Middle of the night eating binges! MUST HAVE SUGAR!!!!

ladougg
ladougg Posts: 13 Member
edited September 19 in Food and Nutrition
I've noticed a lot of people also mentioning the middle of the night eating binges. I have this problem too. And it has to be something sweet. The colder the better. It's frustrating because I can't seem to control myself. (Last night I ate half a jar of jelly straight of the jar with a spoon! I have no self control.) I'm sure there is some underlying reason I'm doing this. I had a doctor tell me that low levels of Serotonin can increase carb craving. (Sugar) I have a feeling it's a combination of things: taking anti-depressants and using Lunesta to sleep. That combination may be causing the problems. I'm talking to my doctor about it on Tuesday but I was curious if anyone on here had experienced similar situations.

Replies

  • ladougg
    ladougg Posts: 13 Member
    I've noticed a lot of people also mentioning the middle of the night eating binges. I have this problem too. And it has to be something sweet. The colder the better. It's frustrating because I can't seem to control myself. (Last night I ate half a jar of jelly straight of the jar with a spoon! I have no self control.) I'm sure there is some underlying reason I'm doing this. I had a doctor tell me that low levels of Serotonin can increase carb craving. (Sugar) I have a feeling it's a combination of things: taking anti-depressants and using Lunesta to sleep. That combination may be causing the problems. I'm talking to my doctor about it on Tuesday but I was curious if anyone on here had experienced similar situations.
  • DETERMINED2Drop
    DETERMINED2Drop Posts: 285 Member
    I'm on anti-depressants and a pill for insomnia, but I don't have cravings like that. It's obviously something mental, but stay positive and hopefully your Doctor can help you and develop a plan to control this! Good luck and I'll keep you in my prayers. :smile:
  • cjgurley
    cjgurley Posts: 10
    I have that proble too....what I have come up with is several solutions...if it is definitely a sugar crave, I go get a Schwan's diabetic popcicle....it's 15 calories...and it does the trick...or sometimes it your body crying out for food just because when you diet, you are conciesously think about food all day....so to satisfiy the bodies craving, I go eat 4 oscar mayer 98% fat free turkey breast...each slice is only 25 calories or even chicken breast is better, it's only 20 calories per slice.....that statisfies the bodies craving and prevents your body from going into the staravation mode.....if you go into starvation mode, it gets harder to lose and more difficult to stay on your diet to change your life style how you eat....and one more thing I do is use crystal lite single serving packets and pour it into 16 ounces of no sodium carbonate water....when i first started my road to my life change, i couldn't stand crystal lite...but then I discovered corbonate water....that was the miracle solution....if you were a soda drinker, that was the solution .... drinking crystal lite in carbonate water is like drinking a soda but it's only 5 calories per serving....each individual packet it 2 servies...........Hoped this helps all you late nite bingers....it works for me and keeps me honest on my calories intake for the day........let me know........:wink:
  • MattySparky
    MattySparky Posts: 771
    wow half a jar of jelly, no offence but that's disgusting!! I hear you though on having cravings late at night... Im confused though. Do you just wake up in the middle of the night and eat jelly or is it staying up late and eating?
  • Natural
    Natural Posts: 461 Member
    i don't know, but i will say drinking my 8 cups of water yesterday filled me up. i had to make myself eat my 100 calorie late night treat. :smile:

    are you drinking enough water. try brushing your teeth, that helps cut the cravings too.
  • ladougg
    ladougg Posts: 13 Member
    wow half a jar of jelly, no offence but that's disgusting!! I hear you though on having cravings late at night... Im confused though. Do you just wake up in the middle of the night and eat jelly or is it staying up late and eating?

    It IS disgusting....it wasn't even good jelly!!!! It's crazy.

    Update on latest binge (1/23/09): I had oatmeal before bed around 11pm. Awoke about 12:15p had a jelly sandwich. Then I had an apple followed by a can of tuna! Although I hate the binging at least this time i had a relatively healthy binge. (Whole night came to about 450 calories overnight...an improvement.)

    In answer to your question 'Do I wake up to eat or do I stay up and eat before bed: 90% of the time it's the latter. I don't sleep well usually so it's something I do after being asleep a few times. I do try to eat an apple before bed to try to keep myself full but that doesn't seem to work. Oatmeal before bed has seemed to be better.

    I know...I'm a freak of nature. :-)

    D.
  • ladougg
    ladougg Posts: 13 Member
    i don't know, but i will say drinking my 8 cups of water yesterday filled me up. i had to make myself eat my 100 calorie late night treat. :smile:

    are you drinking enough water. try brushing your teeth, that helps cut the cravings too.

    Great question. I don't drink enough water. I used to drink so much soda but over the past few weeks I gave up all sodas except an energy drink in the morning. (That's carbonated.) When I don't drink soda, my facial skin gets very smooth. I can notice in less than a week.
  • Dustdevil
    Dustdevil Posts: 62
    Apples are realtively high in natural sugar, hence my guess as to why the oatmeal works better. I would try a sugar free snack (Hunt's Sugar Free Chocolate pudding- 60 calories) or the sugar free popsicle and then go to bed earlier.

    the equation to health is a simple one: Eat well, SLEEP well, Exercise well= Be well.

    You can do it.
  • vegrunner
    vegrunner Posts: 42
    I used to struggle with eating too much sugar. When I gave up soda, I was craving foods I never really craved before: cookies, jelly, cake, etc. I would recommend a book called potatoes not prozac. It talks about "sugar sensitive" people. The book clearly states to not quit taking antidepressants unless consulting with your doctor but the main premise behind the book is that sugar sensitive people are often depressed and overweight because of their higher rate of sensitivity to high glycemic foods such as white bread and sweets. Good luck to you. Here is an article about the book. The editorial review has some more helpful info:
    http://www.amazon.com/Potatoes-Seven-Step-Stabilize-Cravings-Recognize/dp/0684850141
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