I eat too much at night.

Daveacpa2
Daveacpa2 Posts: 19 Member
in Motivation and Support
I'm looking for tips and tricks on how not to each so much at night. I feel like I do everything right during the day and leave myself enough calories at night that I can have a good dinner and snack. I find being at home at night with a wife and two kids, there are various snacks and foods around that I don't have access to during the day at work. I get hungry at night and If I could control and think more about what I eat after dinner time, I think I could be successful at this but so far that is not the case.

Replies

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    I'm a chronic night-time eater, too. I usually have about half of my daily calories left when I get home from work for dinner and snacks. But sometimes even budgeting a ton of calories for the evening isn't enough. I go for a lot of decaffeinated teas and sodas to try and give me that filling feeling. And I keep myself busy, preferably something with my hands. You probably aren't going to take up knitting, but look around for something you like to do that won't let you eat while you're working.
  • dangerousdumpling
    dangerousdumpling Posts: 1,109 Member
    You could do some cardio to "earn" more calories to eat, increase protein throughout the day, decrease the amount of sugar you're eating to lessen rebound hunger/cravings, or decrease your calorie deficit.
  • fitcolette
    fitcolette Posts: 67
    At night try munching on carrots and a low fat-high protein dip, or a half a bagel and some PB, or oatmeal. These foods are filling, especially if you drink water with them. Maybe you're just not getting enough of the right foods and/or calories in during the day too?
  • barneygirl
    barneygirl Posts: 36 Member
    Oh my gosh how I understand I can eat so much at night! Drives me crazy, so I am taking it one week at a time and I have always had 1 free day a week, For 2 wks. I have been doing good with just a snack and have lost 4.5 more pounds. I wish you all the strength to nip it in the bud.
  • lovenaire
    lovenaire Posts: 10
    I just try to go to bed. After work, walking, washing the twins, eating dinner, cleaning up, etc. Its 9pm or later. I feel like snacking too. So I either eat half an apple with 2 tbl spoons of peanut butter (about 230-240 calories), or just go to bed.

    BTW, I am loving a good fuji apple with peanut butter, something about peanut butter makes it seem like a more indulgent snack.
  • HeyGoRun
    HeyGoRun Posts: 550 Member
    maybe change what you have access to at home, change to better snacks that you wont crave as much, to succeed everyone in the household should be in the same boat. I usually buy my kids stuff they like and enjoy but I dont really care for. Its a better idea to eat more in the day than at night. Good luck
  • sadiebrawl
    sadiebrawl Posts: 863 Member
    I agree.... i only allow myself night time snacks now if I have earned them... it doesn't always help but sometimes it does.

    I also will sip a really nice glass of wine sometimes. Gives me something I like the taste of that lasts a while.
  • ashleyhigg396
    ashleyhigg396 Posts: 83
    I do the same thing. I'd say 60% of my calories come at night. UGH. I know it's not good for me and I have to get a hold on the snacking at night. I've gotten into a bad habit of always wanting some really ridiculous dessert. Like ice cream. Or pie. Every. Single. Night.
  • mandapanda721
    mandapanda721 Posts: 31
    Brush your teeth or chew a piece of gum right after dinner! Or sip on sparkling water, the bubbles fill you up :)
  • rumplesnat
    rumplesnat Posts: 372
    Me, too. I either:

    1. Save enough calories throughout the day for nighttime eating.

    2. Workout to earn evening snacking calories. (Wanted to go to Menchies for frozen yogurt and glorious toppings last night...hopped on the elliptical for 60 minutes to earn it first. No guilt.)

    3. Go to bed!
  • mmsilvia
    mmsilvia Posts: 459 Member
    I love nothing more then sitting on the couch at night after my son has gone to bed and stuffing my face with chips, cookies, beer, & well anything I can get my hands on. It doesn't seem to bother while I am stuffing everything into my face but, come bed time or morning I feel BLAH and so gross. I feel like all the work I did that day was a waste.

    My new thing is while watching tv I sit on a yoga ball. Or use free weights. I try to only allow myself half an hour during the week (more on the weekends). After I head to bed and read.

    Might not be perfect and I have only been doing this for about a week but, I have made one whole week without stuffing my face with junk at night ~ success!!!!

    I hope you find something that works for you :)
  • Nicolette04
    Nicolette04 Posts: 82 Member
    I find that exercising at night helps my cravings. I am a total night eater, and I never realized before joining MFP how much I actually would eat at night. I would just pour chips onto a plate and then go back for seconds. But now when I exercise I find I am not really hungry for the rest of the night. And if I do get that craving for something to chew on I go have 3 cookies or some celery, or one snack and some water and I am satisfied for the rest of the night. They key for me is not to lay around and watch TV all night (my guilty pleasure). Good Luck!
  • iquiltoo
    iquiltoo Posts: 246 Member
    I too save more cals for the evening. I also plan one thing (usually canned mandarin oranges in their own juice - the ones in light syrup are almost double the cals) for later in the evening. And I sometimes have a hot bouillion drink - to me it's more satisfying than just tea or other hot drinks, and only about 10 calories (get the low sodium kind, or your sodium count will jump!)
  • TeachTheGirl
    TeachTheGirl Posts: 2,091 Member
    I'm an evening snacker too!

    Once the kids are in bed, I finally get time to unwind and destress and food brings me comfort. Like many people here, I tend to save some calories for evening snacking, but I'm getting better at the willpower side of it too.
  • ks4e
    ks4e Posts: 374 Member
    Story of my life! I'm noctural. My father is part bat and my mother is part owl. That's the only logic I can come up with as to why I'm such a nocturnal muncher. What's helped me in the past is:

    -bigger breakfasts/lunches that are full of fiber/protein
    -frequent snacking
    -night time excercise
    -hobby to keep both hands busy to avoid snacking
  • aseymour13
    aseymour13 Posts: 767 Member
    Yep! I have to work on that myself. I'm working on trying to stay busy. i usually do my exercise at night which helps - its the snacking after dinner that kills me! I am starting to play games on my Ipad. Carrots with hummus or celery - PB, popcorn. DeCaf teas. I happen to like Cranberry juice which I'm cutting with Sparking water seems to help. A handful of nuts. The biggest thing for me is keeping myself focused.. Its retraining the old habits. Go get em!
  • kayaksara
    kayaksara Posts: 157 Member
    Ugh. Hate night time eating. Usually my hunger kicks in when the kids eat late or I have to make them a meal at night for the next day.

    I go to bed early but when that is not an option...I force myself to chew gum. Throw in a bunch of pieces to really have to work for that taste!

    Or I brush my teeth, mouth wash and rinse. Way too much work for me to eat and do that again!
  • lingading
    lingading Posts: 258 Member
    I get out of work between 11 and 12 at night with about 1000 calories left to accommodate my night time eating until I go to bed between 2 and 3. Some days it still isn't enough and that disgusts me. It is truly a horrible habit that I'm in. More out of boredom than anything, really. I'm sure limiting so much during the day is what makes me think I'm SOO hungry at night, but I'm afraid to eat too much during the day then still binge at night.
  • womom
    womom Posts: 2 Member
    Glad to hear I am not the only one who over eats at night.... I do great all day long and even for dinner....THEN we go sit and watch TV til about 11:00P.M. or a little later....I have to have something to do with my hands...I am an ex smoker and used to 45 years of watching TV and smoking too....I quit smoking about 3 years ago and started snacking instead....I do try to only snack on good snacks though which helps some....apples, some peanuts, sometimes slices of cheese on whole wheat crackers, celery with peanut butter in it...smoothies made with frozen fruits and 1% milk and yoghourt....However, I still get most of my calorie intake for the day at night....I hardly ever go over my allotted calories for the day though....but still have only lost 3 lbs. I do swimming 3 times a week and strength training 2 days a week and even got a little muscle in my arm now...LOL...U feel that the night time snacking is killing my weight loss though.....I am thinking of taking up crocheting again while I watch TV with hubby....any other suggestions I am open to...Good luck with your controlling snacking too.....I also drink sparkling Ice only...no more coke at all...you could try that cause it also helps increase your fluid intake for the day....
  • LB2812
    LB2812 Posts: 158 Member
    I'm terrible with this too!! I've found the things that sometimes help me are:
    1. eating a high protein dinner... then i'm just stuffed and don't want any snacks, or very little of them
    2. Don't keep too much junk food in the house! if it's not there you can't eat it... i'm not saying none of course, but better options. i used to be a cheese doodle addict and my husband found these cheese flavored rice cake chips - and i'm obsessed with them. 2 servings of these is still wayyyyyy better than 1-2 servings of cheese doodles! another good option is always popcorn too! even grapes are a fun, easy, healthy snack. my husband has a sweet tooth so he'll make a smoothie & finds that does the trick in place of having cookies or ice cream.
    3. keep busy... if we go for a walk after work, i'm less inclined to "undo" the work i just did! and it takes up time so i've got less "hanging around & snacking" time. even just finding some little task or hobby will help. it's sitting in front of the tv that always kills me.
    4. more water and tea... it keeps your hands busy!
  • missveeoh
    missveeoh Posts: 90 Member
    I wouldn't say I mostly eat at nighttime but I certainly have oatmeal with soy milk before going to bed. I'm still in control on my daily calorie consumption. I never go over and I avoid snacks like chips or ice cream - which my mom is very guilty of D:
    Lol. It's either oatmeal or cereal.
    Last year though..... Sigh.....I would have salty pretzels with cheese dip. Omg.

Categories