No more night time snacks!

balancingpineapples

Since I have started to monitor what I eat more closely, I have found that it is REALLY difficult to knock out the late night snacking. My husband works an entirely different schedule than I do and if we were to eat together, I would not be eating dinner until after 10pm every night-- which, I have done in the past, and I know is incredibly unhealthy! I have started eating my dinner between 5-7pm but everynight when he gets home it KILLS me that I cannot have anything to eat! I dont want a full meal, but I really REALLY would like to have a snack.

I'm a night owl, and I'm finding it really hard to just SHUT DOWN all cravings and hunger after 7pm. Are there any suggestions out there? Anything really good to preoccupy my time with--- some kind of magic food that wont bust my day?! (ha. ha.)

Thanks everybody!

bbygrl5

Just restructure your plan to allow for nighttime snack(s) within calorie goal. It doesn't hurt to eat before bed, in fact if you're eating protein, you will slow muscle loss, which happens more during our nighttime 'fast'.

mkennedym

night time snacks aren't as bad as everyone makes them out. frankly, the most important thing for you to do is not go over your goal calories for the day. if you are using 2400 calories a day and you eat 1400 calories a day, you are at -1000 calories for the day, and you will lose weight, even if you eat 200 calories right before you go to bed.

http://www.daveywaveyfitness.com/nutrition/myth-busted-should-you-not-eat-before-bed/

the point of the article is not to eat crap before bed, but something healthy and that will fill you up. eat something high in fiber and low in "added sugar." something like what is on this site.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-fiber-foods/NU00582

JustJenn419

Bump! I'm right there with you. Night time is when I find myself binging on junk. I'd love to see the responses you get from this.

FireRox21

Personally, I don't buy into the whole not eating after a certain time of night thing. If you are feeling hungry, then your body is telling you something. My fiance is up at 0130 hrs and has to be at work by 0300 hrs. And as I'm making his lunch for the day, I get snacky/hungry. I drink a glass of water and if I am still feeling hungry, I will eat some fruit or a tablespoon of peanut butter.

I have just never believed that you should deprive your body of nourishment just because of a number on a clock.

mageepilot

I don't want to give up my snack at night. We eat early and I am hungry later! I just budget calories for a snack after dinner and am not having trouble losing. I am trying to find some low sugar ones now. I was thinking about oatmeal, an apple with a little peanut butter, a piece of toast with peanut butter. Good luck!

Lollyvoddy

I agree with what everyone else says. As long as you are not over your calories, time makes no difference. Once I hit my calorie allowance for the day I brush, floss and mouthwash, trying to let my body know that the eating is done.

Lisamariemlt

if you stay within your calories
no problem eating whenever is my thought and theory

I have planned my midnight snacks into my meal allowance for the day
if I've ate after midnight
it's still on the day before

it's been working so far
if I plan it's not crap I'm eating and it's all good

LadyOfOceanBreeze

i believe the general rule is to try to stop eating 3 hours before bedtime so that your body doesn't use it's rest-time to digest food. you say you're a nightowl so i would say if you are awake with your hubby until 1 or 2 am then you are in the safe zone for sure.

for me your post is quite timely because i decided late last week to stop eating "mini meals" after work. i get home after 10 pm and i was regularly eating leftover potatoes or artichokes w/sauce or frozen corn w/butter or tortillas w/cheese (you get the idea)...so i decided NO MORE. now when i get home i head right for the teakettle and make a cup of chamomile tea. calms my nerves and helps me fall asleep as i read my novel!

i'd say you're doing just fine, try evening yoga to burn a few calories and wind down. nothing extra crazy just some stretching. takes my mind off food!!!

:flowerforyou:

AmyJoMartens

bump

sctracy

I have the same problem. I eat dinner at around 7:30 every night and don't get in bed until at least 11:00...that's too many hours for me not to eat! I'll have something sweet right after dinner, then maybe a 100 calorie bag of popcorn an hour or so later, and then I need to end the night with something chocolately. I'm bad with that!

BUT...I keep telling myself that I will fine-tune my after-dinner snacking as soon as the weight-loss slows and, so far, it hasn't. So I figure: as long as I've budgeted for it, and as long as it isn't something terrible, then I'm not going to beat myself up over it.

cmatthews02

I read an article in Men's Health about two years ago that discussed food myths. It said that eating after 7pm is not actually bad for you. I will admit that I am no expert, nor did I do more research but I like the idea.
As another post suggest, restructure your individual meal calories so that you can eat a nighttime snack. Remember they say to eat more smaller meals to keep your metabolism going. I've taken up eating Fiber One 90 calorie bars in the evenings because they are pretty filing and kinda dessert like (I only crave chocolate when I am watching what I eat). They are not overloaded with calories either so you don't feel as guilty for eating it.

ronda_gettinghealthy

I like the vita top muffins- i always try to save a couple hundred cals for after dinner

helloiloveukitty

When its late and I'm wanting to snack but can't I'll go take a bath or try on clothes. Being naked makes me realize how much I would rather look hot naked instead of have that snack.

balancingpineapples

Thanks everyone! I've been about 200-300 calories (sometimes a lot more when I add in my exercise calories) below what I should be taking in. I was just SO PARANOID about messing everything I did throughout the day up by eating after a certain hour based on what I have been told by people in the past. I think I'm going to go eat some fruit!

navvs15

No, it doesn't matter you eat at 10 or 11 PM, it makes no difference as long as your snacking fits into your calorie goal for the evening. I'm a night owl, so I tend to snack at night.So, I tend to horde my calories for night time. I only *try* not to eat directly before going to bed, but even I sometimes do that myself.

ambi2k

When its late and I'm wanting to snack but can't I'll go take a bath or try on clothes. Being naked makes me realize how much I would rather look hot naked instead of have that snack.

Love it

lesliekae

It's natural that if you are up late you will eventually feel some sort of hunger. There is a hormone our bodies produce called ghrelin that is a strong stimulant for appetite and one of it's peak times is around midnight. If you are up that late you are likely going to feel the urge to rumage through your fridge. The best way to avoid caving to the urge is to get yourself to bed before that peak. However, many of us can or do not go to bed soon enough. Just try to find something that will not load you up on carbs if it is close to your bed time.

eeeekie

i eat late...sometimes up till 1pm but im always within my allowance set by mfp. i've never been stalled but then again I just started not too long ago. I've heard it's not bad to eat before bed...a lot more since i've been on here.