Late night cravings! HELP!!!!!!!!! :)

katlynrose85
katlynrose85 Posts: 32
in Health and Weight Loss
Good evening everyone! Hope you're all having a great day! I work 2nd shift at a hospital (2pm-1030pm). I do pretty well balancing my meals and snacks through out the day, but for some reason when I get home around 11:15 I am just craving munchies. I usually have my dinner between 6 and 7pm and then maybe snack on raw veggies around 9pm.
So a couple questions...
1). Does anyone have any suggestions for healthy snacks that I could try that wont pack on the calories at night before bed?
2). Any ideas how to banish those cravings?
3). How bad is it for you to eat before bed?

Replies

  • inky16
    inky16 Posts: 113 Member
    I'm commenting, because I'd love to know the answer to this one, too. I've always heard eating before bed kills your metabolism, and I'm so bad about late night snacking (more often than not it turns into all-out binging.... :grumble:)

    In any case, if I may ask, what time are you normally up in the morning and down for the night? With a skewed schedule like that, it may just be like a late afternoon snack... as long as it's several hours before bed anyway. Just a thought!
  • etfit78
    etfit78 Posts: 2 Member
    Try 1 pack (4 crackers) Rovira export soda lite or any export soda lite. And maybe spray with I can't believe is not butter spray. Or a slice (1) of thin turkey ham on top. You can cut 1 ham in 4 pieces. Just for the craving. Low calorie. And a
    full glass of water. Better than that: Danon yogurt light and fit.
  • nicraylay
    nicraylay Posts: 6
    I always crave sweet and salty food at night as well and the only thing that has really helped me is to stop buying all the junk food that I love to indulge in. I really try to stop eating by 10pm and if I do get hungry I drink about 2-3 cups of green tea in the hopes that i'm actually just really thirsty, then get in to bed and sleep. If you feel like you need to eat maybe try some healthier snacks like almonds, berries, a small piece of dark chocolate? :) Good luck!
  • marvinq42
    marvinq42 Posts: 31 Member
    1). Does anyone have any suggestions for healthy snacks that I could try that wont pack on the calories at night before bed?

    I'm finding that, at least for weight loss, it really doesn't matter so much what you eat as long as your caloric intake is at a deficit. You can look at my diary, I have ice cream almost every night. It's my guilty pleasure. But because I keep things low and I don't over do it, I'm still losing weight.

    2). Any ideas how to banish those cravings?

    I think, out of sight, out of mind will help. If you don't have all these snacks all over the place you won't get tempted as much. But I really think it isn't so bad as long as you watch your calories.

    3). How bad is it for you to eat before bed?

    There are many youtubers who eat at all hours of the day and night. Again, I believe, it really does not matter as long as you're at a deficit. One quick note: Pretty much all the snacks listed, I ate at around 11:00 pm- 1:00am
  • timodawson
    timodawson Posts: 41 Member
    I'm a night time snacker as well. Here are a few things I like to eat depending on the day:

    http://imgur.com/a/Hliw5#0


    *edited to one link to a gallery.
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    1). Does anyone have any suggestions for healthy snacks that I could try that wont pack on the calories at night before bed?

    If you don't have many calories left, maybe a piece of fruit?

    2). Any ideas how to banish those cravings?

    Eat. :smile:

    3). How bad is it for you to eat before bed?

    It's not bad at all!
  • SpicyBaconCake
    SpicyBaconCake Posts: 96 Member
    I almost always have a late night snack. I try to leave calories for it (at least 100), cause I already know. Now depending on how many calories I have left, I might have cottage cheese and peaches, popcorn and protein shake, crackers with tuna, or even cereal or ice cream... cause I like those, but they do need more calories. My diary is open if you want some ideas, but I am not paleo, clean, low-carb, or any of those other trends, so keep that in mind :drinker:
  • KetoCarnivore
    KetoCarnivore Posts: 4
    You ever try intermittent fasting? I know I am the hungriest at late afternoon to mid evening so I save all my calorie consumption for that time. Also, you could just not, stay up late :)
  • gummybearzz
    gummybearzz Posts: 6 Member
    I usually eat low cal popsicles(30 cals) or air popped popcorn. As for cravings a cup of tea or hot chocolate usually cures my cravings. I try to save enough cals in case I need to crave on something- usually a meat stick (SlimJim). I have eaten before bed often and I still lost weight. For better digestion it's better not to eat before bed.
  • TechLady11412
    TechLady11412 Posts: 35 Member
    get rid of all snackage in the house and keep chopped fresh vegetables on hand, maybe some sliced lean chicken breast or turkey.....if you don't want to eat those then you don't really need to eat.

    or, have your evening at home snack at 9pm instead. at least you will have a chance of moving around a bit before going home, and maybe burn off some of the at home snack at work. then, have those veggies at home.
  • CameronMaude
    CameronMaude Posts: 8 Member
    I'm not sure if this really suits your tastes, but what I do is I usually just eat a carrot! They are incredibly filling for just 25 calories, they're sweet and crunchy, and I've never done this but I'm sure you could sprinkle some salt on there if you're craving a saltier snack. They are also good for controlling your eating speed because if you make a conscious effort to chew it properly it takes forever to finish :)
  • CindyMarcuzAdams
    CindyMarcuzAdams Posts: 4,007 Member
    I prelog my evening snack, that way I wont go over when I am snackie in the evening.
    I will have an english muffin with pbnj or cheese whiz or yogurt with cerial stirred in for something to crunch on.
  • WendylovesSteve
    WendylovesSteve Posts: 7 Member
    Are your cravings for anything in particular - sweets or salty? If it is sweets you crave, you might try sugar-free/no calorie jello with whip cream. The whip cream is about 15 calories per serving. Also, root beer floats made with one scoop of low calorie vanilla ice cream and sugar free A & W root beer. I believe you can find the calorie content for one scoop of ice cream around 100 calories or less. I also do 10 or 15 minutes of cardio exercise and that takes my mind off of the cravings completely. Hope that helps! :smile: .
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Good evening everyone! Hope you're all having a great day! I work 2nd shift at a hospital (2pm-1030pm). I do pretty well balancing my meals and snacks through out the day, but for some reason when I get home around 11:15 I am just craving munchies. I usually have my dinner between 6 and 7pm and then maybe snack on raw veggies around 9pm.
    So a couple questions...
    1). Does anyone have any suggestions for healthy snacks that I could try that wont pack on the calories at night before bed?
    2). Any ideas how to banish those cravings?
    3). How bad is it for you to eat before bed?

    I suggest you allocate your calories so that you can have food when you get home from work. Maybe your dinner then, and snacks before then? When you eat and eating before bedtime have zero beating on one's ability to lose weight.

    Perhaps your body is craving food at night because you've been working so darned hard on your shift.

    I'm going to bed in about ten or fifteen minutes and I just finished a fudge ice cream bar for desert, and I've lost 42 pounds. In fact, I usually eat something close to bed because it helps me sleep.
  • alphabear_
    alphabear_ Posts: 11 Member
    Eat fat in the evenings.

    Hunger is based off blood glucose levels. Carbohydrates spike your blood glucose (due to Carbohydrates being broken down into monosaccharides), and when your blood sugar levels start to fall it sends signals to your brain that you are hungry. Your body craves high sugar levels.

    If you're hungry at night eat some tuna & avocado, avoid carbs. Once you start to avoid carbs in the evening and create your dinners from fat & protein sources your evening cravings will diminish quickly.
  • matlab99
    matlab99 Posts: 7
    If you need to wear a retainer at night it will solve the problem at some point.
  • schelly81
    schelly81 Posts: 161 Member
    fudgesicles are 100 calories of deliciousness. I also like to put 2tbs of popcorn kernels in a paperbag, pop in the microwave and put 1 tbsp. of butter on top, it's about 200 calories for a nice little bowl full. I also love Breton popped, 90 calories for 17, I mix one serving of 2 different flavours and drink a big glass of water with it.
    If I want to be healthier I take 1/2 cup of 0% vanilla greek yogurt and I add some chocolate syrup and frozen cherries. It would be even better in the food processor but I get lazy at that time of night.
  • neonpinup
    neonpinup Posts: 2
    I usually have tea. I have a wide variety of different-flavored, fun-tasting teas from David's Tea, so that helps. If I'm actually hungry, I'll eat a piece of fruit or a vegetable.
  • Amy3935
    Amy3935 Posts: 94 Member
    This is gonna sound pretty damn weird but taking two slices of turkey deli, adding a smear of hummus between and eating as a sandwich (or rolling up like a burrito) is delicious and only about 50 calories.
    If you're more of a sweet snacker obviously fruit, I also LOVE Trader Joe's Ice Cream BonBons - they're tiny little individual ice creams that are 60 calories each, they're like the size of a big chocolate truffle so it's just the perfect amount to hit that craving. Or a tablespoon of peanut butter (but really, just a tablespoon) can do it for me. Plus sometimes, even if I'm a little hungry, I'll just go to sleep instead. I'm happier when I see good things on the scale afterwards!
    Good luck!
  • Alpinexxx
    Alpinexxx Posts: 1
    Try to eat protein before heading to bed. I get the late night cravings too. I would say try to sleep early but you can't with your job so make do with protein. Have a protein shake, Kellogg has great protein bars that I wolf down or a light yogurt. Protein will make you feel fuller (those little cracker carbs wont do the trick.)
  • hkristine1
    hkristine1 Posts: 950 Member
    I have a cookie almost every night before bed. Not a healthy snack, but I mention it only to say that eating before bed is not a big deal.

    For healthy snacks, I like grapes and blueberries.

    Also, air popped popcorn (with a little butter and salt) is a pretty good snack.
  • threnjen
    threnjen Posts: 687 Member
    I always save calories for late at night. I'm a vampire and don't usually sleep until 2AM so I definitely can't make it from dinner at 6:30. I don't think it's a big deal when you eat, just make room and plan accordingly :)
  • 1fatma
    1fatma Posts: 1
    Me too! At night is when I lose control! I have been thinking about it lately.. I think for me, it's because I'm tired and bored.. I should just go to bed! But.. the munchies get a grip and I tell myself I wont sleep because I'm too hungry! I think my new strategy will be to take my vitamins (calcium & primrose oil) with maybe 1/2 cup of almond milk, then go and brush my teeth! I have 2 friends who have never been overweight, and they don't snack at night, but they don't stay up late either. Maybe it's just a mind game we play with ourselves, and we just need new patterns!
  • segovm
    segovm Posts: 512 Member
    My best plan is always just to eat if I'm hungry but to ditch the snacks and go for a meal I won't be ashamed of in the morning. It's funny but once the easy junk is out of the house (assuming it can be gotten out of the house), it becomes easier to distinguish between a craving and actual hunger.

    I do pad my calories towards the latter part of the day though so I end up less likely to be hungry when I am most likely to make really bad decisions.
  • katlynrose85
    katlynrose85 Posts: 32
    Im usually up around 9am. have a snack, workout have breakfast around 10:30 11ish then head to work. I have a snack at around 3pm then eat a meal at 6pm. I really dont have a lunch or dinner. I just try and eat every 2-3 hours ish. I work at a huge hospital and am walking and active all day. I get home and try and unwind and I just wanna eat comfort food lol! Thank you all for your comments they are all so very helpful! Some really great ideas and tips out there. I like that the general thoughts on eating right before bed seem to be that it doesnt really matter. I've always wondered about that. ! So THANKS ALL!!!!!!!!!!

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