Monster mash: Squelch all those snack attacks

from the Contra Costa Times

Lots of good suggestions for resisting the snack monster arrived in my in-box after my recent column. Here are the highlights:

"I find that if I floss and brush my teeth, it will keep me from raiding the cupboards." -- Vicki

"One easy solution I use is to drink something low cal when I first get the munchies. I love sparking water (plain or flavored), and caffeine-free diet sodas, especially for the carbonation. A 12- or 16-ounce glass helps to make me feel 'full.' Then, I wait a half-hour before deciding if I am really hungry, because often thirst is masked by hunger.

"Beware of juices and other beverages that pack in the calories, and make sure you leave plenty of time for the liquid to go through you if it's close to bedtime." -- Carol, Clayton

"I have found the best way to resist snack attacks is to schedule the snacks. Mid-morning snack is at 10:30 a.m., about half-way between breakfast and lunch. Mid-afternoon snack is around 3:30 p.m., half way between lunch and dinner.

"I plan to eat something healthy when I schedule the snacks, like fruit or pretzels or a few nuts. If I schedule the snacks, it gives me something to look forward to and helps me resist cravings in between.

"The hardest time for me is after dinner when I am watching TV. I try not to eat after 7:30 p.m. If I get an attack, I drink a glass of skim milk or make a cup of Good Earth Original Sweet & Spicy Tea and Herb blend. Sometimes, I just drink coffee. But that often
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results in too many late night trips to the bathroom." -- Carole, Antioch

"Give in -- but eat foods that are good for you and that will satisfy your appetite. Try low-calorie but filling foods such as plums at 10 calories, peaches at 70 and bananas at 100. Also, I keep a large jar of dill pickles in my fridge because they are only 10 calories per medium size. The cold crunch is really satisfying.

"Snack on peanut butter and crackers. It may sound contradictory because peanut butter has so many calories, but it also has the trait of satisfying your appetite for a long while, thereby keeping you from going back to the snack sooner." -- Dick F.

"Wanting to eat from boredom and habit triggers is a major problem, especially since 'ya can't eat just one' if you start. Two things often work for me.

"Brushing and flossing teeth, the whole bit. Then chewing some xylitol gum (XyliChew is great). I think it's both the reluctance to spoil the clean mouth and the 'good health' mode that makes it work.

"Doing little exercises, like tightening different muscles, stretching gracefully (or imagining it's graceful; nobody's watching), breathing deeply and slowly -- all these things take me to an 'ain't I the healthy, strong, slim one' mood." -- Janet F., Berkeley

"I'm surprised you didn't come up with this suggestion: Needlework.

"When you are doing needlework both hands are busy. You don't want to set it down until you've finished knitting or smocking this row or pattern, or cross stitching that color area, or quilting just one more section. Besides, you don't want to get your hands dirty from food or you will soil whatever you are working on." -- Carol C.

"So, what were you doing with cheesecake in your refrigerator? The first step for conquering that awful snack monster is restraint from buying those goodies at the grocery store." -- Bev