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Ugh... I too suffer from the late-night munchies, usually from about 10pm-midnight or later. One thing that works for me is to rationalize, and actually THINK before grabbing any food - I know, easier said than done! But at least for me, I just have to read a nutritional label or do a mental calorie count (for the day), and the craving goes away.
My other trick is to go for pre-portioned but yummy snacks, like a 100-calorie Reese's bar (those are good!), Pop-Tart, granola bar, etc. - basically anything in a package with less than 200 calories. If I open a whole box of single cookies, it's MUCH harder to control my portions, and I'll end up eating half the box. Anyway, this is just what works for me, but hopefully these tips are helpful.
If any of you get the sweet munchies, try baking or grilling a banana. The sugars in the banana caramelize and oh goodness, it's amazing. You could even be a bit decadent and put a dollop of low fat whipped cream on or put it in some yogurt or melt a square of dark chocolate on it.
To grill it, just put it on a grill until the banana's skin is black (not charred... just looks like it's overripe) and it's a bit soft. To bake it, put it in the oven at 350 in tin foil for about 10 minutes.
I don't know why I'd never heard of it before, but it was the favorite dessert in my homestay family in Iceland and seems to be a very Icelandic thing (seeing as how Iceland produces the most bananas in all of Europe :P) with ice cream. Totally delicious on it's own though. Plus, it's an all natural, completely healthy treat that tastes as if it's sooooooo bad for you. Can't go wrong there!
If I liked bananas (which I hate), that sounds really good! You reminded me of a recipe I learned in Weight Watchers... basically you core an apple, fill the middle with peanut butter, raisins & cinnamon, and zap it in the microwave for a minute. Yum!!
If I REALLY want to be "BAD" LOL I cut up strawberries and bananas and a little bit of choco syrup on them and a dot of FF Cool Whip... but that is only if I want something sweet
It is absolutely true for me that eating better at my meals makes it less likely I will get cravings for muchies. I also learned for me that I crave more of what I've been eating -- healthy or not -- hence I go on stretches (2 weeks at a time) where I eat exactly the same thing for dinner every night.
Usually the only snacks I have in the house are bananas and (slightly stale) roasted sunflower seeds (I always find them to be already a bit stale tasting when I buy them, except on rare occasions, and it has nothing to do with the expiration date.)
One of my weird cravings I get sometimes is for Costco's jalapenio artichoke dip, with them Costco rice crackers. Sometimes I indulge, but when I buy them, that's all I want to eat, mealtime, snacktime, even breakfast time, so I won't let myself buy it except sometimes (like, every other month but sometimes 2-3 times before I'm done with the craving.)
Right now I'm indulging in some crunchy cheetos BEFORE dinner, which I seldom let myself buy but I sure enjoy them.
The balance comes in what you allow to be in your house. I sure get tired of snacking on toasted sunflower seeds, but if that's all I got, that's what I eat, and not too much harm done!
Or, a simple cup of hot cocoa, but that can get to be an unhealthy thing too if done too often.
I was eating organic raisins for awhile here recently as an after dinner snack, and being quite surprised at how much I enjoyed them.
The balance comes in what you allow to be in your house. I sure get tired of snacking on toasted sunflower seeds, but if that's all I got, that's what I eat, and not too much harm done!
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I totally agree with this... my kids complain that I have nothing fun to eat... I only keep healthy snacks in the house... if they are hungry they can head to frig and get a pc of fruit, carrots, yogurt... the only extra non essentials are animal crackers, fat free pretzels, granola bars and fat free saltines... that is it... they get sick of those snacks pretty fast... I only get certified "junk" for a party or specific function. I hate having it in the house... it is too tempting to eat just for the heck of it. My theory is if I shop like this and keep only what is healthy then 1. My kids learn the right way to eat and 2. I remain well behaved LOL
skbs, hot about a couple handfuls of lightly salted roasted peanuts for a snack? I think they're great and I can get a pretty good sized jug of 'em around here for about $2.60. Watch out though, "you can't eat just one", as they say in the commercial.
you are allowed 2 "sins" a week of you are on a diet and they will do you no harm this is because your body has become less used to sugar and when you do "sin" your body does not recognise the food a sugar it recognises it as a un recognisable source hope this helps
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Anyway, this is just what works for me, but hopefully these tips are helpful.
You reminded me of a recipe I learned in Weight Watchers... basically you core an apple, fill the middle with peanut butter, raisins & cinnamon, and zap it in the microwave for a minute. Yum!!
LOL
