Night time eating

jden2209
jden2209 Posts: 1 Member
edited November 14 in Food and Nutrition
So I have always been a night time eater, but it's become a problem since I had a baby. I have actually gained 10lb since I gave birth. Any advice or tips on how to eliminate nighttime eating or at least reduce the urge? I'll even eat when I'm not hungry!

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    The wish to stop has to come from you. Then it's the usual stuff: Eat regular meals through the day so that you're not hungry. Choose food you like so you don't feel you are missing out. Get enough sleep and rest (I understand that can be difficult with a baby, but prioritize). Get some exercise every day (doesn't have to be in a gym or planned - walking and playing with kiddo is fine). Don't bring home stuff you don't intend to eat.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    You have to be determined not to eat mindlessly or unnecessarily - it takes time to change eating habits but it can be done. Alot of it is mind over matter.

    I used to have the night time snacking issue too, knocked that on the head a few years ago by making the decision to mainly not eating after I have my dinner in the evenings. I will sip water and drink tea/coffee and I do enjoy a few squares of chocolate around 9pm but that finishes my eating for the day. It now seems completely natural for me - if I can master this, I feel anyone can.

    All the best!
  • Skyblueyellow
    Skyblueyellow Posts: 225 Member
    I feel your struggle!

    What I do is to get up and do something (ANYTHING!) to get my mind off of the desire to eat. I'll start some laundry, clean the kitchen, go for a walk, grab the computer and chat with friends on Facebook. The other thing I do is to really be mindful about what it is that I want. Do I want that cookie more than I want my self-confidence back? Do I want those chips more than I want new jeans?

    It doesn't always work and sometimes I do have to recognize that I might be extra hungry and that there is a different between going 100-200 calories over my calorie goal (which would still leave me in a deficit as I'm set to 1.5 lbs/week) and going crazy and consuming anything that I want. And you know what? I actually find out that a little less of a deficit gives me a better workout!

    Good luck! I know it can be hard!
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    I have never eaten at night. I just tell myself that night time is for sleeping--no excuses. It's hard to break habits. Have something you hate to eat set out and tell yourself you have to eat some of that before anything else. It might work.
  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
    Have you changed your eating habits during the day? I would assume your stress levels are higher and you may not be getting as much sleep. Have you started eating more convenient foods that are less filling during the day leaving you hungry at night?

    I would evaluate your entire eating habits, not just the night time. But it sounds like it has become a habit so will require some willpower to break.

    Personally I find drinking some herbal tea after dinner when I start getting a sweet craving to really nip that in the rear end and keep me from eating things I shouldn't be.

    Good Luck!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    What do you mean exactly by "night eating?" I eat dinner most nights around 8:30 PM...
  • MissSugarBean
    MissSugarBean Posts: 11 Member
    I like to eat before I go to bed too. Most times I can substitute with tea or water, but if I really want food I go for an apple + peanut butter or yogurt.
  • hunger4love
    hunger4love Posts: 8 Member
    I feel you!!! Night time eating is my #1 self sabotage strategy. I have been working on it...
    You might think about what activities are paired with your eating behavior. For me, some common triggers are (1) being upset or lonely, (2) being intoxicated, even mildly, with alcohol or pot (I live in a state where it's legal), (3) staying up too late, and (4) watching TV. If any of those factors are present I am waaay more likely to overeat at night. Once you know the factors that set you up to eat, you can start to tinker with those. For me that's spending quality time with friends who are predictably loving and healthy, abstaining from alcohol and pot, going to bed at a decent hour, and reading a book or taking a bath instead of watching tv.
    And then there are times where you are just plain hungry at night and the body wants food. When that's the case for me I try to pick filling, light snack to eat with a big mug of tea, like a green apple, a rice cake with some hummus, or a serving of popcorn without butter or oil (I make a "hippie deluxe" popcorn that I top with apple cider vinegar, Bragg's liquid aminos, and a tablespoon of nutritional yeast).
    Also a big motivator for me is I know I will sleep much better and feel a ton better in the morning if I don't overeat at night.
    Good luck!! Add me as a friend if you want more support. :)
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    Maybe try and save most of your calories for the night when you're prone to snacking. I tend to have most of my calories between 5pm and 11pm.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,163 Member
    People do better by saving some calories for night-time snacks.

    Personally, counter-intuitive as it sounds, I found that my night-time cravings werer reduced when I made sure to get a solid breakfast with plenty of protein, then adequate protein spread through the rest of the day.

    If there's a boredom or habitual component to why you eat at night, consider workign on that directly. Sometimes taking up a hobby - especially one that requires clean hands, like needlework or drawing - helps those cases.

    Satiation is very individual. It may be worth experimenting with your eating patterns to see if a different variation works better than your current one.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    OP--I'm not clear on this. Are you snacking before going to bed or getting up in the middle of the night to eat? A snack before bed is normal, if you have the calories left. Getting up at night isn't a good habit.
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