# Is self control the only way I can control my snacking urges? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 2, 2003, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-self-control-the-only-way-i-can-control-my-snacking-urges/205203 "2003-10-02T20:41:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-self-control-the-only-way-i-can-control-my-snacking-urges/205203/21 "2003-10-04T15:14:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by overlyverbose \* > \*\*It’s hard to eat when you’re typing with both hands, and people usually get totally absorbed in whatever I’m doing and stop thinking about food. \*\* Sorry 'bout that. No one is ever absorbed in what I’m doing unless I’m wearing my underpants on my head singing Dixie. I meant “…people usually get totall absorbed in whatever they’re doing…” Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-self-control-the-only-way-i-can-control-my-snacking-urges/205203/22 "2003-10-04T15:25:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by even sven \* > **Next, comes portion control. Every time you eat something, look on the back of the package and make sure you know how big a serving is and how many calories is in that serving. Take that much out of the bag, and close the bag up. As long as you are aware of what you are eating and how that works into your plan, you usually won’t screw up.** A good tip that I cannot stress enough: **never eat anything out of the package it came in**. If you want a cookie, fine, have a cookie, but take your cookie out of the package, close it up, then walk away and enjoy your cookie. If you’re chomping on a box of Oreos, however, there’s no line that shows you where to stop. I’ve been doing exceptionally well for the past three weeks or so. I realized yesterday that I can now yank my jeans right off without unbuttoning them. Be strong! It can be done! ---
**Author:** ![MaddyStrut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@MaddyStrut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaddyStrut)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-self-control-the-only-way-i-can-control-my-snacking-urges/205203/23 "2003-10-04T16:09:03Z")
What **even sven** said! I used to be a massive snacker! My first step was (as she mentioned) to get them all out of the house. It’s one thing to grab a cookie from the cupboard, but another to drive out to the store to buy cookies when the snacking urge hits! My next step was to figure out when I was most likely to grab for the snacks. For me, it was while watching TV or reading. At first, I just avoided doing those activities (I’d go out for a walk or something rather than sit in front of the TV) so I wouldn’t be hit with a full on snack attack. Then I found some other activities to substitute for snacking. I took up needlepoint for the watching TV times. It helps to have something to fiddle with–TV alone never fully occupies me, so that’s where the snacking had come into play. For me, I had to totally cut out snacking. But others have had success with substituting healthy snacks like baby carrots (very sweet!), celery sticks, sliced cucumbers, or air-popped popcorn. You can eat a ton of air popped popcorn for very few calories. Another good thing about popcorn is it takes a long time to eat–so you can snack for an hour or so with one big bowl and only consume a few calories (keep the butter off it though). Sugar free jello is another goodie for those sweet cravings. ---
**Author:** ![Kakofonous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9a140/32.png) [@Kakofonous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kakofonous)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-self-control-the-only-way-i-can-control-my-snacking-urges/205203/24 "2003-10-04T16:22:19Z")
A very simple thing that has helped me is chewing gum. I like the type that comes in blister packs (Wrigley’s Eclipse and others) as it keeps its flavor for a good while. It’s sugar free and the mint flavor leaves me not wanting sweets or soda. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-self-control-the-only-way-i-can-control-my-snacking-urges/205203/25 "2003-10-04T18:17:03Z")
I just over a month ago, I had the OP’s exact problem. I was eating too much crap, and my parents weren’t helping by buying it(they bought hot dogs EVERY week for the entire summer). Now I’m on my own, so I can control what I buy. I’d say that’s the most important part. As many posters have noted, if the stuff is in your house, you’re going to eat it. What I’ve done is to completely cut the stuff out of my life(I realize that you can’t do this, but maybe someone else who’s reading could). I don’t buy it, so even if I get a craving for it, I can’t cave because there’s no sugar for me to eat. To replace it, I’ve bought tons of fruit and cheese. I quickly found that if I’m not eating lots of sugary foods, I’m not hungry as often. The only problem I had is that many times, I wouldn’t eat the fruit, either. I solved this by putting a few pieces out in a small bowl and refilling it often. This has really worked well for me; the other day I bought a brownie with my lunch. I had trouble finishing it because the it contained so much sugar I actually started feeling a bit sick from it! I realize that you’re not buying food for yourself, but talk to your parents about this. I’m sure that they’d be quite happy to help you be healthier by buying less sugar and more healthier food. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-self-control-the-only-way-i-can-control-my-snacking-urges/205203/26 "2003-10-04T18:36:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Max Torque \* > \*\*A good tip that I cannot stress enough: **never eat anything out of the package it came in**. If you want a cookie, fine, have a cookie, but take your cookie out of the package, close it up, then walk away and enjoy your cookie. If you’re chomping on a box of Oreos, however, there’s no line that shows you where to stop. > > I’ve been doing exceptionally well for the past three weeks or so. I realized yesterday that I can now yank my jeans right off without unbuttoning them. Be strong! It can be done! \*\* I would echo this suggestion. If you have to get up to get something, you won’t eat as much. It’s an incredibly simple way to have some snacks, but not a lot of snacks. If I were to sit down in front of the TV with a bag of chips, I will eat as many chips as I physically can. If I have to get up to get a few and then sit back down, I don’t feel the need to do this. I actually lost a fair amount of weight just adopting this practice. ---
**Author:** ![Urban\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Urban\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urban_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-self-control-the-only-way-i-can-control-my-snacking-urges/205203/27 "2003-10-05T03:34:34Z")
I used to be like you. Several years back, I would dig in a pack of chips until it’s completely gone. I would gobble up ice cream by the liter. However, I am now completely off snacks, so what I did maybe helpful to you. It was a bit of mental conditioning. For example, when you pick up a piece of potato chip, think of all the salt and fat it has, and imagine all the nasty vicious things it will do to your body. Be as vile and as graphical as possible. In fact, do it before you go pick up the bag of chips. Whenver you are about to eat a piece of potato chip, stop, and go through the whole mental process. It’s hard work, it’s unpleasant, and it may not seem effective initially. Eventually, however, you will be able to short-circuit your brain, so you don’t have to consciously do the associations. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by 7 up yours \* > As for excercising part, I’ll have to say, I’m extremely lazy. I haven’t been excercising properly since high school stopped the requirements (that’s almost three years now) and I can’t run a block without panting and wheezing. It’s a bit sad, really. So, I’m probably going to start out slow, as to not kill myself by over excercising. I’m thinking half an hour a day on the treadmill to start should be fine. Yes, it’s again hard work. However, sucesses should sustain your drive. Set realistic goals, e.g. 15 minutes on the treadmill for the first week. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-self-control-the-only-way-i-can-control-my-snacking-urges/205203.md?page=1)