I'm not "hungry" until evening rolls around

dawn675

I have this thing where I do not feel any type of hunger until after 5pm. I'll grab a small snack in the morning, usually a yogurt or something. Then I make myself eat something in the afternoon for lunch. I just don't feel hungry but I know I have to eat. But after 5pm more like closer to 7pm I'm HUNGRY! I want to snack, I crave sweets and it makes me not feel so good. I've been trying my best to at least snack during what would be "normal" meal times but I'm just not hungry enough to eat a meal.

I feel like I'm doing something wrong. And in a way I am but I can't FORCE feed myself. Any suggestions to help me feel more full so I don't want to eat SO much at night? Maybe some kind of smoothie or drink that will "trick" my mind into thinking it's not a meal? I know this sounds really pathetic, or at least it does to me, I just wondered if anyone out there could make any suggestions?
Thanks for your time!

dothompson

You are consuming too many calories at night and then you're not hungry the next day. You need tobreak this cycle. Stay within your allotted calories for a week or two without cheating. You will find that you will suddenly wake in the morning hungry. Then you need to work on establishing more regular meals throughout the day. When you are eating properly the only time you should be truly hungry is when you first wake up.

cmriverside

Fake it till you make it. Eat.
Breakfast!!! First thing in the morning! It kick starts your metabolism, and will increase your energy and get you eating regularly throughout the day.

Eat every three hours . 300-500 calories of a combination Protein / Carb / Fat. All three. In each meal and snack. Every time.

You just have to do some things to be successful,. You aren't hungry because you're not eating.

Read these:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing


Scroll through all 12 pages on this one, there are links added on throughout.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again

spikess

i'm exactly the same. unless i'd been doing something, i just never felt hungry until 6pm. but i just started copying the husband and eating little things every three hours.

i think,.. now that i'm moving around more too, that makes me hungry lol.

balance9

I used to never eat breakfast -- just the thought of food in the morning would make me nauseous. But then when I was trying to lose weight I started doing some research...something like 80% of people who lose weight and keep it off, eat breakfast (National Weight Control Registry) . In fact, its probably the #1 or 2 thing (behind walking) that they have in common. So I forced myself to find something that would work for me as I ran out the door in the morning.

I usually start the day with a fruit smoothie -- just throw1/2 cup of frozen mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, whatever) into a blender (I use an immersion blender for easy cleanup). I add 1/2 scoop of ground flaxseed (Omega3s), a scoop of plain whey protein powder OR some plain yogurt, and a few ounces of orange and/or pomegranate juice. You can add some water to adjust the consistency. I also add a few drops of stevia for sweetener. TONS of good antioxidants to start the day right, and the protein keeps my blood sugar balanced. Takes 5 minutes, and the bags of fruit lasts a long time.

whyflysouth

There are multiple ways to address this, but I'll suggested the most gradual would be to eat a large high protein meal immediately at 5pm, don't let it get to 7pm - start as close to your "hunger" time but a little earlier than it and gradually eat earlier and earlier from there. 5pm, then 4:50pm, then 4:45 ... etc - The way to stay full is protein, milk, eggs, meat, if you're going to eat at night avoid the processed carbs (anything made with flour or rice). That's one thing.

Also, get yourself exercising in the morning. Exercise stimulates appetite, and if you do allot of exercise in the morning then definitely by noon you will be hungry and will be eating a large lunch. The goal should be the opposite of what you have, your body should be most active in the day and thus in most need of food (fuel) to burn, and by night time your metabolism will slow down and consume less - what you eat at night will be saved up as fat.

If you want a shake, protein shakes with milk should satiate you pretty well, actually milk alone should be pretty effective, I wouldn't suggest being reliant too much on shakes though, it's better to get your body naturally adapted.

carrieberrie

Your so hungry at night because you ate nothing during the day. I was the same way. I never ate breakfast, hardly lunch, and would be starving at dinner and at night. But I made myself eat breakfast and lunch. Its hard at first but now I wake up hungry because my metabolism is working better and I cant go without eating breakfast nor lunch anymore!

lkharris

Protein in the morning - I do egg whites. I can boil them the night before and then just pop them out of the refrigerator in the morning. Used to do 6, now to 3 as I'm not working out like I used to, but 3 works. Keeps me from being totally starving by lunch, although i do eat a big salad for lunch with chicken on it - always protein. I agree that the carbs at night are the no-no - at least a bunch of them! Try the mozarella cheese sticks if you must eat a little at night - one is 80 cals, which is still better than loading up on "empty" carbs at night! I seem to run in phases with this night eating thing too though - sometimes I am not but other nights all I think about is food!!!

marjaskow

Breakfast is really important to get your metab. going for the day. Also when you snack if you have protein it stays with you longer. So your dinner should include protein and then if you need a small snack later it's still ok. I graze all day but do eat breakfast as soon as I get up and a good dinner for sure, I'm rarely hungry at night & usually when I do eat after dinner it's because I need to get the rest of my calories in. It won't take long and you'll need breakfast shortly after getting up.

dawn675

Thank you so much for the responses. First thing I'm going to do is start eating breakfast. I was considering a yogurt or a smoothie and then going down to the fitness room for 20 minutes. That should make me hungry for lunch and I LOVE salads so I'll do a salad at lunch. Then, I'll still eat a decent sized supper but sooner than 7pm!
Thank you again! This will really help me. I've copied & pasted some of the ideas in my "notes" to myself so that I remember not to fall back into this habit I'm in.
YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME! I can't help but feel like I have a lot of people I can count on here.

cmriverside

dawn, keeping track of notes here is so smart. I started doing that soon after I started using mfp in 07, and I still have some of them! People really helped me a lot with my questions when I first started, too.

Good luck! Eat! :flowerforyou: