Its night time, HUGE cravings to binge

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pickledeggy
pickledeggy Posts: 31 Member
in Motivation and Support
Its like as soon as my daughters in bed, i get hungry. its like its time to just eat and get fat. I want all the wrong things. Im finding it really hard to ignore the cravings, help :(

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  • erocks308
    erocks308 Posts: 22
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    Low cal popsicles. You can eat two for less than 100cal and it sort of feels like splurging. I also work out quite a bit at night to avoid that downtime.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
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    Are you eating enough through the day?
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    Are you really hungry or is it a mental craving? If you are honestly, stomach-rumbling hungry, you may want to adjust your calorie goal to lose less weight per week. If you're going for 2 pounds per week, it may just be too much of a deficit for you.

    If it's just cravings, just be sure to leave some extra calories for the evenings. I always like an evening snack so that's what I do. The trick is to know what you're going to have for a snack and not to allow yourself anything beyond that snack. Measure out a serving and walk out of the kitchen with it. Do not walk out with the whole bag or box and don't eat while standing in the kitchen.
  • rand486
    rand486 Posts: 270 Member
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    I find it's an "idle hands" issue. If I'm bored, or doing nothing (eg: watching tv), I crave brainless foods like chips, etc.

    Keep your mind engaged: Do chores until you forget about food; read a book; do something that keeps you thinking, and you'll find the craving goes away.
  • habit365
    habit365 Posts: 174
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    No harm in having an evening snack if it fits in your macros. I usually put a treat in my snacks category at the beginning of the day and then I am free to eat it whenever I want. I just have to be careful that I am not taking too much from protein to eat more carbs, because that is a trend that does not end well for me.
  • gamesandgains
    gamesandgains Posts: 640 Member
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    Surprisingly, cardio kills my hunger at night.
  • kc_112
    kc_112 Posts: 98 Member
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    I'm horrible for mindless cravings when I'm idle as well - it is definitely horrible at night Cardio does help - hopping on the treadmill waves my craving Or low cal options are good too - the Popsicles r a great idea!
  • llUndecidedll
    llUndecidedll Posts: 724 Member
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    I second the suggestion to read. I notice that when I'm reading online, I don't have this overwhelming urge to stuff my face. But, if I'm watching television, my mind is rarely on what's on the screen. I want everything from chips to leftovers.

    I second keeping some low calorie snacks around. I usually grab the following to prevent going 1000 calories over my limit:

    diet pop, sugar free gum, bagged ice, frozen veggie meals, bananas, croutons [a handful usually kills my craving for chips], pickles, baby carrots, broccoli and light balsalmic vinaigrette dressing, celery.

    But, I'm trying to work on controlling my 'hunger' instead of feeding it with low cal things, because sometimes I find that I don't have any low calorie options... then I've blown it for the day. heh. So, it really is best to find something else to focus on, if you're not actually hungry.

    This is my struggle, too.
  • brenn24179
    brenn24179 Posts: 2,144 Member
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    I have been having the same problem when I get home from work. For me it is like finally I get to relax and unwind and like an alcoholic who does this to relax, food is my drug. It is a bad habit so I think once you make up your mind this is a trigger time for you and you are aware this is the start in breaking the habit. I am telling myself No I have to be aware of this time and I can eat again tomorrow.
  • anewdesign
    anewdesign Posts: 187 Member
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    I'm trying to stop eating if it's after 9pm. I failed by 15m today, but if I hadn't I wouldn't have hit 1200 for the day, and I don't like it when MFP is mad at me.
  • anewdesign
    anewdesign Posts: 187 Member
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    anewdesign wrote: »
    I'm trying to stop eating if it's after 9pm. I failed by 15m today, but if I hadn't I wouldn't have hit 1200 for the day, and I don't like it when MFP is mad at me.

    Whoops. I had 2/3 of a cup of lemon meringue yogurt and 1/4 of all bran flakes. I love that yogurt, lemon desserts are often my undoing at gatherings. But yes, do something to occupy your mind or hands, and keep low cal/healthy options available :)
  • ewhip17
    ewhip17 Posts: 515 Member
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    I save calories for after dinner for this very reason. If I can set aside 150 - 200 then I can have something at night when those cravings hit. Because they do. It's about learning what your brain and body want. I'm not even slightly interested in food in the am, so I can keep my intake low during that time and save room for a nighttime snack when all I want to do is sit inside the pantry and consume everything in there like a rabid animal. It keeps me sane and it starts with knowing your high and low spots.
  • ewhip17
    ewhip17 Posts: 515 Member
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    blazepurr wrote: »
    ewhip17 wrote: »
    I save calories for after dinner for this very reason. If I can set aside 150 - 200 then I can have something at night when those cravings hit. Because they do. It's about learning what your brain and body want. I'm not even slightly interested in food in the am, so I can keep my intake low during that time and save room for a nighttime snack when all I want to do is sit inside the pantry and consume everything in there like a rabid animal. It keeps me sane and it starts with knowing your high and low spots.

    I do this too, but i always want even more snacks afterwards. I could eat my entire snack collection straight after a stuffing dinner. I did once. And i've stopped buying snacks now. Soon im going to limit my intake to NOTHING after dinner, i think that's the only way i'll personally be able to stop binging at night.

    Yeah I hear you. I've done that too. Sometimes I jus go to bed..... :-)

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