how do you fight night cravings?

I have been struggling with my weight and while during the day, my habits are ok, I find that once I put my daughter to sleep, all I want to do is eat... and it's always food I shouldn't want (cookies, chips and pop, chocolate, ice cream).

I really need to find a way to stop this habit but I'm really struggling so suggestions are needed. Please and thank you.

Replies

  • Kyrenora
    Kyrenora Posts: 133 Member
    I'll usually make a cup of tea or something. That way I'm consuming and relaxing without all the extra calories.
  • I drink lemon water .. Not sure why it helps but it seems to help me
  • fiddletime
    fiddletime Posts: 1,868 Member
    I save some calories for TV snacking. About 200 or so. If you're eating a lot of high calorie food you might find you can munch more if you eat fruit and yogurt, rather than cookies, chocolate, ice cream, etc. Portion control and logging it all, and developing new habits around food, are all very important.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,616 Member
    I have been struggling with my weight and while during the day, my habits are ok, I find that once I put my daughter to sleep, all I want to do is eat... and it's always food I shouldn't want (cookies, chips and pop, chocolate, ice cream).

    I really need to find a way to stop this habit but I'm really struggling so suggestions are needed. Please and thank you.

    Don't keep that food in the house. If your daughter is asleep, and there isn't anything like that in the house, you will not want to leave the house, leaving your daughter all alone there, to go get some.

    Instead, keep a low cal yogurt in the fridge ... and/or cottage cheese and pickles (for the salt craving, which is all the chips craving is).

  • Hipchick0805
    Hipchick0805 Posts: 40 Member
    I have been struggling with my weight and while during the day, my habits are ok, I find that once I put my daughter to sleep, all I want to do is eat... and it's always food I shouldn't want (cookies, chips and pop, chocolate, ice cream).

    I really need to find a way to stop this habit but I'm really struggling so suggestions are needed. Please and thank you.

  • Hipchick0805
    Hipchick0805 Posts: 40 Member
    edited December 2015
    I can totally relate! I''ve been trying to drink herbal tea and I brush my teeth earlier than usual.I am hungry right now but will try to read and support others while keeping on track for myself. This too shall pass!
  • Hipchick0805
    Hipchick0805 Posts: 40 Member
    edited December 2015
    May we all go to bed without snacking!

  • PackerFanInGB
    PackerFanInGB Posts: 3,432 Member
    I struggle with this also. Glad to see some replies to this. Pickles for salt and crunch is a great idea.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,616 Member
    I struggle with this also. Glad to see some replies to this. Pickles for salt and crunch is a great idea.

    When I started with MFP last February, I found myself with almost desperate cravings for potato chips, so I analysed it. Did I really want potato chips, or was there something in the potato chips I was after?

    I looked at my sodium levels and realised that mine were really low. Fruit, veg, whole grains and chicken don't have a lot of salt in them, and I wasn't salting anything. In addition to craving potato chips, I was also showing some signs of low blood sodium in general (look it up) ... just not feeling right.

    So, I started salting my vegetables (how weird does that taste!), and also having an after work snack of salted cottage cheese with either pickles or salted cucumbers. That seemed to rectify things. I felt better and the potato chip cravings disappeared entirely.


    Funny thing ... about a week ago, I had some nibbles at a Christmas lunch and went for the salami and fetta cheese with crackers. WOW were they salty!! I guess I'm still not consuming much salt, just more than I was.


  • ebbtime
    ebbtime Posts: 35 Member
    If I have a craving for something sweet, I'll have a glass of chocolate milk. I've been a member of MFP for years & only the last 15 months have I consistently lost weight. I've decided to not cut out any food. I allow myself to have a few bites. I feel satisfied & don't have the craving stuck in my head all day. So far, this new self discipline has worked wonders for me. My other issue is that if I have a craving, it usually means I'm dehydrated. I'm not a great drinker. If I have 6 cups of water a day I consider that a success. But I'm working on it. I also can't wait until bedtime so I can have my snack which is a sliced orange, almond butter with an apple for dipping. I crave this!!!
  • kiddiebqueen17
    kiddiebqueen17 Posts: 100 Member
    Thank you for the posts. It's good to know I am not alone and I feel grateful for the advice.

    I am not great with drinking water and I know that is something I need to work on. I also like comments about salty snacks but not junk food... I am definately going to give it a try.
  • 7books
    7books Posts: 13 Member
    My husband and I are really bad at shopping so that helps. Lol Now that we are both onboard the weight loss train, junk food won't be coming into the house and since we rarely have an over abundance of food to begin with, there isn't much to dig into.

    To help with nighttime hunger, I try not to eat early since I've noticed that I don't get hungry then anyways and when I do eat, I have filling foods. So when I get hungry later, I still have calories for a salad or zoodles.

    When I crave sweets, I go for fruit. If you keep with it long enough, your cravings change and it won't be so hard.