tricks and advice on stopping the after dinner snacking

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liveintune
liveintune Posts: 9 Member
in Motivation and Support
so i am good all day counting my calories, excercising , avoiding extra carbs etc etc. Then comes the time period between dinner and bed and it is like i become possessed by another being who absolutely has no control over eating and talking myself i cant seem to not go for that cookie or snacks in the pantry. i am not even hungry but i can control the eating. does anyone else experience this? if so what do you do if you are sucessful in stopping yourself?
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Replies

  • beetlejuicelover
    beetlejuicelover Posts: 37 Member
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    I do. Every night I watch jeopardy with my dad and he has gotten me into the habbit of eating something while its on. I started bringing my nook with me so I can play a game or surf pintrest while its on. If I keep my hands busy then I'm pretty good. I also go into my room and stay as far away from the kitchen as possible (even ignoring the fact I was a little thirsty) because I knew if I went in there I'd get somethng to eat.
  • Dianescraps
    Dianescraps Posts: 84
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    I definitely struggle with this!

    I have done the following, though it still doesn't mean I am perfect.

    I don't keep snacks in the house that I like - IE my husband loves Chips AHOY cookies, I could be dieing and wouldn't eat them, so I keep them for him.

    I allow extra calories for eating after supper, and they are alloted for something like celery, carrots, etc
  • pamelalk
    pamelalk Posts: 70 Member
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    oh yes, this is my biggest problem...i can control my self alllll day, and than at nite its raid that fridge!! i am eating enough throughout the day, but i work a swing shift and when i get home its late and i just have no will power, if there is any suggestions out there I am willing to more than listen
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
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    My hard time is late afternoons. Some days go better than others, but basically I do my best to get busy with other things and remind myself that I don't have long to wait before the next meal. And I can wait. I can! I really can! (but sometimes I don't) It's a struggle. Don't give up.
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
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    I work 2nd shift, so I am eating later in the day.
    But when I'm off, I do struggle with this at home.
    I find keeping busy is the best distraction.
    But, have you ever noticed how many fast food commercials are on in the evening?:drinker:
    It's crazy.
    Those advertisers know what they are doing, playing on our weaknesses and tempting us!:mad:
  • bamboozle_98
    bamboozle_98 Posts: 11 Member
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    This might sound lame but it really works for me....hot green tea. I was a HUGE night owl snacker....I could polish off a bag of chips easily. It seriously fills me up and if I'm craving something sweet I add a bit of no calorie sweetner in there. On weekends I do allow a single serve bag of 100 calorie popcorn and that is a treat!!!
  • beetlejuicelover
    beetlejuicelover Posts: 37 Member
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    But, have you ever noticed how many fast food commercials are on in the evening?:drinker:
    It's crazy.
    Those advertisers know what they are doing, playing on our weaknesses and tempting us!:mad:

    I know! They drive me crazy sometimes.
  • robynn412
    robynn412 Posts: 97 Member
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    Yes, HUGE problem for me...what has helped is logging some sort of "treat" early in the day for a nighttime snack, so I've already tracked those calories, have something to look forward to, and not feel guilty about it after.

    Although, some nights it's still a struggle just to make it to my nighttime snack time, because if I have it too early, I'll want something else...but if wait until 9ish, my body seems to feel satisfied for the night.

    Lately I've been having a Luna bar (thinking the protein will also help me out here) w/hot tea, since the tea takes time to drink and is delicious with the bar, typically a chocolatey one, it takes me longer to finish my snack, and I really focus on enjoying it.

    It's so hard, but these little adjustments do work, just have to find the right one for you.

    Now tell me how to get through the weekends w/out completely destroying the week's progress?
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    One thing that helped me was to premeasure my snacks into little baggies once I got home from the grocery store. It's a lot harder to finish off a bag of nuts or a box of cheez-its if I have to open a new baggie for each serving size!
  • liveintune
    liveintune Posts: 9 Member
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    i have found the solution to nto watching commercials--highly recomemend DVR. I rarely watch anything live anymore. i DVR everything and watch when my baby goes to bed at night. this way i just fast forward through all commercials. works like magic.
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
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    I eat eucalyptus bark right after dinner

    It doesn't make me hungry for 13 hours.

    DOn't ask about the side effects though.

    THey aren't pretty.
  • EKN1417
    EKN1417 Posts: 34 Member
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    If you find yourself hungry, you likely have your calories set too low. You can lose weight without being hungry.

    If you are just reaching for snacks beacuse you are bored, or out of habit, there are some things you can do. Figure out what time of a day you regularaly find yourself reaching for snacks. PLAN a healthy snack to eat at that time. For example, after dinner, figure a healthy snack into your calories and macros. Think it out ahead of time so you aren't just grabbing what you can find lying around. Alternativley, if you'd rather not snack at all, then you can try to eat a bigger dinner, eat a later dinner, etc. And if all else fail distract yourself. Go excercise, get in bed early (no one wants to eat in bed), read a book, take a bath, streth, etc.
  • liveintune
    liveintune Posts: 9 Member
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    Yes, HUGE problem for me...what has helped is logging some sort of "treat" early in the day for a nighttime snack, so I've already tracked those calories, have something to look forward to, and not feel guilty about it after.

    Although, some nights it's still a struggle just to make it to my nighttime snack time, because if I have it too early, I'll want something else...but if wait until 9ish, my body seems to feel satisfied for the night.

    Lately I've been having a Luna bar (thinking the protein will also help me out here) w/hot tea, since the tea takes time to drink and is delicious with the bar, typically a chocolatey one, it takes me longer to finish my snack, and I really focus on enjoying it.

    It's so hard, but these little adjustments do work, just have to find the right one for you.

    Now tell me how to get through the weekends w/out completely destroying the week's progress?
  • 1ConcreteGirl
    1ConcreteGirl Posts: 3,677 Member
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    I eat eucalyptus bark right after dinner

    It doesn't make me hungry for 13 hours.

    DOn't ask about the side effects though.

    THey aren't pretty.

    Um, I think this is misinformation and unfair conflation of "eucalyptus bark" and "sleep."

    13 hours after dinner puts you at approximately breakfast time.

    This supplement is supposed to be used during the day, when someone might otherwise be tempted to eat.
  • EatClean_WashUrNuts
    EatClean_WashUrNuts Posts: 1,590 Member
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    There is no "trick".

    The Advice.....CHOOSE TO STOP.
  • pink_ribbon_1
    pink_ribbon_1 Posts: 46 Member
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    I make a big pot of tea using high-quality tea* that tastes good without sugar or artifical sweetener and drink it at night. My pot holds over a liter. It works - quells the desire to eat and gets me hydrated.

    * I like anything by Kusmi, Dammann Frere, or Rishi
  • Jbarbo01
    Jbarbo01 Posts: 240 Member
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    I totally get where you're coming from. I got frustrated with this all the time. What ultimately helped me stop was recognizing that whenever you eat when youre not hungry, its essentially emotional eating. Whether that be stress, nervous energy, sadness, boredom, anger, etc. There is just nothing more mind numbing and relaxing than sitting in front of the tv with a big bag of cookies or potato chips or both! What i learned is that if I continue to allow myself to deal with my emotions with food it'll never get better so I had to accept i would be uncomfortable for awhile while I was learning to stop. Watching tv with your feet up without food is just as relaxing as with a bag of potato chips, maybe even more so because you don't worry about the guilt after. There is no easy fix or advice or tip, just awareness of what you're doing. You still have to tell yourself no for the other things and reach for carrot sticks or apple slices instead of junk.
  • pink_ribbon_1
    pink_ribbon_1 Posts: 46 Member
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    This might sound lame but it really works for me....hot green tea. I was a HUGE night owl snacker....I could polish off a bag of chips easily. It seriously fills me up and if I'm craving something sweet I add a bit of no calorie sweetner in there. On weekends I do allow a single serve bag of 100 calorie popcorn and that is a treat!!!

    True! I suggested tea, too!
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
    Options
    I eat eucalyptus bark right after dinner

    It doesn't make me hungry for 13 hours.

    DOn't ask about the side effects though.

    THey aren't pretty.

    Um, I think this is misinformation and unfair conflation of "eucalyptus bark" and "sleep."

    13 hours after dinner puts you at approximately breakfast time.

    This supplement is supposed to be used during the day, when someone might otherwise be tempted to eat.

    But wouldn't that make you skip lunch and dinner and then eat during the bad eating time??
  • Strangelyinsane
    Strangelyinsane Posts: 120 Member
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    This is exactly my problem. I do find that hot tea really helps. Being from english stock we drink PG Tips with a bit of fat free 1/2 and 1/2 and a 0 cal sweetener, My impulse control is shot though. I find if I am out at night, away from home, I can generally make it through. If I'm at home caring for my 89 yo mother I can easily slip off the path of righteous nutrition and there is little that can stop me from an all out binge. I've received good advice from a MFP friend to binge healthy if you are going to binge. I try and often fail but I try...

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