Hi @ooboo ,
This may not be what youāre looking for, but itās my own experience with habitual eating and habit changing. Iām not a nutritionalist or evangelist or anything like that. It just taps into my own habits from a few years ago.
I was working alone on the other side of the world with very little social or interaction outside of work. I fell into a habit of eating/coffee. It was the first and last thing of my day, every day! Iād wake thinking about coffee and Iād end the day at midnight munching on jelly snakes out of a family-sized bag. Weight wasnāt really an issue, but the idea that i was CONSTANTLY nibbling or snacking or fridge dipping was driving me crazy, and I knew deep inside that it was both a habit issues and something that might lead to worse issues over time.
For me, the absolute best thing I ever did, possibly in my life (Iāve no wife or kids, so I can say that!), was to quit sugar and caffeine. Something people, including myself, say they ācould never doā. Iāll admit, it was hard and a little painful, and was a very difficult first month, but itās changed my life drastically now that crazy cold turkey is over and itās simply normal, now. Since quitting sugar and caffeine, I have no snacking habits or issues at all, now⦠none⦠and I have good focus and energy all day long, and sleep great at night⦠and most importantly wake happy and fresh without the need for any sort of hit. The only āsnackā I have is an apple mid-afternoon.
My basic meals through the day are:
Breakfast: simple, usually bran and wholewheat toast.
Lunch: wholewheat sandwich and/or Huel 3.0 blended with a fresh banana (the Huel is a both nutritional, provides great protein for my workouts and keeps me full, and with a banana tastes insanely goodā¦!)
Dinner: Typically chicken salad, or stir fry, etc.
I also drink water steadily through the day. But thereās no cravings or distractions at all.
Iām done eating by 7pm. I have absolutely no snacking needs outside of that, aside from my apple, and I donāt feel any desire or urge to eat after dinner. The thought of eating at 10pm or later is a bit scary to me, now. I couldnāt imagine trying to sleep with a full stomach, or any sort of food in my system. My sleep pattern would be nuts and Iād wake feeling awful.
So, before I waffle on too much, the link to breaking my own crazy pattern of eating, snacking, munching, fridge-dipping at all hours was to simply (not quite simply) quit sugar⦠sweets, chocolate, pastries, ice cream, desserts, tinned food, sauces, ready meals⦠all that stuff! And then also caffeine at the exact same time. I figured go hard or go home. I only drink water, now. I KNOW it all sounds boring, but Iāve a whole new appreciation for real food (Iām not vegan, btw) and eating well, and then Iāve added Huel into my diet as a quick, nutritional and pretty tasty major treat at lunch that properly fills me up til the evening. Itās not boring at all, and I couldnāt be happier for the energy, focus and freedom itās given me. To be able to watch a movie in the evening without reaching for jellies or ice cream or chips, or even just thinking about the fridge, is a real blessing. My great food indulgence is when I go out for dinner, on those rare occasions, and not just trying to satisfy hunger all day long with snacks.
On the plus side, too, I also lost all the fluffy weight fairly naturally at the same time. If I need to tone-up or add few healthy pounds in the right places, I add some Huel or chicken to my meals in conjunction with the gym 3 times a week.
Thatās me, anyway. Iāve no idea what your routine is like. Quitting anything and changing a routine can be very hard, and feel like itās impossible, but honestly, habits can change super quickly and itās well worth the effort⦠and anyone can do it, whatever it is you choose.
Good luck!