How do you deal with late night cravings

mkmoon85
mkmoon85 Posts: 6 Member
edited November 21 in Food and Nutrition
The other night I just could not curb my late night cravings for ice cream. I caved and went and got some. I don't want to make this mistake again. What are things that I can do to not give in to such a high calorie "snack".
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Replies

  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Eat fruit.
  • wesj43
    wesj43 Posts: 7 Member
    I usually keep a low carb, no sugar added ice cream around for just such an occasion. I keep it in the freezer out in the garage so that I have to walk a ways to get it. I find a 1/4 cup serving will satisfy the craving.

    Whenever possible, I will have a piece of fruit, or if I don't have any, I'll have some jerky or pork rinds.
  • jlmcvey
    jlmcvey Posts: 1 Member
    I always have sugar free cool whip in the freezer. That def helps my ice cream craving. Sometimes I add sugar free choc syrup. Fruit just doesn't take the craving away
  • rawhidenadz
    rawhidenadz Posts: 254 Member
    edited July 2015
    I just fit it into my daily calories. Who cares what time you eat it? If you want ice cream at night, eat a little less during the day to account for it

    Edit: If you want a lower calorie alternative, maybe you could try frozen yogurt?
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    rawhidenadz wrote: »
    I just fit it into my daily calories. Who cares what time you eat it? If you want ice cream at night, eat a little less during the day to account for it

    This is the first sensible post in this thread. If you're hungry at night, leave some calories in your deficit for that hunger, and eat something that appeals to you. As long as you are still within your calorie deficit, you will continue to lose weight. It doesn't matter what you are eating.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
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  • madeleadele
    madeleadele Posts: 64 Member
    I usually don't get hungry at night, as I eat dinner kinda late. When I do have a late night craving, I assess and see if I can eat in moderation, and if I have enough calories left that day. If the answer to both of these is yes, great! If not, I may still eat whatever it is I'm craving, or I might brush my teeth and put my retainer in, or drink some tea instead.
  • kimw91
    kimw91 Posts: 355 Member
    I always make sure I plan a 2-300kcal snack after dinner because I know I'll be craving something sweet. Usually this will be high protein and seeing I always and up short on fats, high fat too. So I second rawhidenadz: fit it in.
  • Charliecatesq
    Charliecatesq Posts: 100 Member
    I find chocolate that requires you break it up to eat it is good, you can work out how many "squares" you can have and build them in for later in the evening. Salted dark choc is my go to. Best advice for sweet stuff is weigh it and portion it so you know your can have "a bag"
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,615 Member
    Planned into my daily calories is a bowl of yogurt at about 10 pm ... usually topped with a bit of low-cal chocolate sauce and whipped cream. :)
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    Lately I've been having food cravings at night, I've been satisfying them with peanut butter. One serving is 200 calories. The fat is good for satiety and is a nice, healthy fat.
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    My go to is a 40 calorie Fudgesicle.
  • mericose
    mericose Posts: 70 Member
    Teaspoon of peanut butter stops my cravings.
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    I'ma start putting some peanut butter on my Fudgesicle.
  • brentopia
    brentopia Posts: 113 Member
    rawhidenadz wrote: »
    I just fit it into my daily calories. Who cares what time you eat it? If you want ice cream at night, eat a little less during the day to account for it

    ^^^ This! I try to always leave some calories for late evening - or I feel like I'm deprived. Just a bad habit I developed, I guess - but having a cup of tea and a late snack is mostly every night for me. I purposely allow calorie room to enable this. Good luck!
  • Holly_Wood_888
    Holly_Wood_888 Posts: 268 Member

    you know where that ice cream is gonna go ! That refined sugar is going to turn into fat - so prep your mind and reach for some Sugar Free Jello that you ALREADY have prepared in the fridge for those late night cravings
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    Holly_Wood_888 wrote: »
    you know where that ice cream is gonna go ! That refined sugar is going to turn into fat - so prep your mind and reach for some Sugar Free Jello that you ALREADY have prepared in the fridge for those late night cravings

    Huh?
  • EmilyOfTheSun
    EmilyOfTheSun Posts: 1,548 Member
    Eat a bit less during the day so you have extra calories in the evening. Or get in a workout so you earn some extra calories for the day and enjoy your ice cream!
  • 6502programmer
    6502programmer Posts: 515 Member
    Leave the wiggle room for the end of the day. If you have the craving and want to give in to it, great! You still have the calories to give so it's not a problem. If you don't need to feed the crave, even better--You went under for the day.

    I leave the calories open so if I want a snack, I can have it and not feel guilty. Last night, I closed 800 under my (admittedly easy) target of -.5 pounds per week which gave me 2550 with the day's exercise. I wanted to have a Thirsty Dog Twelve Dogs of Christmas beer, but I decided I would rather savor my 800 calorie under day versus celebrate a 425 under one with a beer.
  • LeslieB042812
    LeslieB042812 Posts: 1,799 Member
    Holly_Wood_888 wrote: »
    you know where that ice cream is gonna go ! That refined sugar is going to turn into fat - so prep your mind and reach for some Sugar Free Jello that you ALREADY have prepared in the fridge for those late night cravings

    Uh no.....that's not how it works.....

    Also, I find that when I have a craving, eating something else (unless it's really similar, like the cool whip suggestion) won't help--I'll just end up eating the fruit AND the ice cream, which is entirely counter-productive. I also advocate having lower calorie ice cream options on hand and saving some calories for it. I really like the Breyer's slow churned ice cream, which is usually about 120-150 calories per serving and tastes "real" and satisfying. Just make sure you weigh out your portion. 60 calorie frozen fruit bars are another great option (I'm personally not a fan of fudge bars, but if you like them, that's another good suggestion) for when you might not have saved enough calories or are afraid you can't be trusted to weigh out just one portion. ;-)

    Finally, when you do break down and eat the ice cream even when you haven't budgeted for it, just make sure you log it and move on.

    Good luck!
  • shrinkingletters
    shrinkingletters Posts: 1,008 Member
    I just cry.
  • arkaycee
    arkaycee Posts: 25 Member
    One thing that helps me is smaller bowls... we bought 4 little ice cream bowls that only fit about one scoop but look vaguely elegant. I figure the cereal bowl I used to use holds 3-4 scoops, so even if I go back for "seconds" (I try not to, but...), I'm still ahead. That's one that's been studied, that even if people eat out of smaller bowls/dishes and are fully aware of it and even if they think they don't eat less, on the average they do eat less.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    i don't starve myself during the day. i eat plenty of calories at night before dinner.

    OP, are you following some kind of "don't eat past 7pm" rule? because it's hogwash.
  • EternalRho1922
    EternalRho1922 Posts: 16 Member
    I first try drinking a glass of water and waiting 15 minutes to see if my craving will go away. If it doesn't, I reach for a parfait. I keep small mason jars of parfaits in my fridge that I make up during Meal Prep Sundays each week. They have layers of vanilla greek yogurt (Dannon, .5 cup), raspberries (.25 cup), strawberries (4 small chopped), and indulgent trail mix (Wal-Mart, 1.5 tablespoon). I use the 8oz mason jars and spread the ingredients into 2 layers. They are about 140 calories each and a sweet delicious dessert.
  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
    I have more than enough maintenance calories left over at the end of my day. If I wake up hungry I eat whatever looks good to me at the time. This doesn't usually happen, though.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I eat dinner around 8:30...I'm in bed by 9:30 most nights.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    Eileen_S wrote: »
    I have more than enough maintenance calories left over at the end of my day. If I wake up hungry I eat whatever looks good to me at the time. This doesn't usually happen, though.

    this is very good advice. a lot of people put in their numbers for a 1-2 pound loss a week, and even still try and come in under that calorie allotment, creating an even bigger deficit.

    folks, do yourself a favor and find out what your maintenance calories are. lets just say that it's 2000, and you've set your deficit to be at 1700. that means that even if you have a late snack and eat up to 1850 calories, you're still 150 calories under maintenance, meaning that you've still had a deficit for the day.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    Holly_Wood_888 wrote: »
    you know where that ice cream is gonna go ! That refined sugar is going to turn into fat - so prep your mind and reach for some Sugar Free Jello that you ALREADY have prepared in the fridge for those late night cravings

    Um, no. If you are eating in a calorie deficit, that ice cream is going to go no where on your body. Eat the ice cream if you want it.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    I like macadamia nuts, chocolate chips sweetened with xylitol, and some coconut. Yum
  • JBcat123
    JBcat123 Posts: 211 Member
    I chew gum. I have like 2-3 pieces and have a glass of water. it usually works.
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