how to not cheat or eat late at night??
cedarstars
Posts: 4 Member
so right now im doing south beach diet. i used to be anorexic which led to binge eating disorder but now im ok :-). i just keep eating late at night as a routine now and i keep eating so much. how do i stop or what are some methods to avoid this? i was thinking if i got hungry i would leave cucumber slices w ranch by my bed or ice cold water. but what do you think?
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Replies
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Eat enough during the day.
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To me, using the mfp way, cheating is not logging. To not cheat, I log everything. then it requires discipline - if I don't have the budget, I can't eat more unless I want to go over or "borrow" from tomorrow by logging it as if it was eaten tomorrow and then plan things more carefully the next day so I don't go over. Or sometimes I accept going over a little. You can keep your log private (mine's wide open) if that makes it easier to log everything. Just you knowing where you stand all the time could help. You would know what the decision to eat late means with respect to your goals.0
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Are the calories you're consuming when you "cheat" or when you eat late at night pushing you over an appropriate calorie goal for your situation? If not, then they're not a problem and you don't need to stop. If they are, then find ways to work appropriate amounts of your "cheat" foods into you calorie budget, and find other things to do at night.
I think you should not keep ranch dressing by your bed in case you get hungry. First, because ranch dressing is just gross
. Second -- and I say this as someone who grew up eating mayonnaise that was kept in the cupboard even after the jar was open, and I don't generally worry that food might be going bad unless I see or smell something wrong -- ranch just sitting there at room temperature over night? No. Just no. 13 -
For my situation (trying to lose weight), I just make sure I have some calories left in the evening for a late snack. I know I'm going to want it, so I just fit it in as part of my daily eating routines.6
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I would just keep the calories low-to-semi low. Snacks after dinner don't need to be bad if you know what you're eating. A Peanut Butter sandwich (no or low sugar jelly) and milk is a decent go to. It has a good amount of carbs, some protein, and healthy fats. Also, a Casein Shake or some other sort of Time Released protein shake is nice to have late. These kinds of small meals can quell hunger for a while and are relatively low in calories, while still nutritious. If you're out at night it can't hurt to choose what works and avoid going overboard. If you're bulking your body might just wake you up naturally to eat, but if cutting or keeping the calories in check, small snacks/meals about an hour before sleep aren't bad. I'm not entirely familiar with he South Beach Diet but this is just my opinion on the subject.1
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I have added a category in my diary "before bed meal". I've had it since I started 2.5 years ago. I always leave around 250cal for this particular meal. I sleep best if I eat right before that.
Why not try to do the same/similar?
I should add I prelog my meals from the day before. So that makes it easier to plan.7 -
I like to eat something before I go to bed, so I usually have a sugar free jello cup, which is 5 calories. Or, I have some tea with a splash of milk and that seems to fill me up as well.2
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Unsalted almonds are my favorite snack. Not too hard to resist over eating and they'll fill your belly with protein for the night. win/win5
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To minimise my evening snacks, I enjoy a cup of tea or try and do something that isn't really compatible with eating (eg knitting or painting my nails)
I do try and save a few calories for a snack too.2 -
I'm a big time evening snacker. I love it and can't relax and watch a show without something to munch on. I don't consider it cheating. I am always mindful to leave a couple hundred calories for my night snacks. I keep a range of snacks in various calories so I can almost always fit something in, even if I used most of my calories that day. One thing I like is outshine popsicles. They are around 40 calories per pop. If I'm really ravenous or bored I find that they help curb the urge to binge on sweets!3
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Outshine popsicles are good, but I almost always have 2 fudgesickle for a total of 180 cal and some small tootsi rolls, usually around 120 cal. I’m only eating around 1400 cal but have a sweet tooth at night. You can snack at night, just fit it into your calories for the day.2
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I don't think you're completely ok. Stop thinking that cheating is a good idea. To do that, you have to stop feeling entitled, and to do that, you have to stop feeling like you're so special, and stop doing diets. Your diet is just what you eat. You need enough food, and you can eat good food. When you eat enough and well, you will feel well, and stop feeling sorry for yourself, and you'll find that not overeating is both manageable and reasonable. You must decide if eating late at night is a problem, and stop it, or the way you prefer to eat, and maybe eat your biggest meal then.6
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I typically plan for a midnight bowl of oatmeal.1
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What does this diet actually include? Like what are you eating in a day?0
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i keep calories saved so i'm not cheating, and i have no issue eating late. these are old ideas. you can eat whenever. eat within your calorie allotment and you'll be fine1
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Do you know how many calories you're eating a day now?
If I was feeling this hungry at night, I'd worry that I wasn't getting enough to eat. This is particularly concerning if you're in ED recovery because not eating enough can make it harder to stay on track and, of course, it's just not good for you.
I did South Beach about 15 years ago and my experience is that I wasn't getting enough to eat and I wasn't getting enough fat overall and it was really bad for my binges.3 -
I like to have a little snack after dinner, so I pre-log my food so that I know how many calories I am leaving myself for the rest of the day.0
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I used to snack all night long. Now when I have had my calories for the day I go and brush my teeth and that is my signal that I am done. That and pre logging. I try and leave room for say some Greek yogurt and some fruit (or something chocolate)1
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Brush your teeth when you are done with food for the evening.0
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Go to bed. Seriously. It's hard to eat when you are sleeping. I'm not a snacker but will sometimes get the munchies at night. Due to some medical issues, I can't eat within 3-4 hours of going to bed otherwise I vomit in my sleep, so if I ever get the munchies and it starts to consume me, I just go to sleep.1
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I just tried Halo Top ice cream for the first time last night and it was surprisingly ok. I needed to add some calories to my total for the day and when I was shopping for dinner I decided to give it a go. Only 80 calories for one serving (the whole pint is only like 240?) so you can get your snack swerve on and not blow up your day.
Just look for small things that'll help here and there so you don't end up destroying a whole frozen pizza at midnight, you know?0 -
cedarstars wrote: »so right now im doing south beach diet. i used to be anorexic which led to binge eating disorder but now im ok :-). i just keep eating late at night as a routine now and i keep eating so much. how do i stop or what are some methods to avoid this? i was thinking if i got hungry i would leave cucumber slices w ranch by my bed or ice cold water. but what do you think?
I think you're most likely not eating enough during the day, and that's why you're hungry at night. How many calories do you have through dinner?
Also, how tall are you, how much do you have to lose before you reach your goal weight, and what is your weekly weight loss goal set to?2 -
Don’t restrict so much during the day1
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The hardest time for me is at night. I start to want to snack. I just go to bed. If I stay up too late it's worse. I guess because it's been longer since dinner, or it's just habit. So, I try to get in bed on time and if I don't my mind starts to wander. OH I have popcorn, my husband didn't eat that cake earlier, I have cheese and crackers..no I just go to bed. 0
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I brush my teeth after dinner, then I eat my snacks in bed, then I brush my teeth again.Mistraal1981 wrote: »Brush your teeth when you are done with food for the evening.
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I Changed my eating schedule. I drink a protein coffee all morning, eat meals at 2:30,5:15, and 8:15, then a snack at 10-10:30. This helped tremendously.1
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melissa6771 wrote: »I Changed my eating schedule. I drink a protein coffee all morning, eat meals at 2:30,5:15, and 8:15, then a snack at 10-10:30. This helped tremendously.
We have almost identical eating schedules. LOL!
What is protein coffee? I assume coffee with protein powder in it?
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frankiesgirlie wrote: »melissa6771 wrote: »I Changed my eating schedule. I drink a protein coffee all morning, eat meals at 2:30,5:15, and 8:15, then a snack at 10-10:30. This helped tremendously.
We have almost identical eating schedules. LOL!
What is protein coffee? I assume coffee with protein powder in it?
Ha! That's awesome. This works so well for me.
Yes, iced coffee with protein mixed in. Usually 6 oz of either almond/cashew or simply smart milk, and vanilla and chocolate protein powders, sometimes premier protein ready to drinks, (vanilla, chocolate caramel) if it's hot coffee, always the premier protein. 160-180 calories, 30-34 G protein. I couldn't waste calories on coffee without making it useful for my goals. Been doing this for years. I love it.0 -
I noticed that I was doing the same thing. I tend to graze between meals. So now I eat a smaller breakfast lunch and dinner so I can have snacks in between meals. That way I'm not eating over my calories.0
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