Night eating and sabotaging all my good work

KornishPiskie
KornishPiskie Posts: 25 Member
edited November 7 in Health and Weight Loss
Help! does anyone have a cure for night eating? Every night I get up and eat between 300-500 calories. It happens between 3am and 4am. I've had this as long as I can remember but it's got worse. When I was younger it was chocolate, now it's carbs and sweetness. Basically if I didn't do this my diet I would be healthy and within my calorie intake for the day. Is there anyone out there the same? Have you controlled it? I hate it so much. I wake up and start eating, I know what I'm doing but I can't stop myself from doing it. Sometimes I don't know I've done it til the morning.
I don't know if my fullness hormone is working properly. Even after a meal during the day I don't feel full until about an hour later.
Any advice gratefully received, I feel so stupid for it.
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Replies

  • fr053n
    fr053n Posts: 2,793 Member
    Are you eating enough fiber?
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    Are you restricting yourself during the day too much? Cut out entire food groups?
  • gimpygramma
    gimpygramma Posts: 383 Member
    In to see if you get any answers/suggestions.
  • MaggieLoo79
    MaggieLoo79 Posts: 288 Member
    You should see a doctor about this.

    Edited to Add: A quick Internet search labels night time eating as an eating disorder. It mentions you could have low melatonin. Granted, the article I found is on Wikipedia.
  • shapefitter
    shapefitter Posts: 900 Member
    Are you eating enough fiber?

    Only at weekends, as it makes me bloat.
  • fr053n
    fr053n Posts: 2,793 Member
    Try slowly increasing fiber intake. Drink enough water too.
  • errorist
    errorist Posts: 142 Member
    Randomly, this group is listed in the sidebar for me at the moment - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/22041-no-nighttime-eating-support-group

    It might be a fairly obvious point, but is there anything you can do to sabotage your night-time eating self? Such as, to hide the food you're likely to want, put it under healthy things...... ermm mousetraps?
  • shapefitter
    shapefitter Posts: 900 Member
    Are you restricting yourself during the day too much? Cut out entire food groups?

    I eat mainly cheese, dairy and egg.
  • HerkMeOff
    HerkMeOff Posts: 1,002 Member
    Are you restricting yourself during the day too much? Cut out entire food groups?

    I eat mainly cheese, dairy and egg.


    So you either need to work those 500 calories into your daily allotment, or try eating the things you crave at night, during the day.

    Both are doing pretty much the same thing.
  • cdavison2018
    cdavison2018 Posts: 15 Member
    Are you confusing tired and hungry urges? A lot of people seem to have this problem and try to eat away their fatigue. Waking up may mean you are just completing one of those 90 minute sleep cycles and are still quite naturally tired. If your stomach is growling and you are genuinely hungry that is another matter.:yawn:
  • shapefitter
    shapefitter Posts: 900 Member
    You should see a doctor about this.

    Edited to Add: A quick Internet search labels night time eating as an eating disorder. It mentions you could have low melatonin. Granted, the article I found is on Wikipedia.

    I'd suggest it's more of a habit, than anything else. Eating protein, two hours before bedtime should set you straight. My family, where all night time snackers. Good luck!
  • earthboundmisfit
    earthboundmisfit Posts: 192 Member
    If you're eating mostly cheese, dairy and egg you're probably craving carbohydrates. Maybe you can try working some good carbs (whole grains, veggies) into your food plan. This might curb your craving for sweets at night.
  • DataSeven
    DataSeven Posts: 245 Member
    Just don't do it. Unless you're sleepwalking and have no control over what you're doing, just don't do it.
  • nancytyc
    nancytyc Posts: 119 Member
    YES! YES! YES! YES! I had the same problem. I am T2 diabetic and the doctor figured out that my absolutely ravenous eating....and I mean ravenous, as no matter how hard I tried to ignore it or drink water, I HAD TO EAT!! It was my blood sugar dropping very low in the middle of the sleep cycle. I was instructed to eat something very, very high fat just before going to bed and that cured it. So, I eat an ounce of cream cheese on celery, or 3 TBSP heavy cream in tea, or 1 oz brazil nuts or macadamia nuts, right before I brush teeth and go to bed. I also make sure that I take that snack with a full 16 ounces of water to get that "full" feeling, like I had just eaten a large meal (the psychological factor). It works. I do not wake up hungry until after 7:00 a.m. in the morning. Hope this helps.
  • Dwinklepleck
    Dwinklepleck Posts: 8 Member
    I would set out something to eat that wont destroy your diet...I have an entire package (4 cups prepared) of sugar free jello premade waiting for me if i feel the urge to late night binge.. (80 calories), everything else in my fridge requires prep work which I am not going to do at 3 AM.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
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  • nicolahall24
    nicolahall24 Posts: 2
    Try keeping a little bowl of raisins and some water next to the bed.. it does help.. or putting a lock on your kitchen door... then if you wake up and head to the kitchen you will br forced to think about it a little more when it happeneds. If you live with anyone give them the key before bed.. as soon as you are out of the habit it should get get easier and eventually stop
    Good luck
  • shapefitter
    shapefitter Posts: 900 Member
    YES! YES! YES! YES! I had the same problem. I am T2 diabetic and the doctor figured out that my absolutely ravenous eating....and I mean ravenous, as no matter how hard I tried to ignore it or drink water, I HAD TO EAT!! It was my blood sugar dropping very low in the middle of the sleep cycle. I was instructed to eat something very, very high fat just before going to bed and that cured it. So, I eat an ounce of cream cheese on celery, or 3 TBSP heavy cream in tea, or 1 oz brazil nuts or macadamia nuts, right before I brush teeth and go to bed. I also make sure that I take that snack with a full 16 ounces of water to get that "full" feeling, like I had just eaten a large meal (the psychological factor). It works. I do not wake up hungry until after 7:00 a.m. in the morning. Hope this helps.

    This should work. But, just in case, keep a glass of milk next to your bed, as it's low kcal and will stabilise your blood sugar. And don't forget to brush your teeth :)
  • 2balletgirl
    2balletgirl Posts: 6
    The same thing happens to me sometimes, especially when I don't eat a substantial snack before I go to bed. But when I do wake up super hungry I find a hot cup of chamomile tea really helps. I put in some milk for protein and that's it. Plus chamomile always tea makes me sleepy! Hope this helps!:)
  • KornishPiskie
    KornishPiskie Posts: 25 Member
    Don't have fibre on my diary but my fibre is pretty good, but will change that
  • KornishPiskie
    KornishPiskie Posts: 25 Member
    I have read the same thing. My doctor wont help tho. They think Im trouble at the surgery because I have underactive thyroid and vertigo and migraines
  • skyfall91
    skyfall91 Posts: 74
    could it be because of you thyroid?
    If its not medical then I was the same. When my kids were babies and waking at night Id be up with them a 2am and Id be eating another meal through tiredness and to keep energy up. I try to make sure I eat something before bed so I dont wake at night hungry and I end up not getting hungry really early anymore
  • ChristineinMA
    ChristineinMA Posts: 312 Member
    Are you eating enough fiber?

    Only at weekends, as it makes me bloat.

    The OP is KornishPiskie, not shapefitter
  • Mariachicat
    Mariachicat Posts: 311 Member
    Try some of the weight loss/fitness hypnosis programs before you go to sleep.
  • myfitnesspale3
    myfitnesspale3 Posts: 276 Member
    High carbs cause blood sugar spikes, then insulin spikes, then blood sugar crashes, then hunger pangs, then overeating. Repeat until fat and posting on MFP.

    RAISINS are the worst. Cut out fruits bread HFCS potatoes rice cereal milk candy. If you are consistent then hunger will go! Keep daily sugar under 36g and carbs under 70g - it works. You can eat high fat ice cream under those limits. Supplement vitamins if you aren't getting enough calcium or whatever.

    One side effect is stomach growling, without the hunger. Sounds like victory.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,976 Member
    You've mentioned it being a habit. So you either break the habit, or you figure out how to eat 300-500 calories less in the day.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • JonDyn
    JonDyn Posts: 156 Member
    Not gonna lie , I take a bottle of diet drink with me into the bedroom to get rid of any eating urges
  • ruth87jm
    ruth87jm Posts: 10 Member
    Are you struggling to sleep? I.E. are you getting up and eating simply because you're lying awake in bed and have nothing to occupy your mind other than food? I don't know if you're already exercising, but I find that when I'm working out on a regular basis, I sleep MUCH better - literally fall asleep straight away and don't wake up until the morning, and I'm usually quite a bad sleeper.

    I can also vouch for the sleep hypnotherapy tapes - you can find quite a few just on YouTube. If I've had trouble sleeping, I often find that I'll sleep right through if I listen to a tape as I'm going to sleep.
  • 43mmmgoody21
    43mmmgoody21 Posts: 146 Member
    how about just work it into your calories.

    At my last meal of the day I eat about 1200 calories (at 10:00 every night)-- this prevents me from wanting to eat at all.
  • KornishPiskie
    KornishPiskie Posts: 25 Member
    No I didnt mention it as a habit. I do it every night half sleep walking half knowing what Im doing but unable to stop. A sleep haze really
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