Snacks or No Snacks?

[TerriDoodle 6]

I've always had blood sugar issues and do better with 5-6 small meals a day (or 3 meals + 2 snacks) plus most trainers will tell you it keeps the metabolism rev'd up. I have noticed that a lot of post-op diets indicate "NO SNACKING", but I don't understand why. What about you? Do you snack or not?

I'd like to make the distinction between snacking for nourishment vs. "grazing" or "head hunger", if you know what I mean.

Thanks for participating.

[babygrl1234 6]

I think for a lot of people snacking between meals can lead to grazing. Kind of like how some people can't even have a little bit of sugar because it leads to eating a lot of sugar.

[atcg1rl 0]

Generally, I plan to snack healthfully. Right now I am only eating 2oz per meal. However, I find myself eating 1 oz the a little while later having another. That in my way keeps me eating or snacking all day. I love fruit so it is usually something like that. Especially, in order to feel normal when you have low blood sugar you need to snack. I agree with babygrl it's probably for those who cannot contain themselves.

[Daisalana 33]

I snack, I eat a couple bites now, wait about 40 minutes, eat a couple more bites and that's how I do my meals.. spread it out, so it's not exactly snacking.

My doctor actually has on his sheet 'NO SNACKING!!!', but I always heard it helps metabolism too.

[losingjusme 12]

i eat 5 - 6 'meals' a day.

Breakfast

snack

lunch

snack

dinner

Snacks usually consist of either almonds (no more than 1 'serving' of 28 nuts - i usually do 10 - 15) or an Oh Yeah wafer bar. if you havent tried these, they are AWESOME! i usually do chocolate mint or choc Peanut Butter and they are wonderful. great if you want something sweet.

[sweethot143 2]

i snack, but probably because i'm not at my sweet spot yet, this last fill is wearing off. I get full after about a cup and starving in an hour.

[waterlily1072 5]

I snack on veggies or fruit. If I need more Fiber I'll snack on a high fiber Cereal. Depends on what my body needs and I track everything.

[Wheetsin 714]

If I'm hungry, I snack. To me, the point of the band is not to deprive myself, it's to eat less. So my Snacks now are nothing compared to what they used to be.

Typical snack foods - cottage cheese, turkey pepperoni chips, 100 calorie Snak-Paks (or however they're spelled), Protein drinks, wheat pretzels (I love those honey wheat braids, but don't eat many b/c I do try to watch carbs), homemade jerkey, etc.

[GR8 1]

I am trying not to snack -- per doctor warning as well.

I also limit my Carbs -- so that my blood sugar doesn't go nuts making me have cravings and excessive hunger.

I am in the bandster hell --

[Big As Life 0]

I don't snack....I eat three small meals a day and drink all the liquids that I can.....

[Betsyjane 2]

I think the ideal is to eat and reatin fullness until the next meal. For me, though, there is good snacking and there is bad snacking. Good snacking is a bite or two of meat to make me feel full again until meal time. Bad snacking is eating the wrong thing or grazing, both of which I unfortunately do very well. I do better when I don't snack at all, but some days, I just need something challenging to eat that will lead to more fullness.

[Betsyjane 2]

I also occasionally do a liquids only day. My hope is that it shrinks the pouch a bit, but it may just be magical thinking on my part.... Anyway, it feels right....

[Alexandra 55]

I'm a big believer in snacking, because for me the worst thing I can do is let myself get too hungry. If I am eating in response to actual hunger pangs I tend to bolt my food and take in WAY more than I need before I know it. So my strategy has always been to identify those times when that tends to happen (like when I get home, before dinner is ready and I haven't eaten since noon), and prepare myself with a snack (like a piece of cheese or some nuts before I leave the office). That way I have a semblance of control when it really is meal time.

With my band snacking was by no means an everyday thing, but I felt no guilt at all about eating between meals if it seemed necessary. But without my band this strategy is more important than ever, since there's no impediment to eating as fast or as much as my warped brain tells me I want. So if I let myself get really, really hungry? Watch out.

[kity 2]

I think this question is two-fold. Perhaps do you snack and are you filled yet? I am in bandster hell now, so I have to snack. But, I don't know if that will be different after my fill. I know that 5-6 smalls are better for sugar levels and metabolism, but I am not sure what I will be able to do. I would hope to eat small amounts, and get a snack in a day, especially between lunch and dinner, so I don't "over do it" at dinner. Anyway, I voted that I snack, but maybe that will change.

[Surby 1]

I don't snack, and it gives me the most amazing feeling of control...... weird, I know!!