No food past 9pm? but what if I'm hungry??

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  • gfitnutt
    gfitnutt Posts: 1
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    How about making up a nice healthy protein shake with some berries in it just blend it up and add some ice.. Gives you healthy vitamins and nutrients while sleeping.. will fill you up and satisfy your cravings..

    Keep us posted
    Gina S
  • GiGiBeans
    GiGiBeans Posts: 1,062 Member
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    I eat a post workout mini-meal after 10pm and have a midnite snack. If you plan for it you'll be fine.
  • mumtoonegirl
    mumtoonegirl Posts: 586 Member
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    I eat late at night. I workout after 9:00 most nights so I have my post workout protein after. And as you can see spreading my calories equally in the day has worked. I make sure I plan for it.
  • CrankMeUp
    CrankMeUp Posts: 2,860 Member
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    My worst time is at night too. I have really been trying to not eat past 7pm and i do much better weight wise if i don't eat.

    I think it is more habit than actually being hungry. I found if i have something like watermelon it helps for the habit and it gives me something sweet and then i am fine. I try to only allow for it a couple times a week though and not every night so i can try to break the habit.

    why?
  • alyssabrown94
    alyssabrown94 Posts: 49
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    I think there are a few things to address here.

    1.) you say you are a habitual night eater who wants to change her ways.
    Are you referring to your late night eating or just losing weight?
    If you are referring to the late night eating, then have a bigger dinner so you won't be so hungry later on, or make your dinner a little later.

    2.) It is okay to eat after 9pm. It's not like the caloric density of a food doubles after a certain time. So if you are simply a person who is hungrier at night, save calories for the night!

    3.) Ultimately, your diet must work with your lifestyle. So if that means saving calories for the night, then do so. But If you just don;t want to be a night eater anymore, it will take some getting used to. Keep in mind that you are creating a calorie deficit. It is not uncommon to experience hunger when eating less. I don't know why people are so fearful of hunger.
  • TaraJx4
    TaraJx4 Posts: 89 Member
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    I have dinner between 5-6 and find that about 9 I'm hungry. I normally have an apple with peanut butter and tea. This keeps me full and holds me off till breakfast
  • CrankMeUp
    CrankMeUp Posts: 2,860 Member
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    9:47pm and i just had 400 grams of watermelon.

    SO good.
  • whierd
    whierd Posts: 14,025 Member
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    9:47pm and i just had 400 grams of watermelon.

    SO good.

    You just went straight catabolic. Say goodbye to your gainz!
  • astartig
    astartig Posts: 549 Member
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    If I go to bed too long after dinner I have to eat something too. I get growwly tummy and can't sleep that way. save room for a small snack for before bed. like a piece of toast or something.
  • BostonStrong617
    BostonStrong617 Posts: 117
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    I'm hungry like 24/7 lol I don't have any sort of calorie window tho. But on the week days I'm up at 5 AM so normally I fall asleep at like 10 or 11 and eat shortly before bed so I am not fasting too long for my morning work out.

    Are you sure your daily goals are reasonable? Are you actually getting enough calories? You might want to start there, make sure your goal is doable.

    A likely reason for being hungry at the end of the day is you didn't eat enough.

    I was NEVER a breakfast eater or a morning person but since I started doing workouts before work I've started to eat protein rich breakfasts after my work outs. Then I have a morning snack as well before lunch. Prior to recently I was the kind of person who would go more than half the day without eating. Then I'd come home and eat a ton of crap at night because I was super hungry.

    Now I eat 3 snacks and 3 balanced meals, if I am going to go for a big dinner I just burn extra calories running instead of overly restricting my calorie intake.

    I sleep better and have WAY more energy and I am losing more weight while maintaining muscle eating between 1600 and 2200 calorie a day. I work out 4-5 times a week (mostly running) and pretty much never binge! On the weekends when I can sleep in I eat at any time of the day and since I wake up later my meals get pushed back meaning I am more likely to eat later into the night. Haven't had any ill effects.

    During the week tho I am not often very hungry at night because I've already eaten plenty during the day and eating every few hours keeps me feeling full.

    If you know for a fact that your calories are in check and you're not under eating it COULD be psychological so something like watermelon or popcorn or veggies etc would be a good things to eat just to get you over the hump. Also I find a lot of times when I am dehydrated I feel really hungry even when I've had plenty of calories. Also days when I eat a lot of carbs and not enough fat/protein I find myself getting hungry more easily. So that's something to keep in mind,

    For me prelogging REALLY helps because I know exactly how many snacks i have room for. It gives me the room to kind of eat the snacks at any time throughout the day, so if I have a morning snack planned but am just not that hungry then I can save it for later without having to rearrange things. Also some days you will be hungriet than others. For me that's rest days so I track by weekly calories.

    Your body doesnt really have a time clock like that it doesnt reset from day to day if you're under for the week you'll be fine!
  • FoxyLifter
    FoxyLifter Posts: 965 Member
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    If you are looking for ways to trick your brain into thinking that you won't be eating anymore food until after you sleep, try doing the following: floss, brush, mouthwash, drink 8-16 oz of water. Whenever I do those four things, the hunger thoughts leave my mind.

    Otherwise, I agree with the others saying that you should plan for a nighttime snack. Calories can be eaten any time of day.
  • jess6742
    jess6742 Posts: 146
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    It's 10:30 and I am eating some baked chicken as a snack lol. Save some calories for night time and you'll be fine.
  • seliinac
    seliinac Posts: 336 Member
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    Try cutting out calorie rich food that isn't filling, like chocolate, etc. and replace it with food that is more satisfying, perhaps some protein. I can't believe I'm saying this, as I am a chocoholic! :ohwell:

    Or exercise more so you can eat back those calories! :wink:
  • jljshoe1979
    jljshoe1979 Posts: 325 Member
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    The other night, I had the worst headache, so I took two Aleve and went to bed. I was also a bit hungry, but didn't think too much of it. I didn't sleep well all night and around 4 AM the hunger was killing me, and my headache just got worse. I got up and ate two slices of turkey (Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Cracked Black Pepper Turkey slices to be exact). My headache went away immediately and my stomach was "happy" again. I was able to go back to bed and sleep. I will not go to bed hungry again because I think that's what made me miserable. Those two slices were less than 20 calories. A whole serving is 2 oz and only 50 cals. I'm telling you this cause it worked for me, and it may help. To answer your question, if you are hungry (and it's nothing else like boredom or emotions) then eat.
  • astartig
    astartig Posts: 549 Member
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    I'm an ex late night binger trying to change her ways!
    Ive found myself reaching my calorie limit after my evening meal, and so like it or not, I'm not eating anything before bed.

    But now I'm finding myself really hungry before bed, and then struggling to get to sleep because Im thinking about food.

    Is this a psychological thing or should I just eat something before bed?

    Has any one else experienced this?



    (By the way, I'm 21, I'm into my first week of MFP, and I've got just under 50Ibs to lose! Feel free to add me :) )

    a big part of the reason you're probably hungry is because you're eating a lot of junk food without a lot of nutrition. You should limit yourself to one sweet a day and try and fit in real food at other meals.
  • cuddingm
    cuddingm Posts: 41 Member
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    Like many have said before me if you are hungry late eat. I work until midnight and find that sometimes I need to have something before bed and other times I don't. Do what works for you. Don't live your life counting calories!
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
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    I routinely eat 1000+ calories between 10PM and 11PM/midnight (or whenever I go to bed). It doesn't seem to be hurting my progress. I am hungry at night, so that's when I eat. I can't sleep when I'm hungry. I plan my eating to make sure I have calories left at night.
  • courtneyprudhomme
    courtneyprudhomme Posts: 39
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    It is fine to eat at ANY time of the day or night.

    yep

    yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!! THIS.. it is a myth that you have to stop eating at 7p or any other arbitrary time... calories in and calories out.. period.. like someone else said - if you have calories remaining in the day - EAT!
  • chantwizzle83
    chantwizzle83 Posts: 82 Member
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    You're in the same weight loss category as me. If I get hungry in the evening, I make a big salad. Theres virtually no calories, and no harm in it. A big bowl of mixed greens and a few little bits of veg (not carrots. Too much sugar), won't put you off track. And all the fibre really fills you up!
  • Peachy1962
    Peachy1962 Posts: 269 Member
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    I always save some cals for tv snackin and sometimes will just do a large lunch and make snacks my dinner!! :smile:

    You plan your food intake with what you know your body will want!!! stay within your calorie range and ya all good!!!


    I am a low carb eater so I like things like String cheese and sugar free jello cups I found at walmart called Winky's!! lol they are tasty and only 25 cals a piece and only 1 carb!

    and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter eatin off a spoon very slowly is very satisfying!! :bigsmile:

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