Giving in late at night!

Meal timing is almost irrelevant for weight loss. Unless you are a top grade athelete, eating later in the evening will have no discenable impact on your results. If you get hungry at night, leave some extra calories so that you can eat at night. I typically work out fairly late in the day, so I'm eating up to half an hour before bed. Eating late can make it difficult for some people to sleep, but if that isn't a problem for you, there is no reason you can't eat late. As long as you leave room budgeted in your calories and macros for late-night sweets, feel free. You don't have to completely abstain from the things you want to lose weight, just watch portion sizes. Hope that helps.

Try planning ahead and making another meal for late evening -this way at least if you consider it a meal you might put more thought and healthful planning into it.

Or one thing I just discovered for me - sunflower seeds (in the shell) they take so much work to eat so its easy to keep to 100-200 calories and it takes half an hour to eat them, or cherries with pits in them, or sugar snap peas, or something crunchy and low cal. but brushing your teeth and chewing gum can also help.

^ oh and what he said about cereal ones like rice crispies or something in the 150 calorie range with a bit of milk is really satisfying before bed!

It helps to have a nightly ritual. Eat sitting at the table -- or at least not watching television. Choose your favorite tea and add ginger snaps or whatever your craving might be (be reasonable -- try to keep it under 250 calories.) However, I would suggest not eating really late, that kind of smacks of boredom rather than hunger --- it's called "mouth hunger" and not real hunger. So, make youre rituat at 9 p.m.

A few years ago, I used to start off my day with a chocolate croissant and tea. I had that every day for three months and I ate sensibly the rest of the day and exercised. My food craving was satiated and I lost 25 pounds.

I know you said no tea, but there are teas flavored like chocolate and raspberries, cookie dough, and many other kinds of sweets that are delicious and zero calories.

If not, I'd just work whatever I wanted to eat into my calorie deficit and practice portion control.

I have also been giving in to the snack monster... Glad I found this topic!

I am really glad for this post because it is around 9pm when I am feeling like chocolate or chips, something 'snacky' to eat. I think the replies you got are all very good advice, and I have taken a lot away from this post!

Thank you everyone!

I too, suffer from this affliction. I generally try to save calories for this occasion. I try to fit a bit of protein in for my late night eating, that way I look at it as getting some extra protein.

Last night I had one slice of sara lee 45 calorie whole wheat bread with 1/2 serving (weighed) of natural peanut butter.

Other nights, I enjoy frozen greek yogurt in bars or little tubs. Basically tastes like an ice cream treat.

A few nuts. I like the sunflower seeds suggestion.

H

eat less during the day, and allow yourself more calories at night.

there is nothing against allowing yourself 200 calories for dessert. man, i usually allow myself 200 calories a day for alcohol.

I know it's not very helpful, but after I eat dinner and have a skinny cow ice cream... I brush my teeth and go to bed by about 9 most nights. If it's a night I'm staying up late to watch a show, I'll save my ice cream until half way through the show.

These are really great ideas you've got here though. If you're going to give in and go over your calories anyway, why not plan for the late night munchies?

Good luck