EVENINGS!! *shake fist*

2»

Replies

  • MysteriousMerlin
    MysteriousMerlin Posts: 2,270 Member
    Weekends are my worst time, especially the afternoons into the evenings. I tend to stay up MUCH later, and therefore tempt myself with more unnecessary snacking.
  • lcvaughn520
    lcvaughn520 Posts: 219 Member
    Frozen berries! Great idea! I have a raspberry bush that I'm just eating from, but maybe I'll freeze those suckers and have some before bed. NOM
    Frozen grapes are also divine :) And usually a lot cheaper when berries are out of season~

    Oooh that's good to know! I don't freeze fresh berries, but I actually should look into that. I just buy frozen packaged ones, so the price doesn't change too much based on season.
  • grillnchill
    grillnchill Posts: 772 Member
    As an evening snack (after dinner and while trying to wind down after a long day) I'll have a cup of vanilla almond milk with a touch of cinnamon. Not only does it relax me (to the point that it puts me to sleep) but it satiates that sweet craving.
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
    I get hammered on red.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I have no time that is better or worse for me. I just plan out my meals, which includes an after dinner snack if I'm hungry. Six small meals a day works for me. I a l so keep room available in the calorie bank for those special dinners or deserts.

    I am not on a diet so there is no reason to deprive myself, as long as I stay within my calorie allowance.
  • wendybird5
    wendybird5 Posts: 577 Member
    I'm the same with evenings, too. I try to save most of my calories for dinner time so that I don't feel so hungry since that's when I most crave food.
  • Trissyboo
    Trissyboo Posts: 69 Member
    Definitely not struggling with the evening but the weekends are horrible for me and please do not add travel on top of that. Definitely working on staying focused over the weekend
  • ktsimons
    ktsimons Posts: 294 Member
    I always needed a sweet item after dinner. I started drinking a cup of hot tea...usually a strong fruit flavor like apple cinnamon, peach, or apricot, etc with a bit of Stevia. ...then i would GO TO BED - even if it was 9:00 - brush teeth, put on jammies, get under the covers. It took about a month, but I broke the need to eat again after dinner - now I am back to staying up till 11:00!

    Another thing that helped is moving dinner a little later...my daughter is 17 and never wants to eat with us and my husband likes a late dinner as well. So we just moved dinner from 6:30 to 7:30. I eat a fairly heavy snack at 5:00 then go to the gym. Eating late also cuts down on the stress of getting home from work and trying to eat immediately.
  • Cinloykko
    Cinloykko Posts: 117 Member
    weekends are a nightmare for me. about 2-3 days of out of control eating with family and friends.
    For each day, the hardest meal is breakfast. When I have school - i would have no time to eat or grab any fast junk i could find. for when I have the day off, i would tend to OVER eat for breakfast... sending me into a food coma of sorts until dinner comes around again.
  • dmbjewel
    dmbjewel Posts: 17 Member
    I have the same problem. But I do better on nights when I fill up on veggies (I eat a lot of lettuce, steamed broccoli, sautéed zucchini). And I mean fill up! If I'm super full from dinner, then I can't snack too much and a square of good quality dark chocolate satiates my sweet tooth. Also, the tooth brushing thing really works.
  • NavyKnightAh13
    NavyKnightAh13 Posts: 1,394 Member
    For me, the worst time is mid afternoon before dinner and after lunch. It's usually right before I got to class or right after dance class when I feel like I need to eat. I am still trying to figure out how to deal with that issue but sometimes after dinner is an issue too, but I force myself to exercise at that point before homework so I can get it over with and that way, if I really want a snack, I can eat it.

    Weekends are hit or miss for me. With my job I travel Fridays or Saturdays so I end up not eating before I go and then find myself eating something I shouldn't be because it's there (I'm a sports correspondent for my town paper so I get sent to football games and basketball games and they don't allow outside food in) and then trying to find ways to exercise while I am there (football season=stadium stairs and running up and down the football field along with parking as far as possible. Basketball=walking up and down hallways as well as the parking rule and sometimes even sprinting to and from the car).
  • Mommybug2
    Mommybug2 Posts: 149 Member
    I know this is my weakness. I have a desk job and pretty much sit on my bum all morning so eating a light healthy breakfast is easy. I eat a protien bar for lunch and my post workout snack, both are filling and yet low calorie. I also keep 90 calorie fiber one bars at my desk for those days when it doesn't seem like enough. Fiber is filling and yet doesn't push my calorie limit too much. Doing this allows me to eat a normal dinner with my family (just watch the portions) and still have room for a little late night snacking.

    I also try to keep myself busy longer. No sitting around watching TV after work, I try to either play something active with the kids or get some house work in. Then there is dinner and getting the kids bathed and to bed, by that time it is at least 9-10 pm so I sit down and SAVOR my snack while I watch some TV. Then it is off to bed and my diary is still in the green.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    I leave myself calories for after dinner snacking. I like to eat in the evening, sometimes quite a lot. I know this about myself, so I just allot the calories ahead of time and then I don't sweat it.
    ^This. Love my after dinner snacking. :smile:
  • PinkNinjaLaura
    PinkNinjaLaura Posts: 3,202 Member
    I have found that if I exercise when I get home from work (6pm) and wait to eat dinner around 7 or so, the need to snack is eliminated. I can usually make it without feeling the need to snack.

    ^^^This is generally what I do. I work out with my trainer after work 3 days a week and take a fitness class one other day, which helps a lot. It's usually 8:00 before I eat dinner. I'll eat a piece of fruit or Fiber One brownie or something like that for "dessert" immediately after I eat my meal, then I'm good for the rest of the night.
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
    I usually eat pretty lightly during the day if I'm on a cut (rather than bulking) and leave myself 8-1100 calories for dinner. So when I was set to 1550 net cals a day (1.1lb weight loss a week) my day would look something like: a protein shake/bar or a couple eggs on a piece of toast for breakfast, a can of soup with extra meat and veggies or a big salad or a sandwich for lunch followed by a 20 minute walk, a small piece of chocolate for a snack, and then a huge dinner or a medium dinner and small desert/glass of wine in the evening. I know that is when I will be hungry and have less to distract me since I'm not at work. This would also help because I could have pizza, wings, or other high cal items that would otherwise put me over my calorie limit.

    If you are in a snack mood and out of calories:
    Try an herbal tea. I personally like Passion tea, because it is so strong and sweet without anything added.
    Take a walk or do an exercise video then have a snack if you still want it.
    Gum
    Brush your teeth as soon as you finish eating dinner which helps signal your body that you are finished for the day.
    Go to bed early.
    Eat anyway. Sometimes your body just needs calories, especially if your normal calorie level is set to low (ie 1200 cals). You are hungry for a reason.
  • JingleMuffin
    JingleMuffin Posts: 543 Member
    I get hammered on red.
    thats weird - i dont think ive ever been to your house :)
  • hep26000
    hep26000 Posts: 156 Member
    Having popsicles on hand helps. I can have 2 of them and not feel guilty. Or even a lollipop. That would keep you happy for a lot longer than a cookie since it takes longer to eat it. :flowerforyou:
  • mundaetraversa
    mundaetraversa Posts: 21
    Thanks, all. This has been a really positive thread and I really appreciate your replies. I have some new strategies to try!

    I usually drink a whole pot of mint, lemongrass, or chamomile (or some combination of those) in the evenings while cuddling my dog and hanging out with the wife. It helps distract me and bumps my water intake, but lately it hasn't been enough to keep me satisfied. I think I'm in a little slump since I have been at this for a month now and the "brand-new-challenge!!" motivation is dying a slow and terrible death. I would actually love to save calories for after dinner. I. would. love. it. But I know that if I bank a few hundred, I'll eat things I would never have eaten during the day with those same calories, you know?

    So my plan is:
    -frozen berries
    -brush teeth
    -move dinner later
    -stop whining, understand what a good problem it is that I have too MUCH food to choose from in my country.

    Thanks for being supportive, guys!
  • Natty2310
    Natty2310 Posts: 8 Member
    Mostly evening!
    But also when I'm at home by myself, and bored.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    During the day, I am on point with my goals, and it doesn't feel too challenging. I have lost five pounds in about a month, and I'm happy with that progress. But in the evenings...I swear. I would break the law for a snack after dinner. I do allow myself a square of dark chocolate, a mini brownie, or a cup of air-popped popcorn after dinner on some nights, but within my calorie allowance (I usually count my calories by the week for more flexibility to go slightly under or over on individual days. Works fine for me personally).

    Do you have a time of day that's more difficult than others? How do you distract yourself or power through? I need advice!
    I used to hit a similar problem. fine all day and then get home and tear apart the kitchen

    things that helped me
    - have an afternoon snack before I leave work. helps with appetite
    - track my foods and see how much I have left to play with at end of day
    - and suck it up. I know. easier said than done. but after a while your body adapts to feeding time. does take some grinning and bearing at first. but you get used to it
  • travelcoffeemug
    travelcoffeemug Posts: 9 Member
    I try to wait and have dinner as late as possible, so I have less time to get munchy before I go to bed. Also, tea really helps me. If I've already eaten my dessert (usually fruit or some chocolate) and I still want something, I'll make myself a cup of herbal tea--it's basically no calories, and helps relax me.
  • clucklucky
    clucklucky Posts: 8 Member
    This may seem counterintuitive, but I find if I eat more of my calories at lunch, I'm still satisfied by the time I get home and a small dinner does the trick, no urge to snack. I might have a square or two of dark chocolate for dessert to satisfy my sweet tooth, but I find if I eat "lightly" all day then I'm impossible to satisfy later. Just a thought!
  • Lorrel91
    Lorrel91 Posts: 1 Member
    I have found that if I exercise when I get home from work (6pm) and wait to eat dinner around 7 or so, the need to snack is eliminated. I can usually make it without feeling the need to snack.

    I do the same. By the time you cook and eat dinner its almost bed time so there's no need for dessert. Even if you don't exercise late, just try not to have dinner too early. I recently had a packet of prunes in the fridge, and found a couple of them to be a good after dinner snack, just to get rid of the sweet craving. Or try having a diet jelly, or a cup of hot chocolate.
  • julialdr
    julialdr Posts: 100 Member
    Sugar free jelly (jello) is a great snack when you don't want to use up your calories. I can eat the whole bowl and it's only about 40 calories, plus the volume fills you up!
  • SamanthaH10
    SamanthaH10 Posts: 72 Member
    During the day, I am on point with my goals, and it doesn't feel too challenging. I have lost five pounds in about a month, and I'm happy with that progress. But in the evenings...I swear. I would break the law for a snack after dinner. I do allow myself a square of dark chocolate, a mini brownie, or a cup of air-popped popcorn after dinner on some nights, but within my calorie allowance (I usually count my calories by the week for more flexibility to go slightly under or over on individual days. Works fine for me personally).

    Do you have a time of day that's more difficult than others? How do you distract yourself or power through? I need advice!

    Any time that I am not at work is AWFUL for me! Evenings and weekends are torture! Ugh.

Categories