I struggle in the evenings

mav1729

My biggest struggle is in the evenings......does anyone have any tips?

therealangd

I do my exercise in the evenings so that takes up some of the time. I also eat in the evenings. I plan for it. I don't agree with the no eating after such and such a time.

pa_jorg

Evenings are hardest for me too. Make sure to get whatever your weakness is out of the house (mine is ice cream) and after a while it gets easier. Not easy, just easier...

allison0820

I struggle with the same thing... I do soooo good all day long and then at night is when I blow it!!! So I feel ya pain!

mindspinmegs311

I've been having that struggle too. I find that if I eat smaller meals throughout the day, and eat one in the evening, I'm less tempted to snack and binge before bed. I also try to sip on flavored or plain water when I get a craving for something sweet (that's what happens to me in the evenings) and that sometimes helps.

dakmom

I have horrible cravings in the evening, but have found that drinking an 8 oz. glass of milk really helps a lot. Good luck and keep up the good work!

StephnElbow

evenings are the worse. I just try to remind myself of what I have already accomplished during the day. Especially if i worked out, because you dont wanna cancel out all of the good work you did earlier. I try to keep my hands busy, do the dishes, clean, get a small hobby, read. If you keeps yours hands busy you wont have anything to eat with lol. Personally i often paint my nails because then you cant touch anything for awhile.

Gee45

I make sure to have a snack worked into my day for the evening. Something I really enjoy. If I'm extra hungry I make sure to have something more filling for the evening. Like a cup of pumpkin mixed with sf butterscotch pudding mix, cinnamon and pumpkin spice with cool whip on top. Pomegranate takes awhile to eat. Popcorn can be satisfying. Make plain popcorn, use a oil spray on it and then put whatever spices you like on.

If you are staying away from foods at night, then herbal tea might help. Try to find something distracting to do that you will enjoy.

Night time is hard, that's for sure.

joannnolley

I walk on the treadmill every night for 30 minutes between 8-10. This is normally the time when I want to snack but it takes away my craving. This is the only thing that has ever fixed this life long problem for me.

mkmacf

Like other posters said, I do my exercising in the evening. Then I am not hungry and don't want to ruin my good work. Also, I close out my diary for the day. I know you can add afterwards, but mentally that lets me know that my eating is done for the day.

TonyaLBC

The evening is when I struggle the most, as well.

I have finally found something that works for me: I MUST plan my meals out - at least a day in advance - in order to be successful. I plan the meals, enter them into my foo diary, so I'll know how many calories I have. In that plan, I include the food that I love - I don't cheat myself, but I must account for those higher calorie foods, so that I don't find myself, at the end of the day, wanting food, and having spent all of my daily calories.

In addition, I try to leave 100 - 200 calories left over, just in case - and I usually try to fill that up with fruit. Even if I have reached my daily limit, and just have to have something else, I satiate the something else with my favorite fruit.

And I can't keep those "binge" foods in the house - the foods that I love so much that I can't have just a little - I'll eat an entire bag of chips or cookies or drink a couple sodas - so those are banned from my house!

A little practice will help you determine what will work best for you.

jenna25

I have the same issue, i could have a perfect day with eating and burned 600 cals in cardio and then night comes and i could devour my whole kitchen. I really like the idea about working out at night i think i may try this also eating smaller meals through out the day has helped me also! Glad others can relate, its time to end this habit for me!

Captain_Tightpants

Evenings are hardest for me too. Even if I have a late dinner (say 8pm), by 10pm I'm hungry and I can't get to sleep hungry. That's when my biggest temptation snack calls - cheese sandwich!

My new trick (doesn't always work) is to have a big glass of water with a couple of spoons of benefiber in it at about 9pm - that fills me up nicely, hopefully until the cravings go away.

april_beth

are you struggling with sweets, snacks, just plain old boredom?

cause you can do what i do - buy hot atomic fire balls - three for 70 calories - eat those slowly and you might not even need another one afte rhte first one but you know you get three for that amount - your mouth will be too hot to want to eat anything else and youll kick your sweets craving

*says she as she's sucking on one right now*

Believeth64

I do my exercise in the evenings so that takes up some of the time. I also eat in the evenings. I plan for it. I don't agree with the no eating after such and such a time.

I agree with you, because i found a lot of experts say, calories in calories out. Now some say don't eat high fat food close to bedtime i don't know, i just eat my calories and see what the scale show.

fnlewis13

Me too!!!! I "eat clean" for breakfast, lunch and most of the times dinner...but after dinner and bedtime....it's over! It's like a horrible addiction to snacks and unhealthy foods!

aranchmom

I just save enough cals for the evning - cause I can't resist temptation. :ohwell: But who am I to give advice? I haven't lost much so far...

CharityEaton

I do it all...that should tell you how bad my habit is! I jog on the treadmill for 30 min. between 8-10pm, 3 times a week. I also try the tall glass of water trick. Most of the time I have to decide if I really need the snack OR if I THINK I need it.....most of the time I just want it.
I grew up with ice cream as a bedtime snack....horrible habit and now I fight it like crazy. I keep lowfat frozen yogurt on hand and wait until I just can't stand it anymore and then I give in and have exactly one serving(1/2 cup). I usually "earn" the extra calories for this treat and I am desperatley trying to kick the habit...down to just a few nights a week. One thing I am working on is switching from frozen yogurt to the Greek yogurt with fruit or honey in them. I add one tbsp. of Hershey's Special Dark chocolate chips(these taste the best to me) to it. Gives you the perfect snack and it is loaded with protein, no fat...does have sugar but hey, I'm trying!



Forgot to add that I have tried eating more during the early part of the day and then just lean meat and veggies for dinner...seems like if I let myself eat the snack foods earlier in the day then I don't want them later AND I have plenty of time to exercise extra if needed!
It just stinks to work hard all day and mess it up later in the evening but I don't believe in noteating the things you want to, just have to make it all balance out.

madubil

I struggle at night too- so I try to do things for myself- like take a bath, read a book, watch tv- BUT I brush my teeth at about 7 to try to prevent myself from eating. Now that its colder out- bubble baths have been a big thing for me- I try to take a bubble bath at about 8, watch tv and then go to bed around 10. I think its hard for me bc its when I have down time, and am maybe bored and start roaming for snacks.. Chewing gum, playing a silly putty - or crazy arons thinking putty- is a great way for ME to keep my hands busy- and I find if my hands are busy I dont nibble. But water is also a great fix.

chriscoates7025

Same problem here!! I can do realy good all day and wreck it in the evening

tannerjared

I have had the same problem. I try drinking alot of water in the evenings. like 50 ounces. that seems to do the trick. also keeps you hydrated through the night when your body is healing. I sometimes take a protein shake if im feeling really hungry.

Steph62002

I eat a high protein snack around 3pm and then eat dinner around 6pm. I normally stick to grilled fish or chicken, brown rice and veggies. Sometimes I will pop a piece of gum in my mouth when I get home and start cooking, b/c that keeps me from wanting to nibble on stuff.
After dinner I stay busy with the kids and doing light housework. I will also drink a cup of hot green tea, this helps with cravings too.
If I am still hungry right before bed, I will fix a protein shake or eat a bowl of fruit with some almonds. Hope this helps!

Drew497

I struggle all the time, not just in the evenings. However, I know what you mean. You sit around, probably watching tv, and those chips... they're waiting for you inside that cabinet!
Whenever this happens to me, I just think the same thing...
"Is it really worth it? Having those chips, that will taste good for five minutes, but give me 10,000 calories and ruin my days work? I think not! Hand me an apple!"
So just think about that. Why enjoy something for 5 minutes, that hurts you in the long run?
Good luck!

BobbyClerici

HELLO!
You been reading my mail?

The evenings are a killer for me, or at least they used to be.
I LOVE that stuffed feeling as I fall asleep...lol

I actually used to wait for everybody to go to sleep, then rush down and have supper all over again. Or I'd sneak out to the mid-night McD drive through. It was bad, and today on my "free day" I always give it a go for old time sake.

When I started losing weight, my hunger would BURN at night, and I was just miserable. Some nights I just couldn't make it, and I'd fail, making a rooting hog of myself. What happened was that in time, it just got better. It took time, and I had to go to bed hungry some nights.

Today, I eat a snack an hour before bed, and all is well. It shall get better - hang in there!

ratherbeskiing

I got 25 cal hot coco. It help because it is warm but gives me that full feeling... (swiss miss)

taso42

eat lighter throughout the day; save the calories so you can do most of your eating in the evening.

Rocnut

Make your biggest meal breakfast. Oatmeal, egg whites, fruit, and maybe some coffee or juice. Revs up your metabolism, curves hunger pangs mid morning til afternoon. Have a sensible lunch that is not loaded with saturated fat.

If you dictate what your tummy is telling you throughout the day by controlled eating of the right portions and types of food, your dinner should be enough to top you off for the day (chicken breast + brown rice).

The trick is to never go empty. Eat a carrot low fat cheese string. I eat cottage cheese or beef jerky. If you don't go empty during the day, you won't have that binge/crave at night nave feel more sense of accomplishment.

When I do crave in the evenings, I toss down an extra shaker full of protein shake.

ingfit

I too have this problem. So I have allocated upto 300 cals for that time and usually make hot green tea. I'll mix 1 T almond butter with 1 T cocoa powder and a little skim milk to help blend and warm slightly in the microwave. Then I add frozen fruit like berries or half banana and top with greek yogurt or lite cool whip (whatever I have on hand). It fullfils the creamy, sweet and good fat/chocolate fix.

CaptainGordo

eat lighter throughout the day; save the calories so you can do most of your eating in the evening.

Yep. Don't fall for the "don't eat after X pm" myth. Here's some info: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/390149-should-i-eat-at-night

Rocnut

eat lighter throughout the day; save the calories so you can do most of your eating in the evening.

I would not do that. Eat more at the start of the day and spread it out throughout the day evenly after breakfast. Just eat the right type of breakfast. Not fatty sausages and syrup soaked pancakes. Something with alot of fiber like multigrain waffles with light preservatives and no butter.

edit: appear those with "sweet toothes" are more apt to fall into this category.

CaptainGordo

Eat more at the start of the day and spread it out throughout the day evenly after breakfast.

Don't fall for the "you have to eat smaller meals spread out" myth either. Some info: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/397321-should-i-eat-lots-of-smaller-meals