Night Time Binge Eating
pbpunisher
Posts: 17 Member
My average day. I get up at 5:30 a.m. go to the gym. I have a very healthy low carb breakfast, a health well balanced low carb lots of vegetables lunch. I may have a handful of almonds during the day as a snack. I may play tennis after work. But then when I get home forget about. Off the cart eating too many carbs, surgar, and I totally sabotage my entire good day. I have no idea why I do this and it's frustrating.
Just reaching out for any ideas, suggestions, anything.
Thanks!
Just reaching out for any ideas, suggestions, anything.
Thanks!
3
Replies
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I am brand new here and I eat at night too. What I’m going to do is to have planned snacks for evening, save some calories for then.3
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Yes, and clear out your cupboards! Tricky if you don't live alone, I know. I've found that the munchies that keep me awake at night have to be listened to, so I just pick the healthiest thing I can stomach (the other night it was cocktail sausages, lol) and let myself eat it, but limit the portion size. That seems to stop the nagging voices, if not the hunger! It does take the edge off enough to let me sleep, though. In any case, I do believe that if your feeling so strongly about the need to eat, your body probably needs it. It's more about choice of food and portion size. I HAVE to have healthier options that I actually LIKE in the cupboards, though! No way will I go and eat lettuce. I've found I love houmous, which though fatty, comes in "lower fat" as well and can be eaten with cucumber or bell pepper sticks (or whatever you prefer), and it's the veggies that fill you up, but the flavour and texture of the houmous makes it feel more like food
For meals, I'm treating myself to the more expensive veggies, like asparagus, baby sweetcorn, and avocado, which I can actually enjoy. If you're still hungry after dinner, a bowl of porridge or no added sugar muesli with banana should fill you up. Also, drinking lots of tea sometimes works to cheat my brain into thinking I'm eating. If all else fails, grapes or cherries are good for "bingeing" when your brain won't leave you alone! Good luck! 3 -
How's your calorie count for all the "good" meals during the day?5
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I plan my day in the morning. I come in and have my coffee, sit at my desk and log my breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner. It gives me an idea of what I'm working with later in the day and keeps me on track 'cause I've taken all the guesswork out for Future Me to have to make healthy decisions.6
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I have found that if I stay on that "cart" there is always a chance of being bounced off. It wasn't until I got off that "cart" and planted my feet firmly on the ground that I was more in control of my actions. I decided that I didn't want to be along for the ride but I wanted my life to be the journey. IOW...I wanted to walk this journey instead of just being along for the ride where I am at the mercy of the next bump in the road.
I know...a little metaphorical!4 -
Are you eating enough? How aggressive is your calorie deficit? Do you keep a food diary?
Gym and tennis in the same day can be a lot. Weight loss combined with a high level of fitness can be a slow process and may call for a spot on eating plan. Maybe even macro counting. But not yet.
Lots of folks, guys in particular resist this, but I’d start with a food scale, a calorie deficit aimed at losing 1 lb per week, and start a food diary. Keep the diary going no matter what. If you blow up the numbers write it down anyway. Theres’s a calorie counting learning curve. Don’t be discouraged if it takes a while to get it up and running. You can adjust the deficit numbers later if you want.
A lot of folks on here aim for aggressive calorie deficits, get through the day when things are structured but can’t hold the line at night when they are tired and have free time. Planning evening snacks has always worked for me. Can you reallocate some calories or ease off the accelerator and add some more food in the evening?
A last word about a food diary- my view of the whole process was different than a lot of people. I wanted to track because I wanted to know how much I could get to eat and still lose. I was counting WW points at the time but its the same as counting calories. If my plan said there was food available, I was going to eat it. If you are working hard at the gym, and want to lose weight, you need to know your numbers. And the only way to really find the numbers that apply to you personally is trial and error. It will take some time. You can do it if you keep trying, adjusting and tinkering with your plan. Good luck.6 -
I was doing this too. I changed my meals around so I have a larger dinner than lunch, and have more fulfilling snacks at night. Like I'll eat 4oz of chicken, a serving of rice, and a serving of vegetables at lunch. For dinner I'll have 6oz of chicken, with rice and veggies (I like the same foods day in and out lol), then I have a toasted peanut butter and no sugar added jelly sandwich on low carb bread after dinner, and save enough calories for something sweet should I want it. I don't binge at night anymore now. Play around with your diet, until you figure out what works with your lifestyle. I'm hungrier at night, so I eat more at night2
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Morning PB, I also go to the gym, play tennis 3-4 times/wk, golf and play pickleball and yes, 69 years old! lol I was also finding myself looking to eat too late at night. I found this on the internet, hopefully it will give you some direction? https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-ways-to-stop-eating-late-at-night. I have some other ideas if interested, just send a quick note! Karina2
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Is it just old habits or is your deficit too severe? (or other satiety issues)2
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I pre-log my entire food day before breakfast, and make sure there is some ice cream or chocolate for dessert every night.
Look through these great threads to get some ideas.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1
Also, I
your username!
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You're perhaps not quite getting to that level of satiety with each meal that triggers the "I don't need anything else" signal for the rest of the day. You may also be eating a trigger food that spikes insulin and cravings and sends you into binge mode. I have several foods that I simply don't eat after a certain time of day because I know I will struggle to stop myself going full on "man vs food". Lots of advice online for curbing the cravings throughout the day, but ultimately it's just your body reacting to the stress of being in a deficit. Look at what else is going on in your life. Are you getting enough sleep? What other stresses is your body dealing with? You're working out and playing tennis so again that's quite a bit of stress. Are you tracking your weight? You need to be tracking at least scale weight to see where you are with your energy balance. Sort those out and you may find the cravings reduce.0
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weigh yourself before you head to the kitchen to binge. That, or look at your "before" picture. Read your goals.1
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I used to eat like you. Then I changed my eating to eat some more carbs at breakfast and lunch so I wasn’t starving by the time it’s time for dinner. I also workout at 530am so you need fuel to get you through the day, don’t use snacks to tide you over. Eat more balanced meals and you should be ok.2
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Your issue may have to do more with your psyche than a caloric deficit.
I am a self sabotuer. When I'm "good" with food and diet, I "reward" myself with junk food. When I don't see weight loss with my personal training, I "justify" the price tag by eating junk so I can blame the failure to lose weight on my bad diet rather than questioning the efficacy of the PT.
I know this logic makes no sense, but the brain will believe crazy things when it wants Cheetohs or macaroni salad.
I think you first need to develop self awareness about why you binge eat at night. I recommend keeping a log of when, where, what time, what, with whom, and why you ate right before you eat. Also log are you actually hungry? How much? Was the food actually satisfying taste wise? Did it make you full? Do it for a week or 2. The results might surprise you.
After doing such a log, I realized I do a lot of mindless eating, and I "forget" why and what I ate a few hours later. I think you know why you're reaching for all the snacks in the moment, but you're not really dwelling on it, so you "forget" later because you weren't being mindful in the moment.
Before you can solve a problem, you need to identify it first. Memorialize the problem as it's happening.
Good luck!1 -
RelCanonical wrote: »How's your calorie count for all the "good" meals during the day?
Between 3-500 and all healthy stuff.0 -
Are you eating enough? How aggressive is your calorie deficit? Do you keep a food diary?
Gym and tennis in the same day can be a lot. Weight loss combined with a high level of fitness can be a slow process and may call for a spot on eating plan. Maybe even macro counting. But not yet.
Lots of folks, guys in particular resist this, but I’d start with a food scale, a calorie deficit aimed at losing 1 lb per week, and start a food diary. Keep the diary going no matter what. If you blow up the numbers write it down anyway. Theres’s a calorie counting learning curve. Don’t be discouraged if it takes a while to get it up and running. You can adjust the deficit numbers later if you want.
A lot of folks on here aim for aggressive calorie deficits, get through the day when things are structured but can’t hold the line at night when they are tired and have free time. Planning evening snacks has always worked for me. Can you reallocate some calories or ease off the accelerator and add some more food in the evening?
A last word about a food diary- my view of the whole process was different than a lot of people. I wanted to track because I wanted to know how much I could get to eat and still lose. I was counting WW points at the time but its the same as counting calories. If my plan said there was food available, I was going to eat it. If you are working hard at the gym, and want to lose weight, you need to know your numbers. And the only way to really find the numbers that apply to you personally is trial and error. It will take some time. You can do it if you keep trying, adjusting and tinkering with your plan. Good luck.
Thank you, yes I'm keep my food diary though this app. I'm thinking I'm not eating enough during the day and by the time I get home I'm famished. Also, it's finally the time I wind down and have free time. The common theme with all the great advise it to plan my snacks ahead. Thanks for the tips.0 -
So are you trying to eat between 900 and 1500 calories a day? Is that too severe a cut?0
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You're perhaps not quite getting to that level of satiety with each meal that triggers the "I don't need anything else" signal for the rest of the day. You may also be eating a trigger food that spikes insulin and cravings and sends you into binge mode. I have several foods that I simply don't eat after a certain time of day because I know I will struggle to stop myself going full on "man vs food". Lots of advice online for curbing the cravings throughout the day, but ultimately it's just your body reacting to the stress of being in a deficit. Look at what else is going on in your life. Are you getting enough sleep? What other stresses is your body dealing with? You're working out and playing tennis so again that's quite a bit of stress. Are you tracking your weight? You need to be tracking at least scale weight to see where you are with your energy balance. Sort those out and you may find the cravings reduce.
Thanks for the tips, and that's a good idea, it seems like eating carbs at night trigger this binge eating. I have been diligent tracking my weight. So far, even besides the self destructive tendencies, I have been maintaining weight, even lost a couple of pounds. But certainly not on the path I want.0 -
pbpunisher wrote: »RelCanonical wrote: »How's your calorie count for all the "good" meals during the day?
Between 3-500 and all healthy stuff.
Wait, per meal, right? What's your total calorie intake on average per day? Not getting appropriate intake for your current height weight can trigger hunger/cravings in the evening.1 -
RelCanonical wrote: »pbpunisher wrote: »RelCanonical wrote: »How's your calorie count for all the "good" meals during the day?
Between 3-500 and all healthy stuff.
Wait, per meal, right? What's your total calorie intake on average per day? Not getting appropriate intake for your current height weight can trigger hunger/cravings in the evening.
Yes, that's per meal :-).0 -
RelCanonical wrote: »pbpunisher wrote: »RelCanonical wrote: »How's your calorie count for all the "good" meals during the day?
Between 3-500 and all healthy stuff.
Wait, per meal, right? What's your total calorie intake on average per day? Not getting appropriate intake for your current height weight can trigger hunger/cravings in the evening.
I'm averaging about 2500, mostly from night time grazing. I'm exercising enough I'm meeting my daily goal, but I need to do MUCH better with my nutrition.1 -
I'm in the same boat as you. Night time sabotages my entire day. I'm not really hungry, I just eat. In my past experience you just need to suffer through and fight the nightime binge cravings. If you do, it will eventually get better over time. You just need to take the first step and then stick to it. Also, replace whatever you're bingeing on with some low cal snacks like popcorn.1
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I joined a thread here that's based on late night snacking. After dinner, I post that I'm not going to eat at night. My current streak is 58 days with no snacking.
I also log my meals into the food diary a few days in advance. That's helps curb extraneous eating.3 -
I'm pretty much echoing others' responses here but I think it can be good to experiment with different mealtimes and calorie counts, snacking vs. no snacking, etc.
Pre-MFP, I tried to eat 3 main meals that were all on the smaller side and then 2 small snacks during the day and 1 at night. I never really felt full and I always felt like I was "dieting" and wanted to snack more & more.
I came to realize that for me personally, it's pretty important to have a larger lunch and dinner. I eat 80-90% of my daily calories between those two meals and generally do not snack and have a small breakfast (which I find very satisfying). It is amazing to me how different I feel if I (for example) eat a light ~300 calorie lunch, I feel tired & crave just about everything under the sun by 2 or 3 pm. But when I eat 400-600 at lunch, making sure to include plenty of protein, I feel energetic & full and don't even think about food all afternoon. I find that I am very satisfied without snacks when I eat larger (for me) meals.
Silly perhaps but I also like to floss, brush, etc, shortly after dinner so I feel like I'm done eating for that day.
I know other people on these forums who are completely the opposite and strongly prefer "mini meals" throughout each day with only one (or NO) larger meal at all. Find what works best for you and I bet you will know it when you figure it out.0 -
For all the exercise you're doing, are you eating enough calories? If you are not eating enough calories your body will crave sugar and carbs. Also, protein helps curb hunger. Sometimes when I get the munchies I will snack on fruit or some other low calory indulgence like popcorn.0
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“I'm averaging about 2500, mostly from night time grazing. I'm exercising enough I'm meeting my daily goal, but I need to do MUCH better with my nutrition.”
Hey PBPunisher, I feel your pain. I used to do the same thing. I would have 300-500 cal “healthy” meals, 3 times a day and then at night have an insatiable appetite where I would binge eat anything I could find. This ultimately resulted in a nasty guilt phase and self loathing phase. I started purging after the episodes of night time weakness. Then after seeing a psychiatrist I was prescribed Prozac for my new bulimia eating disorder. This medication killed my sex drive and any really passion for life, but managed to curb my nighttime cravings. It also had a significant price tag for a broke university student.
That’s when I came across Jason Fung’s book ‘The Obesity Code’. I highly recommend this book as it changed my life and that of many others. I am off the drugs and off the nighttime fridge prowl. Fung talks a lot about the multitude of health benefits associated with intermittent fasting (IF). For me the benefits of IF were getting control of my food cravings and my weight. I’m off the antidepressants and in control of my appetite. A big surprise for me was learning about how a calorie deficit is not sustainable because of the way the body ‘resets’ its base metabolic rate (BMR) after a period of continuous deficiency. I also learned a lot about how the type of food when you’re not fasting is equally important.
Here is an article on Fung’s website, Intensive Dietary Management (IDM) that talks about the dangers of restricting calories. I think this was my issue and you may relate to it as well. https://idmprogram.com/difference-calorie-restriction-fasting-fasting-27/
Hope this helps ❤️
1
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