Never satisfied after dinner

Maries_wine_calories

I end my meals with desert-even if it's just one cookie, at least something sweet tasting, every meal. Then it's a no brainer to strive for my macros with a planned snack in between meals. My weight loss is a testament to making sure you live your real life- in moderation. -45lbs and maintaining Best of luck!

SlimBride2Be

If I'm in that kind of mood I have a few strategies. I paint my nails while I watch TV, to give me sticky fingers that can't dig around in cupboards. I go in the bathroom, do a face mask and lie in the bath with a book. Or I go to my hobby room and get absorbed in a craft that takes my mind off it for a couple hours. I only find I get in that mood if I'm home alone.

kindrabbit

Op I was thinking the exact same thing yesterday. I can go a normal amount of time between meals but once I start eating I 'break the seal' and I can't stop. When I am being mindful I try to have a 'ceremonial end' to my meals, with a little ice cream bar, a packet of crisps, a boiled sweet or a coffee. I also sit and make sure the meal is logged. Anything that signifies the end of the meal. I also try and drink 1 large glass of water at the end too to really fill my tummy up.

yirara

atypicalsmith wrote: »

yirara wrote: »

I used to be very hungry after work as well. So at lunch time I had normal lunch, and then I grabbed a plate of cucumber and green bellpepper and munched away on that until it was time to go home. It kept me full, I wasn't hungry and I could work out after work. And it tastes good as well and is very low in calories.

I truly admire you for snacking on cucumbers and green bell peppers. Two of my least favorite raw vegetables (radishes are #1). I would rather snack on my knuckles!

Well, there are other snackable vegetables with very few calories. Red bell peppers might also be an option, and they are sweeter. My office canteen only has green ones though.

bustedup

My biggest downfall is my pattern of late night snacking too... Simple carbs, sugar, all of the things I avoid pretty well during the day. Thank you all for sharing so many great tips.

BoxerBrawler

Yup, been there and done that way too many times! I try to leave some extra calories in my day to allow a snack at night after dinner. I always feel like my stomach is full but my body is still hungry. It's hard to explain the feeling. Not really hunger, not really a craving, just a habit I guess. Most days I can just say "No", have some slim tea and be done with it. Other nights I just allow myself the snacks.

Daveacpa2

I have the same issue. I started having a 4:00 snack of Dukan Diet Oat Bran (1TB) mixed in with yogurt ( I like Dannon Light and Fit pineapple). I found the oat bran kept me full enough to have a later dinner and saved a couple hundred calories for a late snack.

whmscll

Eat more for dinner. Part of why you are rooting around in the kitchen is because you are still hungry. If you eat a higher volume of nutritious foods for dinner so that you are truly full, you won't want to eat more.

kshama2001

FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »

What are you eating for dinner? Is it mostly carbs? Perhaps you aren't eating enough protein and fat.

Yup, if I don't get enough protein and fat I want to keep eating, despite the amount of calories consumed.

kshama2001

MyM0wM0w wrote: »

Also, my meals never seem DONE until I've had something sweet.

Me too! Sometimes one dried plum is enough to take care of this. Other times I have up to 15 grams of chocolate chips.

terar21

I'm a big snacker. Unless I'm distracted with busy work, I tend to get hungry between meals. So I account for it. I know I'll need a snack at 10am on work days. I know I'll need one around 3pm. I know I'll need one either before of after my dinner. I just prelog that snack. A little popcorn, some yogurt, cheese stick, watermelon, or just almond milk if I'm low on available calories. I really don't like going more than a few hours without food. I've always been this way at any weight. Carry food anywhere....even through airport security. I find it odd you can carry ziplock bags of various food without any trouble. But I won't complain.

Apud85

Try having a late afternoon snack with a lot of protein and moving your dinner back a little. If you can spare any extra calories, I also try to save some calories for a small snack before bed.

My husband likes eating dinner later in the evening (like 6:30, which is late for me!) and I would always be starving when I would get home and start cooking, so now I make sure I have a protein bar (I like the ThinkThin bars) around 3pm and it has been a total game changer! I don't snack while I'm cooking and have also noticed that I'm more content with much smaller portions when I have dinner.

lthames0810

AbsoluteTara79 wrote: »

I started delaying breakfast so that I could eat a snack after dinner. It just works better with my schedule, too. I'm in a rush in the morning. I enjoy having a treat once I finally sit down after the kids are in bed. And I'm more tolerant of being hungry when I'm busy at work.

That is just one idea. Point being - think about what options open up if you decide to work with your natural patterns rather than trying to change them.

I agree with this idea about natural patterns.

If you tend to have more willpower in the morning, but less at night, this is another pattern you might use to your advantage. For example, go to bed earlier (fewer hours to torment yourself) and get up earlier (maybe even have enough time for exercise in the AM.)

lemon629

Eat more for dinner. Make sure you get enough protein - at least 20% of the calories should come from protein.
Play with your meal timing. Try having a small snack / mini meal early and then your real dinner later. Also try the opposite-- full dinner at 6 and then a small snack later. Just plan ahead so it is not unrestrained snacking. Or try just drinking something satisfying in the evening. I usually have herbal tea in the evening. It is soothing and also satisfies that desire for flavor.

Finally, consider whether you are truly hungry. I think you are probably bored. Maybe do something in the evening so you are less bored. Go for a walk or other exercise.

franola12

You are not alone. It's not even that I am hungry but I just want to snack on something. Now I take Liporidex PM about 30 minutes after I eat and it seems to be working to eliminate my urge to snack after dinner. Another tip my trainer gave me was to drink plenty of water with dinner and if you so get hungry or want to snack, make sure you have some fruit or nuts around and snack on those instead. My favorite is frozen bananas.

blue736

KBmoments wrote: »

My dinners vary a lot. But, I will be mindful to add more protein!

Lower your carbs an up the fats an up the protein the fats will
Keep u fuller about 10 almonds Healthy fats

NearlyMelaine

I always get this!! I eat and then somehow sometimes feel hungrier after I've eaten than before?! I think it's from being in my habit of always being full, always having some kind of pudding and always snacking. Apparently it takes 21 days to break a habit for push through it and hopefully the compulsion will go x Me and you both sister I'm having to do this too

KBmoments

NearlyMelaine wrote: »

I always get this!! I eat and then somehow sometimes feel hungrier after I've eaten than before?! I think it's from being in my habit of always being full, always having some kind of pudding and always snacking. Apparently it takes 21 days to break a habit for push through it and hopefully the compulsion will go x Me and you both sister I'm having to do this too

Maybe we can goal ourselves to try 3 days in a row of not late night scrounging...and then see how far we can get haha

KBmoments

franola12 wrote: »

You are not alone. It's not even that I am hungry but I just want to snack on something. Now I take Liporidex PM about 30 minutes after I eat and it seems to be working to eliminate my urge to snack after dinner. Another tip my trainer gave me was to drink plenty of water with dinner and if you so get hungry or want to snack, make sure you have some fruit or nuts around and snack on those instead. My favorite is frozen bananas.

Same...not even really hungry. Maybe I just like the act of eating. Does not bode well for weightloss!

Machka9

KBmoments wrote: »

I've been noticing a pattern lately. I'll eat dinner, but then continue to scrounge around for food...maybe 30 minutes later or so.. and continue this the rest of the night. Sometimes I can control all the snacking, but more often than not, I'll keep asking myself, "Hm, what else can I eat?" I eat pretty early (around 6), so then I have the whole rest of the night to think about what else I could be eating! I don't think it's because my meals aren't tasty, because I do enjoy them.. I guess it's more of just compulsion to eat more or never really feeling "full".. or just plain wanting to 'eat.' Anyone else deal with this and/or have overcome this problem?

When I get home from work, I have a light snack ... often cottage cheese and cucumbers or pickles (I'm after the salt!) That snack amounts to maybe 100 cal.

Then my husband and I go for a walk ... and then we have dinner. So dinner doesn't usually take place until somewhere between 7:30 and 8 pm.

After dinner, I make myself a cup of my favourite tea. And I get busy doing stuff around the house. Later, not long before bed, I have a small bowl of yogurt with fruit or something.

It's a pattern that seems to work for me.

But could it be that some of your desire to find something else to eat is just boredom? What would happen if you went out for a long walk after dinner? Or joined a spinning class one night a week? Or maybe enrolled in a community class of some sort (photography, painting, welding, or whatever they've got on offer)?

arditarose

cwolfman13 wrote: »

eat later. eat desert. save up some calories for an evening snack, etc...

This. Even just 30 minutes later can help, if you're not too hungry. I usually have about 400 calories to mess around with after dinner in maintenance and 200-400 when I'm cutting.

KBmoments

Machka9 wrote: »

KBmoments wrote: »

I've been noticing a pattern lately. I'll eat dinner, but then continue to scrounge around for food...maybe 30 minutes later or so.. and continue this the rest of the night. Sometimes I can control all the snacking, but more often than not, I'll keep asking myself, "Hm, what else can I eat?" I eat pretty early (around 6), so then I have the whole rest of the night to think about what else I could be eating! I don't think it's because my meals aren't tasty, because I do enjoy them.. I guess it's more of just compulsion to eat more or never really feeling "full".. or just plain wanting to 'eat.' Anyone else deal with this and/or have overcome this problem?

When I get home from work, I have a light snack ... often cottage cheese and cucumbers or pickles (I'm after the salt!) That snack amounts to maybe 100 cal.

Then my husband and I go for a walk ... and then we have dinner. So dinner doesn't usually take place until somewhere between 7:30 and 8 pm.

After dinner, I make myself a cup of my favourite tea. And I get busy doing stuff around the house. Later, not long before bed, I have a small bowl of yogurt with fruit or something.

It's a pattern that seems to work for me.

But could it be that some of your desire to find something else to eat is just boredom? What would happen if you went out for a long walk after dinner? Or joined a spinning class one night a week? Or maybe enrolled in a community class of some sort (photography, painting, welding, or whatever they've got on offer)?

That's a nice pattern you've got going! I also think it could be boredom... Maybe if I start a routine of walking afterwards or a class that would definitely help! Thanks for sharing.