Moms....How do you avoid eating after 8pm???

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megans1980
megans1980 Posts: 22 Member
in Motivation and Support
I am struggling to eat dinner before 8-9pm. I find that I don't have a chance to stop and eat dinner until after the kids are in bed. It is between 8 and 9 pm before I can finally pause. I know this has to be bad for my body....cramming food down my throat then passing out from an exhausting day (mentally mainly). With sports, homework, husband who is working late and general daily household chore needs, it is hard! Do you have any tricks or tips for finding a way to eat before then?
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Replies

  • amberrenee813
    amberrenee813 Posts: 395 Member
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    Brush your teeth. Eat a mint or chew gum.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    the time you eat and how quickly you eat has zero effect on your body. eating after a certain time won't effect you at all.

    how old are your kids? why can't you eat while they're eating? you mention that they have homework and sports, so i'm assuming that they're mostly school aged. they can help a bit around the house, can't they? you know, tell them you need strong me to help you while dad is working late.
  • _MG_
    _MG_ Posts: 453 Member
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    Eat with the kids?
  • suejonestx
    suejonestx Posts: 256 Member
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    Eat with your kids. Throw together a salad in a bag and pre-cooked chicken breast if you're in a hurry. Floss and brush your teeth after dinner so you're less tempted to eat again. If you DO eat again, eat fruit, nuts or something healthy. Good luck.
  • rayraex
    rayraex Posts: 50
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    I'm not a mom, but have you tried cooking large meals ahead of time and then eating them throughout the week?
  • Me2FitMe
    Me2FitMe Posts: 1,284 Member
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    I eat when my kids eat ( anywhere ~5:30-7)... after we prep for school/work-- showers, etc.
  • lioness803
    lioness803 Posts: 325 Member
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    Why don't you eat when your kids eat dinner?

    You could prep meals in advance, so you just have to heat something up and eat.

    Time of day doesn't matter for weight loss though, so if you don't eat until 9pm, that's not going to affect weight loss.
  • Julzanne72
    Julzanne72 Posts: 467 Member
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    I suggest making dinner and eating as a family. I would assume your children eat dinner before they go to bed, so why are you not sitting down and eating with them. I work during the day,work out when I get home, and then make dinner so we can sit down as a family and eat. This ensures that not only I am getting a healthy dinner in, but so is my family.
  • konerusp
    konerusp Posts: 247 Member
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    Brush your teeth!
  • Bernadette60614
    Bernadette60614 Posts: 707 Member
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    Something simple for dinner: lower calorie chili (you can make your own...5 cans of different beans, one baggage of mixed veggies, season to taste, in a crockpot for about 2 hours on medium). It doesn't take long to eat and it is filling.

    I think the trick is something filling instead of grazing on foods which just leave you hungry.

    The save something light for before bedtime. I like just a frozen banana dropped into a blender with skim milk and some sweetener.

    With kids/work/household, I think the key is planning for those moments that you have to squeeze in for yourself between other responsibilities.

    I don't find eating with our son very relaxing, so I just end up eating foods that won't satisfy me, and then cleaning his plate. A cup of chili is perfect for dinner with him.
  • LBennett34
    LBennett34 Posts: 25 Member
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    We are super busy, too! My best friend has become my crock pot. I just throw in meat and veggies, set it on low, and it's done when we get home. I also grill/ bake a lot of meat on the weekends and keep it in the fridge so all I really have to cook during the week are sides. Saves time! Another idea, is to make sandwiches in advance and just grab and go when you are in a hurry. Also, I keep a fresh cut fruit and veggie tray in the fridge. I put it out on the table whenever we are home to randomly snack from. If all else fails, you could keep meal replacement bars in your purse. I have Luna protein bars. I don't rely on them but I'd rather be safe than sorry. I hope some of these ideas are helpful.
  • DeterminedFee201426
    DeterminedFee201426 Posts: 859 Member
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    i eat like a mini meal 2-3 hrs b4 dinner like 1 egg with 1 rasin bread or a pbj sandwich my dinner time is at 6:00 or 7:00 pm
  • cuinboston2014
    cuinboston2014 Posts: 848 Member
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    I always eat with my daughter... we always eat as a family when I come home from work. I prepare meals in advance or throw something in the crock pot in the morning or we eat something quick (i.e. cereal). I wait to do the chores, my own homework, etc after she is in bed. If we do have activities we have to leave for as soon as I get home or if I have to go somewhere straight from work I pack a sandwich and eat my sandwich.

    And then if I'm hungry again after 8pm, I eat. Usually oatmeal. I love oatmeal
  • thesupremeforce
    thesupremeforce Posts: 1,206 Member
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    As long as your calories are where they need to be, when you eat doesn't matter.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    I am struggling to eat dinner before 8-9pm. I find that I don't have a chance to stop and eat dinner until after the kids are in bed. It is between 8 and 9 pm before I can finally pause. I know this has to be bad for my body....cramming food down my throat then passing out from an exhausting day (mentally mainly). With sports, homework, husband who is working late and general daily household chore needs, it is hard! Do you have any tricks or tips for finding a way to eat before then?
    Unless late eating interferes with your sleep (acid reflux or something) there is nothing wrong with this.

    But if you are concerned, I'm wondering why you don't eat when you feed your children?
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    Unless you have a specific issue that causes problem with eating that late at night (like acid reflux or something), there is absolutely no reason at all to avoid eating after a certain time. It will not affect your weight loss.

    I work 12 hour shifts, day and backshifts. I would get off work at 7, have a snack and go for a workout. By the time I got home and made supper, it was after 9 and pretty much time for bed again. I also ate throughout the night on backshifts.. It did not affect my weight loss.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
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    I'm not a mom, but I do have a child who has sports and since it's just us, we are on a crazy schedule at times. First, it doesn't matter what time you eat. Make your meals in advance so all you need to do for dinner is heat up and/or quick roast (we don't like to wait around after practice at 8pm to eat). My kid's baseball sucks up 2hrs for each practice, so I bring food with me, like a banana, water, Peeps, etc. Teach your kids to be independent at an early age so you're not dealing with their BS later on.
  • Kekibird
    Kekibird Posts: 1,122 Member
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    If dinner happens at 8pm, it happens at 8pm. Mine did last night because we had baseball practice and my husband fed my son while I was running with my group. When I got home it was pack lunches, shower and then bedtime so dinner didn't happen till 8pm. I stuck to a healthy dinner and proper portions and was fine. Not all families can eat together though we try when we are all home at the same time.
  • mathjulz
    mathjulz Posts: 5,514 Member
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    First, it doesn't matter when you eat. Eating right before sleep is only a problem if you get reflux. Calories are what matter, not timing (and, of course, go for nutrient-rich calories)

    Second, what has happened to family dinner? It does sound like you have a busy schedule, but you can surely carve out an hour to sit down as a family and eat together. There are so many benefits to your kids from doing this - from having time with parents and each other, to building social skills and better decision making (it's been linked to kids staying out of trouble as they move into teenagers), to learning healthy eating habits.

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