Why is this happening?

I am actually trying to eat the same amount and feel the same way every night! I have been told go to sleep earlier and just try not to eat but it just does not work that way for me! I recently read that eating something a snack that has protein in it is suppose to make it easier but I don't know about that one. I have been trying to just snack on different fruits, pickles or some greek yogurt....although I would much rather have some chips and candy any day!!! It is just plain hard sometimes, but you can do it!!

I'm not so sure there has to be a reason why it's happening. It sounds like you eat well and are eating whole nutritious foods. I think that everyone just has that time of day when they are hungriest - for example, I need to eat around 600 calories for breakfast to really feel satisfied and energized, while others can have a piece of toast and last until lunch at 1pm. On the flipside of that I eat a very light dinner around 5pm and then don't feel like eating for the rest of the evening. It may just be your body's "clock".

Something that helps me on occasions when I DO start to feel hungry in the evening is I will make myself a cup of herbal tea. No calories but the warmth and the flavour make me feel like I am snacking on something.

You could also save a few calories and have a few bites of yogurt or something like that at 11pm. Won't do much damage to your 1500 calorie plan but I find that a few bites of yogurt coats the stomach enough to stop the growling.

I hear you OP - but my problem is weekends. I eat very well during the week, then subconsciously I think that I can treat myself all weekend because I work out a lot and eat well, and what I binge on is garbage... sugar, tons and tons of sugar comprised of little kids' candies such as gummies and jujubes - like, how old am I? And the older I get, the worse my sweet tooth gets. Surely this is why I've plateaued.

Anyways, someone here mentioned brushing your teeth after dinner, or eat dinner much later. I think those are great ideas for you. I may be lucky because I personally hate the feeling of going to bed full, but if you can handle it, just eat dinner at like 8:30 or 9.

Good luck

:happy:

Try reducing calories during periods of the day when you're less hungry, and save those calories for a larger night time snack. You could, for example, skip breakfast and not eat until lunch time (which won't hurt you in anyway, contrary to the popular myth).

This is a good idea!

I am the opposite though, I can't stand going to bed full. If it were me I'd just tough it out and go to bed. BUT if you really need to eat, just plan for those calories!

Ice cold water will take hunger pains away and fill up your stomach a little. And a flavored rice cake will expand and also fill you up too.

Not sure why it happens. Happens to me too. I've taken some of the advice that you got here. I'm restricting during the day as much as I can to just have energy and then allowing myself more freedom at night. I could do better at my nighttime choices, but I would rather not feel guilty.

How intense are your work-outs? Maybe the simplest answer is you need more calories to support how active you are. Perhaps you need more protein, more water, "cleaner" foods so you can eat more volume, etc. If you body is truly genuinely hungry, don't ignore it. That's just not a healthy lifestyle. If you're bored or just want to fight cravings, that's another issue entirely.

I took the time to look at your profile. You are 20 year old and your circadian clock is most active in the evening and most sluggish in the mornings. You might try altering when you eat. Try a sugar-free protein shake in the morning (Like Jay Robb) and then eat a bit later in the day. Also, if you want to hold off hunger pangs, the protein shake blended with a bit of fresh fruit might do the trick. The fact is, at your age, your body likes to be awake at this time and it wants fuel.

Here is a copy of the conclusion in a study on the circadian clock and metabolism:
"Advances in genetic studies of circadian rhythms have led to the recognition that the circadian system is tightly coupled with processes controlling both sleep and metabolism. These dynamic interactions ensure that energy metabolism is coordinated in a proper temporal pattern and that circadian control is also subject to modulation by the energy status of the organism. Disruption of either the circadian clock or metabolism can lead to derangement of the other, thus predisposing to metabolic disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. Future research will continue to focus on expanding our understanding of how brain and peripheral clocks coordinately regulate metabolic processes at both the cell-autonomous and non-autonomous level, how nutrient flux translates information regarding environmental milieu to the clock, and the impact of circadian rhythms in human health and disease."

Since people you age are active at 11:00 pm, your body sends signals to fuel your body. I am guessing that you are not as hungry before 10:00 in the morning, but eat anyway because it is "time" to eat. Try delaying your eating times.

Hope this helps!

maybe save some calories for a couple of adult friendly nightcaps??