How do you beat late night snacking (binging?)

aquapussy

I figured this one out easily, by letting myself snack. I will have an apple. some cheese or a pomegranate, or raw vegies. The time you eat does not really matter just make the right choices.

kimgodfrey001

I find protein shakes really help me- with skimmed milk I've found one that's amazing- tastes like a pudding (vanilla, toffee or banoffee are my faves), no fat, low carb, and 166 cals with milk, 98 with water. it's really filling though because of the protein and if you are excerising will improve your muscle recovery. Otherwise I also have "healthy" snacks, like light crisps or a muller light or even fruit.

The best tasting protein I've found (and value for money) is myprotein- the first time I've actually enjoyed a protein shake! Hope this helps, good luck x

carole456

If I feel an urge to eat I exercise and drink plenty of water, if I still feel hungry I choose something sensible, log it and then enjoy it!

HonkyTonks

I struggle, a lot, with late night snacking. By late night I mean 8pm - 11pm (after the baby has gone to bed). I'm not exactly sure what the root of it is... boredom, habit, emotional eating; and I know a huge part of the battle will be figuring out the "Why" of it all.

Any tips you guys have for different ways to curb the snacking would be great. I've tried not buying things but I still manage to find something/anything to snack on.

Don't stress, maybe try saving up the calories for later at night to have a few snacks. Your overall deficit is important, time of day that you're eating isn't so much. Get some nice low calorie snacks - fruit, yoghurt, etc

justle

i have the same issue, so i budget for the calories, i normally have a mullerlight fat free yoghurt (99cal) with 1 or 2 meringues crushed up into it (50-100cals)

last night was a bad night though, lots of emotional eating goingon there so i know i have to work really hard at the gym today!

megscole64

Story of my life. All my life.

I just bought an air popcorn popper. I can eat 6 cups of popcorn with seasoning (no butter) for a ridiculously low amount of calories. And it tastes so much better than microwave.

And I exercise just so I can have those extra calories at night.

Good luck.

Nichelle_b

Thi great advice everyone!! Thank you SO much!
I think a few key take-aways that I'll try out:

1) Realize that snacking after dinner & after the baby has gone to bed is something I do and not feel guilty about it or feel like I need to deprive myself to be successful. A key note to this is that deprivation is typically why I fail at keeping weight off. So, don't deprive & don't feel guilty.
2) Have healthy snacks prepared & at the ready. Fruits & veggies up front in the fridge rather than hidden away in the drawer.
3) Drink a big glass of water while I decide what I want to eat. That will give me enough time to decide if I REALLY want to eat something and if so, how much & make better choices.
4) Plan for it!! Set aside 200-300 calories every day for my post dinner snack. That way I don't go over throughout the day and I don't feel guilty for having something. Best yet, if I don't eat all of the stored away cals, I'm under for the day.
5) When planning for the snack, maybe even decide what I want to eat (i.e. Weight watchers ice cream, a few dark chocolate candies, etc) so that I'm looking forward to it all day and truly savor it. Having it pre-logged in my diary will help with this also.

Thanks for the great advice everyone.

Shunda_27

Paint your fingernails---hard to snack with wet nails...winning!!! :bigsmile:

I love this. But being the fatty I am, I usually just take the polish off and start eating.

unnur16

If i get this craving i get my self an apple and sometimes a tiny penutbutter(no suger added) on top of it. that helps me alot.

jwhammel

go to bed, Drink water, just say no, chew gum.

kissers84

I struggle big time with it too. I can do good all day, but as soon as I put my son down for bed I'm itching for something to snack on. My husband is a GM for a restaurant and always comes home late...with yummy food. So when we are able to connect late at night he has huge wonderful servings of food that I obviously want but shouldn't have. He's the type of guy that will snack throughout the day, but eat a meal when he gets home. It sucks. It sucks even more when he is kind and brings me something to eat as well. Which is often. I need to get serious about snacking at night. Otherwise, this stress and disappointment I'm putting on myself is just plain self inflicted. SOLIDARITY SISTER!!

KANGOOJUMPS

do not have junk around, make it carrots and celery

NaughtyinCali

Im not trying to be funny, but how about sex? Takes the edge off and I sleep better, afterwards.

MityMax96

I struggle, a lot, with late night snacking. By late night I mean 8pm - 11pm (after the baby has gone to bed). I'm not exactly sure what the root of it is... boredom, habit, emotional eating; and I know a huge part of the battle will be figuring out the "Why" of it all.

Any tips you guys have for different ways to curb the snacking would be great. I've tried not buying things but I still manage to find something/anything to snack on.

Plan for it.

If you know you are gonna hit the snacks, then carve out the calories earlier in the day, so you ahve room for the snacks at night.....

Or keep a bag of carrots or broccoli on hand.

CyberEd312

Holy Thread Resurrection Batman!! lol Wonder if after a year and a half the OP managed to curb her late night snacking??? :ohwell:

BlueBombers

That was my biggest issue when I was 50 lbs heavier. I just gave it up cold turkey as it really had contributed to my weight gain. I go to bed pretty early during the week as I get up super early so it's not so bad when it comes to cravings. On weekends I'll have the occassional night snack (stick with something healthy) or a cup of coffee, I just fit it into my day.

rhhince

I do too, but I found if I actually take the time to weigh what I eat, I really see what goes in. I am a sucker for shelled peanuts and nacho chips. One thing that comes to mind and helps is, " I ate myself into this mess over the years, I can only eat myself out of it." It motivates me. I don't do exercise. Why? Because it is not not doing exercise that got me heavier, but eating more than necessary. Therefore, a little exercise of the mind, does the same thing. I found Fitnesspal quite accurate in its plan, although I always go over by about 25-30% of calorie intake, but am able to hover where I want. Very small goals, a couple of pounds every 5 weeks until desired weight is reached. You can't be too hard on yourself, it has to be fun as well. It is all about a lifestyle you want to have. You can do it!

rabblerabble

Having easy healthy snacks is the key. You have to make it easy to (for example) grab some celery sticks you've previously cut or baby carrots along with perhaps some hummus, or maybe have grapes to snack on so you don't grab that cookie(s) or potato/tortilla chip(s). (The unhealthiest snacks sadly tend to be very easy to grab).

MatthewLewis81

A double-dose of Metamucil helps me a lot. But be aware of other potential effects...

Lizzy622

I also make sure dishes are washed and all food is put away right after dinner. I am less likely to take a bowl of ice cream if I have to wash dishes again. Laziness wins.

sunshyncatra

I log ahead, and make an allowance for a big snack in the evening (usually a big bowl of popcorn with butter). I also don't keep "trigger" binging foods in the house if I know I can't control myself.

burbacka1132

I have the same issue. I try to make an allowance for some snacks, since dinner is usually my larger meal of the day, plus I have to budget in a glass of wine...etc. Brushing your teeth early also helps though.