binge eating at night.

Options
oklahoma_cowgirl_51
oklahoma_cowgirl_51 Posts: 87
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been doing very well dieting during the day, and then i come home in the evening, and it doesn't matter if i'm not even really that hungry, i end up binge eating at night. usually peanut butter, almond butter, anything like that. does anyone else struggle with this? and if so, how do you control the urge?
«1

Replies

  • ninadreamsBIG
    ninadreamsBIG Posts: 8
    Options
    I definitely have the same issue, so you're not alone. I usually try to distract myself by surfing the 'net, reading a book, calling someone up, etc. Once you're distracted it's a lot easier to let the temptation subside.


    "Nothing tastes as good as skinny/healthy feels."
  • kdeaner
    kdeaner Posts: 11 Member
    Options
    I used to until I started using MFP. I know that whatever I eat I have to log it into my food diary. And once I meet my calories, I don't want to go over that's how I control the urge. I also drink some water and usually go to bed.
  • oklahoma_cowgirl_51
    oklahoma_cowgirl_51 Posts: 87
    Options
    i know! it's just so tough! i'm not overweight, but not to my goal weight, so a lot of times people don't really understand my struggle. i try to go to bed earlier, but i'm kind of a night owl. i just don't understand the craving for nut butters though? it's weird because i have a protein PACKED diet.
  • ZiaLater
    ZiaLater Posts: 23
    Options
    It is an emotional problem that I had back in the day. I realized I was hating myself and that is how I would punish myself. I somehow gained control/willpower and said enough is enough!!! I don't want to be fat anymore, I don't want to become a diabetic, I don't want to have problems walking and end up in a medichair, I want a life I will enjoy! And then I was repulsed with nighttime binge eating and have no problems. I have a really healthy breakfast in the morning and don't even have the urge to eat late at night. But everyone is different. That is my story :)
  • oklahoma_cowgirl_51
    oklahoma_cowgirl_51 Posts: 87
    Options
    i appreciate your story zia! and what is MFP?
  • Russellb97
    Russellb97 Posts: 1,057 Member
    Options
    I'm with you, I am a night time eater. Like you it's not because I felt hungry, which was frustrating.

    I think you have 2 options.

    1. Adjust your daily meals so you have more calories available at night.
    2. Go to bed


    I wrote a blog post about night time eating, now I eat most of my calories after 5-6pm and I have had super results from it.

    http://spikediet.blogspot.com/2010/08/creating-fat-burning-windows.html
  • dale49
    dale49 Posts: 37
    Options
    It's a huge problem for many of us. I joke that if I could just go to bed at 7 p.m. I'd be a skinny as a rail! Some of my coping strategies include trying to keep busy and thus distract myself from the urge to eat. It would help if you could identify why you do it (overeat) at night. Is it boredom? In which case being busy is the answer. Is it a habit when you watch TV? Then don't sit in front of the TV - go to the computer and make comments on this site or somehting else. Talk on the phone to a skinny friend! :o)
    I'm mainly a stress eater and I've always denied being bored as I'm so busy all day I thought, "How could I possibly be bored?' But I do get bored and then I start to look around for something to 'do' which invariably involves food. Now I go out for a walk even if it's dark.
    I wish it was as simple as just being hungry - because then I'd be sure to eat fibre/filling foods - but it isn't. As they say, "It's not what you're eating, it's what's eating you." You have to figure it out and address it or I think we'll always overeat at certain times and for us...it's the evening.
  • kcampbell453
    kcampbell453 Posts: 29 Member
    Options
    I have the same exact problem!!! Except my cravings change. One night it's Chips Ahoy Cookies, another night it's popcorn. It really varies. I have found the best thing for me to do is to log all of my food ahead of time, and also to keep myself busy at night, working out, walking, playing in the yard with the kids, anything to keep my mind off of the food sitting in my kitchen. If I log all of my food before hand, when I have a craving I can log on and see that I only have X number of calories left and then I tend to look for something within those calories to have as a snack.
  • fat214
    fat214 Posts: 109
    Options
    I had the same problem~Hot tea works for me.It's not food but it keeps your mind and hands busy.I like Tulsi Green Tea,Nettle Leaf or Sleepytime Tea with sun crystals all natueal sweetener in it..I found these from Dr.Oz. the names are aliitle funny but there good.
  • oklahoma_cowgirl_51
    oklahoma_cowgirl_51 Posts: 87
    Options
    i think that the binge eating is in my head. i feel like i need to eat before i can go to sleep? and i get so discouraged, and i tell myself i won't do it the next night, and i end up repeating it! but saving more calories for the evening is a good idea! i think i might try to surf this website at night too. that may help me!
  • oklahoma_cowgirl_51
    oklahoma_cowgirl_51 Posts: 87
    Options
    food diaries seem to be working for most of you... so i am going to have to be a little more strict and make myself keep up with mine!
  • oklahoma_cowgirl_51
    oklahoma_cowgirl_51 Posts: 87
    Options
    that's a great idea! thank you!
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
    Options
    MFP = myfitnesspal.

    Night eating - I have 1 serving of almonds, baby carrots, sugar free popsicles on hand.
  • sarahliftsUP
    sarahliftsUP Posts: 752 Member
    Options
    When you binge eat at night, do you log in the calories? If I'm going to go for a snack attack.. say chips or something, I log it in first and make my decision from there. If it fits in, then fine.. but if not, then I put it away.

    You could try for drinking something instead of eating. Water or something with flavour such as green tea or decaf.
  • Joyjmb
    Joyjmb Posts: 221 Member
    Options
    If you're a night owl, you might consider moving your dinner meal to an hour later - you'd be fuller longer. Also consider adding a very bulky vegetable, think broccoli, to that meal so you are fuller longer. A lot of it!

    The craving for nut butter seems not like a craving for protein, but a craving for FAT. If you have a craving snack with just a little bit of fat in it, it should quell the craving - think small cube of cheese, cup of milk, handfull of nuts.

    And put the nut butters in the garage! =)

    Oh, and brushing my teeth usually halts the snacking in its tracks.
  • missboriken
    missboriken Posts: 52 Member
    Options
    Brush your teeth thoroughly with the strongest flavored toothpaste you can find, floss and gargle with Listerine. All that minty typically kills my “appetite”.
  • kayleigh333
    kayleigh333 Posts: 138
    Options
    You're definitely not alone on this one. I had a horrible binge last night... I weighed in yesterday, had lost 2 pounds and was really proud of myself, ate well all day and exercised, but then I went to work. At the end of the night the chef left a big tray of chips out for the staff, and eventually I was the last one there clearing up. I ate a chip, then another... and another, then before I knew it I'd eaten sooo many I felt sick. They were chips from the deep fat frier as well, really greasy and probably hundreds and hundreds of calories. I'm soo disappointed in myself :(
  • billgiersberg
    billgiersberg Posts: 163
    Options
    I use to do this too but now when I go home I get on my workout clothes and head to the garage where I have set up my workout room. By all means, I do not turn on the TV. It seems that when I turn it on, my thoughts turn to what can I eat while I sit here.
  • brettatk
    brettatk Posts: 12 Member
    Options
    I've done this a well and most of the time it's because I didn't eat enough throughout the day.
  • billgiersberg
    billgiersberg Posts: 163
    Options
    Kayleigh..... I see that a lot here. It happens. Don't beat yourself up and move ahead. As a motorcycle rider, we learn to turn our head and eyes where we want the bike to go. If you look at the curb, you're going to run into the curb. So keep your head and eyes fixed on the place you want to go, your long term goal. Those chip are the curb...start looking down the road and the bike will go there.

    By the way, patients bring stuff to where I work all the time. Today one brought in Lemon Bars. I found and estimate of the calorie count, printed it out and laid it on top of the tray to remind me to stay away.

Categories