Over eating and snacking in the evening

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MaggieINC
MaggieINC Posts: 16
in Health and Weight Loss
What keeps you from overeating and snacking in the evening? I have a hard time with snacking.

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  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    I eat next to nothing during the daytime and this allows me to eat almost all of my calories in the late afternoon throughout the evening. Essentially, I'm just banking my calories and starting my eating later, so I can keep eating until bedtime but still not go over my daily intake targets.
  • nickscutie
    nickscutie Posts: 303 Member
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    I have the same issue some days - I find that it is totally mind over matter. Sometimes my mind wins the battle, and sometimes it loses to the fat girl that lives inside my brain.

    If I am really having a hard time and am on the verge of going into the kitchen I will either; brush my teeth, go right to bed, chew some cinnamon gum, or eat one of my Adora dark chocolate calcium supplements.

    If all that fails, you will likely find me inside a bag of potato chips.
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
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    I'm similar to Sidesteal. I eat a decent amount in the mornings, but then I'm busy during the day, don't get time to have lunch till late, then it can be that I get to eat steak or oily fish for dinner to make up the calories.

    You may well be snacking a lot in the evenings if you're trying not to eat too much, having stuff that's low in cal rather than a nutrient dense supper.
  • lorabaybai
    lorabaybai Posts: 43
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    .
    If all that fails, you will likely find me inside a bag of potato chips.
    :laugh:
  • PrincessLou2
    PrincessLou2 Posts: 13
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    I struggle with snacking as well. I prefer to eat little and often rather then 3 big set meals. I also snack on jaffa cakes because I get my chocolate hit but they aren't *too* bad for you.
  • maryjay51
    maryjay51 Posts: 742
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    knowing i am weighing myself in the morning helps.. gotta keep busy. my days are so filled up and i work out a lot so when its night time i want to go to bed. if i have an urge to snack i drink a protein drink and a few glasses of water and scoot off somewhere away from the kitchen.. its a really hard habit to break that eating at night especially when the tv is on.. i rarely watch tv any more.. and even if i do its in my gym. i took the tvs out of the bedrooms and the other livingroom and put it in my gym . usually im on a machine if the tv is on now ,keeping myself busy and out of trouble !
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
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    I eat smaller lower calorie meals early in the day and snack as I see fit throughout the day. I always snack at night. Even at 10pm.
  • SwankyTomato
    SwankyTomato Posts: 442 Member
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    Anything that is "junk/sabotage" and that I like to snack on is not in my house. Right now I can't make good choices.

    Now, what I did do was to buy teas, fruits, veggies, pretzels to snack on.

    Like right now, I want to snack, instead I am making myself a hot tea.

    I do have dinner later like at 6 to 7pmand that does help me because I go to bed at 10.
  • jnbud2002
    jnbud2002 Posts: 216
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    I'm the same way and it seems like when I'm bored I feel I should have a snack of some kind! Like some of the others, I try not to use too many of cals during the day and try to save some for an after din snack. If I have nothing left by that time I'll drink a lot of water, since they say you may feel hungry but you are just thirsty thing. Or I go to sleep when the kids do. Can't eat when we're sleeping right? I was thinking last night, perhaps I could workout and burn some calories so I can eat some. I didn't do either! lol willpower and planning is what can help ya!
  • frillypantz
    frillypantz Posts: 134
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    Sugar free jelly/ice lollys/lollypops tend to help if you just feel the urge to have something in your mouth. Or get out of the house go for an hours walk or take a class (i've just started Zumba on Wednesday evenings) Youre too tired to even think about food when you get back! Or if you can't get out the house try concentrating on something like a monopoly,karoke or a good book or movie. Or just get some inspiration... like, i have a pair of jeans that i want to fit into again so when i feel hungry after my dinner i'll put them on and the fact i cant do the button up on them is motivation enough to not snack and remain in control :)

    Just don't get bored! Thats the trick!
  • Leannek74
    Leannek74 Posts: 374 Member
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    Goood post, this is my big downfall too!

    Lately I've been buying veggie trays with a dip I like (can't ALWAYS have hummus!). I hate buying them but I find if I make things easier I may make the better choice than the potato chips, which my hubby always has in the house!
  • Articeluvsmemphis
    Articeluvsmemphis Posts: 1,987 Member
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    if it fits in my calories i eat chips, soooo yeah.

    or brush your teeth, and go to bed

    or drink some tea
  • chippy83
    chippy83 Posts: 92 Member
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    I find I over-eat at dinner and snack more in the evenings if I didn't eat a filling breakfast. I aim to get about 350 calories in my breakfast; any less than that and by dinner time I'm starving, over-eat, and then feel both overly full and guilty.

    Examples of good breakfasts (for me) include: Slim-fast or Kellogg's protein shake & Thomas multi-grain english muffin (100 cals; 8g fiber!) w/ Smart Balance spread, 2 packs of low-sugar or high-fiber oatmeal, or Starbucks Reduced Fat Turkey Bacon sandwich (a reasonable "splurge" can be a tall non-fat mocha).
  • ChefSuzzieQ
    ChefSuzzieQ Posts: 119
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    I save enough calories for an 8 oz glass of skim milk with chocolate syrup. The products I use make that an yummy 140 calorie snack. I find it satisfying, for both my hunger and my sweet tooth.
  • smallsparkles
    smallsparkles Posts: 32
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    I came to understand that my snacking in the evening was a bad habit formed over time and learned that it is easier to replace a habit with a new habit than it is trying to get rid of it altogether. So... despite enjoying exercising in the morning, I deliberately moved my exercise time from the morning to the evening to form a new habit and this has helped a lot to curb the unnecessary snacking at that time!
  • sammywil
    sammywil Posts: 104
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    I simply dont have anything in the house thats would pass as snacks. If i feel the urge I will drink water - lots of it. When i 1st started this journey I had huge trouble with this as that was my routine - snack , snack , snack! 3 months in I rarley think about eating anything after ive had my evening meal.

    It does get easier really it does.
  • dancing_cat
    dancing_cat Posts: 92 Member
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    I eat next to nothing during the daytime and this allows me to eat almost all of my calories in the late afternoon throughout the evening. Essentially, I'm just banking my calories and starting my eating later, so I can keep eating until bedtime but still not go over my daily intake targets.

    I do this too. I worry I'm not giving my body enough calories during the day. I work out in the morning and sometimes by 5pm I'll barely be over 100 net cals. I'm worried if I eat more earlier in the day I might still snack in the evenings and go over my allowance :S
  • Elizadolots
    Elizadolots Posts: 178
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    For some reason I am always feeling hungry after putting the kiddies to bed, even though dinner was only 2 hours before. And not in the mood for carrot sticks either!

    I've recently started to put a bit of my dinner to one side when dishing up. So a smaller portion for when we actually eat dinner, and the rest of my dinner for later in the evening. Works a charm for me at the moment, I am not reaching for crisps and chocolates. :-)

    Good luck.

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