Dr. Jekyll vs Mr. Hyde Eating Habits

jdelisle
jdelisle Posts: 1,050 Member
edited September 23 in Health and Weight Loss
During the day I am Dr. Jekyll (aka good)... i.e. I am living the perfect healthy lifestyle. I am awesome at making healthy food choices and excercising during the day. My motivation is extrememly high, and I always feel satisfied and good with what I eat.

At night time however, Mr. Hyde (bad) rears his ugly head and I am unable to turn him away! I can't seem to curb my hunger at night therefor hindering my weight loss. I feel like a complete bottomless pit who can not be satisfied. This is the time when I'm usually doing homework/studying or cooking/cleaning around the house.

Any advice for either

a) Ways to curb your hunger at night

b) Healthy, satisfying and filling snacks

Thanks! :)

Replies

  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
    Are you really HUNGRY, or are you eating out of HABIT? I ask because sometimes our bodies are a little confused, telling us we need to eat when we're really just bored. I used to think I was legitimately getting hungry at night, but then I started drinking a glass of water and realized that I wasn't actually hungry, I was just eating out of habit. Also, are you getting enough sleep? The evenings that I'm legitimately hungry are usually the days after I haven't gotten enough sleep the night before. Make sure to go to bed at a reasonable hour so you're getting enough sleep.

    Try getting some protein and fiber for your evening meal to keep you full. And drink plenty of water. If you must have something, nosh on some raw veggies or fresh fruit. Whatever you decide to eat, portion it out in a small bowl (like a... oh, the word just escaped me, those little bowls you use for baking mini desserts in) or on a saucer, or in a cup. Something small. Eat slowly, and pay attention while you eat. Don't eat while you're reading or watching tv or doing something else. If all else fails, brush your teeth. You won't want to eat with that minty taste in your mouth. Eventually you'll get out of the habit of nighttime eating and it'll come easier.
  • ANGxtina
    ANGxtina Posts: 4
    I feel the same way!

    I try to replace snacking after 5pm with green tea or at least do some cardio if i slip (making yourself do cardio late at night for cheating might create a positive pavlov's dog effect)
  • chanstriste13
    chanstriste13 Posts: 3,277 Member
    one way to curb your appetite is to make sure you aren't hungry. what are you eating during the day? are you consuming enough calories? enough protein?

    have some veggies cut up and ready to go. i haven't tried this yet, but people swear by frozen grapes. opt for pretzels instead of chips. make sure you portion out what you have and enjoy every bite - don't carry the whole bag around with you! i dig apples. make a trail mix with almonds, pretzels and cranberries, but throw in a bit of naughty, like chocolate chips or candy corn. nutra grain bars work wonders for me - cherry is the best.

    when i eat veggies, i use a dill dip - not lowfat, sugar free, but the real deal. *but*, i measure out a serving size and make it last. sunflower seeds are also yummy and filling. hope this helps a bit! good luck!

    oh yeah...drink your water. a lot of times you're not even really hungry - just thirsty. however, if you are hungry, eat! just something mostly good for you.
  • GinaJ2006
    GinaJ2006 Posts: 67
    I feel the same way. I think, for me, it's boredom. At work I'm busy and I don't even have time to eat. I sit on my 30 min lunch break and eat the healthy food I brought or grab a sandwich or salad at Quik Trip. But at home I find my self grazing around the kitchen, a handful of crackers here, a spoon of peanut butter there. I find that popcorn makes me feel so full that I don't even want to eat anything, maybe that will help you? Or just get a plateful of raw veggies to snack on. Also try drinking water whenever you feel like eating and see if that helps first.
  • strandedeyes
    strandedeyes Posts: 392 Member
    Have you tried just chewing on gum when you are cleaning or doing homework? I have learned that my pit does have a bottom, but its my mouth that wants to keep going. I usually pop in a piece of gum and that gets me through the night. Another option is to keep drinking tons of water when you think you are hungry. THis will curb any real hunger you may have and will keep you healthy :).

    What time are you eating your meals? Maybe adjusting it so you don't have 6 hours after eating dinner before bed.

    Good luck!
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
    Well I can't see your diary but the typical problem I've found for most people is that they skimp through their early meals feeling OK and then are hungry at night and end up over eating.

    My best suggestion is to try to plan out, if not your meals, at least how many calories you are "saving" for dinner by gauging how many cals you eat for other meals. This is a rough estimate that keeps you between 1250 and 1500:

    Breakfast: 250- 350 cals
    Lunch:300-500 cals
    Dinner: 500-600 cals
    Snacks(combined): 120-550

    I almost always keep dinner under 500 cals, and typically have a glass of chocolate milk, tbsp of PB or a skinny cow after dinner.

    Here's a few dinners that I use on most days:
    I have a bf who dislikes many veggies and when I go home to my fam they hate "healthy food". So I make them my healthy food and just give them all slightly bigger portions of meat- (I eat 3-4 oz).

    Lemon Seafood Pasta: I buy seafood salad at the deli, toss it in a frying pan with soy sauce and ginger and put over pasta. yum!

    Tilapia, Spinach and Rice- cook fish in pam, and boil rice (put spinach in steamer over rice last 5 min) put all on plate and put a tbsp of pesto sauce over it

    Quick Lemon Chicken/Taco Chicken - http://recipes.womenshealthmag.com/Recipe/quick-lemon-chicken-with-rice.aspx
    I also use this same recipe and mix in taco seasoning instead of lemon juice, and frozen peas instead of sliced carrots to make taco chicken bowls also

    Chicken parm- http://recipes.womenshealthmag.com/Recipe/chicken-spinach-parm.aspx

    I also make my own french fries for burgers/grilled chick sandwich nights: Sliced potato, 1 tsp olive oil, and Jerk Seasoning.

    Good luck!
  • sweetheart03622
    sweetheart03622 Posts: 928 Member
    I agree with what a lot of other people are saying about not eating enough throughout the day. Make sure that your day is loaded with fiber, lean protein, and healthy fats. That way, you're more satisfied. Also, plan your dinners in advance. For example, I know that I'm having one cup of shredded bbq chicken and a half cup of cooked brown rice for dinner. This is all I'm expecting to have, so I'm more mentally set up for success.

    If you're absolutely famished, make better choices. Popcorn is a great way to fill your stomach for low calories. Sprinkle a little low-cal popcorn with some cayenne pepper or parmesan cheese for some extra kick!
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