Night binging

I have this problem too! I like the idea of walking in the evenings, I think this would help suggested it too. Right now its very cold weather where I am, so I'm a little reluctant.

Is this you? Folks try to impose the most strict eating austerity plan they can think of, make it through the day but can’t get through the evening when they are tired and hungry. Then define the problem as eating at night.

I’ve always saved about 7% of my calories for evening snacks that I try to work like this. I plan my ice cream snack for a bit after 8 pm. If it’s a frozen treat, I’ve experimented with it. Breyers No Sugar Added is my current pick. All weighed and counted. Then I save about another 70+ calories until just before bed.

Why this plan? I find my attempts at closing the kitchen all evening to be anxiety producing. But without a plan, I’d start snacking right after dinner. Waiting until 8 just makes it a matter of delay. Much easier to manage than just say no. Likewise my bedtime snack. A lot of nights I don’t eat that one. But knowing it’s there if I want it calms me down. Much better for my before bed routine.

I’ve lost 100+lbs and maintained for years like this. A good plan is a plan you will actually follow. Keep tinkering until you find a solution. The answer is out there somewhere.

It helps me if I brush my teeth after dinner. It puts me in a mental mindset of being done with eating for the day.

I’ve also purged my apartment of snack foods (except the ones my husband likes but I don’t). So if I want to eat it’s going to involve cooking which I usually can’t be bothered with just for nighttime snacking.

You may also want to consider how you are distributing your calories throughout the day. Are you actually hungry at night? Maybe you need to have more calories at dinner or save yourself some calories for an evening snack.