What works for you when you get the night-time/emotional mindless munchies???

chj0913

Hello all! Chris in NJ here (will be SC in November ) I'm new to the group & just want to say a quick hello while I try to get the hang on how this all works....and ask about what for me is the hardest part of this journey.

I'm not so big on social media in general, but it would be nice to have this community, which looks pretty active///that's nice the way you are all chit-chatting.... so I'll try to pop in each day & say hello & soak in your stories and support and widsom.

Thank you!
Chris NJ

AnnPT77

Night munchies: Consider whether sleep quality/quantity could be improved. If it can, that may help.

Think about it: As the day goes on, we get more distant from our last sleep. Fatigue accumulates. At a certain point, our body is likely to seek energy. Food is energy. Voila, cravings! Quick carbs (like sweets) may be particularly tempting.

Other things that can contribute to fatigue: Stress. (Consider non-food stress management techniques). Over-exercise for current fitness level. (Back off duration, intensity or frequency so there's just a manageable challenge, not persisting fatigue.) Sub-par nutrition.

Also, experiment with food choices and timing of eating. This tends to be quite individual. Early in weight loss, I found that getting a solid breakfast with protein, and protein through the day, helped reduce my night-time cravings. Also, eating more fruit helped moderate my cravings for more calorie-dense but nutrition-sparse foods like baked goods and candy.

What works for you might differ: Review your diary, especially on days when you feel more or less crave-y than usual in the evening. What's different? Form a theory. Could be food choice, food timing, sleep, stress, boredom, exercise patterns, emotions, habit, social triggers, or other factors. Test your theory by trying a revised routine. Keep analyzing your diary and experimenting with theories until you find new habits that help you. It's like a fun, productive science fair project for grownups.

IME, the results (in quality of life improvement) are worth the effort. I'm cheering for you to succeed!

chj0913

That is super helpful.....and that last paragraph helped me break through the resistance to all the great advice that came before it, lol....really appreciate your taking the time for such a thorough reply @AnnPT77 - THANK YOU!