Night eating out of control!!!!! Thoughts

spazchow01
spazchow01 Posts: 1
in Introduce Yourself
I am a perfect eater all day long but after 9pm, its as if another person takes over my thoughts and all I want to do as eat bad food....

Anyone else like this and if so, how do you stop?
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Replies

  • 1caroline76
    1caroline76 Posts: 10
    That's totally me. Especially on weekends. Any tips you get I'd like in on :)
  • Afura
    Afura Posts: 2,054 Member
    Don't put yourself around those foods. Recognize that you are the one making bad decisions, not the evil bad eater. Brush your teeth, some people can't stand to eat if their teefers are minty fresh. Find plenty of healthy good-for-you-and-tastey foods around you if you know you're weak willied.
  • paxbfl
    paxbfl Posts: 391 Member
    I used to have this problem. Two recommendations:

    1. Eat smaller, regular meals throughout the day. I find if I eat a large dinner at 5 or 6, I'm starving by 9 because of how the large meal affected my blood sugar.

    2. Find a satisfying evening snack that fits into your calorie quota and stick to it. I go for Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwiches (150 cals) and a serving of hard pretzels (120 cals) - 270 calories total.
  • buffermarie
    buffermarie Posts: 54 Member
    Know what I do when I have the uncontrollable munchies? I brush my teeth. NO food tastes good after that!
    :)
  • riccoismydog
    riccoismydog Posts: 319 Member
    I leave enough cals for a shake. Super thick, with two scoops of protein powder, casein is best because it absorbs slowly, some fruit, yogourt, and some ice or 35 cal almond milk. Makes a huuuuge glass. I sip that slowly.

    I take meds that give me the munchies, so my shake is a must. :)
  • HacheraTsarine
    HacheraTsarine Posts: 278 Member
    I have a tall glass of water with lemon slices, black coffee or green tea before eating anything. It became a ritual.
    Black coffee and green tea are long to drink cause it's too hot. And it takes me a long time to drink water because I'm not a huge water drinker. By the time I finish, I got the food out of my mind.
  • llfretwell
    llfretwell Posts: 218 Member
    I am the SAME way!! I've been taking bananas, slicing them into pieces, and covering them in banana crème greek yogurt then freezing them. SOOOOOOOOO good!!!!!! It is my little treat at the end of each day that is not bad for me!!!:)
  • UhohDanny
    UhohDanny Posts: 32
    I am pretty much the same. I work wierd hours, so I dont get off work til midnight, which leads me to eat around 1am before I go to bed. I try to make sure its fruit, but I havent had to much success haha.
  • Alpina483
    Alpina483 Posts: 246 Member
    You have to figure out if this is just old habits talking or real hunger. Is there a chance your daily limit is too restrictive? Like, 1200 kcal or something?
  • RebeccaJoyy
    RebeccaJoyy Posts: 15 Member
    I need help! That's when all the damage happens! Sometimes I just go to bed earlier so I don't get out of control. Usually its one thing after another... all junk, nothing good.

    Sometimes as help I'll eat cereal late at night so I don't eat other crap!
  • queenbee5933
    queenbee5933 Posts: 11 Member
    Try eating cottage cheese and fruit before bed - protein and fruit.
  • RebeccaJoyy
    RebeccaJoyy Posts: 15 Member
    Great idea!
  • serender
    serender Posts: 5 Member
    This has been my problem for years and its always the salty stuff I want...but now I eat smaller meals and more often.I always make my menus at least one day ahead so I have everything planned out and no last min. eating,. and I have a snack already put in for my days totals so I know what I am allowed and I have it ready. If you know your allowed it and its handy you wont grab for something else..Good luck you got this. :')
  • hollybear1016
    hollybear1016 Posts: 33 Member
    You are SO not alone there... I'm the same way. Sometimes (okay, 99% of the time) I am not even hungry... just relaxing on the couch watching TV and FOODFOODFOOD pops into my mind. Chips, ice cream, chocolate, cookies, what-have-you. I have a few glasses of water (I love the Clear American carbonated kind) and see if that satisfies my sweet tooth.
  • hufflybug
    hufflybug Posts: 3 Member
    Because i stay up so late (i have insomnia) i do an hour of Yoga! I burn cals instead of eating them, ice cold water maybe some fruit or a rice cake then i go to bed. Distraction is a wonderful thing!
  • katielk36
    katielk36 Posts: 1
    yes, i have this problem. when i was losing weight, i was really into it so i didn't have the problem. but after i got down to where i wanted to be and stayed there for a while, my night eating got out of control. i always tried to do my large meal in the morning, medium at lunch, and small for dinner. i'm doing it the opposite today to see if it will help out with the problem.
  • wamydia
    wamydia Posts: 259 Member
    I have had this issue in the past and found that it is related to what I am eating throughout the rest of the day. If I just kind of "snap" at night and start eating everything I can lay my hands on, it means I haven't eaten enough during the day and I've allowed myself to spend too long being hungry. If it is problematic to fit more food into your daytime schedule, trying shifting your eating a little more toward protein and less toward carbs and sugar. You'll get more food that fills you up for your calories.

    If I snap at night and am mainly just eating sweets or chips or whatever foods I have been limiting myself from, it means that I am doing too much denying myself things that I want. We can be good all the time for a certain period of time, but it is human nature to eventually lose it a little bit and start eating the things we have been wanting and telling ourselves "no" about. I'm not advocating going crazy and eating every cookie you want whenever you want it, but consider making it a point to work some of those "bad" foods that you love into your regular eating plan. A cookie here and a handful of chips there throughout the week has worked wonders toward keeping me from shoveling crap into my face before bedtime.
  • LLT57
    LLT57 Posts: 21
    This is what made me pile on 40 odd lbs in the last 7 years. I would have another evening meal after eating my main meal!. When I eventually decided to lose weight this April I stocked up on cucumber and carrot sticks with low fat dips. After having on a diet for 3 months now I don't crave the extra food in the evening. I think it's just willpower at the beginning and then habit after that. I see it like giving up smoking (which was another one of my vices up until 3 years ago when I suddenly stopped).
  • tamikawoodson
    tamikawoodson Posts: 185 Member
    WATER, should become your new best friend. It helps curb the appetite. I use to eat/ snack late nights but this is what has helped me when I began my journey to being healthier and losing weight.

    1. Eat breakfast every day
    2. Eat every 3 hours, I had a schedule and set my phone alarm to remind me
    3. Keep track of your calories, you may be eating too few
    4. Allow a healthy snack no later than 1 hour before bedtime
    5. Drink hot cup of decaf green tea right before bed.

    For the first month or so I stuck to this schedule and now I don’t have the late night munchies.

    6-6:15 am protein shake (after my 1hr morning walk)
    9 a.m. Breakfast
    12p.m. Lunch
    2-3p.m. afternoon snack
    6 p.m. dinner

    I try not to eat heavy after 7 p.m. but that is not always possible so if I eat late, it’s light like a garden salad or scrambled eggs.
  • Kittyvicious1
    Kittyvicious1 Posts: 190 Member
    I go to bed and read postings on MFP until I fall asleep.
  • Glynneybug
    Glynneybug Posts: 196 Member
    I am a perfect eater all day long but after 9pm, its as if another person takes over my thoughts and all I want to do as eat bad food....

    Anyone else like this and if so, how do you stop?
    I have this problem too. What has helped me is to have a list of better choices. So for example, I LOVE Oreos- I mean eat a WHOLE damn box at once love. BUT I haven't had an Oreo in over a month now. So when I'm craving something sweet, I make a healthier snack choice. Right now I am loving 1/2 cup of greek vanilla yogurt, 1/2 cup of granola with fruit and a sliced up bananna. For a sugar addict like me- I would have thought "yea, right! I bannana and some other crap an oreo does not make!" but it really helps and as you eat better- you will find that stuff that isn't so sweet becomes SUPER sweet.

    So that's what I do, just try to have healthier alternatives. I also do this- if I REALLY want to eat something bad, I will make myself burn those calories taken in. Half the time, I'd rather not exercise more and not eat. And the times I do, I don't feel bad about it- cause I have already "evened the score." Hope this helps!
  • rinafil
    rinafil Posts: 23
    I used to have this problem. Two recommendations:

    1. Eat smaller, regular meals throughout the day. I find if I eat a large dinner at 5 or 6, I'm starving by 9 because of how the large meal affected my blood sugar.

    2. Find a satisfying evening snack that fits into your calorie quota and stick to it. I go for Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwiches (150 cals) and a serving of hard pretzels (120 cals) - 270 calories total.

    Those are good ideas. Thanks for sharing!
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    I plan a specific snack and save the calories for it, for later in the evening. Then when i get the urge to snack, I already know what I'm going to eat, and I already know it will fit my goals.

    It works for me.
  • browncurlz3
    browncurlz3 Posts: 48
    Don't keep snack-y foods in your home. That's my trick. And it shouldn't be a problem to do that, even if you have other people in the home that you buy food for. Think of their health as well.
  • peanutbutterrunna
    peanutbutterrunna Posts: 106
    I am the SAME way!! I've been taking bananas, slicing them into pieces, and covering them in banana crème greek yogurt then freezing them. SOOOOOOOOO good!!!!!! It is my little treat at the end of each day that is not bad for me!!!:)

    You should also try putting your frozen bananas in a food processor and blending them until smooth. If you add some peanut butter and/or cinnamon you have "ice cream" haha
  • onwarddownward
    onwarddownward Posts: 1,683 Member
    I go to bed earlier and I take a huge glass of ice water. I allow myself a snack if I get starving, but I try to have it before 8pm. Then I just try to sleep. I don't go into the kitchen for any reason.
  • kittycatmeowmeow
    kittycatmeowmeow Posts: 90 Member
    I have managed to make it a habit to switch my snacking to cups of tea after dinner - 28 calories for two and they keep your hands busy and your tummy satisfied.
  • cheryl3660
    cheryl3660 Posts: 182 Member
    I plan a specific snack and save the calories for it, for later in the evening. Then when i get the urge to snack, I already know what I'm going to eat, and I already know it will fit my goals.

    It works for me.

    This works for me, too. I have found the best thing is to make sure I plan for it in advance and then that way I know I have a snack coming and I can balance myself out. Also, make sure you have only snacks around that fit into your specific diet plan so that if you do overindulge at least it is with good, healthy snacks.

    Going to bed earlier helps, too. Some nights I take myself "to bed" without snacks because once I'm in bed and comfy, even if I am staying up 2 hours later to watch a movie or read a book, I tend to not want to get out of bed to get snacks even if I have horrible munchies.

    Keeping busy also works for me - if I am do a lot of cleaning, for example, by the time I get done I am too tired to do anything but go to bed.

    Good luck and just realize it is an ongoing battle and you need to take it one day at a time.
  • sharleengc
    sharleengc Posts: 792 Member
    I go through phases when I'm a night eater and get snacky. When I'm in those phases, I just cut calories from somewhere else or workout more and when I plan my day, I would plan a late night snack in.
  • jleach
    jleach Posts: 38 Member
    I used to have that problem too. It's gotten better though. I try to eat my last meal of the day, usually a huge salad at around 7 or 7:30. I usually have a couple of cups of tea in the evening too and hot liquids seem to help. I put splenda in my tea so it's a bit sweet or if I really want something sweet I always keep Werther's sugar free hard candy around. 5 peices are only 40 calories and that does the trick. I haven't needed them for a while though, I think my night eating habit has been broken.

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