From Diet Blog Share: At 300 pounds there weren’t too many foods I didn’t like. I had a special affinity for sweets, although I wouldn’t turn down a good chip or two. I munched my way from an average sized woman, to a morbidly obese woman with a BMI of 44.3 in just 10 short years. When I finally got serious about my weight loss I realized I had many unhealthy food habits. As an obese person I mindlessly ate without regard to time of day, or whether or not I was actually hungry. Once I started changing my eating habits the hardest time of day to control my food choices was mid-afternoon. Mornings were easy, as the foods typically associated with breakfast were nutritious and filling. Some days I would have a mid-morning snack, or not, depending on my hunger level. Sandwiches, wraps, soups and salads served as typical lunch fare, accompanied by yogurt and fruit. But for me, the time between 3:00pm to 6:00pm was fraught with dangers and pitfalls. Foods in the pantry I could resist at 10:30am seemed to be calling my name at 3:30, and even the refrigerator had a direct connection to my brain, “Open me,” it seemed to say! Day by day I worked on resisting the mid-afternoon munchies while eating right and exercising, and after 14 months lost 150 pounds. That was twelve years ago, and since then I have maintained the loss. I now teach weight loss classes in my Diet Infoand this problem comes up all the time. ” How can I control my overwhelming desire to snack my way through the afternoon ?” Here are several suggestions that may help you curb your afternoon cravings: 1. Plan your snacks in

advance By planning what you will and will not eat, you are giving yourself permission to have a snack, but are making a controlled, healthy choice. Some good, filling snacks to try are fat free hummus dipped in home-made pita chips, this is delicious and filling. Other good choices are raw veggies, a piece of cheese and fruit, yogurt with a sprinkling of low fat granola, or air popped popcorn. By planning ahead, you can stop thinking about not eating, and look forward to your healthy snack. 2. Get out of the kitchen, or away from the vending machines I found that if I could keep myself busy during the danger hours it helped immensely. I took up scrap booking during my weight loss year, a hobby I continue to this day. If crafting isn’t for you, perhaps that time could be devoted to gardening, or running errands, or even taking a walk. Whatever works for you – just keep away from the food! 3. Try chewing gum or drinking a hot drink Sometimes, even after I had eaten my planned snack I found myself returning to the kitchen for a little something. Popping a piece of sugar free gum in my mouth helped remind me that I was done until dinner. Alternately, the act of preparing a hot drink also helped keep me occupied. As you journey your way to good health, there will be the inevitable pitfalls and challenges. By facing each challenge as it comes, and logically planning how to overcome it, you can achieve your goals. If afternoon snacking is causing you to stumble, try some of these suggestions to overcome the mid-afternoon munchies.

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[SharePost] Can You Beat the Mid-Afternoon Munchies?