Okay, just a few notes on snacks, most of which will be common sense.
First, the easiest way to deal with the munchies is to have lots of healthy ones on hand, and don't buy the junk. You can't eat what's not there.
Keep a dozen hard-boiled eggs on hand. To hard boil (in case you don't know), put a dozen eggs in the bottom of a pan so they're single layer, or mostly so. A dutch oven is good for this. Try not to use fresh eggs, as they'll be buggers to peel no matter what you do. Cover the eggs with cold water, add a teaspoon or so of salt, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Don't use high heat, or they may bounce around and crack. After the water comes to a boil, lower it to a simmer, and set the timer for 15 minutes. Lots of recipes say turn the water off and wait that time, but sometimes the yolks can be kind of softish that way, so I just do a low simmer. After 15 minutes, turn off the heat, drain off the hot water, and add cold water. Wait a minute, then stir the eggs around a bit with your hands. Then change the water again. Stir with your hands again, and change water again. You're stirring with your hands so you can tell when the eggs are no longer hot. After about 3 changes, they should be fairly cool to the touch. Take them out, dry a bit with a paper towel, and put an "H" on the end with pencil (so you don't mistake a raw egg for hard-boiled). Put back in the carton or other container and chill. If you go through a lot of eggs, do a couple of dozen eggs. It may seem like you're eating a lot of eggs, but in the beginning, it's not that easy to go cold turkey from junk food, and having a protein snack really is a big help. After a bit, the carb cravings will lessen considerably, and you'll be more moderate in egg consumption.
Cheese sticks are good, if you can tolerate cheese. There are low-fat ones, and they're a good source of calcium. I recently saw some that were pepper-jack, but I haven't tried them. The store varieties seem just as good as the brand name ones (to me) and warehouse stores, like B.J.'s and Sam's Club have them in larger packs.
Nuts are a good snack, if done in moderation. Almonds are good, and you can pack a portion (1 oz) in an empty mint tin so you'll always have a quick protein snack. Peanuts are another good snack, again, in moderation. Get the ones in the shells, as having to shell them slows you down, and putting about 10-15 peanuts in the shell in a snack bag looks like more than a few measly little peanuts. It's all about perception.
Last, but certainly not least, there's fresh fruit. Nothing beats a cold, crisp apple for sinking your teeth into. An orange is better for you mid-morning or afternoon, as first thing in the morning it can spike your blood sugar. Stay away from juice (it's like main-lining sugar) and don't get those little fruit cup things. Way too much sugar.
Diets always say to pack celery, cucumber, carrot, green pepper snacks, but I personally think you're setting yourself up for failure with those things. Not that they're bad, but unless you're incredibly gullible, you know you're getting gypped. They're not very satisfying, and you'll be hungry again in no time. Eat them, but add some protein with it.
All of these things are easy, and fairly inexpensive. Certainly less expensive than hitting the snack machine (including when it eats your quarters and you get no Twinkies).
One last note on carrying your lunch. It's not always easy to find a decent lunch container that's up to the job, and leaves you with some sense of dignity intact. I found a site, KeepYourCooler.com, that has coolers in all shapes and sizes. You can order a bunch and have your logo put on, but you can also order just one. They're a bit more expensive than the kind you get at WalMart, but if you use it every day, it's money well spent. I got one that comes with silverware, salt/pepper shakers, and a pretty green checked napkin. It makes me feel special.
First, the easiest way to deal with the munchies is to have lots of healthy ones on hand, and don't buy the junk. You can't eat what's not there.
Keep a dozen hard-boiled eggs on hand. To hard boil (in case you don't know), put a dozen eggs in the bottom of a pan so they're single layer, or mostly so. A dutch oven is good for this. Try not to use fresh eggs, as they'll be buggers to peel no matter what you do. Cover the eggs with cold water, add a teaspoon or so of salt, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Don't use high heat, or they may bounce around and crack. After the water comes to a boil, lower it to a simmer, and set the timer for 15 minutes. Lots of recipes say turn the water off and wait that time, but sometimes the yolks can be kind of softish that way, so I just do a low simmer. After 15 minutes, turn off the heat, drain off the hot water, and add cold water. Wait a minute, then stir the eggs around a bit with your hands. Then change the water again. Stir with your hands again, and change water again. You're stirring with your hands so you can tell when the eggs are no longer hot. After about 3 changes, they should be fairly cool to the touch. Take them out, dry a bit with a paper towel, and put an "H" on the end with pencil (so you don't mistake a raw egg for hard-boiled). Put back in the carton or other container and chill. If you go through a lot of eggs, do a couple of dozen eggs. It may seem like you're eating a lot of eggs, but in the beginning, it's not that easy to go cold turkey from junk food, and having a protein snack really is a big help. After a bit, the carb cravings will lessen considerably, and you'll be more moderate in egg consumption.
Cheese sticks are good, if you can tolerate cheese. There are low-fat ones, and they're a good source of calcium. I recently saw some that were pepper-jack, but I haven't tried them. The store varieties seem just as good as the brand name ones (to me) and warehouse stores, like B.J.'s and Sam's Club have them in larger packs.
Nuts are a good snack, if done in moderation. Almonds are good, and you can pack a portion (1 oz) in an empty mint tin so you'll always have a quick protein snack. Peanuts are another good snack, again, in moderation. Get the ones in the shells, as having to shell them slows you down, and putting about 10-15 peanuts in the shell in a snack bag looks like more than a few measly little peanuts. It's all about perception.
Last, but certainly not least, there's fresh fruit. Nothing beats a cold, crisp apple for sinking your teeth into. An orange is better for you mid-morning or afternoon, as first thing in the morning it can spike your blood sugar. Stay away from juice (it's like main-lining sugar) and don't get those little fruit cup things. Way too much sugar.
Diets always say to pack celery, cucumber, carrot, green pepper snacks, but I personally think you're setting yourself up for failure with those things. Not that they're bad, but unless you're incredibly gullible, you know you're getting gypped. They're not very satisfying, and you'll be hungry again in no time. Eat them, but add some protein with it.
All of these things are easy, and fairly inexpensive. Certainly less expensive than hitting the snack machine (including when it eats your quarters and you get no Twinkies).
One last note on carrying your lunch. It's not always easy to find a decent lunch container that's up to the job, and leaves you with some sense of dignity intact. I found a site, KeepYourCooler.com, that has coolers in all shapes and sizes. You can order a bunch and have your logo put on, but you can also order just one. They're a bit more expensive than the kind you get at WalMart, but if you use it every day, it's money well spent. I got one that comes with silverware, salt/pepper shakers, and a pretty green checked napkin. It makes me feel special.
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