Discouraged

2

Replies

  • ryenday
    ryenday Posts: 1,540 Member
    fiddletime wrote: »
    Getting up in the middle of the night to eat cookies? That’s a different story. I guess you’ve tried just not getting up? Maybe have a 60 Cal Sunshine fruit pop sickle or an 80 cal fudgesickle? Just one tho. Hard to eat just one cookie though.
    Fascinating. I can eat one cookie but can’t stop at one popsicle or fudgesickle.
  • irisswaney3
    irisswaney3 Posts: 3 Member
    Greek yogurt and a spoonful of peanut butter is my go to.
  • Diatonic12
    Diatonic12 Posts: 32,344 Member
    Removing food offenders is good advice unless they belong to others in the home. In the middle of the night, the brain is running on autopilot for automatic eating. Stop for at least 8 seconds before you proceed. The brain needs 8. Reframe it. Not...I can't have it. I don't want it. It's going to take longer than 21 days or 30 days to break eating patterns that have been there for an entire lifetime.
  • denswrex
    denswrex Posts: 243 Member
    I mentally close my kitchen after 8 and if I am struggling I go to bed. **I also struggle with a mean sweet tooth habit after dinner
  • briscogun
    briscogun Posts: 1,135 Member
    Maybe try eating a bit more for dinner so you aren't as hungry at night? Or pushing back dinner until closer to bed time?

    It sounds like its just a habit now and you need to break the cycle. I know someone once told me that brushing your teeth will curb hunger, something about the mint flavoring being a natural appetite suppressant?

    But if I had my way, I'd try to do my eating so as to completely eliminate the need to actually get up out of bed and snack. Get in enough calories so you can sleep peacefully and break the pattern.

    Is your MFP goal set too high by any chance and maybe you just need to cut back your rate of desired weight loss to a more reasonable figure to give you a bit more breathing room in your allowed calories?
  • aupston
    aupston Posts: 44 Member
    edited June 2018
    I have to say I agree with most of the posters......
    I have found that if I am hungry before bed I increase my water intake.
    When I first started watching what I eat, I was hungry going to sleep. A spoon of peanut butter helped.
    I got to the point of not needing anything before bed. I sleep more soundly.
    The thing I have found lately that is nice is a piece of dark chocolate.the darkest I can tolerate 77-85%.
    About 1/5 of a serving. Just enough to melt in my mouth and have the flavor linger.
    For me not eating snacks has helped my weight loss/maintenance

    I would look at your overall goals and see if a nighttime snack is interrupting your progress
    Good Luck
  • jennacole12
    jennacole12 Posts: 1,167 Member
    I eat a yasso Greek yogurt bar, they taste like ice cream, jello or if I’m dying for chocolate I eat one of those 120 calorie packs of brownie batter.
  • lucerorojo
    lucerorojo Posts: 790 Member
    Try this. Since it isn't hunger making you get up and eat, each time you wake up and do NOT eat cookies (or anything) put away $2 (or whatever you can afford) into a special savings account. You can look at as a reward and that should break the habit. Or, for a punitive measure, if you do wake up and eat, you must give the $2 to charity.
    I've found that paying myself is a good incentive.

    I would second eating a bigger dinner if it is hunger driving it. Sometimes I'll wake up and I am hungry and I'll eat something--usually a few almonds, or if really hungry a mini Lara bar. But that usually happens when I've worked out and don't eat back my exercise calories.
  • hroderick
    hroderick Posts: 756 Member
    serindipte wrote: »
    I save some of my calories for a late snack and there's nothing wrong with a couple of cookies. A whole sleeve, not good but a couple is fine if it fits in your calories.

    100% agree
    I don't sleep well hungry so save 200-300 calories for a bedtime snack. I don't usually have cookies, but would not feel guilty if I was really hungry for them. I also find the second one isn't nearly as good as the first so quit there.
  • jheye
    jheye Posts: 36 Member
    My go to in between meals snack is celery. If you specifically want something sweet, you might try watermelon. Since it has so much water and some fiber, you get a lot more volume for the same calories of a cookie. You can even freeze it to make a watermelon popsicle!
    https://cookthestory.com/frozen-watermelon-the-easiest-popsicle-ever/
    Ultimately you want to break the habit of eating in the middle of the night. One option would be to wait 30 min before snacking- extend that to 45 min, and hour, and you might get to the point where you just go back to sleep in a few weeks, but it may really mess up your sleep in the meantime. Another option might be to eat a snack, like watermelon, immediately before bed. Maybe that will keep you from waking up.
  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,253 Member
    My recommendation is... save a cookie's worth of calories for the night. Then eat a cookie.
  • sugarlemonpie
    sugarlemonpie Posts: 311 Member
    edited June 2018
    Hmmm... Altered my post after reading more of the thread.

    I am of the same recommendation as others to talk to a doctor, your sleep should be deep enough that you don't wake up ravenous in the middle of the night! Drink lots of water, keep water by your bedside, and before you get out of bed just chug it and try to go back to sleep.

    Pre portion some snacks, or keep a protein or fiber bar or something on your bedside. As soon as you're up and hungry, your brain in tne middle of the night won't be as rational as the one during the day! So try to keep yourself out of the kitchen of temptation.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    i try to save calories for a bowl of ice cream. real ice cream. and not a serving. a substantial bowl
  • Snowflake1968
    Snowflake1968 Posts: 6,724 Member
    I save calories for an evening snack and it's usually grapes, laughing cow cheese wedge and some wheat thin crackers.
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    If the cookies are in the house, it will be hard to break the habit. Would you get out of bed and trek to the kitchen for an Apple?

    I keep sugar free gummies in my night stand. If I wake up to pee and have a craving, i DONT leave the bedroom. I crawl back in bed, eat my gummy and fall back to sleep.
  • dawncarley22
    dawncarley22 Posts: 4 Member
    Shyla57 wrote: »
    Ok now I need some help I need something to snack at night I have this bad habit where I want cookies or other bad stuff. I know you not suppose to eat during the night but is there something I can try since I can't stop.

    Try hummus (my favorite is the regular and garlic)...and good thin crackers...I enjoy the garlic and herb as well as the sun dried tomato crackers......I love popcorn and sunflower seeds but only do that on my 1 cheat day a week. I miss snacking but try to drink water and it will fill you up quicker with the crackers and hummus. I limit myself to 15 of those crackers with 2 TBSP hummus for one serving in the evening. If you can avoid eating or snacking after 6pm!!! :)
  • getfitwith_aish
    getfitwith_aish Posts: 44 Member
    Yogurt, protein shake

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