Advice for not snacking at night!

Jb8885

Hey everyone! I'm new to MFP and I love it! I do awesome all day and workout regularly, but my problem is at night...some nights I take in 600 calories alone! I'm a hairstylist and work a lot of evenings..so when I come home I'm hungry and tired and I guess I look to food to 'unwind". I usually have 200 calories leftover so then I let myself have something...but then that turns into one more thing...and one more thing...and so on. Any tips for not eating at night?! Thanks

Latinksmile

I go through the same thing. I usually have 500 calories to go between the hours of 5-10pm and can dig into stuff i shouldn't... like chocolate. I can't wait to hear what people have to say!

Newfiedan

the reason is a blood sugar dip at night, start looking for a means to fill it with good nutrition, this why I like later workouts, it curbs that snack need and I get to fill it with a choc milk and protein shake post workout.

Fairlyfamous

I do the same thing. It's definitely hard to not eat right before bed. Maybe try drinking some tea? I find that usually fills me up. Or if you have to eat, try chocolate ricecakes, that way if you eat more than one it doesn't undo the whole day.

JennsLosing

i usually try to chew gum and drink water...i figure that 5 calorie stick of gum is way better than 500 calorie of cheese cake or something lol

jenniefromtherock

Eat your 200 calories and go to bed is my advise! I know some people need time to unwind before being able to go to sleep, but if you can get yourself to go to bed thats about the only thing I can think of. Thats what I do!

TiDinzeo

Try eating smaller meals and adding low calorie snacks in between. That way your blood sugar doesn't vary as much and you're less inclined to binge in the evening.

baisleac

My advice would be either to go for a high fiber/protein snack or, if you consistently eat the same number of calories when you get home, plan to have that many left at the end of the day (try to make them healthy calories though). :bigsmile:

melibea

I stuff myself with mixed veggies at dinner so I will be really full until bed time. Late night snacking was my main problem but not anymore!

fitinyoga14

There's no reason to avoid eating at a time that you feel hungry and tired. I would say your best bet is to leave room in your allowance for a meal, even if its a lighter one, and prepare yourself a meal when you get home at night. Place everything you plan to eat on a table and sit down to enjoy the meal. Concentrate on eating rather than going on the computer or watching t.v. Then you are more likely to feel full and you won't have to make any more trips back to the fridge. Make sure you choose filling foods rather than snacky-type foods and empty carbs.

diameterk

Hi! The best thing for my midnight snack craving is sugar free dark chocolate pudding with lite cool whip. It fills me up because it is made with milk and I think it helps me to sleep. The cool whip is the best part, it masks the sugar free taste. It's a great way to fill up and a nice treat.

I make sure I eat lots of cucumbers with a bit of salt and apple cider vinegar also. The water helps to fill you up. Good Luck!

sglover14

blend a scoop of chocolate protein shake, a frozen banana, and some berries together - sweet and healthy!!

Jb8885

i never heard of the cucumber thing im going to try that! Thanks

Jb8885

haha yeah right! and now theyhave those "dessert" flavored gums lol...made for people like me i guess

lklein

For late night snacking, I rely on fruits and veggies. This way you are at least getting something healthy, and if you need the sugar fix, fruit is a better option than chocolate. For my veggies, I either eat them plain or dip them in my home made hummus or in a little bit of light ranch dressing. If you are really craving something sweet try the frozen peanut butter cups that are posted on here; they are only about 55 calories- Here the recipe for you.

1- 8oz container of fat free cool whip
3 tbsp of peanut butter
chocolate syrup

mix together cool whip and peanut butter (don't over mix if using hand mixer). Divide in lined cup cake tin (12) and drizzle a little chocolate on top. Freeze. They should be ready to eat in a few hours. Enjoy!

farley4west

Hi, I'm new to posting and myfitnesspal but not to my weight loss journey. I have lost 30.8 pounds since January 3, 2011. My personal trainer told me to eat a minimum of 6 times a day. At first I did not do this and did not do so well as I too would snack snack snack at night. However, I found that eatting small low cal snacks and/or meals every 2-3 hours means (for me at least) I'm not hungry at night. I even brake my meals up. So if I normally have a whole pita ham and salad sandwich with baked cheetos and fruit for lunch I now brake that meal up in to two to three eatting sessions. I don't know if this will work for everyone but it sure is working for me. Hope this will help some of you lose your cravings at night.

Jb8885

The blood sugar dip makes since because I'm usually working till 9 and eat dinner around 5-6..so by the time I get home I'm of course hungry again but exhausted so I just grab easy stuff. Maybe I should eat a minie dinner at 4 and another mini one around 8?

Newfiedan

I have learned about this stuff and yes it makes total sense, just prep for it with planning, to avoid that quick fix you go for.

Jb8885

Thats a good idea Farley! Sometimes I sit and have a meal and then i feel sluggish or too full after. I'm going to try that! Thanks! And congrats on the weight loss!!!

baisleac

haha yeah right! and now theyhave those "dessert" flavored gums lol...made for people like me i guess

The Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream one is the best... the others tend to get "tough" too quickly. *is using for smoking cessation instead of craving fulfilling*

Jb8885

ummm those PB cups sound amazing lol...def trying that

Pough2007

Not sure if like pickles, but when you eat a pickle , it takes your taste bug. it makes everything else taste awful. lol

scubacat

Nightime snacking has been a big problem for me as well. I try not to snack at night because its too hard to stop. One of the things that have helped distract me from wanting snacks is by keeping my hands busy with other activities such as crafts. I allow myself one TV show per night and will crochet during that time so my hands are busy, just not busy putting something into my mouth. You could also try "me time" at night by doing something like giving yourself a facial or manicure/pedicure. I also like to workout at night because I know that once I have put effort into a workout, I don't want to ruin that feeling by eating something I shouldn't. I also drink a lot of water at night or have a cup of herbal tea. My last trick is that once my calories for the day are gone, I brush my teeth right away, which deters me from eating anything else.

kallen02

I find that when I eat a really good breakfast with protein then I dont crave as much at night. Not sure why im guessing its because my body is getting what it needs so I dont have as bad of cravings at night. Try eating smaller meals throughout the day and after dinner you should be satisfied enough to not feel like you have to eat.

rklein88

I put a slim fast shake in the freezer for 2-3 hours and open it from the bottom and pour into a glass to eat as a frozen shake. It's partially slushy, very filling, and feels like I got to eat ice cream

regentin

I have been doing green tea...I also add a fruit flavored tea bag so it actually has flavor. If I get hungry, I turn the water on and by the time it heats up and I drink it all...sometimes an hour will pass, and it seems to take the cravings away!

Jb8885

oooh i like the slim fast ice cream thing! thanks!