healthy before-bed snacks, to avoid waking up hungry...

phoenikia
phoenikia Posts: 31 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I realize some people don't eat after a certain time. Unfortunately, I'll often wake up hungry, with hunger pains, if I don't have something in the 2 hours leading up to bedtime, even if I've eaten the number of calories set out in MFP during the day. I realize I could try to go to bed 2 hours earlier, but that usually doesn't happen. ;-)

If I end up waking up from the hunger pains in the middle of the night, I have trouble getting back to sleep unless I get out of bed, head to the kitchen, and have some leftovers, or some cereal and/or yogurt. By this point, I often need closer to 300-400 calories to get myself back to sleep, so I'm slightly better off eating a 200 calorie snack to avoid waking up later and ending up eating more.

Usually, I have around 100-200 calories worth of peanut butter and apple/banana, or hummus and bread/flatbread/pita, and some water or tea, an hour or 2 before bed.

Thanks for any ideas or suggestions.

Replies

  • freddykid
    freddykid Posts: 265 Member
    If I need to snack I grab a handful of cashews or peanuts. I try to avoid carbs and only eat things that take a long time to burn.
  • 1stplace4health
    1stplace4health Posts: 523 Member
    Try to limit your fluids when you eat meals. If you drink all your liquids before meals and only drink something an hour after you will feel fuller longer.
  • NakeshiaB
    NakeshiaB Posts: 250 Member
    Maybe try a hot chocolate with skim milk? I would go for something small but filling and low GI:

    Berries;
    Natural yogurt (you can add a little honey if you have a sweet tooth);
    Apple slices with almond spread;
    Baby carrots dipped in sour cream;
    Small handful of nuts;
    Crispbread spread with cottage cheese and a sprinkling of crushed walnuts;
    Hardboiled egg (mash some paprika or chilli into the yolk for extra flavour).
  • pinkyleigh83
    pinkyleigh83 Posts: 148 Member
    I usually do a tbsp of peanut butter or almonds.
  • dangerousdumpling
    dangerousdumpling Posts: 1,109 Member
    A piece of string cheese does it for me.
  • stormydaze_02
    stormydaze_02 Posts: 68 Member
    I'm hungry now (it's 10.45 pm where i live) and just having some carrots with hommus. That often does the trick for me. ALso, as others have suggested, nuts, or a small bowl of cereal. Good luck!
  • phoenikia
    phoenikia Posts: 31 Member
    Thanks for all the wonderful ideas. Good luck to all of you, too!
  • phoenikia
    phoenikia Posts: 31 Member
    I had been eating some yogurt , hummus or peanut butter before bed (usually a portion with roughly 200-300 calories) but I've recently found filling up on some carrots and radishes also does the trick. I guess it has something to do with making myself feel full, even if it's mostly water. I've also been saving a little leftover brown rice or quinoa from dinner, to have a small amount before bed, in case the raw vegetables won't do the trick.

    I've been finding avoiding anything salty or sweet after dinner keeps me from overindulging on snacks before bed.

    There's sort of a fine line for me- if I don't eat enough, I can't sleep or I wake up hungry, yet it's very easy for me snack after dinner and end up with an extra 350-500 calories (beyond my caloric goal) between dinner time and 11 pm, which ends up cancelling out my exercise and keeps me on the plateau. I'm trying to leave an extra 200 calories for after dinner, to allow for my post dinner snack/mini-meal.
  • kidtachyon
    kidtachyon Posts: 32 Member
    Lately I've been eating a serving of Cheerios with 1% milk. It makes me feel satisfied before bed but only gives me about 200 calories.
  • RockinTerri
    RockinTerri Posts: 499 Member
    I find something light does the trick for me - usually. Last night I did indulge a bit with a small shortcake with strawberries and blueberries, topped with a small scoop of vanilla custard. It was so good!

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