Nightly sins

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I'm back with mfp, now I can't seem to stop eating at night time. up until 8 I'm fine, but after that I tend to binge. Eating a larger breakfast and lunch only reduces my binging, not the whole problem. I've read lots of articles and followed them but nothing seems to work. By binge I mean adding 300-700 calories of dessert, not a disordered binge over thousands of calories. Any tips?

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  • Getty59
    Getty59 Posts: 72 Member
    edited December 2015
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    Have u tried eating dinner a little later? Maybe instead of snacks eat fruits. Maybe go for a walk when u get the cravings. Have u tried drinking a big glass if water before the snacking? Just ideas.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    I pre-log 300-500 calories of high volume dessert. I eat every three times/meals between 6:30/7:30 and 10:30. Works for me.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,912 Member
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    I see your calorie goal is 1200 calories and your ticker says you only have 2 pounds to lose. Unless you are very short, I suspect 1200 calories is not enough for you. After dinner your body wants more food, and due to the time of day, you are drawn to dessert. If I'm not completely off base about all this, try eating more during the day and see if after dinner feels more in control.

    (I do budget for a few hundred calories for a pre-bed snack, but you seem to be describing something else.)
  • lippicker3000
    lippicker3000 Posts: 12 Member
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    I drink sleepy time tea when I get nightly cravings. And go to bed early
  • victoria_1024
    victoria_1024 Posts: 915 Member
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    I LOVE late night snacking. My kids go to bed at 8 and I can finally sit down and eat in peace, lol. I save 300-400 calories for my snack before bed. Nothing wrong with that.

    I don't know all your stats but it could be that you are not eating enough during the day and then that's triggering your binges at night.
  • TwentyLosingTwenty
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    This might seem crazy but have you ever tried a frozen chocolate bar? I like a dark bounty, but I've heard many work... It's surprising how well it satisfies and because it lasts so long you're more likely to eat the calories of that one sweet! When I'm having cravings I just chuck a multipack into the freezer!
  • brb2008
    brb2008 Posts: 406 Member
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    I honestly have started going to bed earlier. Not sleep necessarily but if Im teeth brushed/face washed/retainers in, and bedroom door shut Im about 99% sure I wont be snacking. But I do leave room for treats daily. Today mine was a luna bar, less than 200 cals and super satisfying.
  • alanahp93
    alanahp93 Posts: 56 Member
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    I only binge at night when Ive not had enough sleep or had dinner way earlier than usual, maybe have dinner a little later than usual?
  • mccraee
    mccraee Posts: 199 Member
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    I have had to shut my kitchen down at night to keep from grazing all evening. We do the dishes, clean up from dinner and then turn the lights off. In the summer it is easier because I'm drawn outside. In the winter it is a little harder since I'm stuck inside. Sometimes I drag a chair into the doorway to remind myself to not go in there. I wish I had a door that I could close! Kitchen is closed

    Then, I find other ways to reward myself in the evening since I think that way my motivation. I might have a hot bath, enjoy a fire in the fireplace or even go to bed with a good book. But, not snacks at night. I don't need to eat since I've eaten with the last 3 hours or so. I sleep better and it is really the only way to put the stop to it for me.
  • prettysoul1908
    prettysoul1908 Posts: 200 Member
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    I LOVE late night snacking. My kids go to bed at 8 and I can finally sit down and eat in peace, lol. I save 300-400 calories for my snack before bed. Nothing wrong with that.

    I don't know all your stats but it could be that you are not eating enough during the day and then that's triggering your binges at night.

    I love eating at night too after the kids go to bed. I usually save majority of my calories for that time because with serving the family at dinner time... Who has time to eat?

  • annette_15
    annette_15 Posts: 1,657 Member
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    I also pre log about 400-500 calories for after dinner before planning the rest of the day
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
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    Structure your day so that you have more calories in the evening. I eat most of my calories between 10 PM and midnight.
  • jtboner
    jtboner Posts: 59 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    I see your calorie goal is 1200 calories and your ticker says you only have 2 pounds to lose. Unless you are very short, I suspect 1200 calories is not enough for you. After dinner your body wants more food, and due to the time of day, you are drawn to dessert. If I'm not completely off base about all this, try eating more during the day and see if after dinner feels more in control.

    (I do budget for a few hundred calories for a pre-bed snack, but you seem to be describing something else.)

    Oh I just set it at 1200 so that the negative sign scares me off :P and yes I am quite short, just short of 5 ft 1 or 154-155cm
  • jtboner
    jtboner Posts: 59 Member
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    PS, planning for the late night snacking is an AWESOME idea! thanks guys, gonna try that out on monday :)
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,933 Member
    edited December 2015
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    I would try a small breakfast, small lunch, exercise after work and a BIG dinner. Or save some calories for the snacks. It's what has been working for me. Oh and I stopped buying the worst offenders in terms of late night snacking.
  • crazyjerseygirl
    crazyjerseygirl Posts: 1,252 Member
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    I'm glad to see you are going to plan. It is also worth noting your language. This isn't a sin. Eating late at night is not an affront to your God (at least it is not an affront to any gods of which I am aware) so don't set it up in your mind as such. I'm hungry early, so I eat early, if you're hungry late, eat late, so long as you're within your kcal it's all good.
  • 007Aggie
    007Aggie Posts: 110 Member
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    Eating a lot of vegetables or greens for dinner helps me. I'll also eat a late salad or beans with a little light sour cream. Fiber and protein.