The Time of day self sabotage...

dynamitedawn
dynamitedawn Posts: 17 Member
edited November 13 in Health and Weight Loss
Does anyone find a particular time of day harder to resist, snopping in the fridge, thinking about a takeaway, searching out that last bag of crisps?? My junk food cravings are definately between 8pm and 10pm I even try telling myself I earned the right to pig out because "Ive been good all day". Id like some help on how to combat it, I know people say its boredom andbyou should keep busy but I work out, look after my kids and work I need to unwind and food seems to be the way I "unwind" unfortunately, any tips or people in the same situation out there that might help break this cycle??
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Replies

  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,592 Member
    6 pm ... when I get home from work.
  • dynamitedawn
    dynamitedawn Posts: 17 Member
    edited December 2016
    Is that like your dinner time? Or is it snacks youre looking for? Id love to figure out how to break the cycle of it, after tryin hard all day or even a few days and then a friday comes and i think i "deserve" it
  • courtneyfabulous
    courtneyfabulous Posts: 1,863 Member
    If you let yourself have extra food just because you've been "good all day" that will just destroy you calorie deficit and prevent weight loss.

    If you find you want a treat at night then either skip a snack earlier in the day so you have the calories left for it, or have something with no or low calories like a nice warm cup of tea.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,592 Member
    dynamitedawn wrote: »
    Is that like your dinner time? Or is it snacks youre looking for? Id love to figure out how to break the cycle of it, after tryin hard all day or even a few days and then a friday comes and i think i "deserve" it

    Nope ... dinner time is 8 pm. 6 pm is snack time, and I have cottage cheese, raw veggies and crackers. But sometimes I have a couple extra crackers because I'm just that hungry. :)

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    dynamitedawn wrote: »
    Does anyone find a particular time of day harder to resist, snopping in the fridge, thinking about a takeaway, searching out that last bag of crisps?? My junk food cravings are definately between 8pm and 10pm I even try telling myself I earned the right to pig out because "Ive been good all day". Id like aome help on how to combat it, I know people say its boredom andbyou should keep busy but I work out, look after my kids and work I need to unwind and food seems to be the way I "unwind" unfortunately, any tips or people in the same situation out there that might help break this cycle??
    Junk food tastes good because it just has to sell, not to nourish. It's also easy to eat, and easy to buy. But don't eat when you need to relax. Try reframing. Instead of feeling that you deserve to pig out on something nice after being good all day, and getting into a fight with yourself and food - make sure you eat enough of all the food that you need, at regular intervals. Plan your meals in advance, and either have a meal ready when you come home, or all the ingredients ready to prepare the meal. Make an effort to pick out food you like, and pay attention when you eat it.

    It's also smart to not stock up on foods you don't intend to eat.
  • dynamitedawn
    dynamitedawn Posts: 17 Member
    Thank you, yes i plan my day in advance I even make a weekly meal plan, I come home to a hot meal from the slowcooker by 5, Im not hungry when im rootin in the cupboards at night, I think Im bored to be honest
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    heck yes! evenings used to be the worst even with me saving some calories for then, especially in winter when I'm inclined to be sitting in front on the telly! I tackled it by still saving calories for a snack which I'd have with a cuppa around 7 from then on its water or tea only. It took me a few weeks to get used to just drinking rather than eating but 3 years on, I no longer think about snacking. We can form new and lasting habits over time.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    dynamitedawn wrote: »
    Thank you, yes i plan my day in advance I even make a weekly meal plan, I come home to a hot meal from the slowcooker by 5, Im not hungry when im rootin in the cupboards at night, I think Im bored to be honest
    That's good to hear. Now you just have to find something else to do. Make a list of things you want to do?
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,592 Member
    dynamitedawn wrote: »
    Thank you, yes i plan my day in advance I even make a weekly meal plan, I come home to a hot meal from the slowcooker by 5, Im not hungry when im rootin in the cupboards at night, I think Im bored to be honest

    I have planned snacks all evening.

    After work snacks at 6 pm.

    Dinner at 8 pm.

    First evening snack at 9:30 pm - usually yogurt.

    Second evening snack at 11 pm - usually toast with nutella and honey.

    And sometimes a third evening snack if I'm really late.

    I know I've got my snacks coming up so I can wait. And meanwhile I'm busy all evening long. I don't know why exactly, but I always seem to have a list of things to do a mile long. It never gets done! To the point where I'm almost considering hiring someone to help!!

  • dynamitedawn
    dynamitedawn Posts: 17 Member
    Sounds exactly like me, so its just basically stopping a bad habit thank you xxx
  • dynamitedawn
    dynamitedawn Posts: 17 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    dynamitedawn wrote: »
    Thank you, yes i plan my day in advance I even make a weekly meal plan, I come home to a hot meal from the slowcooker by 5, Im not hungry when im rootin in the cupboards at night, I think Im bored to be honest
    That's good to hear. Now you just have to find something else to do. Make a list of things you want to do?

    Haha the socks always need pairing in this house should look for things like that to do might cut down on the morning stress too
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,592 Member
    I'm trying to clean off the dining room table right now. It's the place that collects everything that comes into the house. So I don't want food on the table just now ... I'm trying to sort stuff!
  • dynamitedawn
    dynamitedawn Posts: 17 Member
    Thanks guys these are so helpful im going to put them all to the test to see what works best for me xx
  • gorilita
    gorilita Posts: 80 Member
    gabbyo23 wrote: »
    dynamitedawn wrote: »
    Does anyone find a particular time of day harder to resist, snopping in the fridge, thinking about a takeaway, searching out that last bag of crisps?? My junk food cravings are definately between 8pm and 10pm I even try telling myself I earned the right to pig out because "Ive been good all day". Id like some help on how to combat it, I know people say its boredom andbyou should keep busy but I work out, look after my kids and work I need to unwind and food seems to be the way I "unwind" unfortunately, any tips or people in the same situation out there that might help break this cycle??

    Try a ritual...brushing your teeth is a good one for evening. Once you've brushed your teeth, no more calories. That's you done. That's the rule, it's just fact. Brushing your teeth ends your day of eating. Brush your teeth and close your day on mfp. Day done. Finished.

    I also find it helpful to say out loud "I'm done.". People think I'm weird but it does work for me!

    I find that working out totally curbs my appetite. I work out in the afternoon, eat my post meal, and i am done.
    On the non workout days i use the brushing your teeth trick. What I also find useful is chewing a cinnamon flavored gum. There's just something about it that curbs my cravings. Nothing tastes good after that anyway ;-)
  • dynamitedawn
    dynamitedawn Posts: 17 Member
    i work out twice a day weights during the day and boxing or circuits at around 6 , im fine until about an hour afterwards then im starving, I really need to learn more about food and exercise x
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    dynamitedawn wrote: »
    i work out twice a day weights during the day and boxing or circuits at around 6 , im fine until about an hour afterwards then im starving, I really need to learn more about food and exercise x

    Why do you do so much exercise? It is really not required and may be the cause of some of your hunger.
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    I used to be a big 'mindless' night time snacker and it was one of the things I had to address during my weight loss phase. I gradually cut my eating window back and now I'm usually done eating calories by 7-8pm, and then after that I drink 0 calorie teas or sodas, or low calorie hot cocoa (25 calories per cup). Now it's just habit to not eat at night and it feels weird if I do :)
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    That time for me is usually 3-4:30 pm, when I wind down for a book or a movie. It's more of a habit than hunger. I rarely ever eat anything after 6, I just didn't develop that habit because that's usually when I play games and don't want to get crumbs on my keyboard and computer tech stuff. I just set a firm rule for myself: I can snack any time I want except between 3-4:30. I'm a big girl, I can go 90 minutes without without eating. I wanted to disassociate my strongest snack triggers (like reading a book) from the act of snacking, and if I do snack during other times, I try to be careful not to associate it with any of my other daily routines so it remains a mindful act that I do realizing exactly what I'm doing.
  • dynamitedawn
    dynamitedawn Posts: 17 Member
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    dynamitedawn wrote: »
    i work out twice a day weights during the day and boxing or circuits at around 6 , im fine until about an hour afterwards then im starving, I really need to learn more about food and exercise x

    Why do you do so much exercise? It is really not required and may be the cause of some of your hunger.

    Because i enjoy it and im training for my black belt in kick boxing and my first boxing fight, 2 hours is not a lot 5 days a week, like i said i have to get more knowledge on food with training
  • dynamitedawn
    dynamitedawn Posts: 17 Member
    crzycatlady1 wrote: »
    I used to be a big 'mindless' night time snacker and it was one of the things I had to address during my weight loss phase. I gradually cut my eating window back and now I'm usually done eating calories by 7-8pm, and then after that I drink 0 calorie teas or sodas, or low calorie hot cocoa (25 calories per cup). Now it's just habit to not eat at night and it feels weird if I do :)

    Im starting to think its a habit i have too,but Ive never noticed..thank you im really going to try xxx
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    dynamitedawn wrote: »
    trigden1991 wrote: »
    dynamitedawn wrote: »
    i work out twice a day weights during the day and boxing or circuits at around 6 , im fine until about an hour afterwards then im starving, I really need to learn more about food and exercise x

    Why do you do so much exercise? It is really not required and may be the cause of some of your hunger.

    Because i enjoy it and im training for my black belt in kick boxing and my first boxing fight, 2 hours is not a lot 5 days a week, like i said i have to get more knowledge on food with training

    There is a point at which you start over-training which makes it inefficient and in your case, increases your hunger so much that you are cheating on your diet.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    dynamitedawn wrote: »
    Does anyone find a particular time of day harder to resist, snopping in the fridge, thinking about a takeaway, searching out that last bag of crisps?? My junk food cravings are definately between 8pm and 10pm I even try telling myself I earned the right to pig out because "Ive been good all day". Id like some help on how to combat it, I know people say its boredom andbyou should keep busy but I work out, look after my kids and work I need to unwind and food seems to be the way I "unwind" unfortunately, any tips or people in the same situation out there that might help break this cycle??

    i plan a snack before bed - normally a small bowl of cereal - its the first thing that goes into my MFP diary every day - so i don't feel the need to snack because i've been good all day, knowing that its already planned
  • butterfli7o
    butterfli7o Posts: 1,319 Member
    Late evening for me, after dinner. Sometimes before bed I find myself a little hungry and grabbing an extra snack or piece of chocolate. :/
  • dynamitedawn
    dynamitedawn Posts: 17 Member
    I started weight loss around 2 years ago at 19 stone, i began 1, 1 hour fitness class a weeks, 4 months later i started a 2nd class, by january this year i was doing 3 classes , may o joined a boxing gym and ive dropped 5stone, once i find a class becomes 2nd nature i add another to push myself, so I know im capable of the traaining I do, its just in the evenings I get bored I think, or as pervious people have noted its a "habit" ive never managed to break
  • lalee115
    lalee115 Posts: 185 Member
    If I haven't eaten since lunch, I am like a monster when I get home after work (about 5:30). If I have something right before I leave work or on the drive home like an apple or a handful of nuts, I find it keeps the edge off until dinner so that I'm not tearing through the cabinets like a maniac.
  • dynamitedawn
    dynamitedawn Posts: 17 Member
    Ive gotten some really useful tips from members today, thank you lalee115 maybe i need a 'go to" healthy option to help curb it x
  • courtneyfabulous
    courtneyfabulous Posts: 1,863 Member
    Maybe you really just need the extra calories? 10 hours of exercise per week is a lot. I hope you've calculated your calories to include/support that or are eating back exercise calories. I also hope you are getting plenty of protein to support muscle repair. You've said you need to learn more about eating with training- have you consulted your coach?
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    edited December 2016
    Over the years, I found a lot of my mindless eating at certain times was habit.

    I've employed a couple of different strategies to deal with it.

    I do intermittent fasting.

    I end every daily eating window with a planned evening snack of a big bowl of popcorn. Sometimes I have ice cream instead.

    I have a widely varied stash of herbal tea.

    I have a wide variety of sugar free gum in different flavors.

    I always have diet soda around in case tea doesn't appeal.

    Sometimes, I tell myself to take a little walk instead of eating because walking blunts my appetite.

    I go to bed early and get up early.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,227 Member
    @dynamitedawn how many calories do you eat in a day? What is your activity level in addition to your 2 hours of exercise a day? Please consider whether @trigden1991 is onto something!
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