-minute variety)

Pasta, Grains and Starchy Vegetables:
Rice, Boiled Potato, Corn Navy beans, Kidney beans (canned), Baked beans. Beets.

Milk Products:
2% milk, cheese, Regular plain yogurt

Fruit:
Banana, Kiwi, Mango, papaya, orange juice.

Meats:
Higher fat fish, (salmon, herring, lean cuts of Beef, Pork, Veal. Low-fat imitation luncheon meat, low-fat. cheese, Eggs.

Avoid or Limit these foods

Breads:
White bread, most commercial whole wheat breads, English muffins, bagel, French bread, most commercial matzoh

Cereals:
Corn flakes, puffed rice, puffed wheat, flaked cereals, instant "Quick" or pre-cooked cereals. Oatbran, rolled oats. Shredded wheat, Muesli.'

Pasta, Grains and Starchy Vegetables:
Instant rice, Brown rice, instant precooked grains, Baked potato, micro-waved potato, instant potato, Winter squash (acorn, butternut), carrots, parsnips.

Milk Products:
Whole milk, ice milk, ice cream, Yogurt sweetened with sugar, Low-fat frozen desserts with sugar added, Low-fat and regular frozen yogurt with sugar added. Tofu ice cream.

Fruit:
Pineapple, raisins, watermelon, fruit juices sweetened with sugar.

Meats:
Most cuts of beef, pork, lamb, hot dogs (including "low-fat' versions) cheese, luncheon meats, peanut butter.


There are also a ton of GI databases on the internet to look up foods that aren't on this list.

http://www.glycemicindex.com/

And here I thought pineapples were alright!!!

they're better than candy, but they're also all sugar! simple sugars break down fast, give your body immediate energy, and leave your body wanting more... It is important to keep the energy you're getting from your food consistently spread out through the day and that will help avoid the desire to snack (based on physiological reasons - psychological reasons may still interfere!)...

You can still have pineapples, it's just that they tend to create chaos with your blood sugar levels. If you're experiencing sugar cravings or have diabetes or at risk for diabetes, you may want to try and avoid or limit those items and see if they have an effect on you.

For example, lots of people will tell you that carbs make you drowsy and lethargic. I don't have that problem. I can eat a spaghetti sandwich with white bread and a baked potato and I won't feel any different than if I ate a can of tuna. But I don't believe that foods effect everyone equally. Most important is the process of finding out what works for you. Don't take advice blindly, try it out and monitor the results. That's the only path to success.

I'm a big fruit fan myself. I like frozen grapes (its like a popsicle only healthier).

I used to crave candy and ice cream alot. Now i've cut it out for so long that, my blizzard treat this saturday only got 1/2 ate because I just didn't like the taste as much as I used too.

It takes time, but you can do it

Its hard but your stronger than the cravings! Keep pressing on and if you do fall dont hold yourself in contempt. Just keep on trucking!

mmm... a spaghetti sandwich... If I ever run a marathon, that is what I'm eating afterwords. With cheese, on potato bread.

This is great! Thanks all for your advice.

Lol @ spaghetti sandwhich.

I think I'll just go back to my mandarin oranges. I usually don't eat a lot of pineapples though. Just the small snack size in a cup from Dole. It's really the only way I eat fruit because I hate peeling oranges and I only eat apples if they're sliced. I better get to slicing!!!

pick up a slicer/corer - 2 seconds and you have a cored, sliced apple! and bananas, grapes, pears, etc... there are a lot more choices out there!

curtis-you need to do what works for you and fits into your lifestyle. as splint said dont take the advice blindly. its not a one size fits all diet/program. i dont like many fruits and i happen to like raisins and pineapple and they are high gi foods and i eat them. i am not diabetic but i dont have them everyday and they work for me right now. i feel its better than getting no fruits at all. try to do things in steps. you dont have to change everything at once. if you keep making small changes like you are doing, eventually it will add up and you will see results and you will feel better.

sugar-free pudding is a great sweet treat!

later

I usually alternate between pineapples and oranges. I just haven't eaten all of the pineapples just yet. But once I do, then I'll get some oranges. And I eat bananas pretty often. So I figure I'm doing pretty well in the fruit department.

What about sugar-free jello for a snack?

Is it the same problem with raisins? That they are made up of mostly sugar? Because I like to put a few in my oatmeal in the morning

And I also thought brown rice, carrots and small quantities of natural peanut butter were good..hmmmm

Remember, the glycemix index of foods don't effect everyone equally. Some people might eat a handful of raisins and need to take a nap because it messes with their blood sugar.

You can have all of these foods but you should probably limit the ones in the last category or as Jess said, couple them with other better carbohydrates.

The list of foods above is not a list of good and bad foods, but foods that will change your blood sugar level faster than others. Use the information appropriately.

i try munching on celery, or chewing flavored gum, like orbit-the pink one, that really keeps my appatite at bay. or i have coffee or tea. you need to stop thinking about it. i know exactly what you're going through, i did it for the past three years of my life. i let my stress eat my whole kitchen. now i just go for simple, small satisying things that last awhile. gum, lollipops, tea, coffee, veggies, fat free popcorn.

good luck.

I find gum to be the best deterrent

I'll testify to the fact that each person's body handles foods differently. Lifestyle patterns, gene patterns all play a part in how certain foods affect people.

I come from a family where I'm the 'small' guy for the most part. Everyone in my family is overweight to different degrees. Some are 100+ overweight and some are 40+lbs over weight.

The higher ends ones suffer from being diabetic due to weight. Certain foods kick them all over the place where some of the other ones in the family, like myself, are just fine.

The key is to find what works for you and do it in moderation.

Ex. I love dried cantalope (www.nutsonline.com has alot of my money). The bad thing is the high sugar in them, but i also don't eat more than 2-3 slices a day. Its a great 'healthier' treat than a candy bar, and i actually enjoy it more than a candy bar. However there have been times i've demolished the whole bag and well its a 'few' calories.