nighttime snacking :(
kg330
Posts: 1 Member
Has anybody conquered the nighttime snacking monster? I do really well all day and then blow it after dinner. Any advice?
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Review what you are eating at every meal and snack all day especially at dinner, if you undereat, don't balance your macros, don't keep your blood sugar stable you may get cravings. Stuff yourself at dinner - loads of non starchy vegetables, lean protein plus healthy fats. If you are not too satisfied for dessert eat more. What are you snacking on and why is it in the house?0
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As the poster above said, don't have it in the house.
My personal, kind of crazy, way not to eat after dinner is this: When I'm done cleaning up after dinner, I announce, out loud, "The kitchen is now Closed!" Then I turn out the lights and in my case, close the door to the kitchen until morning. Most of the time only my 2 cats and I hear the big announcement, but somehow, it works for me.1 -
Are you hungry or just bored?
If you get peckish later, plan it into your cal allowance and save some back. Buy in healthy snacks like fruit or veg or stuff like yoghurts and popcorn instead of junk.
If you're bored, find something to entertain yourself. I took up guitar, if I'm bored in the flat, I pick it up and have a wee practice, keeps my hands and mind busy.0 -
When I had trainer ... He told me to make big bowl of low calorie of Jello and when that night munching happens.... To just kill that. It worked.0
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I have dinner 8pm latest and usually up till 3-4am...just drink some tea or water
(I'm an ex night-time snacker) I snacked because I was bored and comfortable sitting there watching family guy0 -
If you are genuinely more hungry at night just plan your calories to allow a couple of snacks after dinner.
I get hungriest first thing in the morning so I forsake some calories from afternoon and evening to eat a really big breakfast. I find this works really well0 -
I haven't mastered it, cause sometimes you sit down and eat anyway. BUT, when I'm being good, I drink hot tea, makes my mouth and belly feel like it's getting something, and I do random crafts, or read, something to keep my hands busy. works wonders. The second I decide I'm just going to sit and watch tv with out my hands doing something my mind instantly goes to the kitchen0
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I was a huge nighttime snacker, and I don't even get to eat dinner until 7 p.m.! I have found some really nice teas with lots of flavor that I enjoy after dinner. There's a Licorice spice one that's my current fave, but the chais, mint, lemongrass, coconut etc, have a natural sweetness that is like a dessert to me. As long as I don't start the munching on anything at all, I am usually fine. And I also brush my teeth early and even go to bed early when I'm actually tired and not hungry.
Prior to no snacking at all after dinner, I used to like a few radishes; the hotness of them actually made me more mindful, and I tended to stop after a few, but even a whole bag doesn't set you back that many calories.0 -
I find 20 minutes of exercise curbs my appetite pretty well. It also reminds me how hard it is to work off calories.0
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figure in a evening snack in your calories for the day.. maybe even 2-100 calorie ones. Personally, I enjoy my bowl of cereal before bedtime. its personal preference for many.
good luck!0 -
I set an absolute cutoff time for eating. I will not eat past 8:00 p.m. so I'm not going to bed with a lot of food in my tummy.
If it's before 8:00 p.m. and I have the calories left, I have a Skinny Cow icecream sandwich (if I'm craving something sweet), which is only 140 calories or some really lowfat (I think it's 97% fat free) microwave popcorn (if I'm craving something salty). If it's after 8:00 p.m. I drink a bottle of water and watch a movie or other show that gets my mind off of munching (so no Food Network shows - LOL). If I still find I can't get my mind off of it - I go to bed!
You can do this! I know it's sometimes difficult to refocus your mind, but most of the time it is a mental game.0 -
This is a great thread. I also have the night snacking monster inside me. I started not keeping snacking foods around because I would raid the cabinets like a maniac. I think it all comes down to being bored and when I'm in my comfort zone its on the couch watching netflix eating...but I've taken up knitting and that has seemed to help. I still occasionally raid the cabinet, but I've been better at what I choose to eat now.
I'll have to try the hot tea suggestion!0 -
Yes all the time! I will drink a bottle of water. Then have some celery and honey mustard. Or 100 cal bag of kettle corn..very filling!0
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I budget my calories to allow for about 300 to be eaten after dinner. If not, I go to bed feeling anxious and hungry. If I go to bed too hungry I overeat at breakfast the next day.0
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I nighttime snack due to boredom not hunger..
Lately just drinking some diluting juice or water has been helping and a little piece of fruit if i'm craving something sweet. But more than anything i'll distract myself and keep telling myself i'm not actually hungry..
But i love the above suggestion of a bowl of cereal before bed, i love cereal so may give that a try. Hope you find what works for you !
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I like to snack at night, so I organise my calorie intake to allow for that.0
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I save several hundred calories for evening snacking. Just pull some calories from another meal and plan for it.0
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As soon as the evening munchies hit me, which is every night, I get out my planner and start planning my meals for the next day. This gives me the freedom to think about food and some satisfaction in knowing what I'll get to enjoy the next day. Like others said, you're likely not physically hungry, just mentally. If I really feel hungry, I'll cut up an apple to munch on while I'm planning. Good luck!0
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I am a horrible nighttime snacker! I too find myself doing well all day only for it to be ruined by my inner snack monster at night. I think for me its boredom, so my advice to myself is to stay busy. For anyone else, find your "triggers" and start there. If you eat because you're bored then stay busy, the added bonus is if busy means up and moving then you're burning calories. If snacking is because your day time intake is too low and your blood sugar is dropping at night, then play with your dietary needs until you find yourself craving less. Cravings mean your body is lacking something, so listen, just don't listen while tearing up a bag of doritos! I have gone as far as eating an entire bag of mini carrots but at least it wasn't chips.0
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I save calories for nighttime. In fact, including dinner, more than half my calories are generally eaten at night.0
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I also have this same problem. I do save some calories so I can have a bowl of cheerios with bananas as my night time snack. Cheerios, Bananas and milk are all things that help me sleep, so I justify it that way with some sleepy time tea and then I brush my teeth, once I do that its a signal to my body that it is time for relaxing, not eating.0
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Add 1 more night snacker to the list.....I snack after dinner every single night so I "budget" these snacks in my calories for the day.....I rather snack than deprive myself and end up binging instead.
Best of luck to you!0 -
Mini 100 calorie popcorn bags,,,,no junk in the house. I know that monster, he used to visit me every night. You can defeat it! Willpower0
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Sometimes I would wake and head to the fridge. I wouldnt even thinnk about it and grab something because I would be so tired. I am normally a very organized peson and notice things out of place relatively quick. i posted a sign on the fridge that said something like hello youre dieting. This helped and now I have even taken my sign down0
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I have started flossing and brushing my teeth right after dinner, seems to be wrking so far0
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i tend to get hungry late at night before i go to bed regardless of what i ate during the day, so i make sure i have about 100 cals fir my favorite snack, a bowl of regular plain old cheerios, only 100 cals. ( I use SILK unsweetened vanilla almond milk which is so yummy & only 30 calories, plus it has no sugar in it so i feel pretty good about this as a snack
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im like you i like to have a little snack myself at night. before i go to work i cut up a sweet apple...usually golden delicious apple. or get a serving size of something sinful (lol) like 3 chocolate cookies. the cookies or chips or whatever are always in a baggie. buy u a bag or box of something and devide a serving size up into baggies and when u have that craving in the evening, grab 1 baggie. it beats picking up the whole bag.. cuz i dont know about you, but if the WHOLE bag is in my hand, at least HALF of it is gone. so plan ahead.0
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im like you i like to have a little snack myself at night. before i go to work i cut up a sweet apple...usually golden delicious apple. or get a serving size of something sinful (lol) like 3 chocolate cookies. the cookies or chips or whatever are always in a baggie. buy u a bag or box of something and devide a serving size up into baggies and when u have that craving in the evening, grab 1 baggie. it beats picking up the whole bag.. cuz i dont know about you, but if the WHOLE bag is in my hand, at least HALF of it is gone. so plan ahead.
great suggestion!! ..and ty for supporting the night time snack monster 0 -
I had a pre-workout snack today that I think will be great for my nighttime cravings...
1/2 banana and 13 (1/2 serving) of pistachios (in the shell, takes longer to eat). The sweet and salty combo was very satisfying and surprising filling.0 -
This was always my biggest problem. I went cold turkey cause nothing else worked. While it's not realistic not to have food in the house try not to have your absolute favs. (for instance most people will have a bag or 2 of chips around cause they are a lunch staple but if you can't keep yourself out of the Frito bag don't buy that brand) I'd go all day and eat great and than 8pm rolled around and it was like the pantry was calling my name. Drove me CRAZY! I just had to stop. After about 3 days it got easier. Now I actually have nights I don't even think about eating after 8pm. Also, if you watch TV at night mute the food commericals. They are just there to give us grief!0
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