Emotional eating in evenings

GAmtnmimi

i am struggling with eating in evenings. I am dedicated and motivated all day long. I am up at 4am to jog and go to gym. I prepare my meals for my lunch every week. My struggle is when I get home. I'm starving and I battle with wanting to eat everything in sight. Anybody else struggle with this? And how have you conquered not giving in to the cravings?

shadowfax_c11

Don't let yourself get so hungry. Maybe add an afternoon snack before you get home or make your lunches a little bigger. Also could be that you are restricting to aggressively. A smaller deficit might mean it takes a little longer but you will be a lot more likely to keep going if you are not struggling with being so hungry.

JustMissTracy

Yup, eat more! And maybe start tweaking your macros some and find a level that leaves you feeling strong but full all day...I find eating a lot of carbs really does help me to feel fuller longer, but everyone is different. Don't starve yourself, don't wait till you're famished to open the fridge! I find having lots of quickie fruit and veg on hand helps, but being prepared and feeding yourself regularly will probably make all the diff. Good luck! xo

mmarie_3

I'm not sure about most, but I eat right before bed!! I am training for body building competition but I eat a very high protein/low carb/ low fat meal before bed. Egg whites, protein shake, something like that. But another thing is that often your brain confuses sleepiness and hunger, so while your body is ready for bed, your tummy is saying feed me. If you've recently eaten (3-4 hours)...GO TO BED! Lol

Jamiewhite1118

Good advice! !

concordancia

I agree with others that the first things to check are
1) are you being overly restrictive? If so, eat more
2) are you waiting until too late to eat? The reason lots of small meals works for so many people is that it generally takes less to feel satisfied if you catch it before you are really hungry.
3) are you eating filling foods? Fiber, fats and protein will help you feel more satisfied than starches and sugars

However, if you have addressed all of that:
4) are you drinking enough? We sometimes mistake hunger and thirst.
5) are you sleeping enough? If you are up at 4am, what time are you going to bed? Our bodies often ask for food when they are feeling stressed, and sleep deprivation stresses our bodies.
5) are you bored? find a new hobby for the evenings to distract you.

Let us know what works for you!

swim777

I'm really good and busy all day, but starving when I get home too. I come home and have a cup of coffee and fruit (blueberries or strawberries) before I cook dinner. That takes the edge off. Another thing I've started doing is having a half a cup of fiber one almond and honey clusters cereal without milk just as a snack after dinner. I teach so we eat lunch really early, but I stay late, so it's 5:30 or so when I get home. This seems to work for me.

PinkPixiexox

I'll agree with the first poster - don't let yourself get so hungry! :]

I am on maintenance now but I also have an enormous appetite. People in my office comment that whenever they walk in, I am always eating! It must look that way as I have prepared snacks for almost every hour of the working day so I don't get ravenous and need to 'overeat'. Keep your energy up and allow extra calories for your evenings if necessary.

Soopatt

I try to save half my calories for the evening because I always seem to be hungrier at that time. I allow myself to eat my satisfying dinner, have a cup of coffee or tea, and then stop. For me, allowing myself to snack later in the evening just leads to trouble so I locate myself in a different part of the house. There is no reason for me to be in the kitchen or in the fridge, looking at or thinking about food. Food is done for the day.

Brushing my teeth after the meal helps as that is a cap on "eating is done"

Protein keeps me full in the evenings and not too much sugar.

Kalikel

I just stopped. I didn't wrestle with it, entertaining the "I want to...but I shouldn't...but it would be so good...but I'm dieting...but" thoughts. If i so much as thought of eating, I dismissed the thought entirely.

I decided not to eat after dinner and that was that. Done. Didn't do it.

If you let your weaker side argue, it might win. Shut it down. Beat it up, if you must, but make sure your stronger side doesn't give the weak side even an opportunity to be heard.

SezxyStef

is it hunger or are you craving. Or is it emotional eating? boredom?

Those things are different...

If it's hunger eat more food through the day. Make sure you get in your protein and fats to ensure you feel fuller longer.

If it's cravings...will power
If it's boredom maybe do a workout or get a hobby
If it's "emotional" get that area worked on.

Jbarbo01

I struggled with this really bad and I tried out eating my carbs in the evening, and this helped a lot! I eat very low sugar, low carb high protein throughout the day and then eat fruit and grains at night. I find that sugary or carby foods spike my appetite worse during the day so I'm more likely to binge when I come home especially when counting calories. This could not work for everyone but it has helped me immensely.

lakshva

I struggled with same issue for quite a long time.
I was hungry the moment I open the doors and go straight for unhealthy/fast food. I then started carrying evening snack with me, which I eat if I'm hungry. Plus pre planning my dinner helped. I don't try to cook my dinner after reaching home.

kat_princess12

I tend to be hungriest in the evening after I get home from work. I tried the strategy of eating more throughout the day and all that happened is I always overate when I got home. I restrict my calories throughout the day to about 500-600 for breakfast, lunch, and a snack and that leaves me quite a bit of leeway. Sometimes I find that making myself complete a list of tasks before I get to start eating helps. So for example I have to put in a load of laundry and do the dishes before I get to fix dinner. That pushes dinner back later, for one thing, leaving me less time to eat the whole fridge. I also tend to watch Netflix while eating (I know, I know - badbadbad!) and will set myself "goals" like not getting seconds or dessert until after a full episode is done. Again, pushes things back later and gives my brain the chance to catch up to my stomach and see if I'm actually hungry. These strategies may sound crazy or obsessive, but for me they're necessary.