How to stop habitual habits?

littlemissanguissette

**Title SHOULD be "habitual eating"....sorry, I'm tired. ***

I have food habits, and they're hard to break. I've managed to break many of them, if not all, but I always fail at breaking this one.

I have to eat a "snack" at night, like before I'm ready for bed. I've been doing it for years and years now, and I just can't break it! I did at one point, but then I was put on ambien and serequel and that went out the window. I was sleep eating!

Now, I ALMOST have the sleep eating under control, but I still want that "snack" before bed. I get agitated if I don't, I just don't know what to do with myself.

I've drank bottles of water, ate some baby carrots, drank more water, even drank crystal lite to see if that helps...It doesn't.

It doens't have to be a "bad" snack, I have been eating the Fiiber One Brownies, or the tiny one serving Dryer's ice cream, or a skinny cow sandwich.

How to stop that? Let myself be agitated and just suck it up and sleep? And hope the sleeping meds don't get me back up to eat? [I seriously have NO control over this...none.]

I'm just getting sick and tired of eating when i'm not hungry because it's habit.

ll31tCH

exercise more and then have that snack out of your extra calories

buttercup62999

Me personally I would just work it in my daily calories, sounds like you are making it a helathier snack, some people just do really well with routine and sometimes with mediactaions a little bit of food is a good thing.

dlj1970

I don't have a solution, but I can say that I'm in the same boat:blushing: I've taken to doing yoga at night- that way I eat before I go and then by the time I get home (around 9), I'm more ready for a shower and collapsing into bed. I also like drinking tea- brushing my teeth is another good 'trick'...but like you say...I've been doing it so long now, that it's hard to 'trick' myself!

will keep an eye on your post to watch for good suggestions dlj

nikki91950

they say it takes a certain number of consecutive days to break a habit, but i don't know how many days it is exactly.

i wish i had some good suggestions for you. maybe do whatever you possibly can right before bed to keep yourself distracted so you don't think about eating? watch tv, read, work out, listen to music, write in a journal…do something, anything to just keep yourself distracted. it's not the end of the world if you get irritated because you can't eat. you already said you're not doing it because you're hungry. tell that little voice in your head to shut up and get over itself because things need to change!

30tips

Is it really necessary to break this one? If you already made sure that what you ate was healthy it seems like it´s okay to do something that makes you feel comfortable.
If, on the other hand, you would like to know WHY you´re doing it, well that´s another matter. You could try writing about it? Write about how you feel after having your snack, how comfortable and safe you feel, if it reminds you of something. Then you could write how anxious and worried you are when you don´t get the snack... and so on.
Then again, if you have sleep meds aren´t you supposed to have food with medicine so it doesn´t upset your stomach?

Bridgetc140

Yeah, I with some of the other posters.....is it really that bad of a habit? If you choose something low calorie and healthy...what's the big deal? Just save yourself some calories or work out an extra 20 minutes for that snack. Hell, sometimes I will work out for an extra hour on days that I just feel super hungry to ensure that I'll have snack "money" for later!! lol

aeckels616

Yeah, I wouldn't worry about "breaking" the habit right now. Just start with changing it - which it sounds like you've already begun to do. Eat a snack that has a low glycemic index - so avoid sugar, bread, carrots, bananas, etc. That will make it more filling and less damaging to your blood sugar levels. Try things like a handful of almonds, a boiled egg, turkey/cheese roll-ups, plain yogurt with berries in it.

If I really get hit with a sweets craving before bed, I munch on strawberries with a dab of whipped cream. It's like dessert without the guilt of a bowl of ice cream.

buttecreekwoody

I've switched from a handful (or sometimes more than a handful) of chocolate chips to chocolate casein protein powder. It is long term protein powder so it is good for building muscles while you are resting. This gives me my evening and chocolate fix. It is also very filling like pudding. Note: Casein protein is NOT for weight loss alone but can be used in conjunction with exercise. I think it is about 160 calories and I usually mix it with skim milk for another 80 or 90. You can use water per the directions but I usually need another dairy.

I also think other people's suggestion to work whatever it is you eat in the eve/night into your daily caloric intake is a good idea.

ericzintx

Eat something that is high in fat and protein and has no carbs like a hunk of cheese. It should satiate your hunger, should help you get sleepy, and will help slow your body down so lipolysis during the night can begin. I've heard that casein helps too -- cottage cheese has some in it I believe. Just stay away from the sugar! You definitely won't sleep well with high blood sugar!

Hope you find something that works!

littlemissanguissette

Thank you for all the opinions and help!

I am going to try to make it relatively healthy, I'd love to get cheese because I love it.

The problem is, some of the side effects from my medications is short term amnesia, and sleep eating. So, it doesn't matter really, if my body gets up and does it, it does it!

One night I went to bed, then apparently [I was asleep, i have no memory of this] went out to the living room where my husband and roommate were watching tv. I sat down and starting talking to them, the roommate made a taco omellete for me, I ate that, watched some tv, then went to bed.

No memory of that, even now. I TOTALLY screw diets up because of this, but I have to be on these medications. I live alone now, so putting a lock on the fridge at night wouldn't do me any good because I know where the key is, obviously LOL

Pebble321

Wow, that sounds like a scary place to be, have you talked to your doctor about alternative meds that don't have these side effects?
I wonder whether it might be better to look at changing this habit rather than getting rid of it. Perhaps have some healthy snacks ready portioned out and easily accessible so you can choose between (for example) a few almonds, some grapes, a glass of skim milk etc.
I don't see that it is a bad habit in itself, I think routines are important when you have difficulties sleeping - maybe look at what relaxes you and try to do the same thing every night. Eg, a glass of milk, warm shower, off to bed etc.
Good luck!