Bedtime Binge eating!

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  • Phoenix_Rising
    Phoenix_Rising Posts: 11,417 Member
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    I am trying to eat 1200 calories, but if I work out and burn say 500 calories, I will eat those. Should I be eating those extra calories? Usually breakfast is a whole wheat english muffin with pb, and I also drink decaf coffee with sugar free coffee creamer. A lot of my calories in the morning are from all of the coffee creamer I use! Lunch and dinner are usually pretty good; Lunch a tuna fish sandwich and dinner maybe grilled chicken or chicken shish-ka-bobs or chicken stir fry. The binging starts around 9pm or 10pm. I just want to raid the fridge, part of me feels like it is out of boredom. I don't know though.

    Sounds exactly like what I do, except I'm only burning 200-300 cals exercising, and I eat them all. My weekends are the worst for nighttime boredom eating. It's boredom or stress everytime that gets me late at night.
  • dewpearl
    dewpearl Posts: 561 Member
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    This might sound too personal, but I've just had a look at your profile. I've got 0 experience with that, but I heard from a friend that she was like a zombie in the first months after her child was born.

    My problem with binging is that it very much relates (along with the stress) with tiredness. If I don't have enough hours of sleep, I am less able to control myself, to say "stop" and not to crave sweets.

    So I'd suggest you take it easy on yourself, don't obsess over food, avoid chocolate because it's bad for your little one (if you're breastfeeding) and allow yourself time to adjust to the new situation. Don't plan to lose all the weight in the next couple of weeks. You and your child being healthy is the most important thing and you'll drop the pounds in a little while, you'll see. Once he starts walking and you'll have to run all over the house to protect him :laugh: ...

    Sorry for not having a quick fix :blushing: and good luck :flowerforyou:
  • dewpearl
    dewpearl Posts: 561 Member
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    And join us in the Challenge for BINGERS thread :wink:

    P.S. Coffee makes me as hungry as a wolf.
  • jamerz3294
    jamerz3294 Posts: 1,824 Member
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    Oh baybee.... I know ALL about night time binging! And aye yup, when I have a nightcap, boy howdy, then I really get the munchies! I dunnoo.... I just try to keep my Food Diary up on my screen till I hit the sheets, it makes me log everything I eat, and then I hafta think about it.
  • aladuke26
    aladuke26 Posts: 37 Member
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    Thanks so much for the advice. I am really hard on myself. My husband keeps telling me that "you just had a baby, and It is gonna take some time to get that weight off." He says I'm doing a really great job, and he is very supportive. I've just never been this heavy in my life, and I just want to fit into my old clothes again. By the way, what is the Challenge for bingers thread?
  • alf1163
    alf1163 Posts: 3,143 Member
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    How old is your baby? Are you nursing? When you workout and burn 500cals, is your binging within your 1700 cals you should be eating??

    I agree with your husband, if you just had a baby, give yourself time to lose the weight, enjoy your baby, you will lose the weight.

    If you are nursing you still have to nourish your body, you are also burning extra calories when your breastfeed. Consult with your doctor before putting yourself on a low calorie diet.

    If you are eating over the 1700 cals you should be eating when you workout then you will not lose any weight...

    Eat every 2 to 3 hrs so you are not very hungry at night. Do not buy the foods that you tend to binge on. If you are binging on chocolate, cookies, etc do not rebuy when that is gone or better yet, throw it away!!

    When you have the urge to binge, drink some water or some tea, or get in the shower or take a bath, brushing your teeth will help as well. Stay away from the fridge/pantry/kitchen. Reading might help, cuddle with your husband, anything to stop you from going in the kitchen. If you have eaten all your calories it is boredom, habit or stress what is pulling you into the kitchen. If you occupy yourself with something else the urge/craving will go away. If you have some calories to spare then have a little of what you are craving. If nothing works and you do binge, pick yourself up and try again the next day...give yourself time, it will get better.

    And yes, joing the bingers challenge. I am in this group. We are just posting our challenges and our successes and supporting each other. We post everyday how we did and how many days we have not binged at all. If we fail then we go back to day #1. Some are doing mini 10 day challenges. I am on day 7 today of not binging but this is my third round trying to reach at least 10 days. This is the first time I have gone this far...Join us!!! :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:
  • saito
    saito Posts: 4
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    About the eating your exercise calories. . .no matter how many calories I burn, I still stick to eating 1200-1400 calories. My friend is a trainer and that is what she suggests. . .it's working! If I feel hungry at night, I keep South Beach Protein and Zone Protein bars handy and I drink a tall glass of water. Then I brush my teeth! :) It takes some getting use to. . .but your body will adjust to not eating at night. That's when your body doesn't need as many calories because it starts to shut down. Just take one day at a time. . .it took me months to get back into my prebaby clothes!

    P.S. To get my pregnancy weight off, I did Body For Life. . .
  • Fitness_Chick
    Fitness_Chick Posts: 6,648 Member
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    :drinker:
  • simlane
    simlane Posts: 31 Member
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    i like to go to sleep with a little something in my tum.. i make sure i leave enough cals for what i fancy, sometimes it may just be a hot drink but toast or a few breadsticks are what i mostly have, otherwise i dont sleep well knowing i want something. not too helpful but its a suggestion of what i have had to do xx
    :flowerforyou:



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  • Fitness_Chick
    Fitness_Chick Posts: 6,648 Member
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    :drinker:
  • dothompson
    dothompson Posts: 1,184 Member
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    Thanks so much for the advice. I am really hard on myself. My husband keeps telling me that "you just had a baby, and It is gonna take some time to get that weight off." He says I'm doing a really great job, and he is very supportive. I've just never been this heavy in my life, and I just want to fit into my old clothes again. By the way, what is the Challenge for bingers thread?

    What a great husband. You picked a good dad for your baby. You're going to do great, just be a little patient, and treat yourself with kindness.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,031 Member
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    About the eating your exercise calories. . .no matter how many calories I burn, I still stick to eating 1200-1400 calories. My friend is a trainer and that is what she suggests. . .it's working! If I feel hungry at night, I keep South Beach Protein and Zone Protein bars handy and I drink a tall glass of water. Then I brush my teeth! :) It takes some getting use to. . .but your body will adjust to not eating at night. That's when your body doesn't need as many calories because it starts to shut down. Just take one day at a time. . .it took me months to get back into my prebaby clothes!

    P.S. To get my pregnancy weight off, I did Body For Life. . .

    Your trainer is WRONG! The theory above is flawed for many reasons! Trainers don't even have to have any kind of formal nutrition training!!!!! aarrgghh. Please see a doctor or nutritionist, or at least educate yourself on your body! The theory may work for a couple weeks, but then - - - please read :

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/23912-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again
  • Fitness_Chick
    Fitness_Chick Posts: 6,648 Member
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    :drinker:
  • apotts
    apotts Posts: 23
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    Since everyone is talking about the binge challenge, where do I go to sign up. Some days I do so good on my diet, then other days I come home after working out and want some peanut butter. Peanut butter is my biggest weakness and my binge. Peanut butter is the best bedtime snap for sleeping, I swear the best sleep you will ever get, but not the best for my diet at bedtime.
  • susan62
    susan62 Posts: 59
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    Ritz 100 Calorie Snack Mix!! Great for munching. Also, if you eat something crunchy like celery, carrots, etc. that helps with the cravings. If you really need sweet, try dipping 4-6 strawberries in low-fat chocolate sauce, it really feels like you're getting sweets!!! Hope this helps. :smile:
  • Fitness_Chick
    Fitness_Chick Posts: 6,648 Member
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    I'm TOTALLY rockin on hot airpopcorn with a couple spritz's of 'Can't Believe It's Not Butter' spray & toss a tad of Parmasaen (sp.ack) cheese over it and YUM-O High Figer, some carbs to take the cravings to heaven.

    2 T. dried popcorn makes about 5 cups which is about a serving unless you eat that and then want more and ditto on how much to pop again...like me last evening trying to cram some non filling healthier food in me so I could sleep better knowing I was getting closer to my daily calorie intake.

    Another new find fo rme...Wasa Sourdough crackers (size of a graham cracker but thicker and yummy crunchy it appears I have this crunch, smooth feish currently :laugh: ) with 1 T. of Cashew Butter mmmm you can eat a couple and do no damage...but then again I ALWAYS have calories at the end of the day so that's why I add that sort of thing..

    ..I'm working on it...but ....I'm still a work in progress. :)
  • blondeambition
    blondeambition Posts: 57
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    I always want something to munch on about 8pm and I've been battling the night time snack attacks forever. One thing that I find really works for me is that if its still early ( say 8 or so), I go ahead and pop myself a bag of the low fat/cal microwave popcorn) Its enough that I feel satisified and its only 180 cals per bag so I dont feel like I've "blown" it for the day. If its getting closer to bedtime, I brush my teeth and just go to bed. The longer I stay up, the more I think about it and the less likely I will be to resist
  • blondeambition
    blondeambition Posts: 57
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    I also dont put much stock in what trainers say about calories unless they are nutritionists. I worked with a couple different trainers at the gym and one told me to stick with 1200 ( this is even with 6 days per week working out) and another told me that I would be starving myself at that level and suggested I bump it up to 1500-1800. I've been eating my excercise calories for the most part and a week in, I am already seeing results...even got into some capris I couldnt quite button last week today!!
  • Fitness_Chick
    Fitness_Chick Posts: 6,648 Member
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    I also dont put much stock in what trainers say about calories unless they are nutritionists. I worked with a couple different trainers at the gym and one told me to stick with 1200 ( this is even with 6 days per week working out) and another told me that I would be starving myself at that level and suggested I bump it up to 1500-1800. I've been eating my excercise calories for the most part and a week in, I am already seeing results...even got into some capris I couldnt quite button last week today!!

    Yes I do am careful to take a persons advise on how many calories a day is right as we are all different. I went to a Nutritionist, and she looked at me and told me without hearing how much I'd lost or anything at all about me to eat 900 or LESS! CRAZY:grumble:

    Oh I know I could do it...but would it be healthy?? NO!! It's odd she even said that as she told me it take her eating 900 or less to lose a lb.....well duh! But the thing is she's in her 60's I'm in my 40's so that right there will make a world of difference...plus here's the even crazier part...she's a marathon runner HUH? NOW how does she exist on 900 calories?

    Needless to say I never went back to her!:drinker: I feel like I should have reported her or something for being nuts. :laugh: But I let it go...ok so I didn't since I'm now posting about it here. :noway: :laugh:
  • nicolet04
    nicolet04 Posts: 830
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    i had this same problem for the longest time, and when i would restrict myself from sweets or do the one day a week thing i would binge eat so bad and i couldnt stop. so what i started doing was allowing myself a "reward" every night if i did good that day. i will allow myself to eat a 1/2 cup of icecream made with splenda. my fav is dryers slow churned triple chocolate!!!!! it only has 110 calories for half a cup so its easy to fit into your daily calories. it's so good and it does the trick!!! since i started doing this i even find myself passing on it some nights (i think its the whole mental thing.) i also like yoplait whips chocolate mousse! Hope this helps, good luck!!!!!!

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