Night Time Eating

chatal36
chatal36 Posts: 167 Member
edited September 22 in Food and Nutrition
Just wondering if anyone is struggling with the same thing or if any one has suggestions

I eat well all day but eat a ton at night for some reason. I snack all night and im having a hard time stopping myself.
Im justifying it by saying Oh its just a scoop of peanut butter ... or cereal is healthy ..but really its putting be over me carlorie goals.

Help !! thanks !

Replies

  • marchegt
    marchegt Posts: 156 Member
    I have the same problem.... It's because I get very hungry at night... and I hate going to bed hungry..... help is appreciated!
  • I am the same way!! I can do perfect all day, and it seems that once the sun sets, WATCH OUT!! lol Mine is more of a mental thing I think because my hubby works nights and when he leaves for work I start to get lonely and I have always found "comfort" in food! Something that has helped me alot is making sugar free hot chocolate or hot tea to sip on...it takes awhile to finish and usually helps fill me up and gets rid of my cravings!
  • CarrieAbbey
    CarrieAbbey Posts: 378 Member
    Just wondering if anyone is struggling with the same thing or if any one has suggestions

    I eat well all day but eat a ton at night for some reason. I snack all night and im having a hard time stopping myself.
    Im justifying it by saying Oh its just a scoop of peanut butter ... or cereal is healthy ..but really its putting be over me carlorie goals.

    Help !! thanks !

    Here is a trick that helps me, I give myself a manicure. Once I have my nails painted I don't want to ruin them so I don't eat anything, I have a drink of water beside me and that helps. Keep your hands busy.

    Good luck

    Carrie
  • CarrieAbbey
    CarrieAbbey Posts: 378 Member
    I am the same way!! I can do perfect all day, and it seems that once the sun sets, WATCH OUT!! lol Mine is more of a mental thing I think because my hubby works nights and when he leaves for work I start to get lonely and I have always found "comfort" in food! Something that has helped me alot is making sugar free hot chocolate or hot tea to sip on...it takes awhile to finish and usually helps fill me up and gets rid of my cravings!

    That's a great idea. You're right about the hot drink. I'll give that a try. Thanks.

    Carrie
  • you need to change your mindset and be faithful to your goal.
    eat an apple or other piece of fruit or a fat free light yogurt and
    pass on the scoopful of peanut butter which is loaded
    with fat and calories. if your snacking doesn't fit into your daily goal then you
    are defeating yourself.
  • mamacremers
    mamacremers Posts: 183 Member
    Gum always helps me when I want to eat. Most times, I just want to eat though, ignoring the fact if I'm hungry or not. Maybe that's why I go through a pack a week... :happy: I would suggest you just plan ahead and have that bowl of cereal (or some other snack) at a certain time every night. Make yourself wait for it until a certain time and reward yourself for waiting.

    I had gestational diabetes with my second child and one of the things I HAD to do was to have a snack right before I went to bed, like pretty much have the snack in bed. It was one protein and one carb. I would like have a string cheese and a bowl of cereal with milk (half servings of each, since I could only have one carb).

    Those things are just an idea that you could do. Although all of that probably wouldn't be very beneficial to your diet - I didn't have to watch caloric intake when I was preggo, the diabetes was actually making me hold and at times lose weight during my pregnancy and I still had a big baby...
  • try some fiber one original cereal with a light almond milk. very little calories compared to
    most snacks and VERY healthy for you. drink some water after because you need the liquid to help absorb the fiber
    you just ate and make it swell so it satisfies you.
  • esorcel
    esorcel Posts: 459 Member
    I eat low calorie throughout the day, and then I have a pumpkin or gingerbread donut from Dunkin Donuts every night by 7:30 pm once I realized that the calories from the donut kept my appetite under control. I'm sure many people will disagree with my method, but it's been working and I am losing weight at a faster pace now.

    My suggestion: eat something that helps to really fulfill your appetite not too long before 8 p.m. (doesn't have to be donut, but you may know that food that cuts your hunger), and eat even if you are not hungry, and you'll find that you won't crave much or you'll be able to control your cravings. Also, the later you go to bed, the hungrier you'll start to feel.
  • Buttsmom
    Buttsmom Posts: 351 Member
    I've always been a late night snacker, it could be because I'm up till 2am every night. A friend suggested Sugar Free Jello. I buy the little snack cups of it and it's only 10 calories each, so I don't feel bad when I eat them late at night.
  • nickeymhughes
    nickeymhughes Posts: 115 Member
    I love to eat at night to, and I try to do the no eathing after 6 pm rule... however it's so hard because I work swing shift, so a couple of 1st shift days and couple of 2nd shift days and couple of thrid shift days per week and my days off rotate everyweek, so my eating habits suck because the times that I eat change every couple of days. I find my self wondering to the kitchen at all hours when I'm not at work. I will go as far as putting the food in my mouth and getting so mad that I spit it in the trash..lol, last week I tried to trick myself by putting bottles of water in my cabnits and when I go to reach for something I'm reminded to down the bottle of water to fill me up.. lol, It's crazy I know.. but I'd rather get up to go pee in the middle of the night than to put my weight back on over something so silly.
  • brenott
    brenott Posts: 117 Member
    I am the same way!! I can do perfect all day, and it seems that once the sun sets, WATCH OUT!! lol Mine is more of a mental thing I think because my hubby works nights and when he leaves for work I start to get lonely and I have always found "comfort" in food!


    I have the exact same problem - my boyfriend works nights and I PIG out when he goes to bed. I'll have to try your tips.
  • Cytherea
    Cytherea Posts: 515 Member
    It doesn't really matter when you are eating, but how much. If you know you like to eat at night, try to eat a little bit less during the day and "save up" for your late night snacking. Better options will help too, like fruit. You can eat a lot more fruit than you can peanut butter, so you'll be more full.
  • chatal36
    chatal36 Posts: 167 Member
    Oooo great tips thank you...ill have to try them !
    Ive spit food in the garbage before too.. I dont hink its really that bad of a thing to to. yes its gross but at least your stopping yourself.

    Alot of times want to barely eat during the day and have a fufilling dinner at night , ive lost alot of weight that way but every one says eat a bunch of small meals or you will ruin you appetite. I think im might just start doing what works for me
  • chatal36
    chatal36 Posts: 167 Member
    Oooo great tips thank you...ill have to try them !
    Ive spit food in the garbage before too.. I dont hink its really that bad of a thing to to. yes its gross but at least your stopping yourself.

    Alot of times want to barely eat during the day and have a fufilling dinner at night , ive lost alot of weight that way but every one says eat a bunch of small meals or you will ruin you appetite. I think im might just start doing what works for me
  • IsMollyReallyHungry
    IsMollyReallyHungry Posts: 15,385 Member
    bump!
  • warmachinejt
    warmachinejt Posts: 2,162 Member
    Hi to the OP. Maybe you are not eating enough through the day so your body craves food at night?
  • I am recovering from Binge eating episodes. Thay began four months after I lost some weight. It is your bodies way of demanding extra food as it fears hunger. As night-time, or sleeping is the longest fast it may seem sensible to eat a little bit before bed but this food will not be digested properly and may leave you feeling groggy in the morning.
    It is important to get in control of the comfort eating, night-binges, and spitting food back out into the garbage. I learnt this the hard way and have had four months of hell because I couldnt sort out the problem. Eat filling and satisfying meals throughout the day and make sure you are not defiecient in any vitamins or minerals. If you have reduced your calorie-intake to 1200 calories you might want to consider raising this abit. I have read that your body requires around 400 calories to get decent sleep. This doesnt mean loading up on 400 calories worth of food just before you close your eyes but rather having just enough energy to be sure you wont faint in the night. Sleep is important to lose weight so if your are kept up by a rumbling tummy you wont be reasy to start a healthy day tomorrow.
    My advice is not medical but purely from experience
  • chatal36
    chatal36 Posts: 167 Member
    I think that maybe getting to bed at a more reasonable hour will help too
  • There are some great suggestions here, thank you for all who shared. Here is one more to think about - try brushing your teeth for about 3-5 minutes. Often times once your teeth are clean, you don't want to get them dirty again by eating, not to mention it doesn't taste that great either.

    I struggle with eating at night too. While I'm not trying to lose weight, it can still make it tough to maintain weight by eating at night. I think I will try the manicure idea - never thought of that!

    Good luck to you - you can do it!
  • i always drink a 12 hour protein shake (with water not milk) before i go to bed, it takes care of my sweet hunger and helps me not eat something bad. also helps me since i dont eat anything before my am workout.
  • I often find myself doing that too, but i realized that if i actually am hungry, it's best just to have a snack rather than walking to the kitchen and having a million little bites of everything, because unfortunately "little bites" can turn into big calories. After supper, I usually wait a little while and then i'll have a bowl of lowfat yogurt with some fruit and granola, or a piece of fruit to satisfy myself and i'm usually good to go! If you keep getting hungry, you may actually be thirsty! don't skimp on the water or worry about water weight, your body NEEDs waters and it will make you feel full and remove the desire to eat. hope this helps! :)
  • My nutritionist used to say never to go to bed hungry, because you won't eat for hours and you'll be starving in the morning. That being said, she also said never to have large meals or uncontrolled snacks before bedtime. Eat a small portion of non-fat cottage cheese or non-fat Greek yogurt with a few berries (basically a low-fat or non-fat source of protein) 1.5 hours before bedtime.

    I did find that as mentioned above, brushing my teeth after my final snack prevents me from wanting to eat more.

    You should also drink plenty of water throughout the day, as water will give you a sensation of fullness.
  • theflyingartist
    theflyingartist Posts: 385 Member
    Play video games or computer games. :P
    I can't tell you how many times Pokemon on the Nintendo DS has distracted me so much that I've fallen asleep in bed, not even in my PJs. Or play Sudoku, any comparative puzzle game or even Solitaire. Yes, Solitaire. Or you can read in bed!
    Anything that gets me away from the TV.. I find that watching TV and eating has always been my issue. :O
  • Rjperron
    Rjperron Posts: 150
    I overeat at night because I'm bored. Try keeping yourself occupied on things other than the TV. I read, get on MFP, take a shower or even do a light workout.
  • Play video games or computer games. :P
    I can't tell you how many times Pokemon on the Nintendo DS has distracted me so much that I've fallen asleep in bed, not even in my PJs. Or play Sudoku, any comparative puzzle game or even Solitaire. Yes, Solitaire. Or you can read in bed!
    Anything that gets me away from the TV.. I find that watching TV and eating has always been my issue. :O

    lol, do this. Brb playing videogames until 4:00 a.m. and forgetting to eat. ;)

    Your body tends to adjust to WHEN you eat. If you keep on snacking at night you'll always be hungry at night because your body will come to expect food at that time. In the meantime, I'd recommend tailoring your diet to include a larger portion of protein for your last real meal of the day (which will tend to keep you feeling full longer).
  • murf19
    murf19 Posts: 453 Member
    Work backwards, and fill in your snacks ahead of time. Maybe be seeing them will either help you cut them out or will help lower your intake through the day
  • I find that if I stay up later than I should, I am eating to stay awake.. so go to bed earlier.

    I exercise in the morning, and then a smaller amount in the evening. It seems to help keep my appetite in check, and give me a few more calories that I am allowed to eat, if I feel i need them.

    STAY OUT OF THE KITCHEN, easier said than done. Clear your house of the crap you shouldn't be eating. Freeze those treats you feel you MUST have. By the time a candy bar, cookie etc defrosts, you might not want it anymore. Of course you can eat it frozen, which takes more time than eating it fresh.

    Have water to drink to fill up that empty space in your stomach. i like mint tea (actually not really tea afterall since there arren't any teas leaves). For some reason, even without sugar, it seems sweet to me.

    Keep your computer on. I dash to my computer and record my food intake the minute I get it out of the refrigerator, cook it, etc. It makes me stop and think what I am putting in my mouth. More than once I have looked at the calories and decided it wasn't worth all the extra exercise I would have to do, to use up the calories. I input everything, including the gum I chew. It all adds up.

    Find something else to do with your hands, sew, knit, crochet, put together a puzzle. Challenge yourself to find distractions.
  • theflyingartist
    theflyingartist Posts: 385 Member
    lol, do this. Brb playing videogames until 4:00 a.m. and forgetting to eat. ;)

    Your body tends to adjust to WHEN you eat. If you keep on snacking at night you'll always be hungry at night because your body will come to expect food at that time. In the meantime, I'd recommend tailoring your diet to include a larger portion of protein for your last real meal of the day (which will tend to keep you feeling full longer).

    Tell me about it! When my D&D group meets at night for dinner and games, I end up eating half my dinner! -gasp-

    And yes, your body will start to tell you, "hey, looks like it is time for lunch now!" or, "yo, where's my chips and salsa/oreos/trail mix/cereal you give me right about now?" So recognizing that it is a pattern will make it easy to break.
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