how to stop snacking late at night!

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
    I have occasionally gone to bed early just so I would not be tempted.
  • 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!
  • 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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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.
  • 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
    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
    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
    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.
  • 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
    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
    Just...don't? Brushing my teeth stops me from eating.
  • Lass70
    Lass70 Posts: 18 Member
    Def. agree with the books and tea.
  • feast4thebeast
    feast4thebeast Posts: 210 Member
    I like to snack at night, I like to eat at night so that is why I use intermittent fasting as part of my diet plan. I lie in bed with a bar of chocolate still and yes during the whole time I continued to lose weight when dieting down. Build late night snacking into your planning as it will be easier on you mentally in the long run.
  • I have sugar free jello in the fridge for when I want something.. but usually I have enough left in my calorie "budget" to have some red wine, plain air popped popcorn, sugar free jello and probably a lot more...
  • lizchristine
    lizchristine Posts: 42 Member
    You might have to spend a few nights feeling hungry at night as you get adjusted to eating less. It stinks, but I'm finding that it goes away after awhile. I try not to eat anything after 8pm. I totally agree with the other posters - drinking tea, painting my nails, doing an art project, sewing, stretching, etc. all work for me. Basically anything to keep me from munching while watching t.v.
  • linette247
    linette247 Posts: 17 Member
    I think that you should ask yourself why you are hungry at night

    You arent eating enough during the day? or
    You just eat due to ansiety?
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Save calories by eating slightly less during the day (or choose foods that aren't as calorie dense during the day), so that you can just eat more at night and not go over.
  • Crayvn
    Crayvn Posts: 390 Member
    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.

    hmm...so eating my 100 calorie ice cream bar at night is bad? yet i stay in my calories and my fat allowance and still lose weight and feel good?.
    yes..i do agree that eating healthier snacks is better for vitamins and nutrients sake...., however you dont HAVE to eat strictly clean as long as your still getting in those essential nutrients elsewhere and getting the results you want :)
  • babecon
    babecon Posts: 136 Member
    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!

    We may be soulmates!
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member


    hmm...so eating my 100 calorie ice cream bar at night is bad? yet i stay in my calories and my fat allowance and still lose weight and feel good?.
    yes..i do agree that eating healthier snacks is better for vitamins and nutrients sake...., however you dont HAVE to eat strictly clean as long as your still getting in those essential nutrients elsewhere and getting the results you want :)

    ^ This, and the bolded part is a good reminder that people should look at the entire diet and not an individual food item. A little ice cream among a nutrient rich diet is not a bad thing at all.
  • csplatt
    csplatt Posts: 1,198 Member
    Sipping tea helps me too!