How to not eat after 7 pm?

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msciaobella
msciaobella Posts: 40 Member
in Food and Nutrition
How do you resist the urge to open up the fridge or pantry? Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and start snacking on crackers, peanut butter, fruit, etc. It can add up to 400-600 cals by the time I'm finished! Then I am really full when I go back to bed and not hungry for breakfast, which used to be my absolute favorite meal of the day! Does anyone have advice? I miss my old eating schedule but this late night eating is throwing everything off and making me gain weight :[

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  • bridgengee
    bridgengee Posts: 1
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    i have the same problem in that I dont get hungry in the morning but i find myself hungry in the evenings and eat at night when I cant sleep. i've learned now that its a terrible pattern, but cant seem to break it.
  • lonypony
    lonypony Posts: 130 Member
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    When you get up in the middle of the night, resist the urge to eat but have a glass of water instead. I read somewhere that most of the time people think they are hungry they are really only thirsty.

    Have a glass or even two glasses beside your bed or already set up on the kitchen bench so when you go to have your midnight snack have a drink instead :-)
  • abellante_0205
    abellante_0205 Posts: 368 Member
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    Eat throughout the day... eat 3 meals, and 3 snacks... Healthy snacks mind you...
  • copperdave
    copperdave Posts: 146
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    I was a late night eater, too. Something that works for me is to have a large (16-20 oz.) cup of water about a half-hour before bed. Fills the tummy.
  • heatherbohannon
    heatherbohannon Posts: 1
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    The only thing that I have done that kinda works is to keep myself busy in the evenings and try to go to bed early. Oh and plan out really tasty foods to eat for breakfast so you have something to look forward to. It is definitely hard though!!!
  • momontherun92
    momontherun92 Posts: 16
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    I have to keep busy because when I'm bored, I eat. I have started keeping sugar-free gum and life-savers on hand to occupy my mouth at times when I feel hungry but it's not time for a meal. I have done my share of late night snacking and have lately just had to tell myself that it's not worth the "full" feeling I have the morning after a midnight snack binge. It's a mental game, and you have to realize that you have the power to make the right choices. It is hard, really hard, but you can do it! Be strong! Each time you DON'T give in makes the next time even easier to be resist!
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
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    I just eat! When I'm hungry, I eat. I don't let myself get worse and worse and hungrier and hungrier. I usually have 200-300 calories left after 6p... then by bedtime (9p) I feel like a snack, and I can fit it in easily.

    Just leave yourself a bit of room in calories for the day, and have a guilt free snack when you are hungry. If you don't end up hungry, you can easily fill those calories with a handful of peanuts. Delicious!
  • Enigmatica
    Enigmatica Posts: 879 Member
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    Don't laugh. I put a mouse trap on the top shelf of the fridge so when I opened the door that was the first thing I saw. Okay you can laugh!!!! (I did!)
  • kbanzhaf
    kbanzhaf Posts: 601 Member
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    Hi,

    When I first began my weight loss journey (August 2006), my doctor sent me to a nutritionist. She actually told me (among on ther things) that you SHOULD eat in the evenings -- so that your metabolism stays ramped up through the night.

    I try to eat something healthy -- a piece of fruit, some yogurt, a handful of almonds, etc. -- before I head to bed. I also try to up my water intake in the evenings too (but that is a fairly recent development).

    Perhaps you are trying to go too long in between your meals, and that explains the nighttime hunger? Try experimenting with some of the ideas posted here, and I'm confident you will find something that will work for you.
    Kaye
  • carl1738
    carl1738 Posts: 444 Member
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    I see nothing wrong with eating after 7 pm. Your body burns calories 24 hours a day, so why is 7 pm a magic number? I eat when I'm hungry. I just try to avoid foods that are full of carbs and unhealthy fats. Nuts are a great late night snack. Protein, fiber and healthy fats keep you full, so you won't wake up in the middle of the night with a ravenous hunger. Late night snacking is only a problem when you're chowing down on Doritos or Cheez Doodles or something of that nature. Keep it healthy, and there is no problem, in my humble opinion.
  • FlyEaglesGuy
    FlyEaglesGuy Posts: 436 Member
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    Somebody else posted this topic earlier this week.

    It is okay to eat after 7pm. Eat your heaviest meal at lunch earlier in the day, then eat a snack, then dinner at 7pm if you like. Then also eat some fruit or a protein bar. Unless you are going to sleep at 7:30pm, the probability that you are not going to get hungry is highly unlikely.

    Think about it this way. If you go to sleep at 10pm and wake up at 7am, that is putting your body through 12 hours of having no nutrition. That might happen a couple of nights but its only human that you will get hungry.

    I usually eat a small cup of fruit right before i go to sleep. And I have been waking up every morning and the scale has been moving.
  • Sara7Taylor
    Sara7Taylor Posts: 112 Member
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    I agree, eating in the evening is ok. Just be mindful of what is going into your mouth. That's what I have to do. I like fruit in the evening. Also lower calorie cheeses and lower calorie crackers are good too! Nuts as well! Cheese and crackers can help you sleep.....but as I said earlier, be mindful of how much goes in. I also exercise everyday which allows me extra calories. This is helpful when the urge to snack comes along. But basically eating a healthy snack before bed is not a bad idea. :smile:
  • maremare312
    maremare312 Posts: 1,143 Member
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    I have the problem of eating at night. Not getting up after sleeping a little bit, but just staying up super late (2-3 am is "normal" for me) and snacking non-stop. Ugh!
  • Sara7Taylor
    Sara7Taylor Posts: 112 Member
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    I have the problem of eating at night. Not getting up after sleeping a little bit, but just staying up super late (2-3 am is "normal" for me) and snacking non-stop. Ugh!

    I am also a night owl. It can be fun, but also a curse! It is hard not to snack at night cause as night owls.....night is part of our day. For me, I try to be mindful of the goal. Of what we all are striving for on here. Healthly living! I do snack at night, but usually not after 10pm cause I don't need to. Like I said, a snack at night is ok. It is routine for me to snack at night. But my snacks include fruits, veggies, and low calorie crackers and granola bars....all things that are pretty healthy.

    I also keep my food diary public to keep me accountable. :smile:

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