Evening binges

kaye1122
kaye1122 Posts: 5 Member
edited September 22 in Motivation and Support
My biggest obstacle to losing weight is evening binge eating. I can have all the resolve I want in the morning and afternoon, but by the time 4:00, 5:00 rolls around, I just want to eat everything in sight. It's when I pick up the kids and come home from work...I am often overwhelmed by what I face at my house (a mess), and spend the evening helping the kids and also doing more work from home. My husband means well...but when he suggested I eat carrots instead of cookies, I wanted to throw a shoe at him. I'm just never satisfied substituting healthy food...I CRAVE the junk and it's like an itch I need to scratch. I truly feel like an addict. I've tried taking a bath or doing my nails to distract myself...I pretty much can't leave the house and if I do to exercise or go to the store, I'm back in the same position when I walk into the house. Help!! (as a side note, I am three weeks out of knee surgery so I haven't been able to exercise).

Replies

  • robbienjill
    robbienjill Posts: 456 Member
    Pre cut fruits and veggies. They work wonders when they are at your finger tips ready to eat. Also, try running. It helps my cravings. After I run it seems that I do not want to eat as much for at least an hour after returning home. By then it is my bed time. Just a tip:)


    OOOPssss...sorry I just seen that you had knee surgery:( Running may not be 4 you right now...Perhaps take a warm bath and cuddle up with a fitness related book or magazine.
  • bree5291
    bree5291 Posts: 50
    I am on the exact same page, minus the husband and kiddos. You can do it though. All it takes is one time to ignore your impulse and you can prove it to yourself that you don't have to cave. No matter what, you'll make it.
  • RaeN81
    RaeN81 Posts: 534 Member
    May I suggest planning for the inevitable? I know this may seem odd, but the way I have dealt with this tendency is to simply plan for it. I have some healthy and unhealthy options available to me in the evenings and I save up 300-400 calories each day for an evening snack. It's my treat and I enjoy it.
  • kymberlin
    kymberlin Posts: 113 Member
    If you have time, I really enjoy reading success stories on here. When other real people can do it it gives me real hope that I can too!. Maybe a small snack??? and at least your husband sounds like he's trying to be supportive. My husband tells me I'm good enough for him. He thinks thats a great compliment, doesnt sound like one to me. Course he also tells me I'm sexy and beautiful. I just dont listen to that part. Keep up the will power, you can do it!!!!:wink:
  • Rjperron
    Rjperron Posts: 150
    Get up and walk around (if you can obviously), read a fitness magazine, or hey, log into this site every time you feel a craving coming on. Getting your mind off of it can help.

    If you have time, try shopping in small amounts for food. I only have just enough food for myself and my boyfriend, so generally there isn't enough junk lying around.

    Late nights are my hard time too. I either fit in preventative extra exercise during the day, or I try and get my mind off of it. It's hard, but the rewards will be worth it!
  • SharonsJetSet
    SharonsJetSet Posts: 159
    I had the exact same problem. Recently, I cut out a lot of sugar from my diet. Pretty much the only sugar I eat is natural sugars. Once I cut out all sugar, the cravings went away.

    Also (and I have no idea if this helped with the cravings) I recently started taking some supplements. I take a mult-vitamin, Fish oil, Chromium Picolinate, Vitamin B complex, Flax See Oil, and Co-Q10.

    Since I cut out the sugar and started taking those supplements, I've found my afternoon/evening carb binges have vanish.

    Good luck
  • ariellespiller
    ariellespiller Posts: 60
    When you're craving like crazy, go use mouthwash and brush your teeth really well. You won't want to lose that freshness (sounds crazy, but works, and it's easy!). Or, make a deal with yourself...separate a bag of chips into one serving snack baggies and ONLY HAVE ONE! Ask your husband to keep them somewhere you can't reach them or something and to grab you one a night. Good luck! Evening binges are a constant issue for me too.
  • irtata43
    irtata43 Posts: 37 Member
    I understand what your saying about feeling like an addict. Evenings are to my worst time of day. I want to eat everything I see. All I can say is keep at it one day at a time. Try and find something close to what u crave. If u crave sweet, eat something like yogurt. If its salt and crunch u crave try a 100 cal. bag of popcorn. Hang in there, tomorrow you'll be glad u did.
  • SlipperySlope
    SlipperySlope Posts: 34
    It doesn't make it any easier for you right now, but just know that if you can get through the transition period, your body WILL stop craving junk the way it does now. You may still want a cookie, but your body won't crave unnecessary sugars the way it does now once your body gets used to the change in your lifestyle.

    I wish I could tell you it's easy, but the good news is that it's all downhill after this "shock" period. Stay with it; the fact that you feel guilty about it now shows that you care--good for you!

    Try to acknowledge to yourself (outloud if you have to!) when you're unhappy about things other than your diet. If your house isn't as clean as you'd like it to be (who's is?!), try putting 10 minutes of solid energy into picking up one room or wiping down the bathroom. You may find that directing yourself towards the source of stress keeps you from stress-eating.

    Good luck!!
  • FoamyRiver
    FoamyRiver Posts: 276 Member
    Try chewing gum to keep from eating in the evenings. Play board games or cards with your children. Watch TV or a movie. Or keep a journal and when you feel like munching start writing. You don't have to write a page everytime, just jot down a few lines of what's on your mind, things you want to accomplish, places you'd like to visit, etc.
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