How can I stick to my goals in the evening?

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I'm coming back to myfitnesspal as my weight has gone up again. The last three days I did well up until about 4pm. I had a good breakfast (around 350 calories), a good lunch (again around 3-400 calories)...but then it's like I give up or give in during/after dinner. I don't know if it's because it was the weekend...I did have a drink with dinner a couple nights and I know that doesn't help.

Does anyone have any tips to stick with it through the evening?

Replies

  • ClairBears84
    ClairBears84 Posts: 531 Member
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    Hey

    I also really struggle in the evenings, I try keep my self busy, that is the one and only way to not eat too much at night for me, My dinners are fine and in count , its the things I consume before and after...
  • mcpjan
    mcpjan Posts: 76 Member
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    I try to plan what I gong to eat the day before. I then try to spread that out all day long, so I don't fell hungry. I also have some 90 calorie fiber one bars I use as a snack if I have to have one. Drink lots of water. But if all else fails, I decide if I am going to eat something I have to work it off first. I work out most of the time at home. I go to my tread climber or bike and work off the calories if I really want them.
  • Lrdoflamancha
    Lrdoflamancha Posts: 1,280 Member
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    I have found that I need to eat more often to combat evening and night time cravings. So I now eat 6 meals a day of 300 calories each. 6AM 9 12PM 3 6 and 9. This accomplishes a number of things for me. First I am a type 2 diabetic and eating like this eliminated spikes in my blood sugar after each large meal. I think that since I always know that food is only an hour or 2 away I can hold off until then. I believe that eating more meals more often will help anyone combat cravings.
  • phishn4peace
    phishn4peace Posts: 21 Member
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    Unfortunatly, in this case it seems like it is mind over matter. One thing that helps me to not over eat and re-visit the fridge is eating a bunch of small meals throughout the day. Like if you have a sandwich, yogurt and banana for lunch, space them all out. I eat something small about every hour in the afternoon. I eat at 6am, 10am, 12, 1, 2, 3, and 4. I have dinner around 715 and then I am done for the night. My dinner are small too; around 300-400 calories. I also walk for about 20 minutes after dinner to help with digestion and get out of the house....away from seconds and dessert. If you find yourself going to the fridge in the afternoons and evenings, eat something healthy like fruits or sliced peppers and hummus.
  • cheddar2000
    cheddar2000 Posts: 43 Member
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    I like to nibble in the evening. That nibbling has been the hardest part of my lifestyle changes to well change. So rather than get into a real struggle where I often give in I have compromised with myself. In the evening after dinner but only 2 hours after dinner I allow myself a couple of sugar free popcycles (if you make your own even better) and if I am really struggling a couple more if needed. They take a bit of time to eat and slow me down and give me that nibble effect I guess I need without to much damage in the calorie and junk department. Hope this helps.
  • bigw2
    bigw2 Posts: 2
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    willpower
  • kenazfehu
    kenazfehu Posts: 1,188 Member
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    I used to be an all day nibbler, especially in the evenings, but I decided to change that. I've been toughing it out through the cravings for the past 4-5 weeks (no eating between meals; only water), and it's getting easier. The only time I have trouble is when I have to put the dinner left-overs away. Then it's hand-to-mouth disease all over again; I really have to fight it. I'm going to try a stick of gum or cough drop next time. Nothing tastes good with a mentholyptus cough drop.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,136 Member
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    I try to leave plenty of calories for the evening. My meals increase as the day goes on. Breakfast is pretty light (250 cals), lunch (500ish), supper (700-1,000), plus 2 snacks (200). Your body doesn't care when it gets food, so I've never seen a point to eating most of your cals during daylight hours. Do what works for you. Maybe you're like me and get the hungries when the sun goes down (I blame being born at 1 in the morning. :laugh: ).
  • Izzwoz
    Izzwoz Posts: 348 Member
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    I know exactly what you mean, the evenings tend to get me too, what with tv time snacking ... the way to deal with it that works for me is to try and save up some calories during the day so you can give in to the cravings (in a sensible way) and also to find good snack alternatives for the evening. For example, I have reduced my cereal portion in the morning by a third, my tummy doesn't even realise that, it still feels ok coz it had something yummy to eat, but I have gained an extra 50 cals to play with in the evening. Lunch the same, just swapped to a low fat cheese alternative and to almond milk, et voila: another 50-100 cals for evening snacks. Those snacks tend to be low sugar low fat popcorn (you can nibble on only 50 grams for most of the evening), baked low sodium crisps, any kind of veg with low fat dip, or a low fat soy chocolate pud, homemade flapjacks ... whatever you fancy!