At 7:00 pm I get snack cravings. What can I do?
Asked by anonymous on Jun 11, 2008
in Emotional & Behavioral Issues
I want to munch when I watch TV or go on my computer. I usually eat about 1500 calories per day, with my bigger meal in the evening. I eat well, but at about 7:00 pm I get snack cravings and I usually give in. What can I do?
Answer
You’ve been conditioned to respond to TV by eating, and now you have to break the habit. Assuming you are not actually hungry, you have two options: turn off the TV or do something else while you watch. Doing something else could take the form of painting your nails, browsing through magazines, knitting, paying bills, or doing exercises. You need to make a list of activities that appeal to you. And then you have to take action because new habits are created through repetition. Get more ideas from this book, Butcher, Nancy. 101 Ways to Stop Eating After Dinner. New York: Berkley, 2001. As for eating near your computer, one accident could be quite expensive. It is best to make a "No Food" rule.
So you can log your weight -- which allows you to do the following:
- Plot your weight curve
- Analyze the trend of your weight (see under Recent in the figure above)
- Determine the projected target date (see under Overall in the figure above)