Late night eating

Options
carlyatta
carlyatta Posts: 2
in Motivation and Support
It seems to me that I do so well with my diet, until about 9:00 p.m. rolls around... Then I'm eyeing up potato chips, ice cream, etc... Of course I ask myself if those extra 300 calories were worth it-only after I'm laying in bed with a bloated belly. Any suggestions to curb these late night snacking binges? :tongue:

Replies

  • abadmum
    abadmum Posts: 39 Member
    Options
    i do these things to help prevent late night snacking..

    Drink a large glass of water at around 8.45pm..

    dont have those chips, icecream etc in the house.. have a bowl of fruit nearby where i'm sitting in the evenings...

    go to bed early..

    doesn't always work as sometimes i do give in and have a slice of toast ...
  • PunyPete
    PunyPete Posts: 14 Member
    Options
    Eat them during the day so you can exercise it off. It's what I do
  • ruckerbenton
    ruckerbenton Posts: 94
    Options
    I really struggle with this too. I look forward to following the suggestions given you way!
  • Lycoo67
    Lycoo67 Posts: 3 Member
    Options
    It happens to me too sometimes. Usually I'll have a light fat free yogurt, for 60 calories. It's not much but it calms the hunger until I go to sleep. But I allow for it in the daily count, so my intake varies between the full complement, and 60 or so calories below. Sometimes I have a few cashews instead. But my goal is to not feel hungry when I'm lying in my bed, or that will torture me!
  • lambchoplewis
    lambchoplewis Posts: 797
    Options
    I get out of kitchen after dinner. If I get the urge to eat, I take a bath, get into bed early, watch TV and think about my daily weigh in. Yes, I weigh myself every morning. I don't obsess if I gain or lose a few lbs day to day. I watch the trend over time. I do the daily weigh in as it motivates me to want to wake up a little hungry and get on scale. I know if I pig out or even consume cals before sleeping, it will show up over time on scale.

    Nothing tastes as good as feeling thin.
  • epros39
    epros39 Posts: 17
    Options
    Hi,

    I'm guilty of it as well. Raisins and peanuts help me. Both have nutritional benefits and prove to be quite filling in addition to water. If you cheat, cheat with nutritional foods, not the ones high in "processed" sugars. Good luck!!
  • carlyatta
    carlyatta Posts: 2
    Options
    Thanks everyone. Yeah i think that if I deprive myself less during the day I will be less likely to "break" at night. Also, I like the idea of having abowl of fruit in front of me instead of say, a bowl of candy or bag of chips.
  • lavaughan69
    lavaughan69 Posts: 459 Member
    Options
    My husband and I have popcorn if we have the calories left to do so. I love frozen green grapes, they are crunchy and sweet and very filling.
  • melindasuefritz
    melindasuefritz Posts: 3,509 Member
    Options
    eat a bigger dinner
    have 100 cal snack packs on hand, fruit, yogurt, whatever
  • shanmtg
    shanmtg Posts: 2 Member
    Options
    i usually drink as much cold water as i can until i feel full because i often mistake hunger for thirst. when im sure i need food ill have a healthy snack, such as a small portion of fruit
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    Options
    One option is to save those 300 calories for when you want them. Not that I'd necessarily recommend using 300 calories up on food with very little nutrition if you're on a very calorie restricted diet, but in terms of when you eat stuff, it doesn't matter. I struggled with this and in the end I accepted that I prefer to eat more later on in the day, so I have a lighter lunch, and a larger dinner with evening snacks.

    I also prefer to save the less-nutritious things for later on so that if I end up being over on calories, those are the things I'll sacrifice, and I know that the rest of my food is more nutrient-dense. I usually have some chocolate and/or biscuits right before bed.
  • dwh77tx
    dwh77tx Posts: 513 Member
    Options
    Are you hungry or just bored? I really have to ask myself this if I am debating a snack about an hour before bed. I CANNOT sleep if I'm hungry, so if I truly am, I have a small treat, like a skinny cow ic sandwich. But if I'm just bored, I pick a show to watch or pick up my kindle.
  • vypeters
    vypeters Posts: 475 Member
    Options
    Two things: Find ways to eat so you don't feel too deprived. Then, allow a small amount for a fat or protein snack in the evening. I eat something every night because that's when my body is craving and I've done just fine. The secret is that it has to be part of your calorie budget, not in addition to your calorie budget.
  • Logical_Integrity
    Logical_Integrity Posts: 48
    Options
    Hot tea. Green tea and Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime tea are both caffeine free. Add honey and lemon. You need to train your body to relax from head to toe before bed. I had to take a hot shower and drink tea for 2 weeks before my body adjusted.
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    Options
    The best solution I can think of is to save some calories for a planned bedtime snack. I really like to have something small and sweet, like a creamsicle, right before bed.

    It seems that most of us have a particularly challenging time of day. Mine is right around 2:00 PM. All of a sudden, I will have this enormous drive to clean the cupboards and refrigerator with my mouth. Disgusting, right? I have a small meal between 2-3 PM and then I tell myself over and over and over .... "you can wait until dinner". If I can, I get far away from the kitchen and get busy with something that engages both hands and mind. It doesn't always work, but it helps.
  • jasonp_ritzert
    jasonp_ritzert Posts: 357 Member
    Options
    I usually force myself to brush my teeth after dinner or a small snack around 8 p.m. so that I'm not tempted to eat any more than night. It's a weird thing, but I don't want to brush my teeth a second time that night so it helps me out.
  • BlessedOne2019
    BlessedOne2019 Posts: 41 Member
    Options
    I like to keep a yogurt in the freezer for those ice cream moments! Of course sometimes the real thing is better, but not at 9 pm!
  • jaybaack
    jaybaack Posts: 15
    Options
    Find a time every night to hit the "compete this entry" button on your food log here in myfitnesspal and stick with it.
    Make it a pride issue, something you "look forward" to doing.

    For me it is 7:30 PM. Once I hit the button, I don't eat, drink anything else (that has calories).

    How do I deal with the stomach growls late at night? Diet tonic water, or sparking water. Something with zero calories BUT has carbonation which is going to fill up your stomach. Take a liter bottle and suck it down. Trust me, you will be "full" for at least 30 minutes, which should give your brain enough time to realize that it isn't really hungry.

    If you don't like sparking water, try removing yourself from the area. Go for a 5 min walk, or do something active for 5 min. This will get your head thinking about something else and not putting food in your mouth.

Categories