how to stop overeating at night HELP!

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  • KristyO
    KristyO Posts: 126
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    I also eat late. Sometimes I don't have dinner until 8 or 9 o'clock.

    I also agree with the member that said a big breakfast and big lunch goes a long way. I also have a late afternoon snack. I workout at night so that's why I eat dinner so late.
  • Jennplus2
    Jennplus2 Posts: 984 Member
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    I always do great during the day but when I'm at home at night I always overeat on cereal or whatever I can get my hands on. Any tips on how to stop because I'm afraid instead of progressing I'll gain weight back

    Eat more. I know this sounds crazy, but I was just where you are at for 8 months. I would lose then gain it back, lose then gain it back. Did great eating 1200 during the day through dinner but then eat a whole box of cereal (at least it felt like) at night. Once I started eating more (around 1400-1900 with eating all my exercise calories) I starting to lose again. I am a binge eater so once I start eating the game is over, and I always lose the game. I try to keep my hands busy and keep a picture of "fat me" on the fridge so I can go look at it and tell myself "ok, you eat your dinner, your not hungry". I find that if I even take one bite of whatever it is I can't stop eating. I try to fold laundry until the urge passes. If I find myself thinking about going into the kitchen more than 3 times in an hour it is time for me to go to bed!
  • melissacannon58
    melissacannon58 Posts: 1
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    I think that a part of emotional overeating at night is about losing control. I hold it together all day and some part of me needs to let it go to the point where I lose control and rebel against my own self.Anxiety and control have been obstacles for my own independence and success. Overeating is usually an indication that i am actually in control of my life, things are going well except...my relationship with my own body and mind and I give food the control.
  • megaen29
    megaen29 Posts: 95 Member
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    I had the same problem. I have found that forcing myself to eat a bigger healthy breakfast makes all the difference. This helps curb my cravings all day. As long as I eat something small whenever I have little cravings during the day by night time the cravings disappear.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Save calories to eat at night. I've always prefered to eat more in the evenings, so I eat pretty light throughout the day and eat most of my calories for dinner and dessert (my 'desserts' are not always sweets, I call any food eaten after the evening meal 'dessert').
  • Will_Run_for_Food
    Will_Run_for_Food Posts: 561 Member
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    Snacking at night is my Achilles heel, especially Fridays/Saturdays when we're home watching a movie. For the times I can't resist, I opt for healthier choices, like edamame, kale chips or baked broccoli.
  • bluetuesday5
    bluetuesday5 Posts: 99 Member
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    If you know you are going to get hungry later, have something satiating and low calorie ready. I like to season a couple of chicken breasts and chuck them in the oven with my tea, then leave them in the fridge until later. Also maybe try having your last meal later. I like to skip lunch and replace it with something high-protein like an omelette late at night.
  • CaitlinW19
    CaitlinW19 Posts: 431 Member
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    I heard that you should pick up a magazine or a book and try to read for a little while instead...usually you get sort of wrapped up in it and forget about food. If you are still hungry after trying to distract yourself (doesn't have to be reading) for 15 minutes or so, you are actually hungry, so have a small snack and then try to distract yourself again so you don't keep going! :-) I know this is hard.

    I do leave plenty of calories in my day for snacks. Hopefully you aren't starving yourself during the day either...that would encourage these binge moments if you are constantly underfeeding yourself during the day.
  • tavasue
    tavasue Posts: 14
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    I had the same issue until recently. I started eating dinner later (7pm). I also started a new "snack rule" - I can have one serving of a snack (one light yogurt, one cup of cereal, etc.) and then I have to wait thirty minutes. If I'm hungry after thirty minutes, then I have another snack and repeat the process. It's helped me keep my night-time snacking under control.
  • TahoeSki
    TahoeSki Posts: 69 Member
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    For me, it's mental. I have decided to make better choices... "today is a new day to make the right choices". It's also about planning. Plan your food and meals and you won't need to rely on cereal b/c you are starving when you get home.

    Good luck!
  • ritabrienfit
    ritabrienfit Posts: 25 Member
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    I work 3 nights a week and 2 days. Being at work at night helps on the late days, because by the time I get home, all I want to do is sleep, but on the 2 days that I'm out at 3:30 in the afternoon, I'm usually eating dinner at 5:30 or 6 so I get those after dinner munchies. I usually drink a ton of water and do everything I can to distract myself (reading, computer games, crafts etc.). If I have to eat, I usually grab a zero calorie snack. pickles (not the bread and butter kind) and banana peppers are my favorites.
  • Makoce
    Makoce Posts: 938 Member
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    I know the feel.

    I ate a full protein/fiber healthy breakfast/lunch/dinner yesterday and was totally full along with a great gym day.

    But something stressful happened and I started thinking about eating.
    I ignored it for an hour, and just as I was about to go to bed in success I shoved 2,000 calories over my goal down my throat in a matter for 25 minutes or less.
  • laylaness
    laylaness Posts: 262 Member
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    I get the urge to eat around 8 or 9, after dinner, also. For me, it's boredom, as so many other people have said. So I get a cup of water or a Diet Coke and drink it while I do something else (manicure, playing a game on my iPad, play with my pups). If I'm still "hungry", I'll take my gummy vitamins and wait a bit. If I'm STILL hungry, then I know I'm hungry, and will eat a light snack (been going bananas lately).

    *ETA: That's assuming I've already had most of my calories for the day.

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