how to stop snacking late at night!

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bynonmurrayc
bynonmurrayc Posts: 37 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I find it SO hard to not want to snack at night. I can manage eating clean all day but when I get home i always want to snack! How does everyone out there deal with this?
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Replies

  • kw85296
    kw85296 Posts: 265 Member
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    I have occasionally gone to bed early just so I would not be tempted.
  • twimom03
    twimom03 Posts: 19
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    It is a habit...you have to train yourself to not snack at night. I wish I could tell you that it is an easy fix but it will take a couple weeks of either going to bed early or filling your time with something else. If watching television at night is your trigger....try doing something else. For 2 weeks stratight I did not have anything to eat after dinner. That way, one snack did not turn into 2...into 3...then into endless snacking. After a couple of nights of not snacking, I gained the confidence and was able to trust myself with having one snack (usually as single serving of 94% fat free popcorn). Good Luck...you can do it!
  • chinasaurus86
    chinasaurus86 Posts: 26
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    i just find something to keep me very busy or very interested. I was a late night snacker (quit that this week!) and i'm still adjusting. But to help myself not to snack i've been playing video games, watching tv shows i like and really watching them- not just having them for background noise (this also helps me go to sleep easily and prevents snacking). I love to paint my nails, and this week the colors have changed three times because instead of snacking i focus on painting my nails! which is great because 1- you don't snack and 2- you have glamorous nails! lol! those are silly, but simple things that help me. Tonight, luckily, is the first night i've not been craving a late snack. i'm sure they'll be nights that are hard, but with hard work we can overcome them! :) hope this helps a bit!
  • tequila09
    tequila09 Posts: 764 Member
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    eat more at night? i'm the same way. what works for me is to leave as many calories as possible for food when i'm at home at afternoon/evening/night time. i usually just eat really light in the morning/lunch and stay busy then for dinner i have the freedom to eat with my bf who eats a lottt!! and snack if want to!
  • OfficerFuzzy
    OfficerFuzzy Posts: 222 Member
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    Tea!
    So. Much. Tea. (Just don't load it with sugar and milk.)
    Books as well. You can't eat while reading. You could damage the pages.And a good book will keep you from craving.
    Lost 5lbs on a Harry Potter book marathon..

    Just keep busy, you'll quit the habit.
    Good luck!
  • thisisiamj
    thisisiamj Posts: 145 Member
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    I use to snack all the time at night! Now, if i feel the need to snack, I drink water or tea and for the most part the urge goes away if my tummy feels full. The bad part is then I have to get up at night to go... But over time, I do think you'll get use to it and the urge will go away.
  • 115perfection
    115perfection Posts: 109 Member
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    I make sure I DONT EAT AFTER 8. No, it does not matter when you consume your calories, but the time restriction makes me really think about eating.
    Its worked :)
  • bynonmurrayc
    bynonmurrayc Posts: 37 Member
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    Tea!
    So. Much. Tea. (Just don't load it with sugar and milk.)
    Books as well. You can't eat while reading. You could damage the pages.And a good book will keep you from craving.
    Lost 5lbs on a Harry Potter book marathon..

    Just keep busy, you'll quit the habit.
    Good luck!

    wow.. reading is actually a great idea!! i'm going to try that!
  • bynonmurrayc
    bynonmurrayc Posts: 37 Member
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    i just find something to keep me very busy or very interested. I was a late night snacker (quit that this week!) and i'm still adjusting. But to help myself not to snack i've been playing video games, watching tv shows i like and really watching them- not just having them for background noise (this also helps me go to sleep easily and prevents snacking). I love to paint my nails, and this week the colors have changed three times because instead of snacking i focus on painting my nails! which is great because 1- you don't snack and 2- you have glamorous nails! lol! those are silly, but simple things that help me. Tonight, luckily, is the first night i've not been craving a late snack. i'm sure they'll be nights that are hard, but with hard work we can overcome them! :) hope this helps a bit!

    My sister came over tonight and we actually did that! now i have purple and sparkly nails :) that's great advice though! It's much more productive to paint your nails. and plus, you can't eat while they're drying or you'll screw them up!
  • jrbb03092
    jrbb03092 Posts: 198 Member
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    I find that flossing and brushing my teeth right after dinner (instead of before bed) helps. It makes me think food would taste weird and I also don't want to ruin that nice clean feeling.
  • jus_in_bello
    jus_in_bello Posts: 326 Member
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    Pick up a hobby. I noticed that when I'm knitting or crocheting or night I totally eliminated snacking because my hands are busy and my head is engaged. My dad plays guitar for the same reason. Painting, crafting, instruments, etc are all a great way to avoid nighttime grazing.
  • JulesAtkinson1
    JulesAtkinson1 Posts: 219 Member
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    eat more at night? i'm the same way. what works for me is to leave as many calories as possible for food when i'm at home at afternoon/evening/night time. i usually just eat really light in the morning/lunch and stay busy then for dinner i have the freedom to eat with my bf who eats a lottt!! and snack if want to!

    This. For me, at least. :happy:
    I found out early on that I just like to snack while watching the very little television I have time to watch, and that it relaxed me, got my mind off my problems, and got me ready for a good night's sleep. While I don't advocate a full meal just before bed, I do skimp during the day eating just enough to keep my energy up and saving my big meal for dinner with enough for a snack later, like maybe some low cal popcorn, a nice cappaccino (caffeine free), or a couple of cookies with some skim milk.
    Works for me, and I don't have the guilt of consuming unwanted calories at night.
  • mynameismita
    mynameismita Posts: 18
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    Eat more protein and fat with your meals. I also save the more sugary stuff (predominantly fruit) at night. I don't eat a carb/sugary breakfast, but if you do, maybe switch that meal for nighttime since that's when you actually crave it?
  • QueenofScott
    QueenofScott Posts: 305 Member
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    My plan allows for desert (I eat 6 times a day). A while after dinner I have my snack/dessert, then go directly and brush my teeth. That helps to keep me from eating anything else. Good luck ! I'm sure you will find a way to conquer nighttime snacking ( that was a big vice for me too).
  • Crayvn
    Crayvn Posts: 390 Member
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    eat more at night? i'm the same way. what works for me is to leave as many calories as possible for food when i'm at home at afternoon/evening/night time. i usually just eat really light in the morning/lunch and stay busy then for dinner i have the freedom to eat with my bf who eats a lottt!! and snack if want to!

    This. For me, at least. :happy:
    I found out early on that I just like to snack while watching the very little television I have time to watch, and that it relaxed me, got my mind off my problems, and got me ready for a good night's sleep. While I don't advocate a full meal just before bed, I do skimp during the day eating just enough to keep my energy up and saving my big meal for dinner with enough for a snack later, like maybe some low cal popcorn, a nice cappaccino (caffeine free), or a couple of cookies with some skim milk.
    Works for me, and I don't have the guilt of consuming unwanted calories at night.

    I totally second this notion :)
  • PayneAS
    PayneAS Posts: 669 Member
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    I find it SO hard to not want to snack at night. I can manage eating clean all day but when I get home i always want to snack! How does everyone out there deal with this?

    Don't have non-clean snacks available and feel free to snack on healthy stuff.
  • marthathebear
    marthathebear Posts: 498
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    I brush my teeth after my last meal instead of when I go to bed so I won't eat at night.
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
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    If i have a bigger lunch i tend to eat less at night (or at least want to eat less)
  • hellohappylisa
    hellohappylisa Posts: 141 Member
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    Just...don't? Brushing my teeth stops me from eating.
  • Lass70
    Lass70 Posts: 18 Member
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    Def. agree with the books and tea.

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