Worried about late-night snacking...

KaiaBlackthorne
KaiaBlackthorne Posts: 4 Member
edited September 22 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm doing great so far today, keeping within my calorie targets.

But I'm worried that it will all collapse when it comes to later tonight. I stay up late most nights (10:30 - midnight) and it is after 9pm I start getting the munchies. Not hungry necessarily, but the need to munch on something.

So I thought I would pose this question to my fellow MFPers who have the same problem... what do you do to keep yourself from eating late at night?

Replies

  • MissAnjy
    MissAnjy Posts: 2,480 Member
    I drink water if I feel hungry at night, or I grab a piece of fruit.
    If I find that I want to snack because I'm watching tv, I go do another activity.
    If I have the opportunity, I workout
    Sometimes if i can't kick the hunger, i go to sleep.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    I just read about a study that done on late-night eating. It found that late-night eating doesn't affect the metabolism and that it's totally fine to eat at night as long as you don't overeat.
  • Jourdan_Rystrom
    Jourdan_Rystrom Posts: 176 Member
    I drink lots of water and eat a bag of Trader Joe's Lite Kettlecorn. They come in single-serving packs, are only 110 calories, and are a perfect snack for after dinner because it fills you up and it seems like you're eating a lot!
  • Sigra
    Sigra Posts: 374 Member
    I don't see a problem with snacking, especially if you have a late shift, or are up late because you go to work at a later time. Just remember to eat things with little calories and mix that into your daily plan, example:

    Fruits
    Veggies
    Salad
    Soup
    nuts
    cereal (no milk)

    Most of these are at or under 100cal. With the right popcorn it's still only 120-150 if you put that into your daily goal :) I wouldn't fret, just make sure to eat the right stuff!
  • elid
    elid Posts: 209 Member
    I enjoy evening snacks, so I don't want to cut them. :) I just eat less earlier in the day, and plan my calorie intake around a little evening snack.
  • VialOfDreams
    VialOfDreams Posts: 217
    Drink water, and have some berries with a source of protein, like non-fat Greek yogurt or non-fat cottage cheese. As long as you go to bed 1-1.5 hours after having the snack, you'll be fine.
  • iamkelskels
    iamkelskels Posts: 81
    if you can, eat dinner later to keep from getting hungry? at school, i eat dinner at 5, and find myself getting hungry again around 9-10ish, and i found that once i came home for break and started eating dinner around 7-8, i didn't snack as much at night.
    also, having a water bottle near you at all times, taking a drink whenever you are hungry, i find helps a lot.
    good luck :)
  • SafariLara
    SafariLara Posts: 172
    I usually save at LEAST 100 calories for that time of night and snack on something filling. Like those quaker instant oatmeal packets (low sugar ones are only like...120 calories) and usually that fixes the problem. Or popcorn! yum!

    But yeah, I have ALWAYS been a nighttime snacker.

    If you need something more filling Thomas brand has some really tasty english muffins for only 100 calories a piece and I usually just put some spray butter (i know it'll kill me slowly but no calories... I pick my battles... lol) on them. YUM!

    Haha hope i'm helpful
  • Brunette_Babe
    Brunette_Babe Posts: 33 Member
    Can i just ask, why you stay up so late?

    If you know that you get the munchies late at night, it would make more sense to go to bed at a reasonable hour like 10pm. If you're alseep, you won't know that you're hungry.

    If you are going to stay up late, plan ahead and have things ready to snack on such as grapes, carrots and celery. All have a rather appealing crunch to them.

    Alternatively, try something like golden syrup flavoured oates and just add water. The calories are about 100 per pack and it's pretty damn filling.

    Realistically, you're probably in a routine of thinking you're hungry when it's probably all in your head - i often have the same problem if i stay up!

    Hope this helps

    x
  • egbkid
    egbkid Posts: 164 Member
    when i work evenings, i tend to get the munchies to. I know i get the munchies, so i plan one of my snacks around that. Instead of taking a granola bar, which i do when i work mornings, i take something crispy. I usually have a mini bag of popcorn or i take a small cup of goldfish crackers or something similar with me.
  • wiseass
    wiseass Posts: 3
    If i find myself wanting to munch on something late at night (and i do often), it usually coincides with watching t.v. Maybe try reading a magazine, or doing some window shopping on the internet.
  • CherokeeBabe
    CherokeeBabe Posts: 1,704 Member
    I always get the urge for late-night snacks, I'm trying to keep fruit on hand now for those times, or a light salad full of veggies.
  • caseydarden
    caseydarden Posts: 8
    Drink water (like everyone else suggested) and chew some gum.
    Do you have a hot-air popcorn popper?

    If you HAVE to munch, another tip is to measure out your M&Ms or chips or whatever into a SMALL bowl in the kitchen....then take that into the den....rather than taking the whole bag to the couch with you.

    Casey
  • Brunette_Babe
    Brunette_Babe Posts: 33 Member
    Also, eating late at night is not good for your metabolism.

    You're body slows down when you are asleep and if you've been snacking or eat your evening meal within a couple of hours of going to bed, it will just sit in your stomach and obsorb all the nasty fatty bits rather then burning them off (albeit slowly) while you are awake and stationary on the sofa.

    Most nutritionalists will stay that if you go to be around 10pm, you should eat no later than 7:30-8:00.

    A small, healthy snack between then and bedtime will not do any harm. But don't kid yourself - this healthy snack should be veggies or fruit!
  • LanakilaGirl
    LanakilaGirl Posts: 41 Member
    I like to floss and brush my teeth. I find that I am way less likely to snack after that because I really don't want to do it all over again.
  • cem789
    cem789 Posts: 231 Member
    i agree with 'brunette babe'

    when I am craving something, or have the munchies, i go to bed!

    i also find the less i eat the night before, the less hungry i am in the morning (believe it or not, try it!)
  • Kandy3
    Kandy3 Posts: 24 Member
    I agree that it makes no difference to weightless what time of day or night that you eat. It is a simple equation that to lose weight you need to take in less energy than you use. If it suits you, save most of your calories for when you like to eat and good luck. The equation is simple but the mental prep is the problem !!
  • shannonleigh123
    shannonleigh123 Posts: 3
    I floss and brush my teeth! I must be really lazy because I know if I eat I'll have to do it all over again, so I'm less likely to snack after that!
  • cem789
    cem789 Posts: 231 Member
    I floss and brush my teeth! I must be really lazy because I know if I eat I'll have to do it all over again, so I'm less likely to snack after that!

    agreed
  • TaneeisFitforLife
    TaneeisFitforLife Posts: 433
    I usually save 100 calories for some air popped popcorn :)

    It doesn't matter what time you eat, as long as you stay within your daily calorie goals.
  • larousse_37
    larousse_37 Posts: 80
    Broccolini and hommus or tzatziki dip... low fat of course. Yum! I also find having some sugarfree cranberry juice or something sweet wards off urges for late night snacking. Good luck!
  • Christine1110
    Christine1110 Posts: 1,786 Member
    When I'm not really hungry at night, but can't help but feel I need something..... I chew gum.
    There are lots of yummy ones out now. Keylime pie, strawberry shortcake, and a chocolate mint ice cream.
    Sometime I just have mint & drink water...seems refreshing : )
    I hope this might help you.
  • KaiaBlackthorne
    KaiaBlackthorne Posts: 4 Member
    Thank you everyone for your helpful suggestions and tips!

    @Brunette_Babe
    I usually stay up this late for a couple of reasons; most nights I take night classes and sometimes I don't even get home until 10:30pm. Other times it's because I do a little bit of freelance work on the side and this time of the night is the quietest and I get the most work done.

    I thought about having some of those light, mini-bags of popcorn... I don't think I would have to worry about fat sitting in my stomach with a snack like that.

    Thanks again for all the tips! I'm sure this will help me :)
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
    I just read about a study that done on late-night eating. It found that late-night eating doesn't affect the metabolism and that it's totally fine to eat at night as long as you don't overeat.

    I've seen these same studies. I've also seen some that show that waking up in the middle of the night to eat will help reduce the production of cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone that tells the body to breakdown muscle and store fat. It's been shown that cortisol production increases in the body after 4-6 hours of fasting (like during sleep) because the body's liver glycogen stores are low and unable to continue providing fuel for the brain and red blood cell production so the cortisol is needed to break down muscle to release the protein to convert it to glucose/glycogen so that the brain can maintain function. Body builders have the greatest benefit to eating in the middle of the night to prevent this cortisol production because it spares muscle. But for people who are concerned with belly fat, be it for looks or because it is the highest risk spot to have fat, cutting cortisol production can be good too, since cortisol also tells the body to store fat in the abdomen.

    So, what do I do when I get hungry at night. I eat. I just make sure I'm within my calorie ranges.
  • TrainingWithTonya
    TrainingWithTonya Posts: 1,741 Member
    Also, eating late at night is not good for your metabolism.

    You're body slows down when you are asleep and if you've been snacking or eat your evening meal within a couple of hours of going to bed, it will just sit in your stomach and obsorb all the nasty fatty bits rather then burning them off (albeit slowly) while you are awake and stationary on the sofa.

    Most nutritionalists will stay that if you go to be around 10pm, you should eat no later than 7:30-8:00.

    A small, healthy snack between then and bedtime will not do any harm. But don't kid yourself - this healthy snack should be veggies or fruit!

    For every time a nutritionist says something like that, a nutritional scientist should get to slap them. :laugh:

    The body repairs itself during sleep. This is the time that the body is using any extra carbs to store as glycogen to be able to fuel exercise later, to maintain brain function, and to produce red blood cells. The body is also using protein to repair any cellular damage to the muscle cells from workouts. The body is even using fat at this point to repair cell walls. Extra calories that you don't need for all that repair after your exercise will be stored as fat, but that would happen regardless of when you ate the extra calories.
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