Midnight Snacking...Help!

knetterk
knetterk Posts: 107
edited September 26 in Health and Weight Loss
So, I have always been one to get up in the middle of the night and eat. I have a 6years old and it's just me and her, so it is easier and it always ends up being her food, lol. I have stopped buying her sweets for her lunch, but for example yesterday I ate great. Worked out and wasn't hungry when we went to bed. About 3:00am I woke up and had a bowl of Reese's puffs and Iwoke up again about five and ate a this marshmellow grahm bar thing. I usually am not fully awake, but I feel gross in the morning and now I have ate away most of my calories for the day! I am unable to lock my cabinets/fridge and my daughter should be able to have a few things she can enjoy without her mom eating it all! lol.
Anyone else with this issue? DId you overcome it. Any advice>) I will admit I am hungry when I wake in the middle of the night. I have also heard it is some medical issue... Seriously?? Sorry, I will not go to the Doctor for this! I mentioned it to him before anyways and he didn't seem to think it was that big of a deal. I am doing everything else to get to my goal until it hits the a.m and then it's down hill! Any advice will help, Thank you

Replies

  • foodforfuel
    foodforfuel Posts: 569 Member
    I feel your pain! I have a similar problem with that and I've always wished I had an automatic lockout on the kitchen door for 7 hours after I go to bed. I work out late, usually right before bed. What helps me remain in control is having a protein shake (one scoop with fat free skim milk) immediately after my workout, followed by 3 oz. of lean protein (usually chicken) for a slower protein feed. That keeps me satisfied and lets me sleep through the night. Otherwise, I WILL get up in the middle of the night and make very poor choices and wind up overeating. I still slip up sometimes, but this has helped me a lot. I hope you find what works for you! Good luck!
  • Pangea250
    Pangea250 Posts: 965 Member
    I don't have this problem, but I can certainly see how it can happen...you're half asleep and really not able to make good, healthy eating decisions in that state. How about this...before you go to bed, make up 1 or 2 healthy, low cal snacks and place them on your table or counter or right there in the fridge when you open. Maybe, even though you're half alseep, you'll grab that instead of the sugary stuff. Or maybe place a much smaller portion of the cereal in a bowl on the table.

    Another thought would be to place the stuff you usually go for at night in an unusual place. It's usually in the lower cabinet on the right? Move it to the left side where the pots and pans are. When you reach for it and it's not where you usually keep it, it might jar your mind just enough to think yourself out of eating it .

    Good luck!
  • knetterk
    knetterk Posts: 107
    Thank you!
  • gingerfoxxx
    gingerfoxxx Posts: 267 Member
    It sounds like you are not sleeping very well :( would melatonin help? i took it for a little while after grad school (when i would go to bed at 4am every night) it helps regulate sleep. Maybe if you slept more soundly you wouldn't wake up at all?
  • knetterk
    knetterk Posts: 107
    I wish I knew. I wake up about 5 6x, 1-2x which I will get up to eat/go to the bathroom.. then go back to bed. I take something for sleep, well it's an Anxiety med that doesn't do anything, but make you tired.(I think it's called Alprazolam .5 ) I fall asleep very fast on it which has always been hard for me, but I still get up:( We shall see how tonight goes. I just got done watching Nancy Grace and I am going to try harder than ever! tonight to not get up....
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,455 Member
    Depending on why you have the anxiety...could the anxiety be the cause of your sleeplessness?

    Once I started eating correctly and got rid of the major stressors, I was able to get off the meds and sleep through the night. Sometimes the meds cause other problems and stop helping. There was a period of about a year where I slept no more than 5 hours a night total. Every night.

    Make sure you are eating enough throughout the day, and include Carbs, Protein and Fat in every meal/snack. Get at least 20 minutes of exercise a day. Take a multivitamin. Stop eating sugar. All these things really help when you're plagued with anxiety.


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  • Fiedems
    Fiedems Posts: 52 Member
    You say you are hungry when you wake up in the middle of the night. Maybe trying something as a bedtime snack with some staying power? Protein?

    Not sure if that would make it harder to get to sleep, but maybe it would help you NOT be hungry when you wake up. And if you aren't hungry when you wake up, maybe you won't find yourself snacking????
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
    diabetes?

    maybe you do need to see a doctor..a different one of the other wont listen to you.
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