Tips to avoid evening binge

Chocoholic55555
Chocoholic55555 Posts: 173 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I can be so good all day, then come the evening, all I want to do is stuff my face with chocolate.

What's your number one tip to avoid these binge episodes?
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Replies

  • jfrankic
    jfrankic Posts: 747 Member
    Simple...I eat most of my calories at night. It's nothing for me to have 1000 calorie dinner at 7:30pm or later.

    ETA: I also follow IF, so I eat between noonish and 8pmish. A 16/8 window works for me.
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    I do 20/4 IF so I get to eat all my calories at night. You don't need to go as far as I do, but try to save some calories for an evening snack. Try to eat a good amount of protein at dinner because it will keep you full longer. I tend to get really snacky if I stay up late to try to go to bed early and wake up early.
  • gaiaearth
    gaiaearth Posts: 49 Member
    I usually just keep 70 - 80% dark chocolate only. I find that smaller amounts of very dark chocolate are way more satisfying (lower cals and fat) then milk chocolate. You can't deny yourself chocolate.....especially if you're female ;)
  • BarbieAS
    BarbieAS Posts: 1,414 Member
    I take the opposite approach - I just don't let myself start. Once dinner is over, eating is over. Not because I think all calories consumed after 7pm get magically turned to permanent fat or anything like that. Just, all too often if I have a little snack it's like opening the floodgates. If I just tell myself that eating is not an option at all, then it makes it a little easier. I let myself have a cup of decaf coffee if I need a little something.
  • fullofhope76
    fullofhope76 Posts: 92
    By the time I am done eating dinner, cleaning up, evening workout (1 hour) and shower, it is 7:30. I drink one cup of decaf tea and go to bed.
  • LeenaRuns
    LeenaRuns Posts: 1,309 Member
    I take the opposite approach - I just don't let myself start. Once dinner is over, eating is over. Not because I think all calories consumed after 7pm get magically turned to permanent fat or anything like that. Just, all too often if I have a little snack it's like opening the floodgates. If I just tell myself that eating is not an option at all, then it makes it a little easier. I let myself have a cup of decaf coffee if I need a little something.

    This is what I'm *trying* to do, but I'm in the same boat as you, OP!
  • Jonesie1984
    Jonesie1984 Posts: 612 Member
    buy less chocolate. If you're hungry consume a meal. How many calories are you consuming a day?
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
    Drink a bottle of water and brush your teeth (and don't keep chocolate in your house) :ohwell: .
  • Run4UrHealth
    Run4UrHealth Posts: 348 Member
    I realize the later I eat dinner the better it is for me because I fall asleep before I get hungry again. I used to eat dinner at 5:30 or 6:00 but now it is more like 8:00 or 8:30 and I do not snack all evening.
  • jimandpam87
    jimandpam87 Posts: 62 Member
    I'm with the others who say to save some calories for night (if this is when you tend to binge). I've learned over the years that I just have a tendency to want to eat a lot more in the evening/night than during the day. Sometimes, I'm not even hungry until 3 or 4pm. I don't do IF per se, but I do a version of it where I will eat very lightly throughout the day (enough to give me energy) and save a lot of my calories for dinner and late snack. If I try to just "muscle through it" and not eat anything, I usually end up saying "screw it" and eating w/e I want. I justify it by saying, "well, I went over today, might as well eat what I want and start tomorrow!" I know it's a bad attitude to have, but I've learned to try to prevent situations where I can say this to myself.

    There might be some negative effects of eating late at night, but personally I'd rather stay under my calorie goal each day than worry about that.
  • Librariangetsfit
    Librariangetsfit Posts: 71 Member
    Find a protein shake you like that is chocolate, I have to workout at night since I work full time. I drink that for my recovery meal, and it fills my chocolate craving.
  • taimih
    taimih Posts: 14
    I make myself busy with something else. If my hands are busy, I can't eat.

    Since my friends are all having babies right now (we're all in/around 30), I make baby blankets.

    Do you crochet/knit/sew/some other craft?
  • Princess_Lee2013
    Princess_Lee2013 Posts: 48 Member
    1 - don't keep chocolate in the house
    2 - my sense is that you likely are hankering for "something sweet" after dinner - something like chocolate - that gives you the sense of "can't have just one" is not ideal. Like for me if I were to have one hershey kiss for example - that is NOT going to cut it and I'll end up eating a bunch of calories. SOOO plan for the need to feed the sweet tooth by having a low cal dessert that will make you feel satisfied cuz you get to gobble up the whole thing (Hopefully this works for you) My two favourites:

    no sugar added jello with 95% fat free cool whip - you can get a HUGE dollop of cool whip for a very small calorie intake. It does it for me. OR 100 calorie oreo sticks - even if you end up having two (as I will admit to having done lol) it's not the end of the world. Planning for and allowing the something sweet I find makes it easier cuz you're not craving something in the absence. Sweet drinks help me too like diet sprite at night. I know it's not ideal but there's no way that sipping tea is going to calm the sweetness beast! Good luck!
  • skinnydreams19
    skinnydreams19 Posts: 282 Member
    This is exactly my problem! I eat 2000 calories at night, no problem! I need to figure out how to have the discipline to close the kitchen after dinner!!!!
  • norrisski
    norrisski Posts: 1,217 Member
    I take the opposite approach - I just don't let myself start. Once dinner is over, eating is over. Not because I think all calories consumed after 7pm get magically turned to permanent fat or anything like that. Just, all too often if I have a little snack it's like opening the floodgates. If I just tell myself that eating is not an option at all, then it makes it a little easier. I let myself have a cup of decaf coffee if I need a little something.

    This :noway:
  • missability
    missability Posts: 223
    I just made my mind up when I started on January 1 that there WOULD BE NOTHING TO EAT AFTER 8PM< not shouting, just emphasizing:).....Like the other poster said, not because I think anything after 8PM will magically turn to fat....but just because I know me! and once I start I can't seem to stop...but only in the evening...I think I musta been a vampire in a former life:)
    Sooooo....I buy 80% or 85% dark chocolate, make sure it is soy lecithn free and usually about 7:30 have a serving...it takes the edge off, after 8PM, and once ALL my water is in for the day, I sip on either iced green tea, or hot green, ginger root, or yerba mate tea....nothing added....and I try very very hard to be in bed by 11PM....so far so good:)
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    Strangely, feeling full early in the day curbs my appetite all day long. I have a decent breakfast, lunch, and a light early dinner, and unless I actually get hungry, that's it for the day. I usually don't eat after 6pm, unless I've been out hiking or something.
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
    I usually just keep 70 - 80% dark chocolate only. I find that smaller amounts of very dark chocolate are way more satisfying (lower cals and fat) then milk chocolate. You can't deny yourself chocolate.....especially if you're female ;)

    Yes, the sugar content of milk chocolate is much higher and sugar spurs the appetite.
  • Sweet_Gurl_Next_Door
    Sweet_Gurl_Next_Door Posts: 735 Member
    get a 3 ring binder with notebook paper and some dividers. divide it in 3 sections

    section 1 thankful section

    each time you are tempted to binge write 5 things you are thankful for

    section 2 mind dumping journal

    this is where you write down everything you are feeling and need to get off your chest

    do this when you are tempted to binge

    section 3 positive affirmations

    write 5 things you like about yourself each time you are tempted to binge
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    It's very easy to be good in the daytime but pig out at night. For this reason I'm a huge proponent of saving up calories for an evening binge. Why fight it? Just eat healthy and low calorie for breakfast and lunch, and that way you can go all out for dinner and later night snacks.

    Nate Miyaki calls this appraoch intermittent feasting (as opposed to intermittent fasting) and it's worked great for me during my maintenance phase. I have no problem restricting calories during the day when I'm busy, especially if I know I'll be able to eat a lot at night.
  • daddydog69
    daddydog69 Posts: 17 Member
    Ive been saving calories for late night....I haven't gone a day in more than two months without some cardio or strength training. MY problem occurs if I save enough for a few beers or 3/4 glasses of Cabernet I get the delirious munchies...and wear a track to the kitchen. The dogs love it...I still keep track of everything...last night I had Swedish meatballs at 1:45 am! AGGGH!
  • 80sFanatic88
    80sFanatic88 Posts: 70 Member
    I wait till midnight, so I can count those calories for the next day instead. Makes me feel like I'm cheating, but then when I wake up I've got calories to burn off. :tongue:
  • a778c466
    a778c466 Posts: 141 Member
    I try to make sure I save a large amount of calories for my meal at night, because I had that problem also. One piece of dark chocolate satisfies my cravings better than milk chocolate ever has. Also brushing my teeth makes me not want to eat anything either.
  • jamimari777
    jamimari777 Posts: 101 Member
    fruit - pineapple and grapes with cinnamon satisfy me.
  • kmccormick42
    kmccormick42 Posts: 78 Member
    Hershey's kisses - anywhere between 1 & 3 and I feel like I have my chocolate fix in. It's less than 100 calories
  • jamimari777
    jamimari777 Posts: 101 Member
    I also picked up 100 calorie dark chocolate bars - those do the trick too.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Don't buy foods you're likely to binge on. Do more frequent trips to the store so you don't have a huge stock of food you love in your house. Buy things you like but you don't love.
  • katielinds
    katielinds Posts: 20 Member
    I do the same. For the last 10 years, evening has been my "food time" so it would be unrealistic for me to expect to eat a small portioned dinner and a bigger lunch/breakfast--- i'd fail! I eat light (but smart) for breakfast and lunch, and then I go to the gym after work and come home and EAT!
  • patbeharry
    patbeharry Posts: 13
    I have a planned evening treat.....usually hot milk and cookies as a bedtime snack. Each morning I try to plan out my "menu" for the day and I account for the calories that will be my evening treat. That way when I get that evening craving I still have something to look forward to.
  • katielinds
    katielinds Posts: 20 Member
    Oops--- meant to quote Jfrankic-! :)

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