ideas to help me stop late night eating

Nevertolate1

hello all need ideas-- such has what to eat during the day,,, or other tips to help me stop eating to much at night!!!!!!!! I do great during day and I do feel like i am eating enough, i.e. not staving myself,, but still over eat!

AngelaPowPowPOW

Paint your nails. I got this tip out of Shape magazine years ago, found it funny, but tried it and it's true. Not one woman on this planet is going to reach in a bag of chips with wet nails.

Enchantica

Hi
It might be helpful to open up your diary so people can see what you're eating so they can perhaps point you towards foods that might fill you up for longer. I'm usually in bed pretty early so I don't have to worry about late night eating - but it might be an idea to drink a glass of water when you get the munchies - just to fill you up a little without calories then if you still feel like picking why not try something like carrot sticks? I tend to get the munchies mid morning so I keep sugar free chewing gum in my bag and chew on that for a while.
Netty

Dawntodusk

Eat more protein, fat and (only) whole grains early in the day. Cut out sugar as much as you can. Sugar and carbs cause cravings. Sip herbal tea in the evening hours if you feel hungry. Drink plenty of water. If you must eat, make it an apple.

ChessRonin

You know, there's nothing wrong with eating late at night. As long as you log it and stay within your calories it's just fine.

Despite the inexplicably popular belief, your body expends calories not only while you're awake, but while you sleep as well! (astonished gasps? no? okay.)

So seriously, just make sure what you eat at night is healthy and in within your calorie budget.

DaddyMantz

Protein at every meal helps satiety a lot.

Cut your early meals in half and eat them like this: Half Breakfast upon waking, second half n 2-3 hours. Half lunch, second half in 2-3 hours, dinner - 1/6 plate protein, 1/6 plate starch, 2/3 plate fibrous veggies.
During dinner, plan your late snack and wait 1-2 hours for it. You know it's coming but since you planned it while you weren't hungry, it won't be too big.

Try this for 21 days and it will be a part of your muscle memory and a habit.

missy1970eb

water and a gd book

coralbeauty

Paint your nails. I got this tip out of Shape magazine years ago, found it funny, but tried it and it's true. Not one woman on this planet is going to reach in a bag of chips with wet nails.

Love it! Going to have to try it! (Water and a good book sounds great too!)

webdiva1

Water helps me, as does turning off all lights in my kitchen after dark. It's also a good thing for me psychologically to "turn in" my calories for the day by 7:00ish. Even though I know I *can* add things after that, I don't really want to.

msproducer

Try drinking a cup of water before your meals. Also, in the evening I sometimes drink green tea to keep me from snacking or chew sugar free gum. Brushing my teeth after a meal helps also, especially since I've always had an issue of wanting something sweet after I have dinner. It also helps to plan out your meals for the day, so you won't go over your calorie goal. The link below is to Tony Horton's Fat Shredder Meal plan that is included with the P90 workout series.

http://teambeachbody.com/home/-/dl_get_file/32ea4c06-2287-4660-8adc-8db758929d28

Welcome to MFP!

Sharon

ChessRonin

Protein at every meal helps satiety a lot.

Cut your early meals in half and eat them like this: Half Breakfast upon waking, second half n 2-3 hours. Half lunch, second half in 2-3 hours, dinner - 1/6 plate protein, 1/6 plate starch, 2/3 plate fibrous veggies.
During dinner, plan your late snack and wait 1-2 hours for it. You know it's coming but since you planned it while you weren't hungry, it won't be too big.

Try this for 21 days and it will be a part of your muscle memory and a habit.

I eat every three hours, including before bed. Your body needs you to feed it every three hours or so. (More or less depending on activity levels and other needs). Do this, drink lots of water, and plan on eating before bed. Allow yourself enough calories to eat when you're hungry in the evening.

Again, it's OKAY to eat before bed or late night. Seriously, it's a myth and just not true that eating late night hurts your weight-loss or metabolism. What IS bad is eating late at night when you haven't allotted yourself those calories, and it's even worse when you try to starve yourself before bed and end up giving into the cravings and eating something unhealthy.

So again, it's OKAY to eat late night. Plan a snack or small meal and stay within your calories.

broadsword7

If I must have a snack after my evening meal, I am finding it helpful to have four carrot sticks and about five almonds (unsalted). That may not sound like much but take it from me--I am a very big guy (6'2" and currently 243 lbs) and believe me, it's plenty. All the suggestions you have received so far seem really good to me...especially the one about avoiding cheap high carbs (simple carbs) and processed sugar at any time. At ANY time. Think of those things as very toxic to your health goals. Keep yourself focused on your own personal goal. I am no expert but I have been taking a run at this now for two weeks and tracking my food intake and my cardio exercise on this site has helped tremendously. Every time I get the hunger pangs, I take a drink of water and remind myself of my goal. Think of all the benefits that achieving your goal will bring to your life. Let those thoughts remind you that you are on the right path. If you were not on the right path, you would not feel the hunger! If that gets too zen or kung fu, eat the carrot sticks and almonds.

dls06

I am a late night eater too. I know I wil always be this way so I just give in to it.
I don't eat breakfast. I'm not hungry. I think it is because I eat late at night.
I eat lunch. Sandwich on low cal, low carb pita or tortilla with mustard or 1/2 tbls mayo and add lots of lettuce, tomato, pickles, hot peppers or soup. Watch the salt.
For dinner I eat a balance of meat, starch and vegies.
I wait to have a salad after dinner ( 2-3cups) but I only use 1 tbls. of dressing. Full fat because lower fat has more carbs.
I eat Popcorn almost every night. Jollytime has a popcorn that is weight watcher approved. I can have 5 cups, 1/2 the bag.
I save the other for the next day for snacking. It's not great but it's guilt free.
After that I have 1 oz of sharp cheddar cheese cut small with wheatable crackers and some grapes, or some activia yogurt with thawed frozen blueberries or a fat free hunts snack pack pudding with 1 whole honey gram cracker. I may also pick on some left over chicken from the frig. but I only have oz.. I don't keep anything in the house that I can get too when I'm on my binges. If it's not here I can't eat it. That's the key. I find if I pick without eating a large amount I fell satisfied and I come in under calories and carbs most days. I have lost 30 lbs. without exercise. I know everyone say's you need breakfast but I have never wanted to eat before noon. I have always ate this way and only started putting on weight since going through menapause.
Getting old sucks but it beats the alternative! Good luck.

ChessRonin

Think of all the benefits that achieving your goal will bring to your life. Let those thoughts remind you that you are on the right path. If you were not on the right path, you would not feel the hunger! If that gets too zen or kung fu, eat the carrot sticks and almonds.

Both of those things are good, and you should practice both of them. A healthy snack in the evening as well as good mental and spiritual discipline all day.

Basically, effective meal planning should not give you a 6 hour stretch where you are not eating. Make the size of your meals smaller and spread them out more.

Barelmy

Hi
It might be helpful to open up your diary so people can see what you're eating so they can perhaps point you towards foods that might fill you up for longer. I'm usually in bed pretty early so I don't have to worry about late night eating - but it might be an idea to drink a glass of water when you get the munchies - just to fill you up a little without calories then if you still feel like picking why not try something like carrot sticks? I tend to get the munchies mid morning so I keep sugar free chewing gum in my bag and chew on that for a while.
Netty

I'm the opposite; I tend to work evenings, so I end up snacking at 2am.

If you know you're going to be hungry in the evening and want something to eat, don't fight it. Plan out low-cal versions of your favourites, and save up some calories for it.

If you're not actually hungry and just eating out of habit/boredom, try switching your routine about a bit? Maybe the nail painting would help.

Nevertolate1

Try drinking a cup of water before your meals. Also, in the evening I sometimes drink green tea to keep me from snacking or chew sugar free gum. Brushing my teeth after a meal helps also, especially since I've always had an issue of wanting something sweet after I have dinner. It also helps to plan out your meals for the day, so you won't go over your calorie goal. The link below is to Tony Horton's Fat Shredder Meal plan that is included with the P90 workout series.

http://teambeachbody.com/home/-/dl_get_file/32ea4c06-2287-4660-8adc-8db758929d28

Welcome to MFP!

Sharon

Thanks, I bought the p90x workout,, it is killer

Nevertolate1

Thanks all
Will try all of them,,,,, painting nails sounds good,, can get my nails into shape as I get into shape.....

fantomette

If you like popcorn, in stores they sell machines to make AIR-POPPED popcorn. I think those machines are around 20 $ (don't know exactly: I've had mine for 20 years).
Air-popped popcorn are perfect for late night cravings:

Serving: 1 cup
Calories: 31 (YES!!!!)
Fat: 0.4g
Carbs: 6.2g
Protein: 1g

What I do is put just a tiny bit of melted butter+salt on my freshly made popcorn and then I close the lid of the bowl and shake it so I have butter and salt on every popcorn.

calliope_music

some people say this doesn't work, but i brush my teeth! the only thing that tastes good to me is water after i do that

PattiK7

....need help...i eat every night...and hate myself every morning.
.....i cannot loose weight if I don't stop this.....HELP!!!!!
Patti

auntiejack

This may sound a bit crazy but I clean the kitchen and put everything away. This way when I go into the kitchen part of me doesn't want to make it diry and untidy again

SDHudgins1976

Cut your early meals in half and eat them like this: Half Breakfast upon waking, second half n 2-3 hours. Half lunch, second half in 2-3 hours, dinner - 1/6 plate protein, 1/6 plate starch, 2/3 plate fibrous veggies.
During dinner, plan your late snack and wait 1-2 hours for it. You know it's coming but since you planned it while you weren't hungry, it won't be too big.

OH I know the truth, you're actually a hobbit.
First Breakfast, Second Breakfast, Elevensies...




(This is actually a great idea.. It just made me think of Lord of the Rings )