Too hungry to sleep?!?

tashajayne2011

OK so "hungry" is not a feeling I have had to deal with over the past few years (ok a decade but who's counting?) but I do realise that in order to lose nearly half my body weight I am going to have to be hungry sometimes. I have no issue with that.

Yesterday though I fell off the wagon a little, not as bad as it could have been but still.. and the reason? SLEEP! or lack of it at least.
When I have a "good" day and avoid snacks etc I find that I am actually too hungry to sleep. Is this normal? Do I need to just man up or can you guys suggest what I should have to munch on when I feel this way?

bekisimpkins

Could you try cutting an apple up and having that before you go up to bed? It should keep your body ticking over without being detrimental to your weight loss.

Sometimes if I'm hungry, I take a glass of milk up with me. Seems to help (as long as I can fall asleep quickly).

maidentl

I'd be hungry too if I ate less than 1000 calories. Those aren't "good" days, those are you not eating enough. Eat! Have a bedtime snack.

mybeat

I like the milk idea, or depending on how strict you are being with your calorie counting, you can get prepackaged fruits and nuts from Trader Joe's that have 220 cal per package. I eat that before bed sometimes when I am starving. Good luck!

xSophia19

if youhave enough calories left - make ur self a cup a soup, something light and warm and it may help you to doze off. if not, drink a nice warm cup or hot chocolate or horlicks

hope this helps

countrygirl812

I looked at your food diary, and unless you forgot to log a ton of stuff yesterday, you NEED to eat!

MamaDee2

I looked at your diary and looks like you need to eat more and especially more protein. Just a suggestion

jdawson1

I have the exact same problem....I take ambien to help me sleep at night, and I wonder if that makes it worse. I take the ambien and then I am so hungry and sleepy....and then I start eating, and suddenly I don't care about the work I have done all day anymore. It is insane....
I am listening for answers from everyone! Anyone had this experience with Ambien? And that may not even be it.....maybe by 10pm I just lose all control, I don't know!!!
Let me know if you find any good answers!!

JackieLM

Do a veggie.... veggies are hardly any calories and will give you that "satisfying" feeling enough to fall asleep. Whenever you feel hungry, grab a little veggie snack. If you continue to "go without" your weight loss journey will be a short one because you will feel like it is too hard or that you are depriving yourself of food, which isn't healthy or fun. Also, sugar free jello is a great trick too... only 10 calories and it makes me feel like I am getting a desert. LOL. Just remember not to starve yourself because it will defeat the purpose... small little meals and snacks throughout the day. Breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner... and if you wanna add another snack before bed, you can... again, veggies can be your best friend. examples: cut up celery, baby carrots.

adlwilmot

Very rarely do I experience hunger pangs that stop me from sleeping, but the few times I have, it's been sheer torture so I know where you're coming from. Given I've only experienced this feeling a handful of times, I think it's pretty fair to say that those are times when our body is demanding we EAT!

If you're experiencing it on a regular basis, then I concur with what others have said, and that's that you need to up your calorie intake. Nowadays it's very rare that those of us in the Western world actually experience hunger, so if you're feeling it regularly, there's something very wrong.

You'll find a healthy balance with a bit of experimentation :-)

Chairless

If you stick around here long enough sooner or later you will read someone post "If the problem isnt hunger the answer isnt food". This is true as you should only eat to give yourself fuel when trying to lose weight.

If you are genuinely hungry then you need to eat, its as simple as that, you just need to eat the right things, i wont patronise you by listing a load of stuff but there are literally thousands of ways to silence hunger for less than 100 cals.

classycouture

It's a vicious circle. If you don't sleep, you are more hungry, if you are hungry, you don't sleep. Maybe an hour or two before bed, prepare yourself some tea and a healthy snack, something to take the edge off, and hopefully you'll be able to sleep.

JackieLM

OH... and also Tuna... they make little pouches of tuna now that don't stink as bad... GREAT source of protein (18 grams)... low cals (80). you can mix in a little bit of light mayo/miracle whip if you don't like the taste of tuna by itself. This is a great snack before bed too because that protein will make you feel full...

Bentley2718

This happens to me when I don't eat enough, specifically I wake up in the middle of the night starving and can't go back to sleep until I eat. The solution is to make sure you're eating enough during the day, particularly fiber and protein. When I do wake up like that, I try to eat some veggies or something reasonably healthy.

JackieLM

If you stick around here long enough sooner or later you will read someone post "If the problem isnt hunger the answer isnt food". This is true as you should only eat to give yourself fuel when trying to lose weight.

If you are genuinely hungry then you need to eat, its as simple as that, you just need to eat the right things, i wont patronise you by listing a load of stuff but there are literally thousands of ways to silence hunger for less than 100 cals.

Actually, she is asking for ideas of what to eat... I would love to hear more ideas of things to eat for under 100 cals... what do you have? (not being sarcastic... I am actually asking... :-) )

sweetsarahj

You might be eating less, but you're eating the wrong stuff. Start eating lean meats, fruits and veggies and stop eating take out and drinking soda and you'll be able to eat a larger quantity of food. You shouldn't be so hungry you can't sleep.

MrsJanay

I had the same problem. Every night before bed I eat a high protien snack. Protien burns fat when you sleep . . . . I eat a think of greek yogurt (make sure its plain without sugar) I add splenda, cinnamon and fresh fruit! Its really good. Coming from someone who is obessed with sweets, I prefer that over a cupcake )

eelstail

I had a similar experience with Ambien. I would also get up and sleep walk and eat after I had been taking it for an extended time (Ambien is only meant to be taken for 10 days). I took it every night for years. I finally saw a sleep doctor and he worked with me until we found a medication that was right for me. I now take Tamazepam, which works much better.


Do you have enough willpower to eat something with a negative calorie effect, like celery or an apple before bed?

Ambien made me want to eat everything in the kitchen.

Chairless

Actually, she is asking for ideas of what to eat... I would love to hear more ideas of things to eat for under 100 cals... what do you have? (not being sarcastic... I am actually asking... :-) )

My favourites include:

Crackers with cheese
practically any piece of fruit
a yoghurt
a slice of toast with plain marg
a biscuit

etc etc etc, none of which are going to make or break a days efforts but will take the edge off, theres no need to be hungry, its not a good thing

AmyLRed

it really comes down to what you eat, when and how. If you are eating enough, getting in enough protein and fiber, chances are you wont be hungry.

I stick to 1200 cals (MFP recommended, i am only 5'1") and i am never hungry. No really. NEVER HUNGRY. If you are hungry, eat. Your body is sending the message that you are hungry for a reason. To lose even half your body weight you do not ever need to be hungry. That is what makes people quit and give up.

jkp2012

I try to eat a snack with protein before bed. It helps keep your blood sugar regulated and is just enough to ease those hunger pains if you have them.

Good ideas would be an apple with peanut butter, some veggies and string cheese, a protein bar... things like that

I too have to work on making sure I get enough calories during the day. It's not that I am purposing restricting myself I'm just making better food choices than before and working out. I find myself not knowing where to get the extra 500 calories that I just burned at the gym!

AdAstra47

Nothing wrong with eating before bed, as long as you pay attention to *what* you eat. My doctor told me to eat something with protein in it right before bedtime. A protein shake, a hard-boiled egg or a cheese wedge or something. It fills your stomach & makes you comfy so you can sleep.
Why protein? Carbs provide quick bursts of energy for active times, so if you eat carbs right before bed, and then don't use them, they may end up stored as fat. But protein burns slowly and steadily, and also aids in fat-burning. So if you eat protein, it will be burned gradually (along with some of your stored fat) just to sustain your normal metabolic processes while you sleep.

eelstail

My favorite night time snacks are:

cheese and crackers
celery with a small teaspoon of peanut butter (Celery has a negative calorie effect..it takes more calories to burn it that the calories that are in it.)
an apple
a glass of chocolate milk
a lean protien such as a boiled egg, a slice of ham or turkey
a small salad
a skinny cow ice cream if I'm craving something sweet
peanut butter crackers
a cup of soup

714rah714

There is nothing worse then going to sleep or waking up feeling hungry/ravenous. Thats why I do what most people tell you not to do, and that is eat a big meal in the late afternoon/early evening, doesn't work for everybody but it works for me.

tashajayne2011

Yeah I know logically I have been eating the wrong things (its better than what I was eating before though lol), we went food shopping today so it will hopefully be a little easier this week

Feel free to patronise me with ideas on what to have to take the edge off before bed, seriously I am clueless lol

Chairless

literally a small portion of anything light, have the snack, give it 10 minutes to see if you are still hungry if so have another! Any of the suggestions given here will do the trick.

shillyburg

I have the EXACT same problem. For the folks mentioning a veggie snack, or an apple, for the big folks it JUST doesn't cut it. My success has only been realized with protein shakes at night...It's the only thing that doesn't hinder my weight loss and keeps me full.

eagle_01

I've only started having that this week! Last night and the night before, and I think the amount of exercise I did just made me really ravenous, lol, and I even ate some of my exercise calories back though wanted to leave alot free to get my body to burn fat. I tend to find myself craving carbs, but if I decided I really had to have something my choice would be protein for the reasons AdAstra47 gave.

kateroot

Sorry if someone's already mentioned this, I haven't read the whole thread.. But if I'm hungry before bed I have a cup of decaf tea. It helps make me sleepy, and fills me up enough that hunger pangs don't keep me up. If I have calories left for the day and I'm really hungry, I'll have a snack of some protein and fat - peanut butter and celery sticks or a couple pieces of cheese. I avoid carbs and sugars before bed (even fruit).

marycmeadows

I'd be hungry too if I ate less than 1000 calories. Those aren't "good" days, those are you not eating enough. Eat! Have a bedtime snack.

agreed -- according to your diary (i only looked back a few days) but you only at 995 calories one day, and 1011 calories another day -- Unless you haven't tracked all you ate, that is NOT ENOUGH FOOD! You should never be eating less than 1200 calories....bottom line, and I think that is even a little low.... but at a minimum 1200 calories. you're hungry because you haven't eaten enough - you need to eat to lose weight - i have lost 98lbs since I started my weight loss journey on january 1 2011 -- only a year in -- and 98lbs gone. and I was NEVER hungry.

I have breakfast, a mid morning snack, lunch, an afternoon snack (2 if I gym -- one pre gym, and one post gym), dinner, and then another high protein snack before bed. It works.

crunchybubblez

A handful of raw or lightly roasted organic nuts and seeds,
raw organic granola w/ a nut milk such as almond...
An apple with organic, sugar free peanut butter,
sprouted grain bagel with hummus,
sprouted grain toast with fruit spread, or hummus,
Sugar free plain oatmeal with berries added,
Plain or light butter popcorn with nutritional yeast sprinkled on.