Can't stop night time binging...

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christinapapandrea2183
christinapapandrea2183 Posts: 1 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So... I'm finally back on my fitness pal after a while! I found I eat pretty well throughout the day, but I CAN'T seem to stop night cravings and just throw away all my day work and load up on calories every night.... any tips and tricks??? I even drink tea and down a bunch of water and it doesn't help. Thank you!!!!

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  • elsie6hickman
    elsie6hickman Posts: 3,864 Member
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    What exactly is it you are craving? Sweet, crispy, salty?
  • CNG24
    CNG24 Posts: 432 Member
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    Try upping fat and/or protein during the day?
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    What do you mean by pretty well? Are you eating enough - not aiming for a loss of more than 1% of your body weight per week - and varied and balanced, and food you like?
  • aaronts221
    aaronts221 Posts: 6 Member
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    I'd look at your diet during the day, with a honest perspective. If your getting an good amount of nutrition and caloric intake and that's not the issue then I would agree with the person who said to possibly look to talk to a therapist.
  • NadNight
    NadNight Posts: 794 Member
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    What time of night do your cravings start? My solution would be to go to bed earlier! Although if your cravings are at 8 oclock then maybe it's not the best solution.

    Set a boundary. Personally, I don't eat anything after 8 pm. I've found that saying 'I'll just have a little bit...' in the evenings turn into a whole lot!

    Also as others have said- look at what you're eating during that day. Are you eating enough? Getting enough protein and fat? Are you actually hungry or do you just want to eat?

    You have the willpower to resist those cravings. A little bit of a treat won't do any damage though, so let yourself over-indulge from time to time.
  • Barbs2222
    Barbs2222 Posts: 433 Member
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    Are you bored at night? When I'm bored and watching tv I always want to undo the day by eating something like popcorn with butter or chips. Mostly crispy salty things. Maybe if you have some hobby to take your mind off of food?
  • globalhiker
    globalhiker Posts: 1,519 Member
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    Wow I used to be like this for too many years. For me it was not eating enough of the right foods which then did a number on my blood sugar and cortisol. I've had good success with making sure I have eaten enough protein mid-afternoon. Plain greek yogurt + stevia+ cocoa powder works magic for me. I also have most of my protein in the earlier part of the day and not so much at dinner and find my cravings have gone away. If I still need more food at night, popcorn is it. And if I've exercised a lot that day, I will eat an extra small meal. 1-2x a week I have a meal out (re-feeding) and eat anything I want but the rule is I eat slow and stop when I am starting to feel full. But I do think these changes helped a lot in balancing out those hormones/neurotransmitters that regulate cravings. I realize now my body was just panicking it was not getting enough food, the right type, at the right times. I also make sure to get more sleep as insufficient quality sleep causes cravings too.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,971 Member
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    What do you mean by a "binge?"

    If I get enough food throughout the entire day, I'm less likely to be hungry after dinner.

    I go to bed 3-4 hours after my last meal. Can you schedule your day in a way that you have your last good feed within a couple or three hours before bed? It may mean being pretty hungry before that last meal, but that's what works for me.
  • jeannemarie333
    jeannemarie333 Posts: 214 Member
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    Have your tried increasing protein in your last meal of the day and making it tasty and filling? yup, like a "last good feed" best of luck!
  • Barbs2222
    Barbs2222 Posts: 433 Member
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    To late to edit my comment. For some reason I read this as night time snacking not binging. I don't think a hobby is going to stop something as serious as binging.
  • DoomSlayer2020
    DoomSlayer2020 Posts: 66 Member
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    When I have cravings at night, I’ll eat sugar free jello. One pack of 4 is 40cal. Always does the trick for me ☺️
  • TribeHokie
    TribeHokie Posts: 711 Member
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    Eat dinner later and go to bed earlier
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    How many calories are you eating?
  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
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    TribeHokie wrote: »
    Eat dinner later and go to bed earlier

    If only it were that simple... :/ For me it's not. @rosebarnalice, good food for thought, thanks!
  • VUA21
    VUA21 Posts: 2,072 Member
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    I just eat dinner later at night. I stay full (dinner has always been my big meal) through bedtime.

    Also, budget 300 calories throughout the day just for the night time snacks. That way you can have evening snacks and not worry about your calories.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,200 Member
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    This is bizarre and a bit of a long shot, but I found my evening cravings significantly reduced when I got a decent, filling breakfast with a solid 25 or so grams of protein, then good nutrition through the day.
  • hroderick
    hroderick Posts: 756 Member
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    intermittent fasting might work well for you.

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