All I Wanna Do Is Eat At NIGHT!!!!

SingRunTing

I eat half of my daily calories after 6pm. I don't snack during the day. I eat breakfast & lunch with half of my calories. I eat dinner usually around 6-6:30 and then wait a couple of hours and have a nice snack around 8:45-9pm.

Meal timing doesn't matter as long as your eating the same number of calories. It's about choices and balance. If you eat more during the day, you won't have as many calories that you can consume later on. Plan for when you want to eat, not when you think you should eat.

leggup

Are you sure you need to be on 1,200 calories? Are you especially short?

Meal timing does not matter from a metabolic standpoint. If you want to eat at night, save some calories for the evening. Skip your afternoon snack. Have a smaller lunch.

Here's my spread (1,650 calories)

Breakfast: 2 egg (160 cals), coffee
Lunch: Soup, veggie straws, avocado (550 cals)
Afternoon snack: kashi bar (140 calories)
Dinner: 840 calories left, plus anything I earn in exercise, which is another 50-200 calories.

I like big dinners/evening eating.

eeelizabeth2012

MustLoveCats21 wrote: »

When I eat at night it's because I'm bored. So my solution would be to keep yourself busy with something that will keep your mind occupied away from food. Take up a hobby?

I am definitely not bored and have lots of hobbies. A good theory though.

eeelizabeth2012

fevre wrote: »

Slightly related, but I also had to kick the habit of having a beer or glass of wine every evening. Since it was more about having something interesting to sip rather than the alcohol, I've been able to switch it out for seltzer water with a dash of cranberry juice and/or fresh lime juice.

I love this idea.

PurpleYFronts

If you can save 200 calories, try 35g porridge oats (homemade) with a tablespoon of honey, made with milk and/or water. It will definitely sate your appetite without damaging your calorie goal

isabelleriley93

For those who snack late and crave sugar/carbs at night- how is your sleeping? Often our bodies want these foods because it's "easy" energy and you're really just tired. Also, snacking before bed is not good for your GI tract and sleep. Ever notice how if you eat then lay down, your stomach makes a lot of noise? It's also more likely to cramp, wake you up at night, and impair sleeping.
Try adjusting sleep patterns and seeing if that helps.
I have this problem and found going to bed earlier has been a life (and calorie) saver. If I can't get to bed early, a cup of tea with a small amount of honey both hits the craving and warms me, thus readying me for bed.

meganjcallaghan

isabelleriley93 wrote: »

For those who snack late and crave sugar/carbs at night- how is your sleeping?

I don't "crave" sugar or carbs at night. I simply choose to do most of my eating in the evening hours. Sometimes it's carbs, sometimes it's not. I never really crave any one type of food over another. I simply eat what I need to in order to fill out my macros for the day. When I'm still looking to knock out 1500 - 2000 calories, a good bunch of that will end up being carbs. In any case, doesn't matter what it is, my sleep is great.

eeelizabeth2012

isabelleriley93 wrote: »

For those who snack late and crave sugar/carbs at night- how is your sleeping? Often our bodies want these foods because it's "easy" energy and you're really just tired. Also, snacking before bed is not good for your GI tract and sleep. Ever notice how if you eat then lay down, your stomach makes a lot of noise? It's also more likely to cramp, wake you up at night, and impair sleeping.
Try adjusting sleep patterns and seeing if that helps.
I have this problem and found going to bed earlier has been a life (and calorie) saver. If I can't get to bed early, a cup of tea with a small amount of honey both hits the craving and warms me, thus readying me for bed.

thanks!!

tulips_and_tea

eeelizabeth2012 wrote: »

Pedal_Pusher2point0 wrote: »

LOL @ "evolutionary reasons"................No I think you do it because you're hungry.

No. It is not hunger. I have no problem eating if I am hungry. It is the the types of food I am wanting and the specific times. Some literature I found does talk about how we tend to want high energy food at a time when our body is more likely to store it as fat for later on. Others talk about hormones and insulin spikes, etc. I have always been this way. It doesn't matter if I have a big meal or a small meal or a carby meal or a meal that is just protein and veggies. It is not psychological either. It is an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach (not hunger) that seems to only be relieved when I continue to eat. But, yes, sometimes I can trick it with tea or a small snack of some sort.

Hmmm, any way to pinpoint what exactly this feeling IS? You list the things it is NOT and you also said it's not boredom. Is it anxiety? Worries that come into your mind in the evening when you have more time to think? Or is it a habit? Habits can be really ingrained in us. But, they are changeable. I just think it would be helpful to find out the source of this feeling rather than try other ways to mask it.

silentKayak

Save calories for nighttime snacking. I always eat something after dinner. You just have to work it into your budget. I like airpopped popcorn, yogurt and fruit, a light ice cream bar, or chocolate rice cakes. All yummy and under 100 cals.

Another idea is to add more exercise. I got an exercise bike for the living room, so now I can crank out 200-300 calories in the early evening instead of sitting on the couch. That "earns" me a small snack and a glass of wine, and then I'm tired enough to go to bed earlier.

CaitlinW19

Two things for me...#1, when I feel like I still need to eat after I just ate, I find something to do...clean my bathroom, put away laudry, take the dog for a walk...anything but sit in front of the tv really. Usually I forget all about that craving. If I don't, then I eat something...a cheese stick or whatever.

#2, I also always try to save a good amount of calories for my late night snacking. All my daily snacks combine make up the most calories in my day by far. I mostly log all my meals in the morning and then I have a better idea how many calories I have left for snacking all day.

If you can plan for it, it shouldn't need to derail you...just make it work in your day.

krissyrey

meganjcallaghan wrote: »

eeelizabeth2012 wrote: »

itsclobberintime wrote: »

Skip breakfast, eat more later.

Is this really a good idea though? I heard breakfast is important for metabolism. And that it should be within the first hour of waking. Also, a high protein breakfast usually lasts me until lunch time before I am hungry again.

I can't say for sure, but I think that's bunk. Or maybe just untrue for me. I'm up by 6:30 am and don't generally get hungry or eat until closer to 11 or 12. SOMEtimes as early as 10 depending on convenience and my schedule for the day. It actually makes me feel sick if I eat within the first few hours of waking up. When i log something in my diary as "breakfast" it would probably be more accurate to call it "lunch #1" lol. I do the bulk of my eating (probably around 65% - 70% of my calories) between 8 and 11 pm

BrownsFan19

My nights are full of wanting to eat as well. Mostly CHEESE! I swear as soon as I lie in my bed at night my body/mind starts saying "Me want Cheeeeeeese" Ugh. It drives me insane. I did buy some babybel lights and some of the weight watchers smoked sting cheese. Only 50 calories.

krissyrey

I use to be the exact same way until after I got married. I could not get nothing in my stomach until after 10 or 11 in the morning. And lunch around 3. Now since I work out every morning from after the wedding my body is calling for breakfast very early. If I am up at 6am, breakfast is at 6:15 and workout from about 6:45. I no longer feel upset when I eat early. Hope this helps.

jellybeanhed313

Have you tried Quest bars? I have recently discovered that you can cut them into pieces and bake them. Low carb, high protein, high fiber COOKIES!!! Bake 3-4 min, then squish with a spatula or your fingers, bake another 3-4 min and cool.

They are pretty freaking good in my opinion. My favorite flavors so far are cinnamon roll, chocolate chip cookie dough, cookies & cream, peanut butter supreme, peanut butter chocolate, and pbj.

Most of the bars are between 150-200 calories.

Also, go to bed early and keep busy with a hobby. Or just straight up try to resist and try to overcome the boredom and/or emotional eating habit.

maryjane28

baked quest bars are great, or stevia sweetened soda ! budget for a little dessert! its worth it!

CaitlinW19

isabelleriley93 wrote: »

For those who snack late and crave sugar/carbs at night- how is your sleeping? Often our bodies want these foods because it's "easy" energy and you're really just tired. Also, snacking before bed is not good for your GI tract and sleep. Ever notice how if you eat then lay down, your stomach makes a lot of noise? It's also more likely to cramp, wake you up at night, and impair sleeping.
Try adjusting sleep patterns and seeing if that helps.
I have this problem and found going to bed earlier has been a life (and calorie) saver. If I can't get to bed early, a cup of tea with a small amount of honey both hits the craving and warms me, thus readying me for bed.

I'm glad that works for you, but I already go to bed at about 9 every night...sometimes earlier. Lol. If I went to bed sooner it would be like "Hi honey, how was your day at work? Oh look at the time, we'd better hit the hay. Maybe we'll have time for dinner tomorrow". I guess that would save calories though.

TiffanyJole

I know that you said that your not hungry, just snacking, but I read on a MFP blog, that sometimes we confuse being thirsty for being hungry. Maybe you can try drinking more water when you feel the snacking coming on. Also, try keeping only healthy snacks in the house, that way, if you do snack, you don't blow it too badly!

Lounmoun

Drink a glass of water, unsweetened tea or chew some gum. Wait an hour to see if the feeling passes.
Plan your day so you can have a small snack in the evening.
Meditate or exercise a bit in the evening. Change your evening routine.

meganjcallaghan

krissyrey wrote: »

I use to be the exact same way until after I got married. I could not get nothing in my stomach until after 10 or 11 in the morning. And lunch around 3. Now since I work out every morning from after the wedding my body is calling for breakfast very early. If I am up at 6am, breakfast is at 6:15 and workout from about 6:45. I no longer feel upset when I eat early. Hope this helps.

oh it's ok. the schedule doesn't bother me any. It works for me since I tend to get home late and don't even get a chance to make dinner until later in the evening so shifting the whole eating thing later (thus avoiding huge gaps of time without eating) works out pretty well for me. I actually run to work (around 8k) in the mornings so I don't think there's much more I can do to change my morning schedule anyway. oh well. the only time it sucks is Christmas morning when the bacon is all gone by the time I want any. lol

lreaven

I am the same way! For a while I would only track my day time food because I would eat so much junk at night. The past few days I have been determined to track everything and that helps me to stay motivated. I have a friend who just makes it a policy not to eat within two hours of bedtime but I find that hard sometimes. Tonight, I let myself eat a TON of blueberries and blackberries, thinking I would probably go over my calorie goal (butI was craving something sweet). Turned out to be less than 200 calories. I am going to try to keep Berries around all the time because they really fill you up and help with sweets cravings.

aviatorrie1

Try Mega T Green Tea and Hoodia supplements at Walmart $4.94 for a 30 day supply. I take one in the am and have to remind myself to eat. Great appetite suppressant.

auddii

aviatorrie1 wrote: »

Try Mega T Green Tea and Hoodia supplements at Walmart $4.94 for a 30 day supply. I take one in the am and have to remind myself to eat. Great appetite suppressant.

OP, don't bother wasting your money. You got tons of great advice before this.