Hungry...and it's 2 a.m.!

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Rachel8129
Rachel8129 Posts: 16
in Food and Nutrition
Help, what do I do when I get hungry in the middle of the night/early morning? I didn't go over my calories for yesterday (well it's Thursday, but I started MFP yesterday) and I've heard that eating after 7 isn't a good idea if you're trying to lose weight? Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do? Can I eat some fruit? String cheese? Anything? I am good at ignoring when my stomach feels semi-hungry, but when it comes to stomach pains that make me feel like I might be sick, it's a different story. I also don't want to go to the kitchen and pig out on stuff I know will set me back. Any tips or advice would be great!

Replies

  • mandyreadsbooks88
    mandyreadsbooks88 Posts: 66
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    go to bed
  • angelsandwolves09
    angelsandwolves09 Posts: 264 Member
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    if you are that hungry you should probably eat something...i haven't ever heard that about eating after 7...i have heard don't eat and then lay straight down for sleep...try to do something else like cleaning or something to give the food time to digest a little...if i were in your situation, I would probably have something light that will hold me over till breakfast, such as a salad or small bowl of special k cereal(my favorite snack)....

    lol...now I'M hungry.... :laugh:
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,651 Member
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    You were under your calories for the day and you're hungry. Eat something! String cheese sounds perfect. Eating right before bed isn't bad for you unless it interrupts your sleep (with like acid reflux or something).
  • AntonGorodetsky
    AntonGorodetsky Posts: 2
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    go to bed

    ...wow. Did you even read/understand the post?
  • staceyb_2003
    staceyb_2003 Posts: 396 Member
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    Its gonna take time for your body to get used to the lower calories so your first few days might be a bit of a rollercoaster
  • Rachel8129
    Rachel8129 Posts: 16
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    go to bed

    I'd love to go to bed if I haven't been struggling with insomnia for the past three years of my life. Trust me, I'd love to be sound asleep because 6 a.m. comes early and I have to be ready to function. I was asleep until the hunger woke me up. I'm not offended by your response, although I do think it's a little rude to say something like that to anyone having a problem. This is a support community, not a place where "going to bed" fixes our problems. Comments like these may make other users feel bad or more insecure and worried than they already are. Luckily I am on pills that keeps me from even worrying about it :smokin: . I would hope when you have a problem through your journey that others will offer support and ideas.. at least more thann "go to bed". :ohwell:
  • Rachel8129
    Rachel8129 Posts: 16
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    Its gonna take time for your body to get used to the lower calories so your first few days might be a bit of a rollercoaster

    Thanks, I didn't think about that. I know it was really hard this afternoon when my stomach was growling so loud I was afraid that people would think a wild animal was on the lose.Thanks for the support. :flowerforyou:
  • Rachel8129
    Rachel8129 Posts: 16
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    go to bed

    ...wow. Did you even read/understand the post?

    Thanks Anton. Some people type before their minds catch up. :bigsmile:
  • mandyreadsbooks88
    mandyreadsbooks88 Posts: 66
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    the advice I gave was the same advice I had been given by a professional fitness/nutritional consultant. It wasn't meant to be rude. Had no way of knowing of your insomnia and you wouldnt believe the number of people who confuse being tired with being hungry. Sleep is a very important aspect to weight loss
  • mandyreadsbooks88
    mandyreadsbooks88 Posts: 66
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    oh and you're right i missed the part about hunger pangs
  • Rachel8129
    Rachel8129 Posts: 16
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    the advice I gave was the same advice I had been given by a professional fitness/nutritional consultant. It wasn't meant to be rude. Had no way of knowing of your insomnia and you wouldnt believe the number of people who confuse being tired with being hungry. Sleep is a very important aspect to weight loss

    Thanks for telling me and I'd never heard that before, that's why I was like, what is she thinking. :) I ended up going to bed and ignoring it, only to be woke up three hours later. Working out may be difficult to get through today without passing out.
  • burton746
    burton746 Posts: 2 Member
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    You should eat when you are hungry but be careful what you eat. Eating a snack of complex carbs and protein is not bad for you even if you eat it after 7pm. In fact it will keep you from over eating in the morning. Also, thirst can often be confused with hunger. Remember to drink at least 64oz of water a day. When you feel hungry, try drinking a glass of water. It could also have to do with what you are eating for dinner. You should have a balanced meal of protein and complex carbs. The general rule is to eat 5 small meals a day. This means you should eat once every 3 hours you are awake. Portion control and eating the right foods is more important than not eating. Also, stay away from sugar and diet drinks as these will actually make you crave more food as your insulin level spikes and then falls again.
  • Oishii
    Oishii Posts: 2,675 Member
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    I go to bed if I don't want to eat more and I'm hungry, so that would have been my automatic reaction too. I've been finding that saving over some calories for a late snack has helped me feel like I'm rewarding myself for behaving well during the day.
  • BrockDoe
    BrockDoe Posts: 25
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    If you are hungry... Eat. Simple. Just make sure you eat smart. Fruits good, vege's are good. The carbs in them are gimme carbs easily burnt off unlike your white breads, chips and what not.
    Your body is hungry for a reason, starving it will force it to start storing fat due to it thinking its always going to be starved.
    The myth about not eating before bed has no science behind it. If you eat before 7 most people sit on the couch about this time any way and watch TV. In the way of calories burnt sitting on the couch differs by maybe 2 cals per hour as apposed to sleeping.

    Hope that helps :-)
  • BrockDoe
    BrockDoe Posts: 25
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    You should eat when you are hungry but be careful what you eat. Eating a snack of complex carbs and protein is not bad for you even if you eat it after 7pm. In fact it will keep you from over eating in the morning. Also, thirst can often be confused with hunger. Remember to drink at least 64oz of water a day. When you feel hungry, try drinking a glass of water. It could also have to do with what you are eating for dinner. You should have a balanced meal of protein and complex carbs. The general rule is to eat 5 small meals a day. This means you should eat once every 3 hours you are awake. Portion control and eating the right foods is more important than not eating. Also, stay away from sugar and diet drinks as these will actually make you crave more food as your insulin level spikes and then falls again.

    BOOM! This guys on the money!
  • MelissaL582
    MelissaL582 Posts: 1,422 Member
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    I would eat something light i I'm that hungry. If I feel hungry I'll have a rice cake or something with at least 50 calories and I'll drink a bottle water. I try to go to bed by 10pm, doesn't always work since I have 3 young children.
  • wriglucy
    wriglucy Posts: 1,064 Member
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    It's ok to eat after 7. That's a myth. Total calories is total calories, doesn't matter when you eat them. However, that said, I would still try to eat something light like an apple or something, because whatever you eat, if you don't burn some of it, will turn to fat.
    So...eat after 7! It's fine! I usually don't even get to dinner until 7 with school/work/working out. Don't worry about the clock, eat! If your hungry, your body is trying to tell you something. :)
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,651 Member
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    It's ok to eat after 7. That's a myth. Total calories is total calories, doesn't matter when you eat them. However, that said, I would still try to eat something light like an apple or something, because whatever you eat, if you don't burn some of it, will turn to fat.
    So...eat after 7! It's fine! I usually don't even get to dinner until 7 with school/work/working out. Don't worry about the clock, eat! If your hungry, your body is trying to tell you something. :)

    Just because you're asleep, doesn't mean you stop burning calories. it would only really turn to fat if she went over her calories for the day. :smile:

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