how to stop bingeing at night?! So mad at myself...

TORtheCarrot

Cut out or lower the amount of wheat you eat. It is crazy how well it works if you stop eating wheat (which is a challenge because it is in so much that people eat on a daily basis). This may be a individual reaction but I felt so much better after 3 days.

I'm reading the book Wheat Belly and it says that clinical studies have shown that eliminating wheat helps lessen or stop the impulse to eat eat eat even when not hungry. You start to eat when hungry instead of feeling like you need and crave all sorts of foods.

I've found I feel much better, healthier, and motivated to exercise and eat well after limiting the amount of wheat I am eating.

It's worth a try.

minizebu

I haven't read any of the replies, so others may have already suggested this.

You can manually adjust your macro goals by going to the My Home tab and clicking Goals and then Change Goals and then click Custom and then Continue.

Increase your protein % to 25% or 30% (and decrease carbohydrates accordingly). Try meeting those macros for several days and see if that improves your binging.

If your carbohydrate/protein ratio is too high, then you will find yourself hungry or wanting to binge.

Try to always eat some protein along with your carbohydrates. So, it's okay to eat crackers, but eat those crackers with cheese, or peanut butter or a glass of milk, etc.

You DON"T have to go all crazy low carb/ultra high protein. Just try increasing your protein for a few days and see if that works.

Having a good amount of protein early in the day (around 30g) whenever you first eat for the day will help, too. You don't have to eat first thing when you wake up, but try to eat a good amount of protein whenever you do ultimately have your fist meal.

Eating a carbohydrate only or carbohydrate-heavy snack or meal will cause your blood sugar to spike. When that happens your pancreas will release insulin in order to lower your blood sugar. When your blood sugar is low again, your body will send you signals to EAT, and EAT NOW! If, instead, you pair protein with your carbohydrate meal or snack, then the insulin response will be moderated by the protein. You will end up feeling satiated longer and you won't be prone to grazing, or binging.

It really works, please try it.

kramalicious

If you know you are going to be hungry at night, plan ahead for it. One of my friends recommended I eat a protein snack such as half cup of cottage cheese before going to bed. My DH and I both do this , sometimes with some fruit, and it has really helped. We both work out hard and just plan for it in our calorie allotment. Another thing I have noticed, that the healthier eat, the less I crave other foods. I still don't eat perfectly all the time, but it's better than it used to be and getting better. Also, when I eat more often I don't get as hungry. HTH.

kramalicious

I haven't read any of the replies, so others may have already suggested this.

You can manually adjust your macro goals by going to the My Home tab and clicking Goals and then Change Goals and then click Custom and then Continue.

Increase your protein % to 25% or 30% (and decrease carbohydrates accordingly). Try meeting those macros for several days and see if that improves your binging.

If your carbohydrate/protein ratio is too high, then you will find yourself hungry or wanting to binge.

Try to always eat some protein along with your carbohydrates. So, it's okay to eat crackers, but eat those crackers with cheese, or peanut butter or a glass of milk, etc.

You DON"T have to go all crazy low carb/ultra high protein. Just try increasing your protein for a few days and see if that works.

Having a good amount of protein early in the day (around 30g) whenever you first eat for the day will help, too. You don't have to eat first thing when you wake up, but try to eat a good amount of protein whenever you do ultimately have your fist meal.

Eating a carbohydrate only or carbohydrate-heavy snack or meal will cause your blood sugar to spike. When that happens your pancreas will release insulin in order to lower your blood sugar. When your blood sugar is low again, your body will send you signals to EAT, and EAT NOW! If, instead, you pair protein with your carbohydrate meal or snack, then the insulin response will be moderated by the protein. You will end up feeling satiated longer and you won't be prone to grazing, or binging.

It really works, please try it.

Yes, I agree, forgot to add I did this also. IT is VERY GOOD ADVICE> More protein I eat, the less hungry I am. The more carbs I eat the more carbs I want.

savvysarah

A lot of what I've read above helps me with night eating. Starting with a protein breakfast really helps the rest of the day. As does, staying out of the kitchen, keeping myself busy so I can't use my hands to eat, and flavored herbal tea or decaf coffee if you like that.

MemphisKitten

Not binging at night is my biggest problem too. I have found that drinking some tea helps, also I keep a tin of mints by my bed and suck on them. Peppermint is said to suppress the appetite. Binging or grazing at night is not related to physical hunger (at least not in my case). So you have to find your own way of dealing with it. I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help.

minizebu

LoraF83, even saving calories won't help. if i start eating that late, I just don't stop at the right time.

I have even tried shifting all my meals so that my regular dinner is later in an attempt to just schedule my eating for when it is already happening. Again, i lose control and overdo things.

That is sounding more and more like self control. If water does not help...it is self control. Just as an addict needs to quit drugs, gambling, drinking...you must stop binging....simple.

So I just backtracked and started reading other people's responses. OP: Please ignore the above. This response to you is not in the least helpful. It is NOT all about willpower. There are powerful hormones at work in your body. It is helpful to learn about how your body's physiology works so that you can understand the processes that produce feelings of hunger and satiation. I am by no means an expert. I am still learning, but I can say that it is not all about self control. Self control does come into play, but it is not the only issue.

Em_runs_away

Bumping, I could cry with frustration, I've just done this again myself.

sunnyside1213

My issue at night is wine or beer. I love to have a couple of glasses at night but a glass is like 120 cals! So 2 glasses, and my calories are shot for the day. I'm the same way though - I know better, but yet, I can't muster the will power to not go for it! Bah! So FRUSTRATING!

I tried Buds Select 55 at 55 calories. I was very surprised.

mikkimomof3

After dinner if I'm starting to feel like I want to snack and don't have room for more calories in my day, I'll say "I can have a snack if I do 50 push-ups first". Usually the push-ups end up making me not want to snack because why would I undo all of that awesomeness?

Other things that work for me are:
1) drinking a big glass of seltzer with lime wedge - 0 cal, and delicious
2) brushing my teeth
3) painting my nails so I can't touch anything
4) making out with my man <-- this should really be #1

Love these ideas!!! I struggle every night--I just want to let it all go, relax, and unwind from my hectic day--which usually involves me fighting off some serious cravings. It is definitely not easy!

sunnyside1213

I walk in my sleep and eat while doing it. Very frustrating.

californiagirl2012

I know this topic comes up over and over again, but I am at my wit's end.

I know what I should be eating. I know I should not eat mindlessly at night. I know I am not even hungry! but i am stuck! i will hit all my macros, and then it goes to crap at 10pm. it's not really about avoiding having junk around, because something comes over me and I will eat whatever is available (string cheese, dried fruit, leftovers, crackers, anything.) it's not like i'm seriously depriving myself during the day, either. i will have 1600-1800 cals of balanced food (protein veg fruit healthy fats, some whole grains, dairy, avoiding too much sugar) spaced throughout the day. And I still become a bottomless pit after dinner.

I don't want or need to lose weight fast. i just want to lose a pound a week. i have probably 60 pounds to be a healthy size, this should be easy. what is wrong with me?

Too many changes at once can be hard on some people. I've always eaten healthy so it easy for me to simply eat less. Eating at a calorie deficit is hard on people; even a small deficit puts your body in a state of flux with hormones and such. Everyone is different. Some people can handle a deeper calorie deficit than others, this is not right or wrong, it just is. Stress in your life affects your hunger hormones; lack of sleep, fatigue, job stress, family stress, financial stress, etc. Add in emotional eating issues and it gets even more complicated. Most people can only handle so much change/stress at once, they try to do too much and fail. Sometimes it might be a better strategy to eat at maintenance and make some small changes first, it really depends on how much stress you are taking in at the moment.

minizebu

I seriously have NOTHING to binge on in my pantry or fridge unless its peanut butter.

1st step is Throw ALL the junk away

If there are foods that you find are problematic to have around, you can certainly try throwing them out (or better, not buying them in the first place - this is where will power does come into play at the supermarket), but this can be difficult if you share a household with other people who are eating those foods and don't want them thrown out.

2nd step make sure you drinking LOTS of water, a lot of times your thirsty but your mind will think your hungry at night.

Water is not magic. It can fill your stomach, certainly, but it won't dissuade you from eating if your body is telling you to EAT NOW.

3rd sometimes there is nothing wrong with snacking, just snack on the right stuff, Find some really low calorie goods to satisfy your need.

Yes, sometimes there is nothing wrong with snacking. However, low calorie is not the answer. Carbohydrate + protein is a better solution.

codapea

Night time snacking used to be such a problem for me. You do it for so many years, it is hard to stop once you are getting the rest of you eating habits together. I'm like you, if I could leave some calories for a snack, that would be good, but the snack set off a binge. I just had to break the habit, and I did that by exercising every night. It was the only thing that worked. Didn't even have to be a hard workout- just 30 minutes of walking on the treadmill or yoga. It took a month of replacing snacking with exercise to break the habit (30 day treatment!), but now it is broken! I don't have to workout at night anymore, either. I feel like a normal person, lol. Cutting out sugar, and adding some protein helped me a ton, too.

minizebu

I had this issue, too. It wasn't until I started going to therapy that I stopped the night binges. Like you said, it's not that you're hungry. You just feel this need... this void to fill. It might be emotional and it's something you should investigate within yourself. Good luck.

Sometimes it's about physiology, not psychology. I'd try upping my protein before shelling out bucks for therapy.

BrownEyedGrrl

I think a majority of us who are overweight have emotional eating issues. I don't mean that we're really depressed and so we go scarf down a whole bag of chips. I went to a weight-loss group a few years back and emotional eating was discussed there quite a bit. A lot of us have grown up learning that food is something we use to celebrate, or to make us feel better. So sometimes we eat not because we're hungry but because we're happy, sad, stressed, nervous, frustrated, tired, bored, lonely, etc. Some of us binge, others like me snack, little bits here and there which adds up to a lot of food. This extra food that I don't need really adds up and is a major obstacle for me in my weight loss journey. Eating is kind of an addiction for me. I've had other addictions in the past, and now that I've over come those (or continue to overcome them, once an addict always an addict) I find myself using food almost like it's just another drug. I guess the real question is "what is it that we are trying to avoid, or not dealing with that is making us binge or snack all the time?" Maybe this is not the issue for everyone who overeats but I think it is for a large portion of us.
I guess the idea of replacing a bad habit with a good one is a place to start. I don't really have any other advice. I'm sure there is lots of reading material on this subject, both online and in print. Maybe I should check it out myself.lol

Brujah1981

Pickles. Vlasic Pickles have zero calories, and it's decently filling.

wrevhn

I am a boredom eater as well. And a "like the thought of that" eater. I hate how everything wants to call me an emotional eater when tested. There is really no emotional pattern. Its a "I know how good that tastes" or "Nothing better to do" pattern.

I myself am trying to figure out ways to curb night munchies. Even if just cutting back at first (doing now) its at least something. Gotta find something more interesting to do at night I guess.

nikilis

if you have to snack later, save a couple of cals and have two large carrots and a tomato on crackers. low cals, low fat and low sugar. that is healthy and will make you feel full.

you're making a choice. snacking isnt the problem. what you're snacking on is. the above change or something like it should solve the problem. if it doesn't its just a lack of self control.

also hot drinks can help. I usually have a hot cocoa with spenda a couple of hours after dinner. 30 cals and tastes just like hot chocolate.

substitution not abstinence.

QueenofScott

Try planning a healthy snack into your plan for the evening. After you eat it brush your teeth. That's a good deterrent for me.

PaprikaPrincess

I have a serious issue with night eating. It was awful but increasing protein through out the day helped. I also keep peppermint or mint tea around to drink when I have issues.

FITNLUVINIT

I know this topic comes up over and over again, but I am at my wit's end.

I know what I should be eating. I know I should not eat mindlessly at night. I know I am not even hungry! but i am stuck! i will hit all my macros, and then it goes to crap at 10pm. it's not really about avoiding having junk around, because something comes over me and I will eat whatever is available (string cheese, dried fruit, leftovers, crackers, anything.) it's not like i'm seriously depriving myself during the day, either. i will have 1600-1800 cals of balanced food (protein veg fruit healthy fats, some whole grains, dairy, avoiding too much sugar) spaced throughout the day. And I still become a bottomless pit after dinner.

I don't want or need to lose weight fast. i just want to lose a pound a week. i have probably 60 pounds to be a healthy size, this should be easy. what is wrong with me?

I just took a look at your food diary for the past week, there are a lot of days that you show nothing at all for dinner or lunch to eat and I do believe if you are skipping meals you are going to find yourself eating more late at night. I found out for me I was snacking late at night due to not getting enough protein in my day especially on the days I work out for 2 hours. Once I increased my protein at dinner time I didn't have no desire to snack. If you would like to look at my diary feel free to, you will see I eat good and don't go hungry at all. You can friend me if you want to, would love to have you as a friend :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

FITNLUVINIT

I looked at your diary and I think you might want to try eating more protein and less carbs especially at dinner the carbs break down faster usually and this could lead to that restless feeling later at night I go with a 40 40 20 now and don't have as much trouble at night I didnt think I was hungry but my body was " LOOKING " for something more so when I worked out hard. with the higher protein at dinner I was more satisfied

You are right on target with this!!!! I couldn't figure out why I was so hungry after dinner and always wanted to eat, then I started looking at my diary and on the days I worked out heavy I wasn't getting enough protein now I don't snack late at night do to being satisfied with enough protein and little carbs. I think the carbs cause you to want to eat more.

nikilis

I looked at your diary and I think you might want to try eating more protein and less carbs especially at dinner the carbs break down faster usually and this could lead to that restless feeling later at night I go with a 40 40 20 now and don't have as much trouble at night I didnt think I was hungry but my body was " LOOKING " for something more so when I worked out hard. with the higher protein at dinner I was more satisfied

You are right on target with this!!!! I couldn't figure out why I was so hungry after dinner and always wanted to eat, then I started looking at my diary and on the days I worked out heavy I wasn't getting enough protein now I don't snack late at night do to being satisfied with enough protein and little carbs. I think the carbs cause you to want to eat more.

I agree from experience. recently upped my protein and vegetable intake, balancing healthy fats and fibre also. for me it was a big difference in terms of energy and satisfaction. I have to push myself a bit now to make sure I eat my cals for the day.

dawnemjh

Just a thought, but what if you start your daily logging with whatever you eat at night, then track from evening snack through dinnerr the next day. Then if you notice you are eating too much at night, you can cut back the next day. Nothing saying you have to log breakfast to evening. Maybe if you psychologically know that if you eat too much tonight, that will mean less tomorrow it will help curb that???

lallaloolly

LoraF83, even saving calories won't help. if i start eating that late, I just don't stop at the right time.

I have even tried shifting all my meals so that my regular dinner is later in an attempt to just schedule my eating for when it is already happening. Again, i lose control and overdo things.

That is sounding more and more like self control. If water does not help...it is self control. Just as an addict needs to quit drugs, gambling, drinking...you must stop binging....simple.

^^this. you have to promise yourself no and keep that promise. and i agree with the recommendation to replace the activity with exercise. exercise will burn off some of the stress that comes with quitting a bad habit, too.

NaurielR

Cravings are not easy to beat, and anyone who tells you otherwise is lying.

I've suffered them. I still do. I find that hot tea really helps. It doesn't seem very satisfying when you're tearing through the pantry looking for something to eat, but after a couple sips that insane drive to eat dissipates. Teas are great because they are calorie free and come in a variety of flavors. I know for me, I love treating myself to new food, but in doing so I run the risk of binging on it. Exploring new tea flavors allows me to indulge.

As for tips of how to stay away from food: something I read in my local paper. A recent study found that people who, when faced with junk food, said "I choose not to have that food' rather than "I can't have that food' or "I won't have that food" had better success at avoiding it. It seems like crap science, but I use it all the time now and it actually works. It gives you the power over food, rather than food having power over you

Another thing to consider is keeping some fruits and vegetables that you enjoy handy. That way, if you absolutely can't stop yourself from snacking, you can at least eat something healthy. This is also helpful, because if you're having cravings and you really don't want vegetables, you can use that as an indicator that you're not really hungry.

lallaloolly

This is also helpful, because if you're having cravings and you really don't want vegetables, you can use that as an indicator that you're not really hungry.

^^ i love this, so true.

m0ll3pprz

This is also helpful, because if you're having cravings and you really don't want vegetables, you can use that as an indicator that you're not really hungry.

^^ i love this, so true.

Oh gosh, Good thinking! I've never thought of it that way! I am going to write this down and post it on my refrigerator! Thanks!

slkehl

I know how you feel! My suggestion is to eat a filling dinner relatively late in the evening (7-7:30?) and not even start with the snacks. Have tea or even hot chocolate if you're feeling hungry. Just don't open the snacks!