Big late night added meal, what do I do today?

bkay30

Not sure if Im in the right forum... but this is about my food for the day....(?)

Yesterday I did so good with my meals. And then it hit me around 10:00pm. I was STARVING! I was lying in bed watching tv before bed ( I usually stay up until 11 or so) and all of a sudden it felt like I hadnt eaten in a week. All I could think about was food. So I thought I would be smart about it. I grabbed a small handful of nuts. 20 minutes later, I was even MORE hungry. So I made half of a turkey sandwich. Still hungry, finally said "Who cares" and ate 4oz of pork on a sandwich thin with some chips. AGGGHH!! WHAT WAS I THINKING???? I think that late night binge cost me around 800 calories.

My question is what do I do today? Should I eat less today to make up for the added calories, along with more workout? Or just call it a wash and keep going as if it never happened?

What do you all do when hunger strikes so violently?

mford59

I don't think you should deprive yourself of your daily caloric intake today. Just be sure to eat at least 5-6 small meals today including snacks. Maybe have your. last snack no later than 9 pm.:smooched:

hipsdontlie1

I don't know TOO much about nutrition but if this was me I would just try to eat healthier today and try to stay in a calorie deficit a little higher than you usually do. If your starving like that try to fill yourself up on water or try eating something a little better! or try to get an extra bit of a workout in today so you dont feel too bad about yesterday! Good luck

Zibbell1

I hear you on the the late night hunger. I have found that the best thing to do is to drink something hot. Tea or coffee. It gives you a feeling of fullness. Also,if I am REALLY hungry, not just psychologically hungry, I find that cereal (high fiber, low sugar) works well. The milk gives you a great feeling of fullness in addition to the fiber.

Aso for today, pick up and move on as if it never happened, food wise. Sure, an extra walk would help, but don't put yourself in a viscous cycle of feast or famine. Think of it like your naviagation system in your car....when you make a wrong turn, does it yell at you relentlessly and punish you??? No, it politely asks you to make the next turn. Do the same for yourself!

myfitnessnmhoy

The "who cares" moment is to be avoided at ALL COSTS. That is the most dangerous moment for your diet. Your body does not work on a 24-hour clock, and each calorie (good or bad) is forever and separate from all the other calories you ate.

Now, as to the late-night hunger. Don't ever ignore hunger, but you need to learn to deal with it better. Are you drinking lots and lots of water? That helps control hunger, especially in the first few weeks when your body is adapting to the lowered calorie intake. For those moments when you're not hungry but you WANT to eat, try some cinnamon gum. But when you're honestly hungry, you need to eat something small.

Learn what foods satisfy you for few calories, and have those handy for the "in case of emergency eat this" moments.

I find oatmeal with cinnamon to be very satisfying, so I keep instant oatmeal on hand at all times. Add hot water to a half cup of oats, stir in a teaspoon of cinnamon, and it makes a HUGE and very filling snack for 75 calories!

Hardboiled eggs also make a nice 75-calorie "snack pack" food, and are packed with satisfying proteins and fat.

But put it in perspective - how many calories was your entire splurge? What's your daily deficit? Did you actually move backward, or just slow your progress for a day?

Moving forward, just move forward. If you want to try to build a couple hundred more calories into your deficit today, go ahead, but I wouldn't go any further than that - I'm assuming since you joined this month and have lost three pounds you're pretty early in - if you try to cut too far today to make up for yesterday, you're setting yourself up for a repeat performance tonight.

Been there, done that. This is a lifestyle change. You're learning. We all are. Learning includes mistakes. Learn from the mistake and move forward.

Also be proud that you picked relatively healthy snacks for your "splurge". Protein-y meats, satisfying nuts, NICE CHOICES.

acragle

I don't think you should deprive yourself of your daily caloric intake today. Just be sure to eat at least 5-6 small meals today including snacks. Maybe have your. last snack no later than 9 pm.:smooched:

I concur. Chances are, if you're eating balanced macros throughout the day and drinking your gallon of water, then bedtime cravings should be minimal. I do 4-6 meals a day and try to never eat 2 hrs prior to bedtime. If I get a craving I will drink water and maybe eat a couple of nuts (not a full 1oz serving) or a small tbls of peanut butter with a little honey.

LaurenAOK

I would log maybe 75% of the meal in today's diary and try not to go over your goal today. If eating enough today would put you over your goal, exercise to earn some extra calories!

I don't know if you have a history of binging, but what this sounds like to me is a "deprived binge" - your body has been feeling deprived and it decided to do something about it. It's possible that your calore intake is too low. How much do you eat a day? If you're consistently eating too low-calorie, your body is going to keep speaking out like this. Consider upping your calories and also upping the amount of healthy fats you consume - they help you stay feeling satisfied!

Hrtnrse

First thing you do is Forgive yourself.....make a point not to dwell on a failure. We've all been there! Think about what got you in that "starving" mode and strategize not to have it happen again. For instance, eating high protein for your last meal will keep you feeling satisfied longer. Drinking water helps too. Secondly, know that self-discipline is a limited commodity. You can only get more if you practice. One way to help is to mark your successes so that you can easily remember how good success feels when you're about to be weak. If you've had a good day, make a point of REALLYmarking your hard work (I use smiley stickers on a little calendar) and celebrating every time you slay the "hunger dragon" that threatens to stand between you and the slim person you were meant to be. Decide to review it before you let yourself eat poorly. If you take the time to count your "dragon kills" before you eat something, eventully you will want the success more than the food. Remember that the urge to eat will pass in 3 minutes (according to research) whether you put something in your mouth or not. The key is to switch off the temptation part of your brain and turn on the success "happiness" center

Today, go on and be successful! If you cut your calories too much, you might be hungry again tonight. A little extra exercise probably wouldn't hurt as long as you are not viewing it as punishment. Stress is one of our worst enemies. I know you can do it!:happy:

bkay30

Thanks everyone for the advice and support today!!! ((hugs)) I really need it. I was dieting last year to lose the baby weight and fell off the wagon. I have gained 30+ pounds in the last 8 months (and that doesnt even count the baby weight I never took off) .. sigh..not to mention the hypothyroidism

Last week I decided I needed a change. Even I, myself, am tired of eating all the fast food and junk everyday. I feel like crap all the time and now my stretchy pants are too tight

MFP says my daily calories is 1200. And then on the days I exercise it ups it however many I burned that day extra. For the last week Ive been eating baked chicken breast, pork tenderloin, nuts, egg beater omelets and veggies/salads. Im keeping my carbs to only 2 portions a day of the "whole wheat sandwich thins".

But this change is such a shock to my system. I think I was putting down close to 5000 calories a day in pasta, cheese, wine, hamburgers, chips, breads, avocados, tortillas, fried chicken, etc..... Portion control is hard for me because it seems to take a lot before I feel full.

I have no idea what happened last night. My stomach was hurting I was so hungry and once I ate the nuts, all hell broke loose. I think its because I got hungry for dinner early, so I ate dinner at 5:00. Ive been trying not to eat anything after dinner. So of course, by 10:00 I was starving again since I ate early. I also think I do need to drink more water. I feel like I dont get enough...

What are some other feel full snacks?

Hrtnrse

There is a great website on about.com called "low carb snacks to satisfy the munches" or something like that. I found it when i googled low carb high protein snacks. Lots of quick and easy high protein snacks like tuna salad and celery sticks, lunchmeat roll-ups, deviled eggs etc. The spinach dip got great reviews so I'm going to give it a try. I also love allouette whipped garlic and herb spread on apples. Tried it at a restaurant and loved it.
Good luck sister! You can do this.
Cindy