Evening Struggles

It kind of depends on why it's happening.

Some people start off with too aggressive a weight loss goal - trying to lose weight too fast for their current size. That gives them an unsustainably low calorie goal, so they're crave-y. A rough rule of thumb is not to try to lose more than one-half to one percent of current body weight per week, lower if closer to goal weight (unless severely obese and under close medical supervision while on an extreme diet).

Other people find that the way that they're eating isn't filling them up. Satiation is very individual, with some people feeling full if they eat extra protein, others extra fats, some like high-volume foods (such as low-calorie veggies), others find specific food items very filling, such as oatmeal/porridge or baked potatoes. The timing can also matter: Some people like to skip breakfast, have bigger meals later in the day. Some eat snacks, some don't. People do everything from one (big) meal a day, to all-day grazing on small items. Many people find less-processed foods more filling than the equivalent calories in highly-processed food. (For example, many would find a whole apple more filling than a very few potato chips.) Some people find that a little more attention to nutrition is helpful, because sometimes we have cravings when we haven't gotten enough of some nutrient our body wants. It takes some experimenting to figure out works for you, to feel full.

Another factor can be fatigue, especially with that late-in-the day craving. It's natural to feel more tired as the day goes on, and our body sort of subconsciously goes into energy-seeking mode to fight the fatigue, and sparks our appetite. One way to combat this is to reduce the sources of fatigue that we can. If sleep is not good, get more/better. If exercising too intensely for current fitness level to support, back off to something less taxing. If experiencing a lot of stress (which is fatiguing), consider stress-management techniques such as yoga, meditation, a relaxing warm shower/bath when you get home, good music, or whatever helps you shed stress.

If the evening cravings are partly about habit or boredom, the best remedy is a better habit, or a distraction. Hobbies that require clean hands (like sketching or playing a musical instrument), or create dirty hands (painting, carpentry, gardening) are particularly good.

If you have evening cravings, one thing you can try is simply saving some calories for an evening snack. That helps a lot of people. Sometimes just a hot herb tea or other zero-calorie beverage will help with cravings.

So, give some thought to why the cravings may be happening, and try some experimenting to see what helps: Switch to a slower weight loss goal, try different eating patterns, work on sleep/stress management, or use distractions. I'm betting you can find a solution. Good luck!