Eat healthy at work, binge at night

alondrasilva10
alondrasilva10 Posts: 63
in Health and Weight Loss
Though I don't count calories (Long story short: I was always starving) I am still eating healthy.. that is until I get home. I usually go to the gym either right after work or after I drop off my daughter with my husband. I do 30 min of cardio and full body workouts afterwards. I sweat, A LOT, so I know something is right. The only problem is, as soon as I'm home I eat my dinner (meat w/half a plate of veggies) then binge on snacks (crackers, sometimes chocolate, sugary cereal, or whatever is around). I feel like I have it in my head 'okay, tonight I will distract myself, drink water, or do whatever necessary not to binge' but it's like I totally forget what I set out to do and go straight to the good stuff. Everything would be so perfect if it weren't for the binge sessions.

Basically, I have no self control when unhealthy food is around.
What is your advice? I already eat a pretty good, filling breakfast (2 scrambled eggs, almond milk, 2 whole grain toast with organic PB) and eat the normal snacks (veggies, fruits, and hard boiled eggs) throughout the day. I guess what I'm trying to know is how you started disciplining yourself??

Also, it is okay to eat veggies and fruits until I'm full? or is that just as bad as overeating junk food?

Replies

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    maybe portion that stuff out and just allow yourself to have SOME...eating some "junk" doesn't negate your nutrition...but I portion mine out so that I don't sit down with a whole bag of potato chips and only sit down to what has been portioned out.

    Otherwise, don't keep that stuff in your house.
  • rtruxel
    rtruxel Posts: 3
    What is a tablespoon?
    Example:
    a serving of peanut butter = 2 tablespoon. Is that a heaping tablespoon or a level tablespoon? One heaping = at least 2 level.
  • alondrasilva10
    alondrasilva10 Posts: 63
    maybe portion that stuff out and just allow yourself to have SOME...eating some "junk" doesn't negate your nutrition...but I portion mine out so that I don't sit down with a whole bag of potato chips and only sit down to what has been portioned out.

    Otherwise, don't keep that stuff in your house.

    It's a bit hard not to keep snacks in the house when we have our little one. The chocolate shouldn't be there for sure (that's on us) but it's like baked goldfish and teddy grams I'm overeating haha

    BUT portioning things is a great idea. That way I HAVE to stop and think "Do I want another bag?" I'm doing this as soon as I get home :)
  • alondrasilva10
    alondrasilva10 Posts: 63
    What is a tablespoon?
    Example:
    a serving of peanut butter = 2 tablespoon. Is that a heaping tablespoon or a level tablespoon? One heaping = at least 2 level.

    Um, I honestly have no clue. Sorry! :(
  • twopaulines
    twopaulines Posts: 55 Member
    I had the same habit as well (because truly a habit is all it is). You have a trigger, that trigger sends those signals to your brain to grab the bag, probably around the same time or event every night. When you relearn a habit, you'll fix the problem. What I have done is snack on the not so healthy things in a small portion during the day . I know this isn't an ultimate goal, my ultimate is to be repulsed by such said snacks lol (I don't see that happening tho). When you take the power away from that "sit down snack time" you don't find a need to do it anymore. This sounds silly but schedule your teddy grahams during the daytime. Seriously lol And when night time comes, it just may not be appealing to you any longer. I hope that scattered advice helps some lol Good luck!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    maybe portion that stuff out and just allow yourself to have SOME...eating some "junk" doesn't negate your nutrition...but I portion mine out so that I don't sit down with a whole bag of potato chips and only sit down to what has been portioned out.

    Otherwise, don't keep that stuff in your house.

    It's a bit hard not to keep snacks in the house when we have our little one. The chocolate shouldn't be there for sure (that's on us) but it's like baked goldfish and teddy grams I'm overeating haha

    BUT portioning things is a great idea. That way I HAVE to stop and think "Do I want another bag?" I'm doing this as soon as I get home :)

    I have two little ones as well and a big *kitten* box of goldfish from Costco...I love those things. I take one of the big bags from the box and portion out smaller baggies that are just mine first thing. I also label them with the weight in grams and the calories per little baggie...it gives pause.
  • iLoveMyPitbull1225
    iLoveMyPitbull1225 Posts: 1,690 Member
    Curious question: Is there a reason you don't log your food? That's the whole reason why I use this site. You say you were always starving, you likely weren't eating enough to sustain your activity level. I will say, as someone who logs everything I eat, this feeling hits me sometimes too. Our routines sound are strikingly similar. I eat well all day, hit the gym hard, and then eat my planned healthy dinner but sometimes, I'm still really hungry. I'm not gonna deprive myself when I'm THAT hungry. So, I make sure I have healthy things on hand that I can snack on while staying within my goals, so it works out fine for me. Because I'm keeping track. I don't buy food I know I shouldn't eat/ keep it way out of sight, out of mind. Having something decent and planned that will satisfy my sweet tooth readily available helps stop the binges.

    Maybe you should consider starting to log you intake instead of guessing. You might not be eating enough calories (especially if you're working out really hard) So naturally you're gonna be hungry. Also, making sure to eat before you work out might be helpful. Its obviously better for you to eat a whole lot of fruits and veggies until you're full than it is goldfish and chocolate.
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
    I feel like not counting is your problem. If you counted calories you could work in snacks in moderation and eat lean meats, veggies, and fruits to stay full. Also if you are counting then you know exactly how much you can have. You can't binge and meet your calorie goal for the day. At that point it's just a matter of what is more important to you, binging or meeting your calorie goal.
  • alondrasilva10
    alondrasilva10 Posts: 63
    maybe portion that stuff out and just allow yourself to have SOME...eating some "junk" doesn't negate your nutrition...but I portion mine out so that I don't sit down with a whole bag of potato chips and only sit down to what has been portioned out.

    Otherwise, don't keep that stuff in your house.

    It's a bit hard not to keep snacks in the house when we have our little one. The chocolate shouldn't be there for sure (that's on us) but it's like baked goldfish and teddy grams I'm overeating haha

    BUT portioning things is a great idea. That way I HAVE to stop and think "Do I want another bag?" I'm doing this as soon as I get home :)

    I have two little ones as well and a big *kitten* box of goldfish from Costco...I love those things. I take one of the big bags from the box and portion out smaller baggies that are just mine first thing. I also label them with the weight in grams and the calories per little baggie...it gives pause.

    I seriously love this idea. Thank you thank you thank you!!
  • alondrasilva10
    alondrasilva10 Posts: 63
    Curious question: Is there a reason you don't log your food? That's the whole reason why I use this site. You say you were always starving, you likely weren't eating enough to sustain your activity level. I will say, as someone who logs everything I eat, this feeling hits me sometimes too. Our routines sound are strikingly similar. I eat well all day, hit the gym hard, and then eat my planned healthy dinner but sometimes, I'm still really hungry. I'm not gonna deprive myself when I'm THAT hungry. So, I make sure I have healthy things on hand that I can snack on while staying within my goals, so it works out fine for me. Because I'm keeping track. I don't buy food I know I shouldn't eat/ keep it way out of sight, out of mind. Having something decent and planned that will satisfy my sweet tooth readily available helps stop the binges.

    Maybe you should consider starting to log you intake instead of guessing. You might not be eating enough calories (especially if you're working out really hard) So naturally you're gonna be hungry. Also, making sure to eat before you work out might be helpful. Its obviously better for you to eat a whole lot of fruits and veggies until you're full than it is goldfish and chocolate.

    It's not so much that I'm guessing, I'm just eating healthy (but still clearly have problems). I still had these problems sometimes when I was counting calories except I was WAY harder on myself. Like, I wouldn't eat hardly anything the next day to make up for the bindge sessions. I mean I was skinny... but 24/7 I was thinking about food. My hair was falling, I was always hungry, etc. I know it works for everyone else but in my case it took an unhealthy turn. And I want to not go back to those dark times ever again :) I still use MFP for the forums though! I mostly read what others post to get more knowledge on things but I also do like to ask when I really need the help.
  • ttcbelieve
    ttcbelieve Posts: 181 Member
    Hey
    I did not get it from your post. Are you looking to control the unhealthy food you eat because you want to (1) be health lose or maintain weight or (2) you do not have any weight issues and you just want to be healthy.
    If it is (1) I would recommend logging your food or having an idea of how much you are eating daily in calories. The second issue may also be your exercise, maybe change the time you exercise and do it before you have a healthy meal.
    For some group of people like me, exercise can be counterproductive. For some reasons I have a craving after exercising and since I have a sweet tooth, the result is that I start eating unhealthy stuff cakes, ice cream chocolate. Over the last few weeks my discipline has been (1) For 1 week, I did not exercise and monitored my weight and food consumption to wean myself over the craving (2) I introduced the exercise back in and try to eat my healthy food immediately after exercising. (3) I want back to logging my food and weighing myself every night before I sleep and in the morning after the normal stuff….this is excessive but I am only doing it for a few months to fix my eating unhealthy issue (4) I am currently doing IN – Intermittent fasting http://www.leangains.com/2008/06/brief-primer-on-popular-approaches-to.html ……this works for me as I normally don’t like eating breakfast anyway and by eating within a certain hour, I limit late night binging (5) I eat within my daily calorie goal and I do not eat back my exercise…this is because the only guarantee is that I will definitely fall off and have some unhealthy food at some time. By not eating back my exercise calories I am saving those calories for those 1 time a week when I fall off
    Good luck
  • puddy29
    puddy29 Posts: 77
    I always feel like I want some type of snack that I shouldn't have. I may already had an apple with peanut butter, or some other piece of fruit as my snack but it doesn't help the craving at all. This may not help but I simply go to bed so I don't have to think about it or feel tempted to go downstairs and get something that I know I should not have. Not so much advice just how I handle it.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    Out of curiosity if it is your house...why do those snacks even exist there?
  • MamaFunky
    MamaFunky Posts: 735 Member
    I think if you would log you would see that you can allow yourself those treats at night. Most days I have some sort of chocolate, ice cream, crackers, cheese, etc and still fit it in my calorie goal. Get a scale and just try it for a little while, it may help more than you think.
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    Curious question: Is there a reason you don't log your food? That's the whole reason why I use this site. You say you were always starving, you likely weren't eating enough to sustain your activity level. I will say, as someone who logs everything I eat, this feeling hits me sometimes too. Our routines sound are strikingly similar. I eat well all day, hit the gym hard, and then eat my planned healthy dinner but sometimes, I'm still really hungry. I'm not gonna deprive myself when I'm THAT hungry. So, I make sure I have healthy things on hand that I can snack on while staying within my goals, so it works out fine for me. Because I'm keeping track. I don't buy food I know I shouldn't eat/ keep it way out of sight, out of mind. Having something decent and planned that will satisfy my sweet tooth readily available helps stop the binges.

    Maybe you should consider starting to log you intake instead of guessing. You might not be eating enough calories (especially if you're working out really hard) So naturally you're gonna be hungry. Also, making sure to eat before you work out might be helpful. Its obviously better for you to eat a whole lot of fruits and veggies until you're full than it is goldfish and chocolate.

    It's not so much that I'm guessing, I'm just eating healthy (but still clearly have problems). I still had these problems sometimes when I was counting calories except I was WAY harder on myself. Like, I wouldn't eat hardly anything the next day to make up for the bindge sessions. I mean I was skinny... but 24/7 I was thinking about food. My hair was falling, I was always hungry, etc. I know it works for everyone else but in my case it took an unhealthy turn. And I want to not go back to those dark times ever again :) I still use MFP for the forums though! I mostly read what others post to get more knowledge on things but I also do like to ask when I really need the help.

    Frankly from your description of your approach to food I am not sure that I would call it "healthy". You seem to have a fear of it and a rebelous streak where you go from over controlling to letting lose. I wouldn't describe that as healthy. You might benefit from trying to eat more during the day so that you can relax at night. It is hard to say how much more though if you aren't tracking your calories.

    I mean for all you or I know that "binging" you are doing is just making up for an overly aggressive deficit you have set yourself and is actually fine. Fine for weight loss I mean, not fine for healthy psychology with regards to food.
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
    make sure you count and record your meals and snacks before you eat them, not after. I love chips ahoy chocolate chip cookies and I have a whole tray of them in my desk drawer as we speak. Before I touch them I record how many I want and look at the calories and how it's going to affect my macro target for the day. After that I enjoy the set amount of cookies I planned for, and no more unless I have the calories for it.

    I'm going out tonight with a friend to drink and play video games, and probably go out to applebees or chilli's. I've already planned out the meal choice for either and won't order anything else. also have enough calories for 6 12oz miller lites, life is good.

    *disclaimer* it's not always possible to know what you are going to eat before going out, life is spontaneous. But you can still record it before it goes into your mouth especially snacks after.
  • alondrasilva10
    alondrasilva10 Posts: 63
    Out of curiosity if it is your house...why do those snacks even exist there?

    They are mainly my child's snacks.
  • alondrasilva10
    alondrasilva10 Posts: 63
    Curious question: Is there a reason you don't log your food? That's the whole reason why I use this site. You say you were always starving, you likely weren't eating enough to sustain your activity level. I will say, as someone who logs everything I eat, this feeling hits me sometimes too. Our routines sound are strikingly similar. I eat well all day, hit the gym hard, and then eat my planned healthy dinner but sometimes, I'm still really hungry. I'm not gonna deprive myself when I'm THAT hungry. So, I make sure I have healthy things on hand that I can snack on while staying within my goals, so it works out fine for me. Because I'm keeping track. I don't buy food I know I shouldn't eat/ keep it way out of sight, out of mind. Having something decent and planned that will satisfy my sweet tooth readily available helps stop the binges.

    Maybe you should consider starting to log you intake instead of guessing. You might not be eating enough calories (especially if you're working out really hard) So naturally you're gonna be hungry. Also, making sure to eat before you work out might be helpful. Its obviously better for you to eat a whole lot of fruits and veggies until you're full than it is goldfish and chocolate.

    It's not so much that I'm guessing, I'm just eating healthy (but still clearly have problems). I still had these problems sometimes when I was counting calories except I was WAY harder on myself. Like, I wouldn't eat hardly anything the next day to make up for the bindge sessions. I mean I was skinny... but 24/7 I was thinking about food. My hair was falling, I was always hungry, etc. I know it works for everyone else but in my case it took an unhealthy turn. And I want to not go back to those dark times ever again :) I still use MFP for the forums though! I mostly read what others post to get more knowledge on things but I also do like to ask when I really need the help.

    Frankly from your description of your approach to food I am not sure that I would call it "healthy". You seem to have a fear of it and a rebelous streak where you go from over controlling to letting lose. I wouldn't describe that as healthy. You might benefit from trying to eat more during the day so that you can relax at night. It is hard to say how much more though if you aren't tracking your calories.

    I mean for all you or I know that "binging" you are doing is just making up for an overly aggressive deficit you have set yourself and is actually fine. Fine for weight loss I mean, not fine for healthy psychology with regards to food.

    I do see what you are saying. But in all honestly if I absolutely couldn't get over this binge craze I would rather keep doing it than be at the state I was in when I was counting calories. I know it's hard to say and have it be accepted in a site that is dedicated to counting calories.. but I really feel it's not the best option at the time. Maybe later :) but I'm very much thankful for all the advice given to me!
  • SamLD88
    SamLD88 Posts: 111 Member
    I had this problem with counting calories for a LONG time, and it took some mental stuff in other areas for me to find my sweet spot about food and fix my binging problem.

    As to the binges, maybe if you just portion them out into their recommended serving sizes, you can help yourself stop? Or, distract yourself with other sources of pleasure (sex, sleep, bath, book...) until your binge feelings subside?
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
    Curious question: Is there a reason you don't log your food? That's the whole reason why I use this site. You say you were always starving, you likely weren't eating enough to sustain your activity level. I will say, as someone who logs everything I eat, this feeling hits me sometimes too. Our routines sound are strikingly similar. I eat well all day, hit the gym hard, and then eat my planned healthy dinner but sometimes, I'm still really hungry. I'm not gonna deprive myself when I'm THAT hungry. So, I make sure I have healthy things on hand that I can snack on while staying within my goals, so it works out fine for me. Because I'm keeping track. I don't buy food I know I shouldn't eat/ keep it way out of sight, out of mind. Having something decent and planned that will satisfy my sweet tooth readily available helps stop the binges.

    Maybe you should consider starting to log you intake instead of guessing. You might not be eating enough calories (especially if you're working out really hard) So naturally you're gonna be hungry. Also, making sure to eat before you work out might be helpful. Its obviously better for you to eat a whole lot of fruits and veggies until you're full than it is goldfish and chocolate.

    It's not so much that I'm guessing, I'm just eating healthy (but still clearly have problems). I still had these problems sometimes when I was counting calories except I was WAY harder on myself. Like, I wouldn't eat hardly anything the next day to make up for the bindge sessions. I mean I was skinny... but 24/7 I was thinking about food. My hair was falling, I was always hungry, etc. I know it works for everyone else but in my case it took an unhealthy turn. And I want to not go back to those dark times ever again :) I still use MFP for the forums though! I mostly read what others post to get more knowledge on things but I also do like to ask when I really need the help.

    Frankly from your description of your approach to food I am not sure that I would call it "healthy". You seem to have a fear of it and a rebelous streak where you go from over controlling to letting lose. I wouldn't describe that as healthy. You might benefit from trying to eat more during the day so that you can relax at night. It is hard to say how much more though if you aren't tracking your calories.

    I mean for all you or I know that "binging" you are doing is just making up for an overly aggressive deficit you have set yourself and is actually fine. Fine for weight loss I mean, not fine for healthy psychology with regards to food.

    I do see what you are saying. But in all honestly if I absolutely couldn't get over this binge craze I would rather keep doing it than be at the state I was in when I was counting calories. I know it's hard to say and have it be accepted in a site that is dedicated to counting calories.. but I really feel it's not the best option at the time. Maybe later :) but I'm very much thankful for all the advice given to me!

    Well I certainly am not going to argue with you about what is best for you psychologically, that you have to decide really. Its just hard to advise what to do without having the information necessary to do so (ie how much you are eating). If you are undereating the answer is just to eat more....if you are eating normally and the binges represent overeating then its a matter of training self-discipline, perhaps removal of temptations from your house or identifying stresses in your life that might be causing emotional eating.
  • MagnumBurrito
    MagnumBurrito Posts: 1,070 Member
    You have built a bad habit and habits are based on three things. The queue, the action, and the reward. I'm guessing your queue is be good all day healthy wise. The eating well at breakfast, lunch, dinner and working out is the action. The binge is the reward.

    Basically you need to find a new reward. Rewards are important and keep people on healthy habits. That's why a lot of people have cheat days. If you don't have a cheat day and you're craving a reward for all your good habits, eventually you're going to crack. Some people need small daily rewards, especially at first while willpower is building up.

    I suggest finding some reward that isn't one your kids snacks. This will help change the habit because you won't think about binging after you've had your predetermined reward. Also by predetermining the reward, you won't have to spend any more will power beating yourself up over eating something not that healthy. A lot of people use dark chocolate or an ice cream bar as a reasonable job well done.

    You can do it.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,039 Member
    Personally I eat whatever I want till 11:30pm. If I've ensured I've taken in the essential macro/micros I need each day and have calories left over (regardless of time of day), then I eat whatever I feel like as long as I stay within the calorie restriction I've made.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Curious question: Is there a reason you don't log your food? That's the whole reason why I use this site. You say you were always starving, you likely weren't eating enough to sustain your activity level. I will say, as someone who logs everything I eat, this feeling hits me sometimes too. Our routines sound are strikingly similar. I eat well all day, hit the gym hard, and then eat my planned healthy dinner but sometimes, I'm still really hungry. I'm not gonna deprive myself when I'm THAT hungry. So, I make sure I have healthy things on hand that I can snack on while staying within my goals, so it works out fine for me. Because I'm keeping track. I don't buy food I know I shouldn't eat/ keep it way out of sight, out of mind. Having something decent and planned that will satisfy my sweet tooth readily available helps stop the binges.

    Maybe you should consider starting to log you intake instead of guessing. You might not be eating enough calories (especially if you're working out really hard) So naturally you're gonna be hungry. Also, making sure to eat before you work out might be helpful. Its obviously better for you to eat a whole lot of fruits and veggies until you're full than it is goldfish and chocolate.

    It's not so much that I'm guessing, I'm just eating healthy (but still clearly have problems). I still had these problems sometimes when I was counting calories except I was WAY harder on myself. Like, I wouldn't eat hardly anything the next day to make up for the bindge sessions. I mean I was skinny... but 24/7 I was thinking about food. My hair was falling, I was always hungry, etc. I know it works for everyone else but in my case it took an unhealthy turn. And I want to not go back to those dark times ever again :) I still use MFP for the forums though! I mostly read what others post to get more knowledge on things but I also do like to ask when I really need the help.
    If you are trying to lose weight, logging helps you keep track of how many calories you are consuming. Using a food scale to measure portions helps with portion control so that when you want those snacks you don't overdue it, especially if you are committed to staying within your calorie goal.

    You can eat healthy all you want, but if you eat more than you burn you will gain weight. If you eat as much as you burn, your will stay the same.

    Perhaps you are bingeing at night because you are not allowing yourself balanced foods during the day. Take a look at my diary and see what I eat. I lost 44 pounds with plenty of well balanced diet, and I have ice cream just about every day.

    I encourage you try some of the logging suggestions here.
  • TheFrugalFatass
    TheFrugalFatass Posts: 58 Member
    Relaying my own experience, I cannot eat certain things at all without them precipitating a binge. Sweets and potato chips are two things I absolutely, positively cannot allow to pass my lips. I literally cannot stop eating them once I start, so moderation does not work for me with those things. To a lesser extent, I have to be aware of how many "white" foods I eat as well, because white foods are generally highly processed and are metabolized like sugar. You may want to get rid of the binge foods for now, or have the other people in the house who eat them hide them in a cabinet. You may even want to lock them up.

    I've found that it's hard to binge on fruits and veggies because they are so dense in fiber. You'll fill up a lot faster eating apples than you will candy bars.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    I can relate...I can work all day without wanting any food but I have to eat at dinner. Its not really alway a binge per se, but dinner has to be the biggest meal of the day.

    I am trying to rever the process by eating more at lunch to see if I can go without dinner at night.
  • Ilana503
    Ilana503 Posts: 8
    I have the exact same problem and was just struggling with this same thing last night. When I had a nutritionist many years ago she gave me two helpful pieces of advice in terms of binging and late night snacking. The first was to count how many times I got up to go to the kitchen. Sometimes I'll be in my room with a snack and say this is it, and then go back four times. Counting how many times Ive actually gone scavenging in the kitchen is really helpful. It makes you stop and think, wow this is my third trip to the kitchen, do I really need to be in here? The second piece of advice was mainly just about mindful eating. She asked me if when I'm eating chocolate or anything if by the fifth bite I even really taste what I'm eating anymore. I thought she was crazy, but she was right. Oftentimes, I'll be snacking and realize I'm sitting here stuffing this rosemary tomato flavored cracker in my mouth and I don't even taste that flavor anymore. Or I'm eating skittles and I literally can't taste them anymore, but it feels go to be eating. The mindful eating of what does this taste like is very helpful. I've also taken to working out at night, which is when I snack most. To get up for work not completely exhausted, I need to be asleep by around midnight. If I work out from 9-10 or 10-11 and get ready for bed, that really leaves me no time to snack and watch TV for hours (if I'm being responsible). When I worked out at 4 when I got home, I'd have the entire rest of the evening to eat dinner, have a snack, hang out, have another snack, more snack.... Working out later helped me stave off the late-night snacking, while in the early evening I was doing other things - Facebook, cooking dinner, eating dinner, chores, etc. Hope this helps! It did for me. :)
  • deb4ala2
    deb4ala2 Posts: 5
    For me, when I get hungry, I grab a couple of pieces of sugarfree gum. It really helps me when I wanting to snack at night or late afternoon.

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