Help for insom-nom-nia

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I'm looking for help/advice/ideas for how to deal with bedtime eating. I have a great amount of difficulty sleeping on anything less than a full stomach. I have read that eating before bed is bad on many levels, and am looking for either advice on how to avoid nighttime snacking, foods that are better, or any other advice you can give. These bed time meals are causing real havoc for my weight loss.

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  • dhimaan
    dhimaan Posts: 774 Member
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    Eating before isn't bad if you are within your calorie limits. As for insomnia I don't have an answer as I am an insomniac myself.
  • oh_happy_day
    oh_happy_day Posts: 1,137 Member
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    Could you leave yourself some calories for a small bedtime snack? Some cheese or peanut butter with an apple? Some milk? Yoghurt?

    Why do you think eating at bedtime is obstructing your weight loss?
  • deescrafty
    deescrafty Posts: 174 Member
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    Don't eat in the bedroom. Have a small turkey sandwich, it contains melatonin which helps with sleep. Good luck.
  • SeptemberFeyre
    SeptemberFeyre Posts: 178 Member
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    I just allow myself to have enough calories to do some snacking before bed. I don't have to feel full, just not hungry. Light or air popped Popcorn is good and so is a mini babybel cheese. Do you like Greek yogurt with low sugar jam? I also like guacamole with chips, but I only get one serving of chips. Anything with protein is good because it helps you feel full. Sometimes I'll have a deli slice of turkey or ham and a slice of cheese and roll it up for a snack. One other thing..if you have a filling breakfast, you can save calories by only needing a light lunch, and then have a few extra calories left for nighttime snack later after dinner. I'm on 1350 calories a day and it works for me. Good luck!
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    Good news is that unless having a full stomach affects your sleep, meal timing is irrelevant! So just make sure you have enough calories saved for your pre-bedtime snack, and you're all good. BTW - cute thread title ;)
  • bettypeyton1
    bettypeyton1 Posts: 10 Member
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    Melatonin 10mg taken two hours before bedtime. It knocks me out.
  • bettypeyton1
    bettypeyton1 Posts: 10 Member
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    It is a supplement.
  • MorganMoreaux
    MorganMoreaux Posts: 691 Member
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    I love eating before bed. I have done so my entire life. I have also had chronic insomnia. I actually have dinner right before I sleep - I save the bulk of my calories for the day for then, that way I'm not going over. Before I eat I take melatonin 2.5 mgs (you may need more, but if you find you are waking up with a headache you may be taking too much) along with a cup of chamomile velarian root tea (my own blend, I grow the chamomile and going the valerian myself). Once that is done I have dinner. Usually by the time I am finished I am full and also sleepy. I also go to bed and wake up at the same time everyday, that has helped incredibly with the insomnia. I also try to not look at the phone/computer/tablet, as that tends to ward off the drowsies. Good luck!
  • tomhassi
    tomhassi Posts: 11 Member
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    For me going too low on carbs causes insomnia. I also find it difficult to sleep if I I'm hungry or dehydrated . I usually have some oatmeal with yogurt and a decent amount of water about 2h before bed.
  • N200lz
    N200lz Posts: 134 Member
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    Melatonin 3mg is plenty. Gets me to sleep fast.
    GABA to help relax the muscles.

    I take both supplements 1/2 hour before bedtime ( or should I say, one way or another I going to sleep a half hour after taking them.) This gets me into a deep sleep with lots of dreams but I don't feel anything but alert when I wake up. REM sleep is what you want to obtain as that is when your body produces your own natural growth hormone to repair all the damage you did during the course of your day.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
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    Melatonin 10mg taken two hours before bedtime. It knocks me out.

    10 mg? Wow, I only need 1 mg, and I get sleepy within 15 minutes. I take the sublingual form, which works way better for me than tablet. http://www.iherb.com/Source-Naturals-Melatonin-Orange-Flavored-Sublingual-1-mg-100-Tablets/24650

    I actually haven't been using it regularly since I amped up exercise as I am now falling asleep without it.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
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    @sccahn - I budget calories for a bedtime snack. I like something with oats and strawberries, currently this, which is only 236 calories but very filling:

    929vc6lmfsop.jpg

    When it gets colder, I will switch to cooked oatmeal with strawberries.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
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    "insom-nom-nia", lol :)
  • MorganMoreaux
    MorganMoreaux Posts: 691 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    Melatonin 10mg taken two hours before bedtime. It knocks me out.

    10 mg? Wow, I only need 1 mg, and I get sleepy within 15 minutes. I take the sublingual form, which works way better for me than tablet. http://www.iherb.com/Source-Naturals-Melatonin-Orange-Flavored-Sublingual-1-mg-100-Tablets/24650

    I actually haven't been using it regularly since I amped up exercise as I am now falling asleep without it.

    I thought 10mg was high as well. I was under the impression that a person shouldn't take more than 5mg, but I don't have the link to where I read that so I didn't say anything lol. My Mom had gotten me 10mg pills one time, and I was taking them and felt awful the next day. After a week I noticed they were 10mg and queried the net and read that was too much, and the associated side effects. I broke them into quarters and found I was feeling much better. The 10mg pills didn't make me fall asleep any faster or sleep and longer.
  • scfrost17
    scfrost17 Posts: 4 Member
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    Thank you all so much. I will try to be more conscious of budgeting enough calories for those nighttime snacking ventures. The yogurt with oatmeal idea and the turkey rollups are very helpful.