Killing Late Night Cravings

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camillewitt1
camillewitt1 Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
One of my biggest struggles with weight loss is night time eating. I'm a college student with 2 jobs and an internship, so my life is very go-go-go all the time. I try my best to do my eating during the day but it's really hard. I grew used to not eating at all during the day and then going on a binge at night. But I find that even if I do eat during the day, come midnight-2am I'm starving out of my mind. What do you guys do to curve late night cravings or make sure you're eating during the day?

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  • ldy_78
    ldy_78 Posts: 61
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    This is so hard. I deal with it too. I don't have any sure fire solutions other than to make sure you eat enough during the day, not too early before bed, and use straight up self control. I find that drinking herbal tea at night to be very helpful. And if all else fails - just don't keep snacky/bingey foods in the house.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
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    What's your diet like? You are likely eating too many carbs and not enough protein and fat.
  • smetka01
    smetka01 Posts: 99 Member
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    I go to sleep :)
    How ever, it doesn't matter when you eat, but how much calories do you eat per day. Your weight would be the same if you ate food worth 1500 calories during night or food worth 1500 calories during a day.
  • TiffieLand
    TiffieLand Posts: 159
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    Buy some on to go snacks nuts like almonds, 200 calories bar, some fruits so wherever you go, just put it in your bag to go with you. It's really bad for your stomach to eat nothing then eat a ton at once.
  • Niecy92
    Niecy92 Posts: 6 Member
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    I'm also a college student and work full time, so i completely understand your problem. Try eating around 300 calories for lunch and 500-600 for dinner (I eat around 3pm before class start) and if you feel hungry EAT SUNFLOWER SEEDS. I go through about 5 bags a week.
  • callas444
    callas444 Posts: 261 Member
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    There is difference between being hungry at midnight and having midnight cravings. If you are truly hungry at midnight, you should eat. Either eat more during the day or save some calories for a snack at that time. If it is a craving/ habitual eating, not physical hunger, try changing your routine. Most college students do not get enough sleep, which can cause more cravings and weight gain. If you can sleep at midnight, you won't need to eat at midnight.
  • d4rkkn16ht
    d4rkkn16ht Posts: 77 Member
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    I used to have late night craving, but I can control it now by playing games & sleeping :bigsmile:
  • sheahughes
    sheahughes Posts: 133 Member
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    I have this problem too! Once 10pm rolls around, I'm snacking on whatever I can find and sending my calories waaaay over. I've found that if I am fully occupied with something (my mind and my hands) like study, housework or crafts, I dont get the urges, or if I do, they are not as strong.

    I try to go to bed earlier (this is hard cause I still have so much to do - ha ha like read a book or watch 4 episodes of fav TV show lol), find something to do with my hands (like knit if I'm watching TV) and finally, fill a litre bottle of water and sip it when I get the urge. Next thing I know, the water is gone, I am full and ready for bed.

    Just remember you'll have a full bladder first thing next morning!
  • FindingAmy77
    FindingAmy77 Posts: 1,266 Member
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    To start with, I am answering this around midnite while eating peanut butter and celery sticks. lol. Honestly there isn't enough info to answer this. Why are you up so late? is it because of work? If not, then go to bed earlier. You cant eat in your sleep. What time do you eat breakfast? if you don't eat until later in the day and get in at least 8 minimum or around ten hours of fasting (NOT EATING) then it doesn't matter what time you last ate. IF my belly is rumbling then I eat, if its just a slight craving I down a big glass of water first and see if the urge passes. I make sure I get in my daily exercise so I can have a snack after dinner/before bed and not feel guilty. I also make sure I have low cal snacks available to me when I do the shopping. I keep frozen grapes and blueberried in the freezer. they are quick grab it treats. I occasionally eat a jif to go with a spoon or with celery, or have a banana. I also like to make smoothies with my almond milk and fruit. I thing that instead of limiting yourself so you have no choice to binge you should preplan that late night snack. This is a way you can control it without depriving yourself. Your stomach is on its own schedule. I was like that when I worked late nights. I had to eat after work since I had gone so long without eating. Try preplanning. It helps me out most days.
  • kmdizaye
    kmdizaye Posts: 1 Member
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    My go to is to drink water. A lot of times when we are craving carbs/ something sweet, it actually means we're dehydrated. If you do a mental exercise to stop and make yourself reach for water instead of the other thing late at night, it will suck at first but after awhile it will get easier. Another thing you can do is make sure that your snack items are healthier choices. I struggle with it too, some days I'm really good but on particularly stressful days, I'm just like f*** it, where's my naughty stash? Think of these two as Plan A and Plan B.

    And Plan C is just go to sleep. Nothing good happens after midnight. Hope this helps! :-D
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,732 Member
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    You could just budget for a midnight snack.There are plenty that are pretty low cal and should fit easily into your calorie budget, like hummus with raw veggies instead of chips (sugar snap peas have a satisfying crunch), jerky or some sort of quick, frozen chicken dish (I keep a bag of Tyson Asian chicken thighs at all times, 160 cals) or nuts if you're in need of protein (you'll have to watch quantity with the nuts) or Cool Whip free with berries if you're craving sweets (4 T of whip and a quarter cup of berries is less than 100 cals).
  • kbudd63
    kbudd63 Posts: 10
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    I find that a protein snack if I'm hungry late at night helps. A couple of scrambled eggs in a non-stick skillet is easy, fast and filling (if you give it enough time to really hit before eating more) and is only 140 calories. Greek yoghurt also has a lot of protein

    If you need to nibble while studying, jerky is a great snack. It requires A LOT of chewing. Keep a glass of water or tea going. Or even diet pop..

    And yeah, eat when you're hungry, and try to "save" some calories for midnight munchies.


    I used to be TERRIBLE about post-dinner snacking, and it helps to have extra calories in reserve for late night. And (although some on here will freak about this) if you don't use all your night-time calories, you ingest fewer calories in total.
  • YamaMaya1
    YamaMaya1 Posts: 49 Member
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    The best thing you can do is go to bed as early as possible. If you're asleep you can't feel the cravings.
  • abadvat
    abadvat Posts: 1,241 Member
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    What's the big deal? Spare some calories for the evening / overnight and eat!
  • camillewitt1
    camillewitt1 Posts: 5 Member
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    That's exactly why I posted it! I always hear all the time don't eat after 7pm because you'll store fat and it drives me nuts. On one hand I get it because I really am a very busy girl and I'm always rushing around everywhere so it would make sense to put something in my stomach and let it burn off all day but I'm not usually even that hungry during the day. I could easily make it till 6pm without eating just because I'm so busy all of the time I hardly have the chance to eat. I'll have dinner around 6 and then when I'm starving at midnight and I give in I feel really bad because in my head I feel like I'm going to bed and not burning anything off.
  • camillewitt1
    camillewitt1 Posts: 5 Member
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    Thank you so much to everyone for all the great tips
  • missdibs1
    missdibs1 Posts: 1,092 Member
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    when I was in school I always had an apple or protein bar on me

    I used to avoid the cafeteria in order to avoid the JUNK FOOD

    try putting a snack in your purse :-)

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