late night snacking!

Jess21684

okay I have such a huge problem with the tendency to late night snack while sitting on the computer or watching tv. Im a night person and stay up pretty late catching up on my fav tv shows and all that and I always have such a major urge to grab whatever junk i find and snack! I know most of the problem is probably that I try to do real good during the day and really dont eat much at all for long lengh of times and then at night i start eating a bulk of my calories and just go crazy. I really think Im showing early signs of a potential binge eater. I try really hard during the day and dont eat as much as i kno i should and then get really hungry at night and pretty much pig out and then I feel guilty and try to eat less the following day. its just a massive cruel cycle. But either way, i know i have always kinda had a tendency to snack at night but I really need to stop this Binge thing before it really spirals more out of control. Any body have any advice or suggestions at all? has anybody have or has a similar problem and how do u cope with it. how do u guys avoid the urge to late night snack. i feel like ive tryed so much and it never works!

CuteAndCurvy83

I wish I had more helpful advice, but I have the same problem,I can do awesome all day and then at night I could eat everything in the pantry. I try to have a spoon full of Peanut butter and if I'm still hungry I try a piece of fruit and drink down a glass of water. If I'm still wanting more, I go to bed cause thats the only way I'm going to control my eating.

camaris

guilty :-(

amysambora

Like you said, most of the problem is not eating during the day. Depriving your body of food for long periods of time can be really detrimental to your health and metabolism, not to mention your weight loss efforts I think the fact that you can recognise this means you've taken the first step to wanting to conquer it! I'm a recovered binge eater myself and I know EXACTLY how you feel. It's a hard cycle to break but you can do it!

Obviously the first thing to try and do is eat regularly throughout the day. The key is planning - this is honestly what saved me. Plan your MFP food diary ahead of time so you know exactly what you're going to be eating and when. And another huge thing that took me ages to get my head around is allowing yourself to eat at night. Factor it into your calorie allotment. There's no point trying to go cold turkey and stop your late night snacking all together - you'll just feel deprived! Allow yourself to have a snack at night. If chocolate is your thing, factor it in - but just a few squares, not the whole block. Let yourself enjoy it instead of thinking of it as 'bad' or 'wrong'. After a while of sticking to these healthy habits, you'll be really proud of yourself and what you've achieved and you just won't want to binge anymore.

I'm sending you a friend request, I'm here any time you need advice or want to chat!

jordanlell

I used to do the same, but I find it much easier to eat controlled portions throughout the day. This logging thing really helps, because I know exactly how much more I can eat, and I really try to make those last couple hundred calories worth it by eating something that I know will keep me full for the rest of the night.

dragonbug300

I recently responded to a post like this. Forgive my laziness, but I'm just going to re-post the strategies I'd already put up.
Late night snacking is a BIG problem for me. My strategies:
-hot tea (herbal, non-caffeinated)
-keep one cup of high-fiber, high-protein cereal nearby at all times. Any time you get a craving, take a bit of cereal and eat it painstakingly slowly (almost like eating a lollipop)
-keep hands busy at down-time (ex: play solitaire while watching TV)
-keep a water bottle nearby to limit your reasons for going to the kitchen
-brush your teeth after dinner
-when you get the cravings, stretch out. Side stretches, spine rotations, neck rolling, forward bend, etc. Somehow this helps me... possibly by making me aware of my whole body, not just the stomach.

Lolaluvv

oh wow that is me too.....I was told that having one of your snacks in the evening and making it something with a lot of fiber will help you feel fool longer might help some....but for me it has got to be a cycle I have to just break...oh and drink plenty of water, to get that full feeling...

Jess21684

thanks guys! thanks amysambora. its nice to kno im not the only one dealing w these issues and you give me hope that I can fix this problem

flinchyny

Like amysambor said, you've already IDed the problem -- not eating enough calories during the day, and not eating frequently enough.

Jess21684

thanks! those are all really good tips i will hafta give a try

Cheechos

I don't even try to stop eating late at night, because I'm a huge night owl. I used to have a big problem with eating too MUCH after it got dark, but looking at my calorie count on here keeps me in line. I know that if I go past the range I set for myself, I'll regret eating whatever I want to snack on if it makes me go over. I'd just try to save a little wiggle room from daytime calories for some stuff at night, but don't make yourself super hungry during the day just to do it. Try to keep your count in mind and think about how disappointing it is to do so great all day only to cave in the middle of the night. You could also buy some gum and chew it, which helps a lot. I drink diet soda sometimes when I want something that tastes sweet, and the carbonation usually makes me feel pretty full and not really wanting anything else. If you really absolutely have to eat something, try splitting it in half and forcibly making yourself throw away the other half. The first day that I gave up my desire to not waste food was the first of many days that I didn't eat a whole serving of something that wasn't good for me. Better wasted than waisted, especially if it's unhealthy. In the same vein, I'd try to get a bunch of stuff like carrots or frozen fruit, which are better in case you get the munchies.

amsomers510

Clean out your kitchen of foods that are tempting. If I have a bag of chips in the house, I eat them. So I just don't keep them in the house. I also realized the more protein I eat in the morning, the less likely I am to over eat throughout the day. You may be hypoglycemic. I am and I notice that when I eat sugar and anything high in simple carbohydrates I actually get hungrier. If I have a cinnamon roll for breakfast every morning I would be hungry in two hours. If I have eggs and bacon, I can wait 4 to 5 hours.
If this doesn't sound like you, you may enjoy chewing and be a volume eater. Try snacks like Annie's Whole Wheat Bunnies which have 52 crackers for a serving or Pirates booty which had 130 calories for about two cups of puffed corn. Try drinking hot herbal or green teas which are satisfying. Cut up carrots and celery or sunflower seeds in shell so you need to work to get them out. I would leave yourself 150-200 calories at night to enjoy. Just try and remember that 1200-1500 calories of lowfat and complex carbs is much more satisfying than just counting your calories.

florange323

I work nights and developed the same problem. When I came home I was wide awake and would munch. Since then, I have used that same energy to excercise (I use Comcast onDemand Fitness), shower, and pamper my senses with Victoria Secret lotions and body spray, plan my menu for the next day on MFP. and go to sleep (with the tv off).

milaxx

I too am a night owl. In fact I have a sleep disorder called delayed phase sleep dysphasia. Basically my body's natural rhythm is to sleep late and stay up all night. Needless to say, I am not a morning person. What I have found to nauseous. Then make sure you get in at least 2 snack during the day. I eat almonds, but only 10 - 12. Almonds are perfect because I can put them in ziplocks and stick them in my bag as I go throughout the day. Make lunch your biggest protien meal. I try to only drink water through out the day. When I am sitting by the computer at night I make sure to have my water bottle next to me and complete my water for the day I may add a bit of lemon or even a capful of natural apple cider vinegar (the kind with the mother in it). if all else fails I will drink a cup (8oz) of vanilla rice milk or almond w/ a sprinkle of nutmeg in it. As a special treat, )maybe once a month) I will buy the mini cioa bell sorbet cups.

My biggest aid was not to bring anything I tend to binge on in the house.

TommySalami

I work with a fitness trainer and nutritional specialist who owns her own gym and works both her job there and at my office. I told her that I had a problem eating late at night but was proud of myself that I was eating something like an apple or an orange which I thought was a great substitute for the cookie or other baked goodie and glass of milk. She said that actually isn't the best substitute, although it is better than what I had been eating. I guess eating sugar of any kind before bed messes up your metabolism.

She suggested protein. Chicken breast, hard boiled egg white, etc. It's 11pm here and I just had two hard boiled egg whites and some water. I feel satisfied and am headed off to bed with a clear conscience.

amysambora

thanks guys! thanks amysambora. its nice to kno im not the only one dealing w these issues and you give me hope that I can fix this problem

You sure can! It's not always easy - I still struggle with it. You'll have good days and bad days but there are lots of us in the same boat who can help you through!

janesmith1

Pop some popcorn in the microwave with one of those microwave popcorn things (no oil) then add garlic salt or an herbed salt to it. If you do use some of that yummy B vit powder stuff those things are high in cals just be careful of how much you put on them. The garlic salt and other herbed salts are next to nil in calories.

1 cup of popcorn = 61 cals

Brittany_Jane

My goodness Im friend requesting you right now for taking the words right out of my mouth about late night eating. Im a night person too and eating late (and all of the bad kinds of eating) gets me nearly every night! whether im watching the bad girls, or facebooking, or just bored, NOT EVEN HUNGRY but with a craving for something in my mouth, I must admit. I too am guilty of the late night munchies. lol. I started drinking hot tea/ theraflu/ or chugging water to avoid the urge. I recently picked up on this new gum that tastes like common desserts which is nice because its only 5 calories per stick of gum, and you`d be surprised how simply chewing reduces the urge to want to snack. Hope that helps!!

-BJ<3

ababygrace

I had the same problem when I started MFP. What helped me was to save calories for my late night snacking. I always plan my meals the day before, so I will plan popcorn, low-cal cereal, jello, etc. for that time every night. It has worked so far and I don't have that desire to binge at night either. My favorite snacks are popcorn, chocolate cheerios and special k crackers with laughing cow cheese. Hope this helps

salmonpi

I'll add another vote for popcorn and dry cereal. Clementines are also good 'cus the peeling and sectioning keeps your hands busy.

mouser3

It's nice to see that there are a lot of people out there that have the same issue I have, i keep an eye throught the day on my calories and hope that when that binge hour comes around I have some saved.. awful to say but it's tricky for me and i'm just starting hopefully this will soon pass!!