How to avoid snacking after dinner?

Roboticist

I seem to do fine with my eating during the day, but after dinner I often find myself reaching for desserts periodically - while portion controlled, I think the amount of calories I'm consuming from dessert alone are still disproportionate to the calorie limits for the day. Are there any dessert foods which seem to curb your cravings and are still reasonably low in calories? How else do you handle post-dinner cravings? I drink plenty of water and tea but nothing I've done so far seems to do the trick.

Vanilla_Lattes

Try brushing and flossing right after

girlviernes

Lots of options.

• If you are staying within your calorie goals - then you could just stick to the current pattern
• You could try out limiting your daily eating window, for example to 12 hours. So you would have a cut off time at night you don't eat after.
• You can plan a snack every night and figure out the appropriate portion. It would be a good idea to pick something that you quite enjoy.
• Hide the foods away that you tend to go for or get them out of the house so that you are less likely to keep going back for them
• Try out some food choices for dealing with sweets - fresh fruit is a nice way to get sweet without going high in calories, you could mix with some nuts or cheese/yogurt. You might also try having a savory treat (instead of something sweet) and see if that is satisfying, such as some really good cheese.

Good luck

malibu927

I try to always save enough calories (200-300) for dessert

ahamm002

malibu927 wrote: »

I try to always save enough calories (200-300) for dessert

That works well for me too. I also try to not keep too much easily accessible junk food around because I end up eating it late night. Also try not to watch TV at night with commercials because every single one will be for food and they make you hungry.

fallenoaks4

I've started buying ice cream novelties in small portion sizes. A Nestle Lil Drumstick is 110 calories, for example.

whmscll

I do most of the above plus try to do something other than watch TV. I find that most of my mindless snacking happens during TV time.

haibu

I go to bed early. Even if it means I just end up sitting in bed reading, it's better than sitting in front of the TV eating.

noaddedsugarx

I save the extra calories for snacks. I always try to have quite a late dinner and then a snack right before bed. I couldn't stand going to bed even the tiniest bit hungry. It used to be chocolate and I would just work it into my calories but lately I've started having greek yoghurt with berries and honey and that satisfies my sweet tooth.

becky10rp

A little of what everyone else is saying. Save some calories so you can snack a little (yep, if that means an extra 20 minutes on the bike or treadmill - it's worth it)! If you like ice cream - use a small bowl - take a small portion. I love crunchy snacks - especially Cheese-It crackers. I buy a huge box - then put small portions into zip lock bags. I have one bag per night. Takes a bit of planning - but it's worth it in the long run.

MsJulesRenee

I eat dinner later at night around 8:00pm, workout, then go to bed right away after shower so I have no excuse to even look in fridge.

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FoxyLifter

Look up protein fluff (made with casein protein, not whey). It's very filling and you can make a lot of different flavors with less than 200 calories. I can hardly finish one serving!

earlnabby

I save 300-400 calories specifically for a late night snack. If that is when you want to eat, go with it and work it in.

Cindeeee

fallenoaks4 wrote: »

I've started buying ice cream novelties in small portion sizes. A Nestle Lil Drumstick is 110 calories, for example.

+1

felblossom

I also save calories to snack on after dinner, but it can feel a little bit weird looking at the diary and the "snacks" category is dominating in calories compared to my very calorie dense and filling dinner with very few calories. Mentally I have to remind myself that the (usually healthy!) snacks have been portioned out throughout the day (thinking about adding more categories, but haven't been bothered yet, since my timing varies too).

When I feel like snacking above my calorie limit I complete my diary for the day, then brush my teeth. It makes snacking a little bit less tempting

msty112

haibu wrote: »

I go to bed early. Even if it means I just end up sitting in bed reading, it's better than sitting in front of the TV eating.

Same here. Just to stay away from the kitchen because I know I'm really not hungry. Plus gets me more alone time with my hubby to, you know, talk and stuff.

rainbow198

What worked for me was keeping distracted. Before being mindful of what I was eating I used to plop in front of the TV with my high calorie snacks most nights of the week. Now I workout either at home or outside.

Going to bed earlier helped too, in many ways.

Eating small snack packs did not work for me. It actually made me crave it more so I would end up eating the whole thing!

I slowly was able to completely stop snacking after dinner and trained myself that the kitchen is closed after a certain time and my body adapted.

aggie2145

I avoid snacking by not keeping my typical "snack" foods in the house. I would love a stack of Wheat Thins or Crackers to mindlessly eat after dinner. Instead, I have plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables ready as snack alternatives. If I am truly hungry, a ripe honeycrisp apple will satisfy my appetite and I can easily stay in a caloric deficit. (But I can count the days on one hand that I was actually hungry....most of the time it is snacking out of boredom.)

SarahJurina

I have the same problem! I try not to eat anything after dinner, so my body can digest all that food I ate. Also, I am most vulnerable to giving in to temptation at that time (especially if I'm extremely tired) and my kids are always cranky during that time, adding to my mental stress.

Here are the things I have tried:

• Drinking Throat Coat tea, which is a sweeter tea. I brew 2 Cups of it.
• If I have been staying away from evening eating, I allow myself the bag of popcorn that I absolutely love. Just not all the time - Maybe once or twice a week (yes I eat the whole bag).
• Staying busy getting all my chores done for the next day, then going to bed to read or just pass out from exhaustion.
• Eating a small bowl of frozen blueberries. Healthy, and I can't eat them fast since they're so cold. Carrots or cucumbers work as well.

I hope you find a few things to help you.

rainbow198

aggie2145 wrote: »

I avoid snacking by not keeping my typical "snack" foods in the house.

Good point about not keeping things in the house. The same works for me. If I want something that I don't have, I would have to go out and get it.

Usually the craving goes away at the point or I would forget about it and the crisis is averted!

Dioraneil

I typically just don't buy those items: Out of house out of mind.

SingRunTing

malibu927 wrote: »

I try to always save enough calories (200-300) for dessert

+1 for me

Narcissora

I found that I don't snack at night if I brush my teeth right after dinner. For some reason, everything just tastes gross right after I brush, so I just stop eating for the evening.

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SamZ10

Green Grapes, frozen in baggies that have weighed out. Perfect for an evening sweet tooth snack.
Have you read the book "It Starts With Food?" .. If not, I really really recommend it!

SamZ10

Narcissora wrote: »

I found that I don't snack at night if I brush my teeth right after dinner. For some reason, everything just tastes gross right after I brush, so I just stop eating for the evening.

I am going to try this!

cindyangotti

Make a low calorie protein shake into a smoothie by blending it with lots of ice. The ice makes it huge and takes a long time to eat and it's very filling. I used to buy the novelty ice-creams too but sometimes those lead to eating more than I planned for.

SuggaD

I was doing the same thing. So for now I don't keep things in the house that I was snacking on after dinner.