Help! I can't stop snacking right before bed!

KF500T
KF500T Posts: 28 Member
edited December 19 in Food and Nutrition
My biggest issue at the moment (and for a while) is that I am always hungry right before bed. Never fails--every single night, pretty late, I'll get a craving for something. I've tried a few tricks--drinking water, eating something healthy instead of something unhealthy, forcing myself to try to read or watch a show to get my mind off it...but it typically ends with me giving in and snacking on something in bed.

How do I break this habit?

Replies

  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    KF500T wrote: »
    My biggest issue at the moment (and for a while) is that I am always hungry right before bed. Never fails--every single night, pretty late, I'll get a craving for something. I've tried a few tricks--drinking water, eating something healthy instead of something unhealthy, forcing myself to try to read or watch a show to get my mind off it...but it typically ends with me giving in and snacking on something in bed.

    How do I break this habit?

    What are you typically snacking on?
  • ladyreva78
    ladyreva78 Posts: 4,080 Member
    snickerscharlie wrote: »
    KF500T wrote: »
    My biggest issue at the moment (and for a while) is that I am always hungry right before bed. Never fails--every single night, pretty late, I'll get a craving for something. I've tried a few tricks--drinking water, eating something healthy instead of something unhealthy, forcing myself to try to read or watch a show to get my mind off it...but it typically ends with me giving in and snacking on something in bed.

    How do I break this habit?

    What are you typically snacking on?

    And how many calories are you eating per day. Is your body getting the energy and nutrients it needs to function?
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    KF500T wrote: »
    My biggest issue at the moment (and for a while) is that I am always hungry right before bed. Never fails--every single night, pretty late, I'll get a craving for something. I've tried a few tricks--drinking water, eating something healthy instead of something unhealthy, forcing myself to try to read or watch a show to get my mind off it...but it typically ends with me giving in and snacking on something in bed.

    How do I break this habit?

    I eat every night before bed. I just take 100 calories from my day and leave it for before bed. in fact sometimes i have 200 cals.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    I save 200-300 calories for a bedtime snack every day.
  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,323 Member
    I need to feel that I ate before bed or ill wake up hungry or just not sleep very deeply. I eat before bed nightly.
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,760 Member
    Yup, I was gonna ask if you've tried saving calories so you can actually eat something before bed.

    Also, define healthy because, in my twisted mind, there's nutritional value in just about every food there is no matter what it is.
  • amy19355
    amy19355 Posts: 805 Member
    KF500T wrote: »
    My biggest issue at the moment (and for a while) is that I am always hungry right before bed. Never fails--every single night, pretty late, I'll get a craving for something. I've tried a few tricks--drinking water, eating something healthy instead of something unhealthy, forcing myself to try to read or watch a show to get my mind off it...but it typically ends with me giving in and snacking on something in bed.

    How do I break this habit?

    It is not clear to me what negative effect this is having on you, that causes you to seek help in changing the habit.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    Pretty much what has already been said, but...

    1. How big a deficit are you aiming for and how much weight do you need to lose? If your deficit is too aggressive, you might be hungry because you legit need to eat more.
    2. Are you hitting your protein, fat, and fiber goals? If not, bringing up the stragglers might help.
    3. Save 100-200 cals for your snack. There's nothing wrong with eating late in the day, as long as it doesn't seem to affect your sleep.
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,760 Member
    Rereading the post, it says she's tried eating something healthy and I wonder if she means before bed but still wants something "not healthy".
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    This probably only works for me because I'm prone to cavities and other dental issues, but I floss and brush and consider myself finished with eating for the day once that happens. I am too lazy to do it all again for any snack.
  • jesspen91
    jesspen91 Posts: 1,383 Member
    What time do you eat dinner? Since I delayed my dinner to 8pm (about 2-3 hours before bed) I don't get snacky before bed anymore.
  • jan110144
    jan110144 Posts: 1,281 Member
    I always have a snack around 9:00 in the evening. I just plan it into my food for the day so it fits within my calorie allowance.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    my pre-bed snack is the first thing that goes in my diary most days - normally a bowl of cereal - if you are worried about the myth of eating after 6 makes you gain weight, there is no validity to it
  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
    I generally have a controlled graze before bed so I can have something right before bed, as I like to sleep on a somewhat full stomach. I'll generally eat half of dinner at "normal" dinner time and then the other half before I go to bed, with a planned snack in between. I called it second dinner because per my height and the hairiness of my feet, I'm part-hobbit.
  • williamgowjr
    williamgowjr Posts: 18 Member
    I broke myself of this habit early on by introducing beef jerky. 1 or 2 pieces helped kick those hunger cravings in bed. And I was probably the worse one here for snacking in bed.
  • guil0095
    guil0095 Posts: 327 Member
    I feel ya. I used to be a big time snacker at night. Netflix+chocolate after the baby goes to bed...so good!! :# I usually have a tea right before bed to kinda fill me up. Sometimes it makes me hungrier, so if that does not work, a scoop of cottage cheese or a handful of nuts will do the trick for me only if I am going crazy.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    KF500T wrote: »
    My biggest issue at the moment (and for a while) is that I am always hungry right before bed. Never fails--every single night, pretty late, I'll get a craving for something. I've tried a few tricks--drinking water, eating something healthy instead of something unhealthy, forcing myself to try to read or watch a show to get my mind off it...but it typically ends with me giving in and snacking on something in bed.

    How do I break this habit?

    I always plan for a bedtime snack and work it into my calories. Typically it is higher protein so I will eat something like a couple of hard cooked eggs and some yogurt.
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