Starving at night!

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I do excellent during the day but when night comes I'm thinking if food and starving! I'm taking in my proper calories throughout the day! This is so frustrating! any ideas or tips would be appreciated.
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  • Chandler330
    Chandler330 Posts: 378 Member
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    I try to leave wiggle room for a snack if I know my meals are going to be earlier. I feel like if I leave myself hungry or feeling deprived then I am less likely to stick with something. Try cutting corners on calories in somewhere and make some room to work in a sensible snack.
  • Sansan1984
    Sansan1984 Posts: 14 Member
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    For me i have found as long as i keep it healthy i still lose appropriately going over my cals.. so like an banana and apple or grapes or something like that or even a salad your body has an easy time digrsting it and its full of nutrients you need especially when your body is hungry :)
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
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    Need way more info. How much weight do you have to lose? What do you have your calorie goal set to? It's possible that you're trying to lose too aggressively. What's your meal breakdown? How many calories per meal and timing? When do you get hungry? You may want to save 100-200 calories for the end of the day.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    What do you eat for dinner, and when? Perhaps try a larger meal, or a different ratio of macros. Or leave room for an evening snack.
  • danomitex
    danomitex Posts: 21 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Spread out your meals evenly throughout the day so that you're able to eat a meal/snack at night. Consuming the bulk of your calories during the day will bound to leave you hungry later on.
  • erinelizabeth882
    erinelizabeth882 Posts: 102 Member
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    I try to leave wiggle room for a snack if I know my meals are going to be earlier. I feel like if I leave myself hungry or feeling deprived then I am less likely to stick with something. Try cutting corners on calories in somewhere and make some room to work in a sensible snack.

    This.

    I usually feel like desserts or a snack late, so I've been trying to find healthy-ish snacks/desserts. Chobani makes some nice greek yogurt treats like dulce de leche and chocolate that have lots of protein, but feel like dessert.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
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    Do a protein-heavy dinner. Protein tends to keep you fuller, longer.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    jilly30 wrote: »
    I do excellent during the day but when night comes I'm thinking if food and starving! I'm taking in my proper calories throughout the day! This is so frustrating! any ideas or tips would be appreciated.

    I allow about 400 calories for bedtime snacking. I just don't sleep well on an empty stomach and I think it is a long time habit I developed.

  • jigglyjessica
    jigglyjessica Posts: 58 Member
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    I try to eat dinner late, around 7 or 8 but if I have the calories I'll snack later, if not then I just drink water and try to go to bed early
  • auroranflash
    auroranflash Posts: 3,569 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Certain types of food will satiate you more and for longer. Meal timing planned to your individual preference may help curb the hunger when eating at a deficit. Please don't confuse that with the 'don't eat after 8pm' or the 'you can only eat clean!' folks, this has nothing to do with that and I certainly don't agree with that mindset. However, finding out which foods fill you up and for keep you full for longer (meat/potatoes are a good example in my experience) is a huge part of the puzzle, as well as finding out how to plan out your meals and snacks so that you aren't as hungry.

    I will usually eat very little during breakfast and lunch and save the majority of my calories for the evening with little or no snacking. It's worked fine for me, but it might not work for you. Maybe you need a bigger breakfast with hearty ingredients to keep you full until a lighter lunch, snack before dinner, etc. etc. ...

    If it's strictly a willpower game, you will eventually lose the battle and binge or give up. You need to find out how to set yourself up for success and make it as easy as possible. That is my suggestion. :)
  • NowSteffy50
    NowSteffy50 Posts: 33 Member
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    It might not be 'real' hunger, it might be the telly. It is amazing how many adverts are for food, and just like Pavlov's dog, when we see food we want to eat. It is human instinct.
  • DearestWinter
    DearestWinter Posts: 595 Member
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    As everyone else has suggested - leave calories at the end of the day for snacking. Depending on how long you've been doing this you may also find that the feeling of hunger at night will start diminishing as your body adjusts to your new habits. (Or it might not; everyone is different.)

    Also, I find if I get to the monster-hunger stage then it helps a lot to pick something out to eat conscientiously (choose something that fits into my calories, weigh everything, pre-log it, plate it nicely) and eat it as slowly as possible while focusing on the flavors & textures. It changes the focus from filling a void in my stomach to the ritual of preparing food and eating it.
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
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    1. Already mentioned but leave room for food at night
    2. If you would rather cut out late night eating figure out what is triggering it. It might just be that you always eat then, so you need to retrain your brain a little bit. Maybe it's a bordom thing, find something to do.
  • Castrofreak
    Castrofreak Posts: 67 Member
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    I tend to binge at night, I am STARVING at night. Idk why. So I tend to leave 300ish calories for 8-10pm so that I have the calories to eat if I want.
  • mkakids
    mkakids Posts: 1,913 Member
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    I eat ALOT of my calories between 8-10pm most days. I intentionally save them, because I know I will eat....so might as well have the calories available instead of going over.
  • slowbutsure2
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    When I get the urge to over eat at night I try and do exercise instead. Works well for me.
  • mz_getskinny
    mz_getskinny Posts: 258 Member
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    This is exactly why I love Intermittent Fasting!! I'm not hungry in the morning so I don't eat. My eating window opens up in the afternoon and I get to eat up until I fall asleep every night (if I want to!) It's a lovely concept, especially for night bingers :)
  • jilly30
    jilly30 Posts: 43
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    A BIG TY
  • penelofur
    penelofur Posts: 81 Member
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    I am the same way- I am so good during the day- but when I get home all I want to do is watch netflix and eat.
    I find it hard to come home and cook so I will often get takeout :(
    I feel you. It is hard.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,574 Member
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    Arrange your calories so that you are not hungry at night. Save a few hundred of a snack after dinner.