How to stop binge eating at night time?

marleyskye05
marleyskye05 Posts: 138
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello. I am relatively new here and I'm looking for some advice. I have been eating healthy/exercising for a couple of months now and still getting the hang of things. For the first month or so I was doing fantastic and really sticking to my healthy eating...then this past week suddenly everything has gone downhill due to night time binge eating! I don't know what is wrong with me :S All day I am totally fine. I am aiming to eat about 1500 calories per day or more if I exercise (because I always eat back my calories). I always eat appropriate sized meals of healthy food and never stray all day long.. and then all of a sudden around 7-8 pm (just this past week suddenly) I just go crazy and start eating EVERYTHING I can get my hands on. I even baked a whole batch of cookies last night and ate 5 of them AFTER already having eaten a very good sized dinner already. It's not that I'm even hungry or not eating enough calories during the day..I just get an urge to snack (mostly on sweet stuff). Anybody else have this problem? Any advice on how to stop? It is causing me to sabotage my goals one evening at a time.
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Replies

  • ldula88
    ldula88 Posts: 169 Member
    I know the feeling, eating later in the evening can be hard to resist, even if you're not hungry and have already met your calorie requirements. I found that if I put myself as far away from the food as possible and did something to keep my mind off of it, I was fine. For instance, I tend to hang out in my bedroom and watch Netflix on my laptop during the evening. That way, I'd have to get out of my comfy bed and go all the way downstairs for more food, which gives me the opportunity to tell myself no. I distract myself with TV, reading, Pinterest, etc. Hope this helps a bit :)
  • madhatter2013
    madhatter2013 Posts: 1,547 Member
    Not that your situation is the same, but when I feel like binging at night, I just go to bed. I get up so early anyway that it helps me to get a good nights sleep every night.
  • nomad1000
    nomad1000 Posts: 206 Member
    I have the same issue and so am working on hobbies that don't give me the opportunity to even get to food. Current project is refinishing a cedar chest. Hard to eat when you have a respirator on because you are stripping varnish and sanding wood. :) Next up, planning the garden and starting seeds. I figure if I have my hands in dirt, they can't be in a bag of pita chips.
  • mamahannick
    mamahannick Posts: 322 Member
    Hard mint candies have helped me recently (I get Lifesaver brand mints). I figure 60 calories for 4 mints over the course of the evening is worth it to save the hundreds/thousands I'd binge on without them.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    Try allowing yourself a treat during the day. It's possible that feeling deprived of the fun foods you like all day is making you go nuts.

    I also tend to binge eat at night. What has helped me the most is never stop logging. Log every cookie you stuff down. After three...I realize the day is still salvageable and I've eaten enough cookies that I've gotten the taste.

    And find something to keep your hands busy. Maybe crochet or play a game?
  • craftywitch_63
    craftywitch_63 Posts: 829 Member
    Make sure you're eating enough during the day. I eat six meals (three meals, three snacks) during the day and make sure I hit my macros (hint: you're going to love and hate that word soon!) :love: :grumble:

    Madhatter2013 is right. Distraction. Other than TV. Something that will keep your hands busy. Craftwork, writing, log in to MFP message boards, whatever keeps you distracted. A hot bath and and early night might help. If you're energy is down because you're too tired you might make up for the energy deficit by eating. At least, I do.

    Some suggest lots of water. I subscribe to Ron White's theory of drinking water to control appetite. His mother told him to drink more water to control his appetite and, as Ron suspected, drinking more water didn't lessen his appetite but it did cause him to be less THIRSTY! :laugh:

    Good luck on your journey! I wish you the best! :flowerforyou:
  • jaz141
    jaz141 Posts: 32
    Not that your situation is the same, but when I feel like binging at night, I just go to bed. I get up so early anyway that it helps me to get a good nights sleep every night.

    This!

    Even if I'm not tired, getting out of the living room/kitchen area and going into my bedroom and shutting the door to read can help offset bad eating. Also, I read a good piece of advice- if you're craving sugar late at night it really means you're just tired- your body wants the sugar for quick energy.
  • sunandskies
    sunandskies Posts: 25 Member
    Ah the siren call of late night ice cream. Or fudge. Or chips. I found having something to do with my hands stops me from craving night time snacks. I highly recommend picking up sewing, crocheting, knitting, drawing, whittling, whatever will keep your hands busy.
  • Frosty337
    Frosty337 Posts: 9 Member
    I have heard that drinking green tea helps cut cravings. Also, you could make a list of things you enjoy and choose one of them when you start getting that cravings. I have the same problem!
  • pinksmama
    pinksmama Posts: 40
    I don't really get night time cravings or feel snacky but I do during the day and I find if I just get involved in something, I forget about it.. signaling that it's probably more boredom and maybe not so much hunger.
  • corinneselene
    corinneselene Posts: 306 Member
    I had one of those nights the other night- no clue where it came from! I try and save some calories for the evening, just in case I want a snack. If I do, I have it but I go into the kitchen knowing exactly what I am having. I even eat it in front of my computer so I actively am logging it haha!

    Tonight, I already know I am going to have a small homemade root beer float. I have been craving one for weeks...I dont drink soda and dont really enjoy desserts so I am unsure where this craving came from BUT I am going to fulfill it. Small diet root beer, scoop of Vanilla coconut milk ice cream and I am good to go!

    Other times, strawberries, frozen bananas, small homemade protein shake, or homemade popcorn does the trick! Otherwise, I will just sit and watch junk TV!
  • stephdmash
    stephdmash Posts: 16 Member
    Find a healthy equivalent to what you're craving and be aware of portion sizes & mindless eating . This has really helps me to stay on track!
  • 1shauna1
    1shauna1 Posts: 993 Member
    I have the same problem. What I have been doing the last few nights, and it's been working pretty good, is eating my dinner later. If I eat dinner around 7:30 or 8:00 p.m., then I find it really cuts down on my snacking urges. This works for me but I know some people have an upset stomach if they eat too late. I go to bed around 10:00 or 10:30 on weeknights, so I find I'm okay by then.
  • tariksehovic
    tariksehovic Posts: 39 Member
    Drink LOTS AND LOTS of WATER!!

    Use Mio or any other time of flavor system if it helps

    Binge eat raw broccoli
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    I like eating late: that's the only time I feel that I can relax and enjoy my food.

    To that end I structure my day so that I have about half of my budget left after dinner. Most days I eat 1000 calories or more after 10 PM. I look forward to this every day and it helps me to stay on plan knowing that I've got my evening snacks coming up.
  • Iknowsaur
    Iknowsaur Posts: 777 Member
    Not that your situation is the same, but when I feel like binging at night, I just go to bed. I get up so early anyway that it helps me to get a good nights sleep every night.

    This!

    Even if I'm not tired, getting out of the living room/kitchen area and going into my bedroom and shutting the door to read can help offset bad eating. Also, I read a good piece of advice- if you're craving sugar late at night it really means you're just tired- your body wants the sugar for quick energy.

    Yes, and brush your teeth!
    Sweets especially taste gross after a good brush.
    Get into bed and be done for the day, even if you do some reading, homework, tv-watching, whatever.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    Brush your teeth . I hate eating anything once I've already brushed my teeth for the night.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Eat light during the day, and make your night time binge dinner. Problem solved.

    That's not sarcasm or being flip. It is exactly what I did to solve the problem. My body likes to eat at night, so that's when I feed it.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Binge eat raw broccoli

    Makes me sad just to think it.
  • brizzeem
    brizzeem Posts: 82 Member
    Mouthwash when u have the urge to grab!
  • ashleycde
    ashleycde Posts: 622 Member
    I've been having the same problem. Now I eat carrots. 100 g of one carrot (mine are big, so I cut them up) is only 41 calories, and will seriously stuff you. I don't know what it is, but carrots make me feel very full. A tbsp or 2 of whole psyllium husk is also great for feeling full longer as it expands (a lot) within 10 seconds contact to moisture.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    Get in the car and go somewhere.

    Brush your teeth.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    Your food diary is woefully incomplete.* It's hard to really say, with all the quick-adds and things apparently not logged.


    *Yes, so is mine. That's because I purposefully haven't been tracking during this last bulk. I will get back to it in a couple of weeks, when I move to a cutting phase.
  • almx00
    almx00 Posts: 16 Member
    it happens.. stay AWAY from the kitchen as much as you can after dinner. Also,brush your teeth :) that helps me not eat after 6-7 pm because food will taste gross and I don't want to brush my teeth again
  • maz504
    maz504 Posts: 450
    When I'm done eating dinner and cleaning up every night, I turn the light in the kitchen off. I have a little nightlight near my dog's bowls so he can go in and see his food/water, but to me it's like a subconscious reminder that the kitchen is closed!
  • popshoveit
    popshoveit Posts: 42
    I am a nighttime eater. I feel your pain. What works for me is banking a decent portion of your day's calorie intake for after dinner. We have dinner really early in our house because we have two small children, so by the time they're in bed I am usually hungry again! I usually have about 300 calories to play around with at the end of the day and use them for something yummy.
  • Kimdbro
    Kimdbro Posts: 922 Member
    I've started heading downstairs for my usual snack regiment... and instead of grabbing snacks I pour a large glass of Perrier and Squeeze limes into it. It's refreshing, and fills me up, but still adds a little flavour and I don't want a snack anymore.
  • Karolina864
    Karolina864 Posts: 4
    I usually drink a big mug of green tea with a bit of lemon or even just water makes me feel fuller! If i'm still craving later I have a tiny bit of what I want but log it straight away.
    What also keeps me distracted are these forums, they keep me focused and every time I go on here I learn something new :)
  • sheepysaccount
    sheepysaccount Posts: 608 Member
    Don't bake cookies after dinner. Ever. That's something I learned the hard way :P

    Also, have a late, big dinner. You might go hungry before, but I am better at being hungry for an hour or two than I am at not binging after dinner.
  • heatherk0908
    heatherk0908 Posts: 50 Member
    I haven't read the other responses but I recently started the "8 hour diet" for this very reason. I kept snacking and eating at night when I wasn't even hungry. So now I eat between the hours of 11:30-7:30. You wouldn't have to only eat in an 8 hour period but I have to give myself a set time that I can no longer eat after. I watch the time and will allow myself a snack right before my cut off time and then nothing else. Now I don't really do this as well on the weekends but I just need to start on the weekends as well.

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