Binge eating in the evening

ChelseyDAdams

I've always had the same issue.

I find a few different things help:

1. Set a time for yourself after which you will not eat. I've heard people say 6/7 but with our schedules, that doesn't work. So, I say 8:00 is my "no more eating time" - it should be a couple hours before bed.

2. Brush your teeth, floss, swish listerine after that last meal. For me, that's too much work to wanna do twice at night, so it's a good incentive to not eat.

3. In your dinner, try to get more protein and higher fiber - these two elements can really help you feel so much more full, which in and of itself makes you not feel a need to continue to eat.


Good luck!!!

krawhitham

Because of me and my bfs schedules right now, I have the same issue with evening eating. In order to combat this, him and I eat a 300-400 cal breakfast around 9am - 10am, and then barely nothing until 9PM or so.

I will drink like 5 cups of tea a day, lots of water, and if i get hungry have 100 or so cal salad or piece of fruit for lunch to hold me over. Yeah, I spend most of my day feeling hungry, but it helps me not go over my calories at night. If I have 700 cals left over at night, I can usually eat til I'm satisfied and sleep well.

Peaches160

I must say all your responses are really providing me with a lot of insights and I am engaging in some deep introspection. I am definitely going to make some changes.... Got to find some ways to use up my evenings. I also recognized that I have not been planning meals/ snacks for the evening period.

DeniseBarone

It's because you're tired in the evening and the stress of the day gets to you. Make yourself a soothing cup of tea. Buy a couple of stalks of celery, so that you can gnaw on them. Celery has a lovely, satisfying crunching sound!
If you're really tired, just go to bed with a glass of wine and a good book! Read until your eyes are drooping and then fall asleep.

sadiebea25

I don't know if this would help, but you could try pre-tracking. I put my plan for the day, including the evening in early, then once I hit that "entry complete" button, I'm more likely to stick with what I tracked...

byahbee

this used to be a big problem for me, i gradually weaned myself off. made a rule that i won't eat after dinnertime (between 5-6pm) except for fruit which i can have lots of. also i drink lots of cups of tea which helps me feel full for longer. if i absolutely have to then i would have some cereal, porridge or microwaved weetabix in the evening

gemaquaries

Sigh. This is my biggest problem too. I try to fill up on water, that somewhat helps. I also try to leave enough calories since I know I tend to eat more in the evening. Lastly, when I'm really hungry, I go for a run. For some reason, it helps my appetite

TeachTheGirl

I find that when my kids go to bed, that's when my hunger rears its head.

Sometimes I fight it. Brush my teeth, drink water/tea and tell myself I can wait until the morning.

Sometimes I give in, have a bowl of oatmeal or some nuts and cheese. Whatever snack I'm hungry for at the time that won't completely derail me from my goals.

Depends on the day or mood or level of hunger.

WanaBMom

they say idol hands... well I fall into this. If I am bored, stressed, or otherwise I will eat. I have been trying to not allow myself so much time to do nothing. I have been planting flowers, doing full time college and work, and cook and clean. I still somehow find down time. Looks like I need to get my shoes on and hit the pave.

Peaches160

bump

kayaksara

I have the same problem. However I just started eating less in the morning. I have kind of always been a big fan of eating a big protein packed breakfast and a medium lunch a small supper. But this hasn't worked for me as I have gained over the last year since doing this. I don't have a real active job nor am I hungry most morningsinto early afternoon. So 2 eggs for breakfast or a kind bar with green tea. Lots of water and I eat fruit and salad for lunch and then I have plenty of calories to eat at the end of the day. It works for me. I think sometimes you have to decide if something works for you, stick with it. And if it doesn't work for you, do something different. Best of luck to you!

Tanya949

I like to eat a lot at night, so I leave half my calories for dinner/snack. I eat about 1200 calories in the evening. Under my goal, and satisfies the munchies. Plus I make all my own snacks from scratch so it takes time before I can eat it, rather than mindlessly putting my hand in a bag/box. If I happen to be out of calories, I snack on raw veggies. You can eat a lot for a few calories, so it won't blow your goal out of the water.

kittykat1994

I eat about half of my calories in a sitting for dinner. I have it late and it's stopped me over eating in the evening.

shrinkingshreya

This is a problem for me also. It could be either emotional or your not getting enough nutrients-- maybe try reviewing what you have set and make adjustments. Also-- what has helped for me is not keeping anything unhealthy in the house-- no temptation, out of sight out of mind. Eating two cups of chips vs. eating two cups of grapes will be much better for you. I eat unhealthy foods but I save that for going out to dinner/bar. You are not alone! :flowerforyou:

whitebalance

You could just pre-log 300 calories or so in your "snacks" category to account for evening noshing... as long as the rest of your day is within the remaining calories, you're golden. Unless your goal is set super low, in which case maybe set a higher calorie target and scale back your weight loss expectation. Lots of people new to MFP choose the "lose 2 pounds a week" setting and make themselves crazy trying to stick to a 1200-calorie diet when a higher calorie target would be more pleasant and sustainable.

ETA: I have been known to log an occasional midnight snack on the following day's diary, especially if the following day is a high-burn workout day. This may be a workable option for some. The risk, of course, is the possibility of overeating or skipping workout on the day that includes the midnight snack.

belle0226

I don't support the idea of binging on something else. What I do support is trying to find what is causing the problem. I have found that finding the cause usually helps you find the solution.
If you have distractions during the day but not as much at night that could be it. There are other possible things as well. I hope you can figure out how to get this under control.

vmills41

I need help myself. I really feel defeated because last year I lost 30 lbs and have gained it all back then some because I totally lose control around food. I do good for awhile and then I just cave in to temptation. This has been a vicious cycle for me since I was a teenager. I get bored, I get tired of planning healthy meals and end up overeating. I always feel like I'm missing out. Not only do I binge in the evenings but I tend to not eat well on weekends because that's like the time for my husband and I just to hangout. I have recently given up on exercising because after I go home I just waste all I worked off by eating. This is why I'm reaching out for some support and motivation.