Most of my calories in snacks at night?

Eat more during the day, especially protein. Make sure you are eating ENOUGH calories (not what MFP recommends but what a good calculator or tracking device says is your TDEE - 15% or some small deficit). If you are staying in your calorie limit but eating at night because you prefer to, then I don't see the problem. As long as you are eating in a deficit, it doesn't matter WHEN you eat your calories so much.

I crave that bloated over-full feeling, I think?
Because Ive been abusing seltzer water/diet sodas to achieve this feeling when I snack.

I JUST JUST JUST posted this in another thread...and it addresses what you just said so I'll paste it...

I think one of the biggest challenges some of us face...is that we feel (or felt) compelled to eat until we are "full". Yes, I could, in the past, absolutely eat an entire pizza and a big bottle of soda and then still go for the burger and french fries and then what's for dessert? and an after-dessert snack. I'd be full to the point of being uncomfortable. and it was never enough!.

After a few months of watching my portions and tracking calories, I became comfortable with a less-than-full belly. "Not feeling full" is no longer a signal to eat...and that helps me keep my calories under control (most of the time, lol). As a matter of fact, I embrace that empty, light feeling now...I experience a sense of freedom because my body literally is less weighed down with food, and less sluggish. (I hope no one interprets that as disordered eating, I eat a good number of calories every day, I just often save most of them for the evening and have a period of "emptiness" in the morning or middle of the day)

There are lots of strategies to help you stop snacking, and you will have to find what works for you... my point is just that once you put in the hard work of changing your bad habits, there is a good chance your body and mind will learn that you don't need to keep eating until you are full.

This used to be me until a few months ago! I read a book called think yourself thin and it talked about binge eating. Now whilst I didn't binge I would spend a lot of my time snacking in the evening 1 because i was bored and 2 i often ate chocolate in the evening and I worked out that my body wasn't satisfied by this and therefore the endless hunger cycle continued.

The book I read talked about linking eating to a feeling of joy and pain. We get the joy of eating the chocolate or whatever it is, we then feel pain as we've eaten it. Well why don't we not eat that snack in the evening? that would give us joy? but I want to eat and when we do....pain? Which is better? It can end up being a never ending cycle. I could not believe how this worked for me and the joy I get now from not eating lots of snacks in the evening is greatly satisfying. I too did not want to eat too much during the day just in case I over did it on the snacks in the evening. I am still careful with what I eat during the day and if i don't use the evening calories I then keep them as a deficit for when I have a meal out or when I do end up over eating. (which often happens)


I don't know if this will make any sense or work for you but it has worked wonders for me and i thought there was no hope for me!

so glad to see so many others with the same as me, it is not that I am hungry, it's just 'mmmmm what can I eat now' and it drives me nuts and I have done the same thing, gone to bed really early as an avoidance technique !

Make sure you're getting enough water. Many times we drink when more active during the day and sit at home at night and don't think to drink. Your body cannot tell if you're thirsty or hungry.

Don't consume foods while doing something else - watching tv, playing cards, etc. Eat. Then go back to what you were doing.

Try adding a small protein heavy meal in place of snacks.

That's the silliest thing I've ever heard. Your body absolutely knows the difference between hunger and thirst, as they are controlled by two completely different bodily systems that have nothing to do with each other. That's like saying you can't tell if you're writing with your left hand or right hand.

OP, it's just a habit you've created. The only fix is to break your habit.

I have definitely had this problem and is how I gained the weight I want to lose. You have to figure out what need this late night snacking is fulfilling for you. For some people, it relieves boredom, for some it is emotional eating to avoid down time thinking about things they want to think about. For some it is stress release or rewards at the end of a long day. Figure out the snacking is doing for you, and try to replace the snacking behavior with a more positive behavior that serves the same purpose. If you are just bored, find something you enjoy doing. If it is emotional eating, you may have to actually work through the issues you want to avoid. If it is rewarding yourself, take a bath, paint your nails, etc. I think for me it was just a habit that I combined with tv for entertainment. I now play games on the ipad while I watching tv sometimes if I feel the need to do something while watching tv.

I can relate. I like to munch at night. Keep yourself busy. Find something to do and your mind won't be going towards food. Anything you can do with your hands is great, and if it engages your whole body, even better. Knit, keep an art journal, paint, put a puzzle together, visit with a friend, exercise-- you get the picture, just find something you like to do. If you tend to sit down and watch TV, just make sure your hands are busy. This is what I do and the time passes without me thinking of food most nights. In fact, when I do this on the weekend, I have to pay attention to get my five meals in otherwise I will be so engrossed in my activity I will forget. Good luck! I hope you figure out something that works for you.

Wouldn't really consider it a binge- you're just honoring your normal hunger cues in a period of refueling. Actually, sounds a lot of like "intermittent fasting".

I also do this, but it's works for me (or else I have a hard time falling asleep and then wake up early.) If it didn't though, I'd try to create a new after dinner routine. Like, leave the house, run some errands, take a bath, find a project to do, bond with my pets, do craft things. Force myself to wait until a breakfast, give it a few weeks time, and see if I still want to go back to night eating or if my new routine sticks!

Drink some herbal tea, fills you up, and is warming. You can make it sweet if sweets are what you crave.

Unfortunately I don't like tea.
Or maybe I havent found the right flavor of tea ( Any recommendations? )

-- but I really don't like any kind of hot beverage.

My favorite herbal tea is Celestial Seasonings "Bengal Spice" I have a large mug every evening. One tea bag will do. It's full of flavor. I like mine with 1 level tsp of sugar. The whole mug of tea has only 15 calories (from the sugar) and is very filling. If you don't care for hot beverages you could make it ahead of time and let is cool and pour over a couple ice cubes.
I hope you can find away to get this under control. good luck