My lightbulb moment - a simple solution to my nighttime snac

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Val_from_OH
Val_from_OH Posts: 447 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
With two little ones to get ready for daycare, my mornings can be a little crazy. So, for the past 5 years, I have always packed their lunches the night before. This makes for an easier morning, but sometimes sabotages my calorie count because I'm hungry & just can't resist a slice of bologna or handful of chips.

Well duh! I finally figured out this week, that if I get their clothes ready and take my shower the night before, I have plenty of time to pack lunches in the morning. In the morning I'm not that hungry, and bologna and chips are simply not appealing at that time of day. If I slip and have a cookie, I just include it as part of my breakfast count and get on with my day. No more sabotaged evenings for me!

Replies

  • karilynn27
    karilynn27 Posts: 190 Member
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    Its really the simple things that help us out isn't it!:drinker:
  • Achoooo
    Achoooo Posts: 130
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    That is good, my nighttime eating is horrible! I always want to graze, and eat the strangest things :)
  • ♥♥YoungMrs♥♥
    ♥♥YoungMrs♥♥ Posts: 178
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    Good for you babe! Glad you got it figured out! Night time snacking can be very tempting..
  • kittyb1
    kittyb1 Posts: 42 Member
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    nice!! Another thing you can do....go to bed earlier. This way the temptation to eat is gone (your sleeping), you get your rest, can even get up earlier and you win all around! I had to do this to stop the snacking at night, I get up about an hour to hour and half earlier than I did before, and I get so much more done in the morning! Cheers
  • menchi
    menchi Posts: 297 Member
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    Great insight! I love that since I started changing my eating/exercise habits, I'm learning all these things about myself that I wouldn't have paid attention to before. I have late night munchies too, but it seems to be a timing thing (after midnight, I might be a gremlin) rather than a dealing with food thing. I've bee preparing my lunch and snacks in the morning because I like to pack cut fruits and carrots for snacking on and I don't want them to dry out overnight. I don't get tempted to eat the food I prep in the morning since I'm kind of half asleep (the danger is more that I have to wield the knife carefully) . Good luck and report back how it goes for you!
  • sallyeddins
    sallyeddins Posts: 2
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    Why is it so much more tempting to eat at night? Is it because we aren't getting enough calories during the day or just because we have less to do when we 'relax' at night? Thoughts?
  • Rockin23
    Rockin23 Posts: 59
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    Or you can brush your teeth before you make their lunches. That works for me, I never eat after I brush my teeth I like to keep them clen. :happy:
  • jkestens63
    jkestens63 Posts: 1,164 Member
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    Good thinking. The other thing that helps me is I plan to eat a lot of my calories during the evening hours. I know there are a lot of people who cringe at the thought but I believe it comes down to calories in vs. calories out. I am not nearly as hungry during the day as at night and of course have more things to occupy my hands and time during the day. So I have a fruit snack around 7p, eat dinner between 8 & 9p, have a bedtime snack (skim milk and usually a 100 calorie pack of something sweet, my reward for the day) before bed. And if with all that I still find myself wanting to graze, I have more fruit because even if I go over my calorie count with fruit, its really not going to hurt me. As you can see, this kind of plan hasn't hurt my weight loss.
  • redxmasqueen
    redxmasqueen Posts: 81
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    We all have our own hurdles and there is ALWAYS a solution, we just need to put on our thinking caps. Good job!!!
  • mommacool
    mommacool Posts: 138 Member
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    Nice to hear about a problem solved! I always had trouble cleaning up after dinner. I have teens that do most of it, but I always hung around and helped, and had another bite or two (or three...). I put my foot down, and told them "no more help from me" because it was sabotaging my eating. Sometimes the solution is right in front of us, we just need to recognize it!
  • NancySDA
    NancySDA Posts: 73 Member
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    Why is it so much more tempting to eat at night? Is it because we aren't getting enough calories during the day or just because we have less to do when we 'relax' at night? Thoughts?

    I read that lots of times when we snack it is out of boredom but most times it is because we are tired and just need sleep at that time. I know when I didn't have a family and dogs to take care of, I would go to bed earlier. I got plenty of sleep and I didn't eat as much. I had no problem controlling my weight then. I had more energy to be active.
  • NancySDA
    NancySDA Posts: 73 Member
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    Nice to hear about a problem solved! I always had trouble cleaning up after dinner. I have teens that do most of it, but I always hung around and helped, and had another bite or two (or three...). I put my foot down, and told them "no more help from me" because it was sabotaging my eating. Sometimes the solution is right in front of us, we just need to recognize it!

    I used to do that same thing...my son helps clear the table but I do most of it. I just got it into my head that if it wasn't on my plate I wouldn't eat it...if I was no longer sitting down at the table, I would not eat it. I make up 'rules' for myself in my head. LOL

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