Good eating during the day, bad at night

jemjemsh
jemjemsh Posts: 35 Member
in Motivation and Support
Anyone else have or had the problem that they eat super well during the day, then at night time they eat crap or just too much food? I don't know what happens, it's like my food self control sets with the sun. Any ideas or tips to get over this would be much appreciated!!
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Replies

  • cehall422
    cehall422 Posts: 32 Member
    Yep I'm having this problem. I think last night might have been the change I needed. I came home extremely tired and hungry. I went into the kitchen and wanted to make some pretty awful choices, but remembered I just dropped a lot of money on groceries. So at least I made a good food choice in eating a strawberry and some craisins.
    I'm currently blaming this bad habit of eating crap because of Halloween. I was very good about not eating much candy but once Halloween came and I had trick or treaters, I began to shovel crap down my throat at night. But now the candy is gone and I'm at the point were I want to be less than 226 more than anything!
    I guess try and think about what triggers you to do it. For me it was having an abundance of bad food in the house. Now it's gone and I have fresh fruit and veggies. I still need to not eat after 8 PM, but I think right now if I can make better choices about what I eat then that's something.
  • kzivic
    kzivic Posts: 326 Member
    I am the same way. I think it's because during the day, while at work, I have limited access to food. Plus I bring my lunch and snacks with me, so everything is planned out and I'm able to stick to my plan.

    Once I get home, it's like a free-for-all in my kitchen, OMG, look at all this food! I'm trying to stay in the mindset of sticking to a plan. Also, staying out of/away from the kitchen helps too. If I'm involved in some sort of project in the evening, it keeps my mind off of what I could possibly be snacking on at the moment...

    Good luck!
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
    Maybe you're not enough enough during the day, or foods that aren't filling (more protein & fibre?).
  • florymonde
    florymonde Posts: 261 Member
    One thing that helps me is to have some designated 'treats'. I try to make sure it's something that will help quell a sweet craving, and also give me some liquids to help fill me up.

    I might have 3 Russell Stover sugarless chocolates and a glass of milk. Another one is a diet Dr. Pepper with a tablespoon of cream in it.

    Brainstorm for some ideas of what satisfies you, and how you can have that in a way that isn't tons of calories.

    And maybe it's just a matter of giving yourself permission to have a small treat (like 100 calories), and then saying you won't eat anything for the next hour. That'll at least forestall binging.
  • cajungirltx
    cajungirltx Posts: 147 Member
    I'm guilty too! I eat good during the day and then look out when I get home. I actually start getting hungry everyday at 4:00. I too try to stay busy in the evening to keep my mind off food. I acutally like to walk on my treadmill watching television to keep my mind off the kitchen.
  • dorianaldyn
    dorianaldyn Posts: 611 Member
    Being militant about logging everything I eat is what helps me. If I know I'll regret it when I log it, I just don't eat it.

    Try meal planning - plan out your meals for the week, do the necessary prep work to pull them off and you may be tempted by bad choices less!
  • gertudejekyl
    gertudejekyl Posts: 386 Member
    My prob too. Make a big pot of good dinner food and you can dig into that w/o having to make dinner first. Some kind of healthy stew...veg, meat....beans....:glasses:
  • charelg
    charelg Posts: 599 Member
    I read this topic and was like omg that's me!! I have been at a plateau for 2 months now. It's mostly due to junk late at night. i'm a night owl, so i get hungry. Instead of eating one snack i have to have a bunch. Salty and sweet. It's been worse with all the halloween candy in the house. I started insanity so I'm hoping I will start losing the weight. And I;m really trying to not eat so much at night. I feel ya!
  • laura_lynn66
    laura_lynn66 Posts: 175
    I am the same way. I think it's because during the day, while at work, I have limited access to food. Plus I bring my lunch and snacks with me, so everything is planned out and I'm able to stick to my plan.

    Once I get home, it's like a free-for-all in my kitchen, OMG, look at all this food! I'm trying to stay in the mindset of sticking to a plan. Also, staying out of/away from the kitchen helps too. If I'm involved in some sort of project in the evening, it keeps my mind off of what I could possibly be snacking on at the moment...

    Good luck!

    Same here..bringing lunch to work and not having snack machines I do well all day and I just get the munchies in the evening. I am trying to have a planned dinner that is filling and also try and stockpile more of my calories for the dinner meal...hopefully, that will help!
  • underwater77
    underwater77 Posts: 331 Member
    I am bad at night. I used to force myself to eat breakfast even though I wasn't hungry, but now I just save those calories because I know I would rather have them at night.
  • kelseyhere
    kelseyhere Posts: 1,123 Member
    I've been having this problem as well. I notice the more tired I am the worse my self control is. Get more sleep, go to bed earlier, move the TV away from the food, make yourself tea, brush your teeth, put in teeth whiteners, paint your nails, just stay busy is the key.
  • DaisyHamilton
    DaisyHamilton Posts: 575 Member
    Me, completely. I eat well during the day, and I used to eat badly at night. I started going to bed earlier, before the cravings hit. We have dinner around 5:30p-6:00p, so around 8:30p-10:30p, I start to get a little hungry. I either go to bed, or eat banana&pb/apple&pb, etc and then immediately go to sleep. I don't want to stay up any longer and have another meal.
  • TrailRunner61
    TrailRunner61 Posts: 2,505 Member
    Do you eat a good breakfast? I know that if I don't, I eat a lot more later in the day.

    Also, if I eat anything after I'm done logging for the day, I add it to my breakfast log the next morning... that makes reality bite and I'm less likely to do it now.
  • Jul158
    Jul158 Posts: 481 Member
    I definitely do. I find that it helps me to have an evening meal that I really enjoy and look forward to (but still healthy) and I'm less likely to reach for something else. This is usually veggie chili for me or a healthy homemade pizza. I also eat something sweet at night to curb any bingeing tendencies, usually chocolate covered raisins, fruit and yogurt or Arctic Zero ice cream : ). Having a plan and sticking to one serving is key, too!
  • gerripho
    gerripho Posts: 479 Member
    If you have had sufficient calories during the day and aren't in deprivation mode, you might try getting up from dinner, cleaning up the kitchen, then brush and floss or waterpic you teeth for the night. After that, it's water or wait for morning. Something about cleaning my teeth in the evening that signals my body to stop eating for the day.
  • EatClenTrenHard
    EatClenTrenHard Posts: 339 Member
    eat junk food during the day, eat vegetables at night.
  • bailyc
    bailyc Posts: 57 Member
    I had this problem for a long time. I moved my workouts to right after work (5:30 pm) then have a protein packed dinner after my post workout shower. The dinner keeps me full and the tired muscles from the workout remind me that the snacking just wasn't worth wasting the effort I put into the workout! Also, I make sure I brush my teeth right after I finish dinner. After a week or so it started to work as a trigger to my brain that we were done with food for the day. Good luck!
  • laurynwithawhy
    laurynwithawhy Posts: 385 Member
    I have also dealt with this problem. My tips are:

    1. Eat more low-calorie, but filling foods during the day (soup, salad, etc.) so that you will feel full but have enough calories leftover for a filling meal at night.
    2. Plan your nighttime meals/snacks ahead of time. That way you know exactly how many calories you will be able to consume. Track ahead if you need to.
    3. Don't keep junk/trigger foods at home. If you know you want to eat a bunch of ice cream when you get home from a hard day, then don't keep it around. If you really really need it, go get a scoop at an ice cream shop. Portion control at its best.

    Hope that helps some!
  • sarahg148
    sarahg148 Posts: 701 Member
    I am the same way. I think it's because during the day, while at work, I have limited access to food. Plus I bring my lunch and snacks with me, so everything is planned out and I'm able to stick to my plan.

    Once I get home, it's like a free-for-all in my kitchen, OMG, look at all this food! I'm trying to stay in the mindset of sticking to a plan. Also, staying out of/away from the kitchen helps too. If I'm involved in some sort of project in the evening, it keeps my mind off of what I could possibly be snacking on at the moment...

    Good luck!

    This
  • khern10
    khern10 Posts: 24
    This is the story of my life. I'll be good all day and then binge at night. It is just a matter of self control. sometimes I have it sometimes I don't.
  • sarahg148
    sarahg148 Posts: 701 Member
    I am bad at night. I used to force myself to eat breakfast even though I wasn't hungry, but now I just save those calories because I know I would rather have them at night.

    And this...
  • sarahg148
    sarahg148 Posts: 701 Member
    I've been having this problem as well. I notice the more tired I am the worse my self control is. Get more sleep, go to bed earlier, move the TV away from the food, make yourself tea, brush your teeth, put in teeth whiteners, paint your nails, just stay busy is the key.

    Aaaand this too
  • KyleB65
    KyleB65 Posts: 1,196 Member
    This used to be a big problem for me. Still is from time to time.

    My wife called it boredom eating. I think that she is probably right!

    Now, I work out in the evenings so the opportunity is not there. And, when I am home in the evenings, I try to reach for healthy snacks. (Not always successfully though!)
  • heathercicle
    heathercicle Posts: 91 Member
    I think it depends on what you are eating. If you are having a calorie heavy dinner, then work to change the foods you prepare (assuming you have control over that). If it's not calorie heavy but you still have a lot of calories, then maybe it's your portion sizes. If it's not dinner but snacking, work on switching to healthier snacks. I tried to look at your diary to give more personalized advice but it is not available. I hope this helps!
  • stpetegirl
    stpetegirl Posts: 241
    I am having this problem right now too! The advice I keep getting is more protein and natural fibers during the day and to drink more water! I've tested the water theory, and if I drink close to a gallon of water, I don't want to snack, but the problem is, I don't hit my calories either! But I guess better to be under than to go over because of eating crappy food at night!! I'm still looking for ways to have more control over this bad eating, that I am sure is part of my old binge eating habit.
  • sarahg148
    sarahg148 Posts: 701 Member
    Now for my own words...

    I noticed for me, that if I plan out my day and have a snack around 9pm and stay BUSY at night...then I don't get the cravings as much. I'm also a night owl and lately have been going to sleep no earlier than 1am. I have a pretty flexible schedule so I'm also all over the place with when I can eat and exercise. I try to not workout too close to bed because then I'll be up until 3am. I also don't keep too many trigger foods in the house. If I'm truly hungry then an apple should be appetizing. If not, then I know I'm not really hungry...I just want to eat to pass the time. :\
  • monmedrano
    monmedrano Posts: 2
    it also happens to me. I think that during the day ur bussy with work, kids, school, etc and u don't have time to think of craving, but when u are relaxed at home maybe watching some tv, ur body realize that he might eat a little more, specially if during the day he didn't have anought calories. It might help to keep busy until you get to sleep, do not have any junk food at home (so you won't get up at midnight and it's difficult to go out to the store...), instead, have some healthy low calorie food in ur fridge, ir u r really hungry you'd eat anything right? do some excercise before you sleep, it will help to don't feel hungry and even if u are, you'll feel "sporty" and won't eat... you can also have a huge sald :) Hope it helps :D
  • momofthreesons
    momofthreesons Posts: 162 Member
    Yes! I overcame by sticking low calorie during the day and making sure to exercise. I eat a normal supper and 1 to 2 snacks at night. Of course I have "planned" snacks that fit into my daily allowance calorie wise readily available at night. Good luck!
  • MrsPong
    MrsPong Posts: 580 Member
    I have the same issue. I think its bc I have limited food at work, and at home I have tons. Plus I'm sitting and relaxing...so I wanna snack.
  • LoveAlwaysAlisa
    LoveAlwaysAlisa Posts: 111 Member
    I do!!!! There's something about that gap of time between dinner and bed that makes me BINGE. It's a horrible habit for me. I'm getting better by letting myself have SOMETHING...but sometimes I can't help myself and overdo it, or sometimes I just completely give in and run to a fast food spot for late night "junk". Did it Friday actually...ordered Dominos and ate over half the pizza myself!! Took 3 days to drop the water weight from all the sodium!!! Back on track again but it's TOUGH!! One day at a time......:smile:

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