Why "hide" food if you are still going to eat it?
By reinydawn
@reinydawn (11642)
United States
May 14, 2009 6:11am CST
OK, my husband and I are working on losing weight. One of our biggest downfalls (believe it or not) is snacking. Normally, we just don't buy the junk food, that was it's not in the house and we can't eat it. Well, last month we had a party for my son who was home on leave for a few weeks. There were a couple bags of chips and some crackers left over. My husband decided that he'd put them in his "hiding place" so that we wouldn't see them and we wouldn't eat them. We'd just save them for our summer party.
Well, that's all fine and good, except last night he's eating the crackers! So what did he accomplish? Nothing... And, I noticed this morning that he didn't even put the vaccuum cleaner back up against the cabinet when he took the crackers out. I guess that's so he doesn't have to move it again tonight when he gets more junk out of that cupboard.
Do you hide your "snacks" when you're trying to lose weight? Does it work?
5 people like this
12 responses
@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
15 May 09
I think it'd just be better to keep it away from the house, atleast for my fiance and I. I know atleast I would be to tempted to eat the food. Next time you have a party, let the guests take these snacks home, they're out of your house and you don't have to see them, plus your being courteous!
1 person likes this
@reinydawn (11642)
• United States
16 May 09
Well, normally we do, but the plan was to keep them for our next party so we didn't have to buy them again. That's not working either because they'll be eaten up by then.
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@reinydawn (11642)
• United States
24 May 09
I've tried slim-fast before and like most of those types of "diets" once you go back to regular food the weight comes right back on. I'd rather just eat healthy like I was and get back onto my regular exercise regimen. That works best for me, but then I get into something and go way overboard....
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@SomeCowgirl (32189)
• United States
18 May 09
Maybe next time you could send them with a friend and ask them to not eat on them but to hide them, lol, or if you trust anyone enough ask them to hide them in your own house, lol.
Right now my fiance and I are drinking slim fasts, this will have been our third can. It's the optima and is supposed to slim hunger. The first two cans still left us hungry but this one is so far so good for now. If you'd like to know if they work or not then just leave a comment and I'll tell ya once we are drinking them regularly.
We've got to lose a few lbs, lol and while we could be walking, we're just to lazy, plain and simple. We are doing a few odds and ends to make money + it's giving us exercise... lol, sorry so off subject.
1 person likes this
@moondancer (7431)
• United States
14 May 09
I have many snacks at most times in my home because of the grandchildren being here so much. I just have to be strong and not eat them. I make sure that I have things for me as well, cantelope, carrots, other fruits, or other things that I can have for snack. This way even when I want to get something I should not have I opt for a healthy snack instead.
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@reinydawn (11642)
• United States
17 May 09
COOL!!!! Gotta make sure they get their veggies and fruits :)
@reinydawn (11642)
• United States
16 May 09
Hey, you should give the grandchilden the fruits too, it's just as good for them as it is for you!
But I do think it's harder not to eat the junk food if it's right in the house, but I've had some good willpower lately!
@moondancer (7431)
• United States
16 May 09
My goodness I do give them fruit, they love it and chose it many times instead of junk. They really love carrots, strawberries, grapes, and watermelon. These are their favorite snacks.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
14 May 09
Hiding does not work unless you make it harder to get at. But a good way is not to open the package for some time. That is what I do. I will put candies and cookies down stairs in the basement because then I have to walk down that flight of stairs and will probably have to do the laundry. But the best way is when you get snack food, do not open the bag for at least a couple of days and that is after putting it on the top shelf. It works for a while.
Or you could go outside and go for a walk and get away from all those nice snacks.
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@reinydawn (11642)
• United States
16 May 09
That is so true that once it's opened then it's so much easier to justify eating it. I figure he'll fihish eating it all up in a week or two and I wont have to worry about it any more!
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@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
24 May 09
The trouble is that he might want to buy some more. And even in healthy food, like me and rye crisps, there is a danger of eating too much. So I get rather upset when I have to stay in the house all day (like waiting for that delivery that did not come) and near all that temptation when I could be out for a walk.
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@reinydawn (11642)
• United States
26 May 09
That would be hard to be around it all day and not eat it. We're like that at work, so my boss tries not to buy junk food for the office.
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
14 May 09
No, we plan our snacks into our daily eating plan.
I have lost almost 25 pounds this year and my husband is over 30. (actually we started in late Feb-March) We eat snacks every single day. Actually I eat at least 6 times a day.
If you are really worried about the snacks..just toss them. Or take them to a food kitchen
1 person likes this
@reinydawn (11642)
• United States
16 May 09
Well, that PLAN was to save them for our end of summer party, so we didn't have to buy them again. But that's not working too well!!
I usually eat 5 meals a day - 3 quares and 2 snacks - but it's all healthy stuff. So far I'm doing very good at not eating the junk. It just looks like we'll have to buy more for our party.
@reinydawn (11642)
• United States
16 May 09
OH shoot, forgot the congrats to you both on the weightloss! I can't wait to type those words for me!
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
16 May 09
Well sometimes if I hide food I forget about it and find it much later and that makes it good, because when I snack, I am a continual snacker, I can't eat just a little bit. Of course it doesn't work all the time, but sometimes it does..
@reinydawn (11642)
• United States
17 May 09
Sometimes I'll buy cookie mixes on sale, but not want them right away. When I want something later though, it's nice to find them for a snack!
1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
20 May 09
Yeah, my husband will buy brownie or cake mixes and I wait until I feel like making them, that way I don't eat them up right away..
1 person likes this
@oscar6 (1938)
• United States
16 May 09
I wouldnt say I hide them. Even if I did I would know exactly where they are at. However I do put them in out of reach places such as on high shelves. When they are not easily available it gives me more time to think "hey do I really need that?" It actually has worked for me, maybe its just because im too lazy to climb up on the counter to get it on the top shelf lol. 
@reinydawn (11642)
• United States
16 May 09
Well, that kinda make sense because then you really have to want them to go to all that effort. You'd make sure it was really worth it before getting into them.
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
14 May 09
Hmmmm Well i tend to give my snacks to someone who has willpower NOT to tell me where they are...or someone who will feed em to other people. Otherwise i dont buy them that way they arent in my house. If i know where they are I'm so gonna eat them diet or not.
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@reinydawn (11642)
• United States
16 May 09
Yup! If I want it and it's in the house, doesn't matter where I've "hidden" them, they're getting eaten! That's why I try not to buy the stuff, or give it to my guests as they are leaving!
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
15 May 09
Hey reiny~ I know that it is really hard to diet to being
with. And of course, there is no way that you can "hide"
snacks from yourself~! As long as you know that they are
there so is the temptation! So you either have to totally
get rid of them or resign yourself to the fact that at some
point they just might get eaten! You seem to be able to control
yourself alot better than your husband! If he isn't able to
resist temptation the I suggest that you do the "hiding"!
1 person likes this
@reinydawn (11642)
• United States
16 May 09
When he first told me what he did I just chuckled, then when he dug them out I chuckled again. I've been doing pretty good, although it's hard to get out of the habit of eating when you don't need to.
@yoyozhou (356)
• China
15 May 09
No.I also want to loose weight but I never hide snacks at home.I always keep some snacks at home so that if I am hungry,I can eat something.I loose weight by doing physical exercises.And after sports, I will not have a good appetite and eat less.
1 person likes this
@inkstainedheart (455)
• United States
14 May 09
I don't think hiding "bad" snacks will help unless the person dieting doesn't know where they are. Then they would spend a lot of energy just by searching. I have never had a lot of success with hiding or stashing food; if it's in the house and you know where it's hidden, the food might as well be laying on the kitchen counter. Maybe you and your husband should try some healthier snack options; you might just like them as well as those potato chips!
1 person likes this
@reinydawn (11642)
• United States
16 May 09
Normally we do have healthier stuff in the house - and do now too! But these are left over from a party and they seem to keep calling his name... I've been doing good and haven't had ANY! For some reason I've got some awesome willpower going on right now :)
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• Malaysia
23 May 09
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@djsimonmlb (413)
• United States
15 May 09
I don;t hide them because that's more os a temptation. Instead I get my partner to eat them or throw them away to prevent any distractions. If it ever comes a time when I get tempted I ignore it! :)
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