Night eating

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  • lizc_87
    lizc_87 Posts: 45
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    When I am at my parents house I have a HARD time with this. As a matter of fact, right now I'm fighting the urge to go and get a bowl of cereal. Here are some tips and tricks I have found that help me in no particular order.

    1) Drink HOT something, even if it's chocolate it will probably have fewer calories that what you would eat anyways and warm liquid makes you feel fuller faster.
    2) I read this in a Hollywood Beauty Secret book, usually when I want food at night it is to make me sleepy, try putting some salt under your tongue, sounds wired but most the time it works.
    3) Try drinking some water, a lot of the time when we think we are hungry we are really thirsty.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    Simple. Go to bed earlier.

    Yep. You don't get hungry/bored when you're sleeping!
  • skichick1968
    skichick1968 Posts: 82
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    I was told by a nutritionist that I should drink my protein shake right before bed when I told him my snacking habit. That way the protein rebuilds muscle used during my training, it takes longer to digest so my body is actually burning calories as I sleep, and it's not carb loaded which will be stored at fat as I'm not active. Stomach's talking right now so was going to get one!
  • GoldenGirl89
    GoldenGirl89 Posts: 31
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    There's a brand of ice cream called Artic Zero that comes in a ton of flavors......a whole pint for only 150 calories!! I have not tried it yet, but people swear by it. That would be the healthiest/guilt-free pint of anything for me haha. Maybe try that at night?
  • stormdancer
    stormdancer Posts: 32 Member
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    As at least one other has mentioned, when you short yourself on sleep, your body tries to make it up with sleep. Go to bed at the same regular time and get plenty of sleep should fix that. Here is an article that might explain it a little better.
    http://www.theprepared.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=486
  • Lovinglife12
    Lovinglife12 Posts: 110
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    I'm fighting the urge also as I make my husband two mini shooters...lol. He always snacks at night making me want to eat what he's eating. I didn't cave but it smells soo good.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    2 things that I'd suggest:
    - are you eating enough calories overall? Usually if I'm hungry at the end of the day it means that I haven'd had enough to eat during the day.
    - plan for a small snack. I find that a few almonds (6 or 8) are enough to settle my stomach. Or try half a glass of milk.

    If you're not hungry but eating from habit or boredom or stress, then that's a different issue and one that is worth addressing separately. I'm currently re-reading "Eating less" by Gillian Riley - this book deals with addictive eating and has some good ideas on how to tackle it.
  • Lissakaye81
    Lissakaye81 Posts: 224 Member
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    For me if I do not drink enough water I will feel starved and crave food so bad by the end of the night. Took me a long time to figure it out. When I started eating healthy I was really trying hard to drink all my water too and did good for 2 1/2 weeks, then my fiancé got rid of my water bottle in the fridge ( #5 Plastic) and went to get me a new one next day. I won't drink warm tap water, even if I am dying, I raided the cupboards that day, binged horribly because I didn't drink any water. I didn't know why I had done so good for weeks but it was cause I was drinking tons of water.
  • zafferFL
    zafferFL Posts: 402
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    That number that MFP calculates for you as your daily caloric goal includes the calories you're expected to burn while sleeping. So long as you stay under this number, it doesn't matter what time of day you eat.

    Edit: If you're talking about going over your daily allocation at the last minute, not much can help you there other than willpower. Your other options are eating less throughout the day or eating exceptionally low calorie foods at night.

    It does matter what time of the day you eat. If you eat very soon before bed your body is at it's resting stage and will process the food slower. The best rule of thumb is to have your last meal or snack three hours before bed.

    please back that up with some proof other than overhearing someone at gym.
  • gsager
    gsager Posts: 977 Member
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    why not keep enough calories left over so that you can have an evening snack right before bed... I go to bed every night with 30 Almonds and a glass of 1% Chocolate milk.... been doing that throughout my entire weightloss.....


    Planning, that's what it's all about. Great advice.
  • Birder150
    Birder150 Posts: 677 Member
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    That is a Myth..... Been eating 500-700 calories every night while in bed and have managed to lose a few pounds in the process....

    Just a few ...
    AWESOME POUNDS!


    I eat at night and I still lose weight.
    2 things that I'd suggest:
    - are you eating enough calories overall? Usually if I'm hungry at the end of the day it means that I haven'd had enough to eat during the day.
    - plan for a small snack. I find that a few almonds (6 or 8) are enough to settle my stomach. Or try half a glass of milk.

    If you're not hungry but eating from habit or boredom or stress, then that's a different issue and one that is worth addressing separately. I'm currently re-reading "Eating less" by Gillian Riley - this book deals with addictive eating and has some good ideas on how to tackle it.

    I agree with these points.
    The book IS an excellent read, IMO.
  • addies_mom
    addies_mom Posts: 40
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    I usually find that a cup of hot herbal tea works wonders. I buy a variety of loose leaf teas to suit various cravings (mint chocolate rooibos, citrus, berry) and sweeten with a little Stevia. If that isn't enough, a glass of warm almond milk with cinnamon usually does the trick. I'm not an expert by any means, but these tricks seem to work for me.
  • annabellj
    annabellj Posts: 1,337 Member
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    i try to sometimes save a few hundred on those days, ff popcorn is only 100 cals for a huge bag and the ff hot cocoa is only 25 cals i think, you should be full from those, at least it fills me up. and make sure you are sleeping enough as others have said.
  • _Kate_P
    _Kate_P Posts: 132
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    well, if you're currently set to the standard 1200, you're probably not eating enough and those mini binges are your bodys way of telling you it needs more. It also helps to have most of your calories earlier on in the day so that you're more satiated come night time. Also, I know that personally, I usually eat a pretty light dinner fairly early in the evening so I'm hungry again a bit before bed so I make sure I have 100-200 left for a snack, but try and eat the res early
  • Birder150
    Birder150 Posts: 677 Member
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    well, if you're currently set to the standard 1200, you're probably not eating enough and those mini binges are your bodys way of telling you it needs more. It also helps to have most of your calories earlier on in the day so that you're more satiated come night time. Also, I know that personally, I usually eat a pretty light dinner fairly early in the evening so I'm hungry again a bit before bed so I make sure I have 100-200 left for a snack, but try and eat the res early

    This has proven to be true for me.
    I raised my caloric level and haven't had a binge since.
  • chelsey202
    chelsey202 Posts: 24 Member
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    I munch on frozen fruits for my late-night cravings. It's filling, takes a while to eat so you feel fuller when you're done, and super low calorie, so even if you don't have any calories left you don't mess up the whole day. Also helps with my terrible sugar cravings. My favorite is Dole Sliced Strawberries; only 25 cals for half a cup.
  • kimw91
    kimw91 Posts: 355 Member
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    If you can, go to bed earlier :) I find I start late-night snacking when I'm tired and not allowing myself to go to sleep when I should. Otherwise I find a cup of tea with milk and some natural sweetener fills me up quite nicely as well as satisfying the need for something sweet. Or indeed, cut up some fruit or blend some frozen fruit with yoghurt for a healthier alternative to ice cream.

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