Night time overindulgers

Bedg
Bedg Posts: 32 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello All,

I am grateful to say that I know exactly the one thing that stands between me and my goal -night time eating. It's a bad habit that I have had most of my life. It's my "reward" at the end of the day or my comfort in times of stress. I try to keep junk out of the house, but I am capable of over indulging on anything. Just thought I would start a thread where I can post when temptation strikes.

Replies

  • Ninebubblewaters
    Ninebubblewaters Posts: 27 Member
    This is my ultimate struggle!
  • ldowdesw
    ldowdesw Posts: 222 Member
    I totally get this, keeping junk food out of the house is pointless, there's always something fair game!! Custard powder, dry hot choc jam on a spoon, I just try to tune out now. We used to go through 8 packets of walkers crisps each in an evening or I'd start on the children's cereals, then I worked out how much it was costing me, I was always having to replace the children's packed lunch goodies, I couldn't keep up. Now if I've got over 80 left I may have a packet of French fries at 78 cals failing that, brush my teeth and check out for the day. Then sit reading mfp threads for hours whilst hubby watches tv ;)
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,572 Member
    Honestly, I am darn near just giving up eating after I get home from work. I really don't get hungry after I get home (unless it's a gym night), but I have a horrible habit of sitting down at the computer when I get home, and man the munchies come out. Awful awful habit.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    edited August 2016
    My downfall, as well, if I'm not careful. It's not so much the night time eating that's the problem, it's the sitting down with the giant bag of whatever and mindlessly munching until bedtime. The way I can usually combat it is to measure out a single serving and take that with me into the other room; the giant bag stays in the kitchen. I try to make sure I have enough calories left for a treat every night; if I use them fine, if not, also fine. Otherwise I try to keep my hands busy by doing things like playing a game on my tablet while watching TV.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    YvetteK2015 wrote: »
    The problem I have is going to bed hungry. I eat dinner early, like around 6 o'clock. Many times I don't fall asleep until 11. By 11, I'm hungry again, and ignoring it doesn't work. I will not be able to fall asleep until I eat something. I don't have any junk food in the house, so I'm usually grabbing one or two apples, some peppers with hummus, or just something along those lines. But will the hunger ever go away? I know many people don't eat after 7 or 8 o'clock. I want to be one of those people lol. What the hell do I need to do to get that hunger to go away???

    Probably eat dinner later or eat a bigger dinner. :smile: I know I can't go 5 hours without eating very often. I just plan to eat the way that keeps me feeling satisfied. It doesn't matter at what time of day you get your calories as long as you're staying on track.
  • boolz
    boolz Posts: 61 Member
    I used to have a very bad habit of basically having dinner and continuing to snack until bedtime. To switch off that calorie glut, I switched to having hot herbal tea(usually peppermint) all evening, planning in one healthy snack (usually a piece of fruit) and pursuing hands-busy hobbies, like playing the guitar or knitting. Since I wasn't actually hungry, that eventually weaned me of needing something in my mouth, hands and belly.
  • queensamearh
    queensamearh Posts: 31 Member
    My big problem is ice cream , it's Alway at night time. I'm trying to break it off. But I really can't. So I have it. But I do court my calories with it. Always low fat or fat free. If I have it. Sometimes I don't because of the high calorie.
  • LokiGrrl
    LokiGrrl Posts: 156 Member
    There's a certain span of time when I get the munchies, so I try to be in bed before then.
  • MsBuzzkillington
    MsBuzzkillington Posts: 171 Member
    YvetteK2015 wrote: »
    The problem I have is going to bed hungry. I eat dinner early, like around 6 o'clock. Many times I don't fall asleep until 11. By 11, I'm hungry again, and ignoring it doesn't work. I will not be able to fall asleep until I eat something. I don't have any junk food in the house, so I'm usually grabbing one or two apples, some peppers with hummus, or just something along those lines. But will the hunger ever go away? I know many people don't eat after 7 or 8 o'clock. I want to be one of those people lol. What the hell do I need to do to get that hunger to go away???

    Eat dinner later. Eat dinner at 8. Or just completely forget about time frames because they are completely irrelevant.

  • mathandcats
    mathandcats Posts: 786 Member
    I don't always succeed at resisting, but what works best for me is to preplan a 200-250ish cal evening snack, and brush my teeth immediately after eating it.
  • Luxyp
    Luxyp Posts: 48 Member
    Thank you for starting this thread. I eat healthy and sensible portions all day and I work out everyday. However, my nighttime bingeing undoes all the good from the day. Need any suggestions and support to learn how to stop eating after a sensible dinner.
  • thenewkayla
    thenewkayla Posts: 313 Member
    queensamearh wrote: »
    My big problem is ice cream , it's Alway at night time. I'm trying to break it off. But I really can't. So I have it. But I do court my calories with it. Always low fat or fat free. If I have it. Sometimes I don't because of the high calorie.

    Me too but I love the mini drumsticks 110 to 130 calories each
  • queensamearh
    queensamearh Posts: 31 Member
    o:) That great
  • bigguyreed
    bigguyreed Posts: 64 Member
    That was one of my weight gainers, I would get up at night and graze until full. Sometimes 2 or 3 times a night my wife would ask me who eat all the little Debbie's. I'd say something funny like those little elfs but I see now it wasn't funny. My sugar became so out of control it wasn't funny anymore. Dr. said my kidney's where starting to shut down. That was about 3yrs ago, so kicked little Debbie out of my house. Started walking drop from 335 to 290 in about 1an 1/2 years. Brought my A1C to 5.1 from 7.9 just walking. So I eat my dinner a little later and have healthy snack before bed. Keep water next to my bed so I can drink water to fill me up. But that has it's down fall to being older I'm hitting the bathroom from all that water.
  • BodyzLanguage
    BodyzLanguage Posts: 200 Member
    I can relate. I invite to take a look at intermittent fasting. The basic premise is for one to push their first meal later into the day then eat for a set amount of hours until the next meal the following day. So in practice it looks like this - first meal of the day at 12pm then from 12pm to 8pm (you can decide your own hours) you eat your regular amount of calories. After 8pm you fast till your next meal. That's one option. Another option could be to simply forget about an eating window and simply push the bulk of your calories as far in the day as possible. Again in practice that would be snacking on some fruit in the morning/afternoon , a light meal to curb any hunger pangs you may have then the bulk of your calories can be eating much later in the day. Generally intermittent fasting helps folks who prefer to eat more later in the day. However just pushing the bulk of your calories till later in the day could also suit your needs.
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,492 Member
    I am the SAME way, I usually save about 1000 to eat at the end of the night right before bed (10pm-12pm) because I like to go to bed full.
  • jmbarragan
    jmbarragan Posts: 21 Member
    I agree. I like to save calories for the end of the day but not always so good at doing that. I feel like it is my reward for a hard day or any day. I just really look forward to it. However, I'm not so good at doing this so I am grateful for this posting and anyone's suggestions who has been successful at losing weight and eating most of their calories after 5 pm
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    jmbarragan wrote: »
    I agree. I like to save calories for the end of the day but not always so good at doing that. I feel like it is my reward for a hard day or any day. I just really look forward to it. However, I'm not so good at doing this so I am grateful for this posting and anyone's suggestions who has been successful at losing weight and eating most of their calories after 5 pm

    There are plenty of people on this site who eat all or most of their calories at a specific time of the day. You might do a search on intermittent fasting.

    The only way to be successful with waiting until after 5pm to eat most of your calories, though, is if you are always good about not eating them earlier in the day. At the very least, if you do eat some earlier you must account for those and subtract them from what you can eat after 5pm. It sounds simplistic but it's really important.
  • emilysusana
    emilysusana Posts: 416 Member
    edited October 2016
    I don't think keeping junk out of the house works. You have to have treats you can afford to eat and eat them when you get your munchies. I have to eat something after my three little one go to bed. It's a ritual I've tried fighting and failed to kick. I've found two snacks whose calories I can live with: slow-churned ice cream (110 calories per 1/2 cup) and popcorn (about 70 calories for a big bowl of the kind i buy). Some nights I don't need both. Some nights I have extra calories left so I indulge in something else. The key is to plan this eating ahead of time, not to fight it.
  • aliblain
    aliblain Posts: 175 Member
    I'm doing 18:6 intermittent fasting and have found it the best thing to curb night time overindulgence. Basically I'm 'not allowed' to eat after my feeding window which is usually 12 noon-6pm. I find having a self imposed rule to be helpful to my willpower. Also, eating most of my calories towards the end of the day means I go to bed feeling satisfied.
  • svellela
    svellela Posts: 5 Member
    I personally enjoy eating more at night (: I always eat dinner late around 9 due to not wanting to go to bed hungry! I have a low cal lunch and munch on cereal or pretzels throughout the day to hold me over (: this way when night hits especially after workouts I don't have to worry about eating over my macros ! I eat dessert every night and it fits every time
  • queensamearh
    queensamearh Posts: 31 Member
    I'm in the same boat ⛵️. Trying to break this habit.
  • jo_nz
    jo_nz Posts: 548 Member
    YvetteK2015 wrote: »
    The problem I have is going to bed hungry. I eat dinner early, like around 6 o'clock. Many times I don't fall asleep until 11. By 11, I'm hungry again, and ignoring it doesn't work. I will not be able to fall asleep until I eat something. I don't have any junk food in the house, so I'm usually grabbing one or two apples, some peppers with hummus, or just something along those lines. But will the hunger ever go away? I know many people don't eat after 7 or 8 o'clock. I want to be one of those people lol. What the hell do I need to do to get that hunger to go away???

    We eat early too - I have 2 school aged kids, we eat at 6 and they are in bed by 7.30pm (depending on extra-curricular activities). Eating dinner later is not an alternative that would work for me right now.

    I find I am better to have a small breakfast and fairly small lunch and a big dinner (I love a big, satisfying serve of what everyone else is eating so it works for me). After dinner I try not to have too much, but will go for a piece of fruit and a small serve of cheese, or a biscuit.
    We usually have a hot drink (cup of tea) in the evening too which helps keep the hunger away.
  • herculesmulligan
    herculesmulligan Posts: 6 Member
    I love to snack at night; whether I have a light dinner or a really hearty meal, I want a snack after. So I just plan for it, and try to choose lower calorie snacks (so I can eat more). My favourite is popcorn so I buy SkinnyPop or brands like that (I have an air popper but it barely works, or I'd pop my own). Generally though I don't start eating until after noon each day and I usually like a light lunch anyways. So it works for me to save my calories and snack at night.
  • MarkR_2013
    MarkR_2013 Posts: 43 Member
    Right here. I've got the end of the day cleaning, which is mostly kitchen stuff. Lot's of snack food around, overtired, feeling dumped on, and bored out of my freakin skull means comfort eating.
  • Katamondango
    Katamondango Posts: 10 Member
    If you tend to be hungrier at night, adjust your calorie intake during the rest of the day to accommodate it.

    I have also always preferred to eat more towards the end of my wake cycle. I lost 150 lbs with a significant portion of my daily caloric intake done in the 5 hours prior to sleeping.

    (And then regained 25 througha year of mindless snacking, which is why I'm giving MFP a try :( ).
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    I tend to eat at night too so I skip a meal, or limit their sizes to accommodate that. I love a small bowl of nuts in the evening when I read. Add dark chocolate and it is a lovely treat, although too high in calories to just tack on at the end of the day.

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