End of the night “treats”

erinelizabeth882

Hey all,

Looking for some ideas for ideas for things I can use in place of dessert as a little reward or treat. I frequently have and look forward to relaxing at the end of the night with a bowl of ice cream or at least a square of ghiradelli salted caramel dark chocolate while watching a favorite tv show. I’m going to try to do some slightly healthier treats like the yogurt flips or mousse cups or at least just having one square of chocolate (and not the handful of mnms, stolen spoonfuls of ice cream, and several pb cups throughout the evening). But I would also like to come up with some other non-food things to substitute while still giving me something nice to look forward to. What kinds of things do you guys do for yourselves at the end of the night that you find particularly enjoyable, satisfying and relaxing?

serindipte

I just had an ice cream sandwich. Fats, carbs, protein, calcium and vitamin A. Perfect

A lot of nights I have an ambrosia apple. Really sweet and I add peanut butter if I have enough calories.

Calliope610

Fat free Greek yogurt, a bit of cool whip to "fluff" it up and Torani sugar free raspberry syrup is delightfully yummy and light.

gems74

It’s not a treat, but I often brush my teeth early in the evening to signal that I’m done eating for the day.

Another idea is a nice hot tea, so many flavours to choose from.

Hope this helps.

kimny72

I usually save 150 cals or so for a late night snack, but when that doesn't work I have a cup of flavored herbal or green tea.

Maybe get some sheet masks to do sometimes?I find doing a crossword or word search puzzle relaxing and pretty quick. Give yourself a foot massage with some pretty-smelling foot cream? Play a game on your phone?

I second the suggestion to brush your teeth once you're out of calories, it's deceptively effective!

Danp

I buy bags of 'fun size' chocolates (Snickers, Twix, etc) for a after dinner/late night treat. They're all about 80 odd calories each so usually have 2.

I've been known to have 3 or even 4 if I get to the end of the day with loads of calories to spare but I try not to do that too often as I don't want to risk it escalating to 5 or 6 or emptying the bag of all 12

competeagain

Not to be a jerk but why not have your treat earlier? I find night eating holds me back from feeling good (other than for those few moments when eating that delicious treat) and losing/maintaining weight.
Everyone’s different though so have at it!

30kgin2017

A nice treat for me is to actually get to sit down and watch something on tv/netflix. I have 3 kids and work fulltime so I dont get a lot of time and also need to be mindful of what I am watching if the kids are around.

Another non-food treat I like is a foot soak or a face mask.

apullum

If you're able to stop with just the amount of chocolate that fits into your calorie budget, then there's no problem, as long as you don't have a medical condition that would keep you from having candy. Enjoy your chocolate.

If you aren't able to stop with a small amount, then you might try prepackaged candies so you can get out the amount you want and put the rest away. There are various chocolate frozen desserts that are lower in calories, such as Halo Top or some chocolate popsicles, or you can dip fruit in a little chocolate syrup. I also like flavored teas when I want a snack but don't have any calories left.

ceiswyn

I quite often use sugar-free jelly (jello to those in the US) with a bit of yoghurt. Makes a great dessert treat.

Lillymoo01

Air fried popcorn with cinnamon works for me. That or natural Greek yoghurt mixed with cacao powder, a small piece of fruit or for something really sweet a fibre one bar.

alicer4182

I always have a yogurt immediately after I finish dinner which satisfies my need for sweets. I used to try to wait to have it right before winding down for bed but I tended to binge in that time between. Lately I’ve even been trying dairy-free yogurt and it’s been going pretty well!

cmclairer

Depending on calories, I have a piece of wholemeal toast with 1/2 tbsp PB, or a spoonful of drinking chocolate powder (gives me that little hit without having bars of chocolate in the house), or a lovely juicy apple. I also only drink herbal/peppermint teas after 7, which keep me hydrated and less likely to snack. Good luck!

monica182

I’ve been having a chocolate protein bar in the evenings lately. Only 103 calories and helps bump up my protein for the day. I love my night time treats so always save around 200 calories for the evening. Other things I snack on is Greek yoghurt with a bit of fruit and nuts mixed in, cottage cheese with dried cranberries and a bit of maple syrup or a bowl of sugar free low fat ice cream. I generally look at my macros for the day and see what macro is low and base my treat around that so killing two birds with one stone

AmyOutOfControl

coconut ice pops = 60 calories. They take care of my intense ice cream cravings.

motivatedmartha

I have a piece of cold chocolate before bedtime almost every day. I build it into to my allowance for the day and savour every nibble - it satisfies my needs for a treat. I used to have a small glass of red wine most evenings too but since my hubby has gone alchol free I don't. I would feel too mean having some; my way of supporting the lifestyle change he has had to make. Oddly, I don't miss it.

elizabethmcopeland

casein protein mug cakes

quiksylver296

I save 200-300 calories for chocolate or ice cream every night. It keeps me sane and on track. When I tried to cut them out completely, I ended up binging on them.

A little every night and staying within my calories > cutting them out and causing a binge eventually.

ladyhusker39

I've been experimenting with this lately because I keep over snacking after dinner. I've tried many things from protein bars, fiber one bars, rice cakes w/pb, fruit, even a bowl of oatmeal. I've found that once I start snacking the urge to continue comes on even stronger.

I think I might just need to stop eating altogether after dinner. It's not like I'm hungry, it's just cravings and I suppose a habit.

emmamcgarity

I do think there is value in ceremony for treats. Put it on a plate, go to a separate room and relax with the treat and a nice cup of hot tea or glass of milk. When the plate is empty it signals my brain that the snack is over. If I eat straight out of the bag of cookies or pint of ice cream, it becomes a mindless binge for me. Stopping becomes increasingly difficult at that point.

leonadixon

I gave myself a cutoff time to stop eating. 8 p.m. It has saved me many times from late night caloric choices. I save for treats in the evening (before 8). Has helped me a lot to deal with my cravings that would take me over calorie goal.