Wellness

[10sluvr]

sliced apple with drizzle of no-sugar carmel ice cream topping. could sprinkle with a few nuts, too.

[Still Raining]

Think I am terminally lazy or simple - but in the evenings I brush, floss, clean the kitchen and put on hand cream.  Then ponder the ramifications of undoing all that!  

[River Song]

First suggestion, reduce the carbs in your evening meal and increase protein and fats so that you are satiated.  

Second, figure out why you are snacking.  Bored?  Anxious?

Third, keep your hands busy.  Knit, crochet, do Wordle puzzles on your tablet, play Solitaire with a deck of cards, put together a jigsaw puzzle, buy an adult Mandala coloring book and some colored pencils and get busy.

Fourth, go cold turkey on the snacking.  Consider yourself a snack-addict.  Substituting one snack for another does not address the addiction and WHY you are snacking in the first place.  Snacking is a habit and very hard to break.  One day at a time.

[SeaMaiden]

---

@beckyb1012 wrote:

I love the low salt plain rice cakes.  Just by itself with no topping or dipping.  I keep some at home and in my office.  Salsa is a perfect dip if needed since most salsa's are only 15 calories per serving.

---

The only bad thing about rice cakes is that they are very high glycemic... the starch turns right to sugar and it raises your blood sugar just as if you had eaten a table spoon or two of table sugar... not everything low cal is good for you.

[ECBG]

As @Malcontent suggested, the cut up vegies (use sliced zucchini, yellow squash, cherry tomatoes, and celery in addition to broccoli, cauli) with a low cal dessing would satisfy the need to chew.

I find making my own ranch using low fat mayo and skim milk is amazingly better than the bottled. 

Weight Watchers Cabbage soup is very filling and tasts good.  Use it as a lunch or have a bowl before meals.  Almost "0" count.

The number one soup (no carrots, potatoes, pasta, or grains)

    Weight Watchers Hungry Day Soup

1 can  low sodium V-8 juice

Water to equal

2 TBS. Worchestchire sauce

1 envelope Lipton’s Onion Soup mix

1 head of cabbage (only!) shredded (about 8 cups)

1 onion cubed

1 C chopped celery

1 C chopped fresh mushrooms

1 C frozen French beans

1 block frozen chopped spinach

(you can also cube zucchini or yellow squash, boc choy greens and stalk (Chinese celery), or add frozen turnip greens.

Low sodium recipe cut tomatoes may be added.

A cup of chopped okra can be added.

I have also added a little garlic.

 In large stew pot, combine all ingredients and simmer 30 minutes.

 The liquid should be 2/3 of your bowl when served.  If not, add more liquids.

FROM A BOOK:

This soup has been around for years! I taught Weight Watchers for 20 years and have been wildly endorsing this soup that long too! For WW Point followers, be aware that if you add starchy vegetables, you no longer have a 0 Point recipe. This recipe has a lot of "wiggle" room. I use home made chicken or turkey broth (very low sodium that way). Sometimes I'll use fresh spinach. In a pinch, I'll use frozen green beans. I also like to play with the seasonings. I'll use fresh herbs from the garden when in season or I might try using hot sauce or pepper flakes to give it some heat. Also, try adding leftover chicken or shrimp but be sure to figure the points if you're following WW Points. This is a truly delicious, versatile and healthy dish!

INGREDIENTSNutrition

SERVINGS 6UNITS US

• 3cups chicken broth (home made is best, or store bought non-fat chicken, beef or vegetable broth)
• 2garlic cloves, minced
• 1small yellow onions or 1 small vidalia onion
• 1tablespoon tomato paste (and or or 1 can diced tomatoes)
• 1⁄2cup chopped carrot
• 1⁄2cup green beans
• 1⁄2cup chopped zucchini
• 1(10 ounce) box frozen chopped spinach
• 1⁄2teaspoon basil
• 1⁄2teaspoon oregano

• salt & pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Spray a large sauce pan with non stick cooking spray.
2. Saute garlic, onions and carrots for 5 minutes.
3. Add broth, tomato paste, green beans, basil, oregano, salt and pepper.
4. Simmer for a about 5-10 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
5. Add the zucchini and simmer for 5 minutes longer.
6. Add frozen spinach and continue heating until the soup is steaming hot.

[magicmoodz]

The best way for me to stay out of the kitchen in the  evening is to brush my teeth after dinner. 

I try to limit food consumption to an 8-hour window (even though the whole intermittent fasting concept has been debunked).

Because I get up between 3:30-4:30 am I need to eat  something around 9:00 am. That makes dinner very early at our home which allows for a longer evening which in turn creates more opportunity to snack.

But by brushing my teeth, it eliminates the ability to hang out at the fridge!😄

[AngelPuppy1]

Many good suggestions and all are appreciated!  Thank you so much! 

[qualitygal]

This is just a suggestion of what I'm trying to do for myself.

Worst mistake is to say no to a food.  However, the calories count.  So, have the smallest amount of what you want (I need protein) go by the calories, and eat slowly.  Savor it, eat small and slow.  

I think to deprive yourself of something you want = eating other stuff and then, you end up going back and eating what you want and more of it. So don't say no to something you want to eat, in case your body is craving it.