Eating at night

healthy_juls
healthy_juls Posts: 36 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I seem to do well with eating healthy all day long-


I have a huge problem in the evening...at dinner i will eat more than my portion size because im hungry! I also find myselfh binge eating in the evening-- popcorn, chips, cookies and on and on. Its like i cannot stop myself!

Any advice to help me stay on track through the evening hours?

Replies

  • rileyleigh
    rileyleigh Posts: 106 Member
    What is your calorie goal set to? If you are trying to eat "too few" calories during the day, then your body will obviously be hungry at night because you simply aren't getting enough. This is one reason why low calorie diets don't work very well.

    You should be able to eat enough to not feel hungry, and still lose weight. Feel free to have a snack or two, but also try to choose foods that will make you feel full and give you sustained energy. Protein helps, or whole grains, or several other things.

    Also, you may consider setting a limit for yourself. If you know that you always go over on snacks you eat at night, you could tell yourself that no matter what you will not eat after 8:00, or whatever time you want. This could help you not grab that snack and overindulge.
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    1. pre-log your food if you do not already. Once you decide what you want to eat for dinner then log what your portion should be and eat that. If you decide you want more then log before you eat it. Then you have to stop and think about what you are doing and what it will cost you as apposed to just going about your business thinking eh, whats one more, and having an oh crap moment later.
    2. Get the crap out of the house, if its not there you can't eat it.
    3. Keep busy, if you feel munchy then go clean the bathroom or something, usually snacking is a result of boredom not actual hunger.
    4. Exercise can be a great appetite suppressant for some. If that is the case for you then workout in the evening. Hopefully then all you will crave is a nice big glass of water.
  • Nelly6170
    Nelly6170 Posts: 9 Member
    I have the very same problem. I find a cup of hot tea (caffeine free so I'm not up all night) really helps.
  • jenni18
    jenni18 Posts: 3 Member
    I agree with the comment about eating at night is becuase you are bored, not hungry. I find myself always snacking at night because I am bored. Just last week I decided to throw out the chips and dip and the salami that I loved to snack on after 8pm. If you find yourself looking for something to eat, instead look for something to do. Go for a quick walk, clean something, pay the bills. I have 2 dogs and its very easy to say "hey you guys want to go for a walk". Even if its only a half hour, by the time you get back, its almost time to go to bed, drink a glass of water and relax and watch a show. Then before I know it, I am going to bed without snacking.

    A little cheat for me is low fat cheez its. I have only 10-20 and count them out and I slowly eat them. I get that crunch, salt and snack feeling all in one. :)
  • aliu00
    aliu00 Posts: 61
    I guess you need to add more food(calories) at day time, so you won't feel so hungry at night. Also, try to find some low calories to chew on at night. Maybe fruits, sunflower seeds....
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    Part of my problem is sitting at night in front of a TV. It may be boredom or just not doing anything with your hands. Keep some small hand weights by the TV so you can do some exercises or knit or do something else to keep your hands busy and not reaching for food.
  • FindingAmy77
    FindingAmy77 Posts: 1,268 Member
    I seem to do well with eating healthy all day long-


    I have a huge problem in the evening...at dinner i will eat more than my portion size because im hungry! I also find myselfh binge eating in the evening-- popcorn, chips, cookies and on and on. Its like i cannot stop myself!

    Any advice to help me stay on track through the evening hours?

    for one, stop bringing that stuff into your house. if its not there-you can not eat it. for two-plan out your dinners and after dinner snack ahead of time and then adjust your earlier days calories around that. include a extra portion at dinner, add in two vegie sides and then pick some good snacks to have after dinner before bedtime. this is what I do
  • jennicruickshank
    jennicruickshank Posts: 1
    A combo of the above!

    KEEP YOUR HANDS BUSY

    I find keeping my hands busy helps - cross-stitching is really easy to do whilst you're watching the TV, and if you're thinking 'god, how twee', this is the sort of pattern I go for:

    www.subversivecrossstitch.com/

    You could also do things like paint your nails, chew gum or make birthday / Christmas cards.

    IF IT'S NOT IN THE HOUSE...

    I also avoid buying unhealthy snacks. I'll then spend the entire evening fantasising about chips, but if I manage to stick to my plan and don't have them, then I can live with the 2 hours of pain and anguish for the afterglow of smugness instead.

    Research some low-cal healthy stuff you can have to hand instead - hot chocolate made with almond milk works well for a sweet tooth, as do frozen banana chunks in chocolate (40 cals a piece). Savoury stuff like popcorn (though be careful how it's prepared - avoid the butter!) and good old veggies like carrot batons and baby corn are a great option.

    My favourite go-to right now is Cowboy Caviar - http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cowboy-caviar/ (but there are loads of alternatives) - make a batch one night and enjoy it for the next few nights. Cheap, quick and super-healthy!

    BUDGET FOR SNACKING

    Another thing which does help is pre-logging: if I know I'll have a glass or two of red wine in the evening, I'll log it during the day - or even the day before if it's a night out - so I can then budget accordingly for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

    YOU EAT WHAT YOU WATCH

    I also avoid watching shows where I know the protagonists will trigger a craving - for instance, every time I watch Friends I obsessively want a cappuccino, or watching Dessy Housewives, I want wine.

    Hope that helps!
  • missbirrell
    missbirrell Posts: 133
    I also have similar problems with this. I tackle it by:
    - Drinking water. If I want flavour, sugar free squash, if I want chocolate, low cal hot chocolate. Salty stuff is harder to work on.
    - Planning meals AND snacks.
    - Allowing for evening calories for snacks.
    - Not buying them, if they're not in the house I'm usually too lazy to go and buy them.
    - Doing something to distract myself when I want to snack. Coming on MFP, playing with my pet, tidying, chores, anything!
    - Giving myself an extra second when I open the cupboard/fridge. Do I really want that snack, or would I prefer to see a loss on the scales this week?
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,741 Member
    Great suggestions so far! If you have a spouse and/or kids and not having snacks in your house is not an option, then replacing the snacking with some other "busy" activity is best. Mindless eating is a habit and learning a NEW habit is completely doable.

    Brush your teeth. For me, I dislike eating anything for quite a while after I do that.
    Also, think about this feeling you're feeling now BEFORE you eat your evening snacks. Keep that feeling handy and make yourself feel IT before you snack. Decide if it's worth it or not. You can overcome it!

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