Starting again-need help with night time non stop eating

bshdn1

Hi, I have been around my current weight for a while. Up 5 down 5 but according to BMI obese- not terribly but still obese. If I lost 20 pounds I would have my 20 yr old body so I would be quite happy to lose 10 and look and feel fine. My problem is at night - after dinner I just keep eating. I eat super healthy all day. I don’t eat red meat, mostly plant based but I do eat chicken or fish. My biggest thing is to try and avoid chemicals. Unless it is after dinner, pretzels, ice cream…how do I stop?

Lietchi

A few thoughts:
- has this always been an issue, or only after you started trying to lose weight? Some people have issues with overeating in the evening because they restrict themselves too much during the day and then lose control.
- alternatively, is there a way to fit these foods into your diet in moderation? You don't have to eat healthy all the time, it's okay to have a treat occasionally. (Heck, pretzels sound pretty healthy to me) I nearly always leave room in my calorie allotment for an evening snack, that's just my personal preference. But I manage my portions.
- if you aren't able to moderate these foods, another strategy would be to simply not have them in your house. Even if only as a temporary measure until you get things under control.
- sometimes it's also a matter of habit, so try to find something to do that makes it harder to eat snacks. I walk laps around my living room when watching TV, for example. Other people perhaps knit or crochet, for example.

csplatt

Have you tried adding a long walk after dinner? Or a to - do list to stay busy? Are you bored?

AnnPT77

As others imply, it's helpful to try and figure out what the root cause is. Some possibilities:

1. Over-restricting calories
2. Not having figured out what's most filling for oneself quite yet
3. Over-exercise
4. High stress
5. Poor sleep quality/quantity
6. Sub-par nutrition
7. Boredom
8. Need for self-soothing
9. "I worked hard and I deserve it"
10. "I've already blown it so I might as well keep eating"
11. Habit. (Best dealt with by finding a replacement habit, ideally a non-food one vs. trying to quit cold turkey, in most cases)
12. Social triggers ("all my roommates are eating chips and dip", "it's someone's birthday so I have to eat cake", etc.)

I'm not suggesting all of those things have to be perfect in order to control appetite: Just saying that often one of those may be the root cause of appetite spikes. It can be different things at different times.

It can help to notice if some days are better than others, then consider what may make the difference. If you have a theory about what made the difference, you can test it out by repeating the scenario, to see if the same pattern develops.

For example, I notice that when I got enough protein in a solid breakfast, I had fewer problems with my appetite later. I verified that by repeating high-protein bigger breakfast for a few days, and found that that worked. That specific thing won't matter for everyone, but it did for me.

In a way, I think successful weight loss is just a sequence of analysis and problem solving opportunities. If we tune into that, sometimes there will be useful insights.

Best wishes: Success is worth the effort!

P.S. I started out just over the line into obese BMI, too . . . and lost down to around the weight I was in my 20s, and (IMO better yet) have stayed around that for 8 years since. It can work!

angiejim0415

I have always been a night time over eater. I found

1. I wasnt eating enough during the day
2. I was using it as a way to decompress from the day

Since then I eat more during the day, go to the gym either before or after dinner and pamper myself afterwards: hot shower, exfoliants, moisturizers, super cute pj's and hot tea or even hot chocolate. Then I'll sit down and journal to get all of those thoughts out of my head.

Hobartlemagne

I've had some positive results with planning in my calorie budget to have a 160cal protein drink very close to bedtime. What a lot of weightlifter will do is have casein protein before bed. It turns thick and makes you feel full a long time.

TerriJoT

I am experimenting with eating only at scheduled times to stop my nighttime grazing—I now eat at 8 am, 11 am, 2 pm, 5 pm and 8 pm. I tell myself I am safe and I will get fed. I found I was pushing out eating (to store calories) and it was causing me to overeat at night. Might be something to try. (I do give myself 1/2 hour grace period at each meal—so I maintain some flexibility).

dementia8545

Hobartlemagne wrote: »

I've had some positive results with planning in my calorie budget to have a 160cal protein drink very close to bedtime. What a lot of weightlifter will do is have casein protein before bed. It turns thick and makes you feel full a long time.

This is what I am doing as I crave chocolate like crazy