Never satisfied after dinner
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I've been noticing a pattern lately. I'll eat dinner, but then continue to scrounge around for food...maybe 30 minutes later or so.. and continue this the rest of the night. Sometimes I can control all the snacking, but more often than not, I'll keep asking myself, "Hm, what else can I eat?" I eat pretty early (around 6), so then I have the whole rest of the night to think about what else I could be eating! I don't think it's because my meals aren't tasty, because I do enjoy them.. I guess it's more of just compulsion to eat more or never really feeling "full".. or just plain wanting to 'eat.' Anyone else deal with this and/or have overcome this problem?
I'm an evening snacker; I was raised as one, it's something I enjoy (to an extent) and a pattern that I have no urge to break. That being said, I budget for it, which is what it sounds like you're not doing. I have 1700 cals per day to work with at the deficit I want right now, and I leave 500-600 a night for snacking. That lets me have just about whatever I want.
On the nights where for some reason I haven't been able to set that aside (maybe I did restaurant lunch with a friend, etc) then I typically have a couple cups of tea throughout the night. It's comforting and filling enough that I don't look for much in the actual food department; and if I do, I make sure that I have 100-200 cal or less snacks on hand like an original fudgesicle (80 cals) or melba toast with some laughing cow cheese and apple wedges (160ish).0 -
Thanks for all the helpful tips!! I will be incorporating these for sure.0
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FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »What are you eating for dinner? Is it mostly carbs? Perhaps you aren't eating enough protein and fat.
This was a big problem for me. I ate tons of veggies for dinner, but not much else, and I'd be hungry again about half an hour later. Now I eat bigger portions of protein, and make sure to eat some fat with my dinner, or I know I'll be raiding the fridge soon after.0 -
I started delaying breakfast so that I could eat a snack after dinner. It just works better with my schedule, too. I'm in a rush in the morning. I enjoy having a treat once I finally sit down after the kids are in bed. And I'm more tolerant of being hungry when I'm busy at work.
That is just one idea. Point being - think about what options open up if you decide to work with your natural patterns rather than trying to change them.0 -
Late night snacking was a problem for me. But once I started distributing my calories to allow half of them to be my supper, it changed everything. Plus I try to leave a hundred extra so that I can snack on 100 calories of pistachios, which for some reason fill me up. Sometimes I don't, so I don't get to eat pistachios. Tweak it all around to find what works best for YOU! Where there's a will, there's a way.0
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For the longest time I was the same way. I would never be full after dinner and I'd just snack until bed. I started planning two healthy snacks for after dinner but eventually that stopped working. I wasn't satisfied. Now I don't snack at all after dinner, for about two weeks now. Once I start I can't stop so I just stopped all together. I'm actually used to it now. I think it was more a mental thing because after a few days of ignoring the "need" to snack I no longer wanted it. I drink a lot of water as well at night, atleast 32 oz or more so I am sure that helps a lot as well.0
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I used to be very hungry after work as well. So at lunch time I had normal lunch, and then I grabbed a plate of cucumber and green bellpepper and munched away on that until it was time to go home. It kept me full, I wasn't hungry and I could work out after work. And it tastes good as well and is very low in calories.0
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I save calories just for that. Im on 1530 a day, and try to keep 1000 for dinner and evening snacks. Usually 500 dinner and 500 snacks.0
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I used to be very hungry after work as well. So at lunch time I had normal lunch, and then I grabbed a plate of cucumber and green bellpepper and munched away on that until it was time to go home. It kept me full, I wasn't hungry and I could work out after work. And it tastes good as well and is very low in calories.
I truly admire you for snacking on cucumbers and green bell peppers. Two of my least favorite raw vegetables (radishes are #1). I would rather snack on my knuckles!0 -
*Side note* I eat super early because I'm usually very hungry right after work. I've tried eating later, but then I would snack beforehand b/c I'd be so hungry.. and then my snack would basically be my dinner. Then, I would eat another dinner on top of that lol.
I have to eat a 3-3:30 snack. If I don't then I'm so hungry when I get home @ 5 I go crazy shoving things in my mouth. An apple and 1 oz of cheddar cheese takes care of it or even 1.5 ounces of nuts. I'm fine until I get home and serve dinner @ 6-6:30.
Also, my meals never seem DONE until I've had something sweet. I always have some sugar free chocolate covered caramels in the freezer (it takes forever to eat one when they are frozen) and I'll eat two or three of those one at a time. If I have room in my macros I keep some single serving Hagan Daz cups in there as well (If there's a quart container I wind up dipping into it... the single serves keep me more honest). If my macro are SUPER close I'll go with something like an orange or some grapes. Just SOMETHING sweet to signal food time is over. I also try to wait as long as I can before dipping into dessert. If I eat it @6:30 right after dinner I'm looking for more in an hour.
If I'm still looking for something after that I shove a piece of cinnamon gum in my mouth. Anything you eat right after you've been chewing that is going to taste gross.... and it lets me gnaw on something...0 -
I end my meals with desert-even if it's just one cookie, at least something sweet tasting, every meal. Then it's a no brainer to strive for my macros with a planned snack in between meals. My weight loss is a testament to making sure you live your real life- in moderation. -45lbs and maintaining
Best of luck! 0 -
If I'm in that kind of mood I have a few strategies. I paint my nails while I watch TV, to give me sticky fingers that can't dig around in cupboards. I go in the bathroom, do a face mask and lie in the bath with a book. Or I go to my hobby room and get absorbed in a craft that takes my mind off it for a couple hours. I only find I get in that mood if I'm home alone.0
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Op I was thinking the exact same thing yesterday. I can go a normal amount of time between meals but once I start eating I 'break the seal' and I can't stop. When I am being mindful I try to have a 'ceremonial end' to my meals, with a little ice cream bar, a packet of crisps, a boiled sweet or a coffee. I also sit and make sure the meal is logged. Anything that signifies the end of the meal. I also try and drink 1 large glass of water at the end too to really fill my tummy up.0 -
atypicalsmith wrote: »I used to be very hungry after work as well. So at lunch time I had normal lunch, and then I grabbed a plate of cucumber and green bellpepper and munched away on that until it was time to go home. It kept me full, I wasn't hungry and I could work out after work. And it tastes good as well and is very low in calories.
I truly admire you for snacking on cucumbers and green bell peppers. Two of my least favorite raw vegetables (radishes are #1). I would rather snack on my knuckles!
Well, there are other snackable vegetables with very few calories. Red bell peppers might also be an option, and they are sweeter. My office canteen only has green ones though.0 -
My biggest downfall is my pattern of late night snacking too... Simple carbs, sugar, all of the things I avoid pretty well during the day. Thank you all for sharing so many great tips.0
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Yup, been there and done that way too many times! I try to leave some extra calories in my day to allow a snack at night after dinner. I always feel like my stomach is full but my body is still hungry. It's hard to explain the feeling. Not really hunger, not really a craving, just a habit I guess. Most days I can just say "No", have some slim tea and be done with it. Other nights I just allow myself the snacks.0
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I have the same issue. I started having a 4:00 snack of Dukan Diet Oat Bran (1TB) mixed in with yogurt ( I like Dannon Light and Fit pineapple). I found the oat bran kept me full enough to have a later dinner and saved a couple hundred calories for a late snack.0
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Eat more for dinner. Part of why you are rooting around in the kitchen is because you are still hungry. If you eat a higher volume of nutritious foods for dinner so that you are truly full, you won't want to eat more.0
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FatFreeFrolicking wrote: »What are you eating for dinner? Is it mostly carbs? Perhaps you aren't eating enough protein and fat.
Yup, if I don't get enough protein and fat I want to keep eating, despite the amount of calories consumed.
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