I can't control my evening snacking ):

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  • bclarke1990
    bclarke1990 Posts: 287 Member
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    If you're not hungry enough to eat some carrot sticks; you're probably not really hungry. And if you are, there you go :)
  • shadesofjaim
    shadesofjaim Posts: 11 Member
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    A lot of great advice here. I'm not sure what more I can really add.

    I just try to keep plenty of healthy snacks on hand for evening. Journal every bite and stay accountable. If you desperately need a few more calories, go take a walk first and earn them. If all else fails, turn the light out and go to sleep. LOL.

    When I'm hungry or bored at night, I try to drink hot tea (black), coffee (black), or water. I've been keeping yogurts and fruit stocked up for snacking on, and I haven't even been buying chips or cookies. If you're craving something in particular, like cereal or bread or crackers or something, portion out a small amount and then put the box away.
  • Treehugger_88
    Treehugger_88 Posts: 207 Member
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    Moving some unnecessary calories from breakfast to a small snack after dinner worked for me. Frozen blueberries are sweet enough to satisfy cravings but don't have many calories. I used to put them in my oatmeal every morning and would rush to eat it while running out the door. Then realized that a bit of cinnamon is good enough in the oatmeal...the blueberry calories are much more enjoyable in the evening. If I'm craving a bit of a savoury snack after dinner instead, then a few spoons of spicy salsa or kimchi are great. Packed with flavour but few calories. If I'm still feeling a little peckish after that, then as others suggested, tea or coffee does the job!
  • jas464
    jas464 Posts: 1 Member
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    Do you think it is that binge eating disorder that there are tv commercials about lately? I have the same problem but I have trouble sleeping if I don't snack late at night. I don't even feel hungry just want to sleep so sometimes I have to snack and wreck everything. So I guess in my analysis of myself I think my cravings are due to being tired because I always crave high sugar foods. Then I make plans to go to bed earlier but that never happens. I'm going to really try to stick to a consistent reasonable bedtime to see if that helps. I have not talked to a doctor about the binge eating disorder but I wonder if I have it.
  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
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    Fold the laundry while you watch tv. I don't want food on my clean laundry so I don't snack.
    I also cross-stitch or paint my nails. Anything that requires me to keep my hands clean.
    If it's really, really bad I walk the dog.
  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
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    elphie754 wrote: »
    jammer1963 wrote: »
    Jruzer wrote: »
    - Find something else to do in the evenings besides sitting in front of the TV
    - Change up when and how much you eat so you've got some free calories available in the evening. I usually allot myself 1000 kcal or more to have after 10 PM.

    You don't find that eating that many calories that late at night affects your weight loss? I'm just curious because I've heard that eating too late and when you go to sleep, your more likely to store those calories then burn them off.

    No. Complete myth. As long as you are in a calorie deficit, it doesn't matter what time you eat them.

    This is true.
  • tammiann61
    tammiann61 Posts: 27 Member
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    I am the same way, since I have been making myself be aware of what I am doing I have had smart pop popcorn or munch on carrots.
  • kareeRose
    kareeRose Posts: 32 Member
    edited May 2016
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    Viewing the pictures in the success stories tab has also been a huge help for me. It reminds me of where I want to be and if I don't go over my calories I can obtain it.
  • RachelElser
    RachelElser Posts: 427 Member
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    omg, I am right there too. There are many helpful suggestions that I will try. Right now I just go to bed to stop from snacking.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
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    jammer1963 wrote: »
    Jruzer wrote: »
    - Find something else to do in the evenings besides sitting in front of the TV
    - Change up when and how much you eat so you've got some free calories available in the evening. I usually allot myself 1000 kcal or more to have after 10 PM.

    You don't find that eating that many calories that late at night affects your weight loss? I'm just curious because I've heard that eating too late and when you go to sleep, your more likely to store those calories then burn them off.

    As the others have said, no it doesn't affect my loss or maintenance, depending on where I am.

    One aspect that I think is sometimes overlooked: When I eat a lot in the evening it tends to show up more on the scale the next morning. What I mean is, if I have two days with the same calories, and one day I eat a lot of it late and another day I don't eat late, the scale is lower the next day. That's because of the food and water in my system, not because I gained any fat. My suspicion is that many people see a large jump in the scale on the days they ate late and think "Eating late caused me to gain weight".
  • RredSonja
    RredSonja Posts: 307 Member
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    I found the Say "No" to Late Night Snacking challenge thread here helpful. Decide on a cutoff time for eating, and join the challenge. I also found saving the majority of my calories for the afternoon and evening helpful. If you are a snacker during television watching, find another activity to do with your hands; I found crochet is a good substitute, but petting the dog or jigsaw puzzles are possibilities too.
    Sometimes you just need to change your mind, though. Saying something is difficult, or too hard, or uncontrolable, pretty much makes it true. Watch the words you think and say. Treat your impulsive behavior like you would treat a child you were responsible for. If you had an overweight child, and they said "I want a snack, it's too hard not to eat, I can't control myself," after they had eaten their calories for the day, what would you say? Here are some options:
    "No. You are done eating for today."
    "But you made a promise. You've promised yourself to eat in a responsible way, for good reasons, and now you have to keep that promise."
    "You know better than that! Don't try to con me - go do something else you like, and wait to eat again tomorrow."
    "Sure you can snack! Have some celery with a big glass of water. Nothing else." (I actually said this out loud to myself, and rolled my eyes at myself and wandered back out of the kitchen.)
  • chelseafxx
    chelseafxx Posts: 251 Member
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    I save my best meal for last :)
  • Colorscheme
    Colorscheme Posts: 1,179 Member
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    I found out that my night eating is just boredom eating and if I have a small snack near bed time, like a hundred calorie snack pack or something, I'm fine.
  • woodlandsgopher
    woodlandsgopher Posts: 7 Member
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    dopeysmelly wrote: »
    When I get the evening munchies I just go straight to bed with a book. I won't eat/drink in bed because of crumbs and spills and I love reading more than watching TV.

    I used to do needlepoint (haven't done it for a while), which keeps both hands busy and you can't have greasy fingers. An alternative might be to paint your nails. I think anything which keeps both hands occupied might work.

    Willpower is a myth. You have to think in terms of structuring new habits which take the place of old ones.

    This!

    I found that my late night snacking was because I was tired and bored. Now when I start getting those urges I know they're BS. I don't NEED to munch on something. I know I've eaten enough already because I've been tracking all day. So, when I get that urge I'll drink some water or tea, and then go to bed and read. It typically results in me being asleep before I even read a single page.

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