Help for night time hunger?

sassyjae21

So I usually eat dinner at 6:30-7:00pm. By 10:00 I am starving!! I feel like I am eating a good amount at around 400-500 calories for dinner (usually), but around bedtime, I am starving. Do you all have anything that helps curb this?

tottie06

If I have processed carbs, this is what happens to me. So even if my hubby makes a delicious meal that includes some, I will skip those carbs and opt for natural ones instead.

Escape_Artist

If you are hungry then eat. Leave calories for before bed snack.

tinatacinelli

I am always hungry between dinner and bedtime as well. I agree with the above poster....if you're hungry, then eat. I always try to leave some calories for an after dinner snack.

LoraF83

If you are hungry then eat. Leave calories for before bed snack.

This.

I usually have a bowl of ice cream before bed.

stealthq

If you are hungry then eat. Leave calories for before bed snack.

This.

I usually have a bowl of ice cream before bed.

Ditto. I eat a full meal around six, and eat again around 9-10pm.

stew71455

Drink water and try dry roasted peanuts n the shell or sunflower seed.

jfauci

Nothing wrong with eating before bed if you have the calories left. I eat relatively light during the day and heavier in the evening.

bumblebreezy91

If you are hungry then eat. Leave calories for before bed snack.

I agree with this.

I leave enough calories for a fat free yogurt if I happen to get too hungry really late. Just knowing I have it there if I need it is comforting.

AddieOverhaul

I had this happen last night too (and many other nights). I had some calories left so I had a mini cucumber (pretty filling for little calories) and some Triscuits to satisfuy a salty craving. Sometimes I have vanilla greek yogurt instead of ice cream.

Phoenix_Warrior

Yep, I plan for it and make room every night for a snack.

rebeccaaa_elizabeth

I agree with leaving a little bit of calories left in case you're hungry before bed. This happened to me last night. I finished dinner around 6:30pm and by 10pm I was hearing my stomach growl. I had a few wheat thins with a tiny bit of peanut butter on them and a glass of water - which ended up being perfect.

blondepaparazzi

On the nights when I want a snack I just do a 90 calorie snack bar kind of like the Special K ones, but I get them from Aldi's. But normally I just suck it up and drink lots of water, or some flavored water to satisfy my taste buds. But late night hunger is the worst!

nytrifisoul

Do yourself a favor and try to skip either breakfast, or lunch or both. Have a larger dinner (700-800) and and eat 2 servings of raisin bran cereal (360 cal + milk =440 cal) before bed. I swear you will not go to bed starving. If you skipped both breakfast and lunch you would be around 1200 cal for the day. Throw in some morning exercise and you could eat back those calories during the day if you get hungry before dinner.

sassyjae21

Do yourself a favor and try to skip either breakfast, or lunch or both. Have a larger dinner (700-800) and and eat 2 servings of raisin bran cereal (360 cal + milk =440 cal) before bed. I swear you will not go to bed starving. If you skipped both breakfast and lunch you would be around 1200 cal for the day. Throw in some morning exercise and you could eat back those calories during the day if you get hungry before dinner.

Go without eating all day?? I would punch someone in the face LOL

Phoenix_Warrior

Do yourself a favor and try to skip either breakfast, or lunch or both. Have a larger dinner (700-800) and and eat 2 servings of raisin bran cereal (360 cal + milk =440 cal) before bed. I swear you will not go to bed starving. If you skipped both breakfast and lunch you would be around 1200 cal for the day. Throw in some morning exercise and you could eat back those calories during the day if you get hungry before dinner.

Go without eating all day?? I would punch someone in the face LOL

^ Haha this. I'd start flipping tables.

avskk

I skip breakfast since I'm never hungry then, which leaves me plenty of calories for a bedtime snack (or booze). I've just recently started skipping or reducing lunch, too, but having a really big dinner and plenty of healthy munchies before bed. It just works better with my natural hunger patterns, and I seem to be losing faster as well.

nytrifisoul

Do yourself a favor and try to skip either breakfast, or lunch or both. Have a larger dinner (700-800) and and eat 2 servings of raisin bran cereal (360 cal + milk =440 cal) before bed. I swear you will not go to bed starving. If you skipped both breakfast and lunch you would be around 1200 cal for the day. Throw in some morning exercise and you could eat back those calories during the day if you get hungry before dinner.

Go without eating all day?? I would punch someone in the face LOL

I said try to skip either breakfast or lunch. Then i said, and what i meant was that if your not hungry during the day you could skip both and eat a really big dinner and a bedtime snack. This way you wont go to bed starving. To each their own, It works for me and many others, just not for everyone.

jess135177

I leave enough calories to have a mini bag of popcorn at night. It helps me a lot!

Just_Jon

Going to bed hungry just makes me miserable and sends my body into starvation mode (i.e. I want to eat everything in the fridge when I wake up). If I am hungry before bed, I make sure I have a glass of water (usually low on that anyway), and then have an ounce of cheese, or chicken, or even 5 mini-pretzels. The number of calories is very small compared with the 1000 calorie deficit I have for the day, and it is always enough to calm the stomach cravings.

Bottom line: eat. Don't stay hungry. It won't help your diet.

Stage14

Another vote for budgeting calories for a bedtime snack. A glass of milk with chocolate protein powder or peanut butter toast are my two favorites.

scubasuenc

Whether you skip/reduce a meal during the day or exercise a little longer, the key thing is to plan for a late night snack so you have the calories for it. There are certain nights where I know I have to eat very early before a meeting, so I intentionally plan for a snack later in the evening.

If you plan for it, you can eat something so you won't go to bed hungry. Also you will feel better about yourself because you won't feel deprived, nor will you feel like you cheated.

What you should eat depends on the calories you allow yourself for the snack and what you like. For me it is usually a protein bar or shake between 150 to 200 calories. That is enough to tide me over until morning.

Lrdoflamancha

I find that protein is best for that problem... 4 oz skinless boneless chicken breast right before bed.

rachface1234

Is it real hunger or just a night time snack craving that had more to do with being tired, wanting the comfort of food, etc? For me its usually the latter, in which case I am sometimes successful with making a big mug of tea (strong flavors that smell awesome like blueberry), and try to be satisfied with that. If it is actual hunger I agree that you should consider budgeting for more calories at the end of the day

gregtreece

Don't skip meals. Eat smaller portions more frequently, 3 meals a day, plus morning and afternoon snacks. Spread your calories out among those 5 'meals', and leave 100 calories or so for a late night snack, if your habit is to stay up late, rather than go to bed.

Find foods that are high protein and low fat. Protein helps you to feel full (and helps keep your metabolism going), and if you're getting nutrition every 2-3 hours of the day, you'll feel better at night.

For each of your three main meals, make sure it includes a protein (lean turkey, ham, eggs, etc.), a complex carb (brown rice, whole grain bread, brown rice pasta, whole grains, etc.), and a green/vegetable. Great between meal snacks (including late night) include protein shakes or bars, cottage cheese, fruits, etc.). Spend enough time to know what portion sizes of everything will balance out whatever your calorie plan is.

Log everything you eat (MFP is great for that), so that you always know where you stand. You won't worry about that little late night snack, if you can look and see that you've followed your plan for the day.

sassyjae21

Do yourself a favor and try to skip either breakfast, or lunch or both. Have a larger dinner (700-800) and and eat 2 servings of raisin bran cereal (360 cal + milk =440 cal) before bed. I swear you will not go to bed starving. If you skipped both breakfast and lunch you would be around 1200 cal for the day. Throw in some morning exercise and you could eat back those calories during the day if you get hungry before dinner.

Go without eating all day?? I would punch someone in the face LOL

I said try to skip either breakfast or lunch. Then i said, and what i meant was that if your not hungry during the day you could skip both and eat a really big dinner and a bedtime snack. This way you wont go to bed starving. To each their own, It works for me and many others, just not for everyone.

I know what you said. I was responding to the "or both" part of the comment.

AllonsYtotheTardis

If I'm hungry at night, I eat.

But more to the point - I know I'm usually hungry at night. So I plan for it, and leave some of my calories for then.

ilovescarymovies

i always leave calories for a protein shake before bed. also try to eat dinner as late as i can :flowerforyou:

cuinboston2014

One of my favorite things to eat if I'm hungry, or just wanting really bad to eat before bed, is oatmeal. When I lost all my original 100 pounds I ate oatmeal almost every night...especially in the winter. Target also has some amazing flavors - including banana split. They can get a little less nutritional value than lower sugar maple and brown sugar but it's so dang good!

sassyjae21

One of my favorite things to eat if I'm hungry, or just wanting really bad to eat before bed, is oatmeal. When I lost all my original 100 pounds I ate oatmeal almost every night...especially in the winter. Target also has some amazing flavors - including banana split. They can get a little less nutritional value than lower sugar maple and brown sugar but it's so dang good!

that's a great idea

pianolover2012

If I'm hungry at night, I eat.

But more to the point - I know I'm usually hungry at night. So I plan for it, and leave some of my calories for then.

^^ This for sure!