Need help with after work voracious appetite

karen2628
karen2628 Posts: 12 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,

I have about 60 pounds to lose and I can see that one of my problem areas is out of control eating after work. I get home and it's like all bets are off I eat everything in sight. I've tried drinking low calorie soup right before I leave work, drinking a glass of water, eating apples and eating raw almonds. Sometimes apple slices and almond butter work...any other suggestions? The hours after work are where I log the majority of my calories :sad:

Thanks in advance for any tips / suggestions

Replies

  • aerochic42
    aerochic42 Posts: 843 Member
    bump because I find myself doing the same thing. Making dinner is torture.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    I had this problem for a couple of months, recently. I started having a bigger lunch and/or dessert with my lunch. I know that might sound like terrible advice. But for awhile I was eating approximately 250 cal breakfast, 300 cal lunch, then 800+ at night. Not only was I really hungry driving home from work, but I was more tempted to make bad decisions for dinner (like takeout too frequently). Now I space it more like 300/500/500 (ish) and haven't had this problem. Good luck!
  • katsmo
    katsmo Posts: 219 Member
    Can you eat a bigger lunch? Or intake more throughout the day so you're not ravenous, come dinner time? What if your biggest meal was lunch instead of dinner? Good luck :)
  • kowajenn
    kowajenn Posts: 274 Member
    I eat protein around 3:00 every day. Today I had a hard boiled egg. That will hold me until I can have dinner at 7:00. If I don't eat something non-carb in the afternoon I am totally starving when I get home from work.
  • steveocy1
    steveocy1 Posts: 19 Member
    I have the same problem. My solution is two fold. First it is easy for me to eat light, low calorie meals during the day. I am at work so I don't have an opportunity to eat anything other than what I have brought with me. Basically a light breakfast at home (Special K protein cereal with skim milk) a light lunch (sandwich, yogurt, some fruit). When I get home (4 o'clock for me) I have a good calorie dense meal and then eat a late dinner. So most of my calories for the day come late and I spend the time from 4 until bed in a fed state.

    After work I make time to go for a walk with my daughter or we do some yoga or a light workout from youtube. Even a little light exercise helps with my hunger. Plus it is more time we get to spend together. She is only three so it really isn't much of a workout, but fun watching her follow along.

    Oh, and pickles. Zero calories and delicious. Just watch sodium intake.

    --steveo
  • donjessop
    donjessop Posts: 186
    Proteins have a higher satiety index (http://www.mendosa.com/satiety.htm) than things like fruit or soup. So, for an afternoon snack I would think of some way to introduce some protein into your life. Add peanut butter to your apple or almond butter on celery. Perhaps find a brand of protein bar that you like. My nutritionist recommended at least 15 grams of protein for my morning and afternoon snacks and, to be honest, I haven't felt that hungry for dinner in the past three months.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    try sex instead
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    The hours after work are where I log the majority of my calories :sad:

    Thanks in advance for any tips / suggestions

    Me too. I stopped fighting it. I eat light while I'm at work and start eating later. That way I have room to eat a lot in the evening.
  • Broderick50
    Broderick50 Posts: 842 Member
    I pre plan and pre cook my meals that way when I come home all I have to do is take it out of the fridge and pop it in the microwave.
  • SummerLovesPhil
    SummerLovesPhil Posts: 242 Member
    The snack before leaving work is great. Can you also try planning (and perhaps logging) the night before so you're not feeling panicky about what to eat? Or maybe rearrange your pantry so "everything in sight" is the healthiest food in the house?
  • mapenguinkeeper
    mapenguinkeeper Posts: 191
    I eat a few pieces of cheese. For me it takes the edge off the hangries enough to get me through the dinner making. Another quick fix for me is crackers/chips/veg and hummus or baba ghanoush. Just a few.

    couple of tablespoon bites of cottage cheese or greek yogurt also do the trick.
  • AleciaG724
    AleciaG724 Posts: 705 Member
    Before I work out I make myself a small protein shake to drink right after I work out. As a vegetarian I am finding it hard to meet my protein requirements while on a lower calorie diet, so I supplement with a quarter scoop of powder/day which gives me an extra 19g of protein. If I eat a high protein meal or snack (like Greek yogurt) I find it sustains me for a good while & I'm not ravenous at my next meal. Try upping your protein...
  • tknuzum1984
    tknuzum1984 Posts: 14
    I have been known to do this, and I find its more out of boredom (for myself anyway) that being actually hungry. We eat dinner at 5:30-6 just because that's when works best, but after that the snacking is unreal. SO I got a hobby, I crochet. I also get a work out in after supper, so that takes up my free time. Usually. :) Good luck.
  • ChrissyC1985
    ChrissyC1985 Posts: 406 Member
    I often find something high in protein like a shake or bar, if i am really hungry on route to the gym or if at home a bit of cheese or salmon does the trick until i can have dinner. :flowerforyou:
  • smn76237
    smn76237 Posts: 318 Member
    I also am ravenous after work! The only thing that helps me beat the hunger is exercising after work. It's like magic for me. I go to power yoga/the gym with my stomach rumbling and ready to eat a whole cow, and I leave not feeling hungry anymore. It's amazing.

    No matter how sensibly or non-sensibly I eat throughout the day, whether I workout before work or not, how much water I drink (always more than a gallon) or protein I consume, when the clock strikes 3:30, the tummy's a rumblin'.
  • dancephysics
    dancephysics Posts: 53
    Try making some healthy meals in advance that you can just pop in the microwave (or eat cold) as soon as you get home. By making healthy food easy and quick to get at, it will hopefully help you to not choose less healthy easy and quick food.
  • bigtherm
    bigtherm Posts: 7
    Same thing here, but I TOO have found the solution is to eat real meals while at work. If I have breakfast at home, snack and lunch at work, I'm good and leveled off when I get home.
    However, If I do breakfast at home and spend the whole day working and missing meals, I'm a BEAST when I get home. I start knocking women and children over just to get to the cabinet and self medicate.
  • TNM2014
    TNM2014 Posts: 40 Member
    This has been my problem for the past month. Just reading everyone's responses tells me that I am not alone in this problem. Thanks for the post. Everyone has given some great advice. I think I will try the evening protein and maybe starting my day off with a heavier meal and taper down the calories as the day goes on, leaving room for a good protein snack on the way home from work ::ohwell:
  • Islandready1968
    Islandready1968 Posts: 7 Member
    I am online chewing gum fighting the munchies too! I hope it gets easier for both of us...I did like th Cheerios idea.

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