How do I stop eating so much at night?

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Hey! This is my first post on here even though I've had MFP for a while.
I've noticed that even if I eat enough in the day time, even if I'm not hungry I tend to eat a lot during the night. Not exactly a binge, but it's something I would like to stop. Any tips?

Replies

  • NoSharpei
    NoSharpei Posts: 73
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    First thing you need to do is think about WHY you eat in the evening. That will enable you to address the underlying issue. Is it boredom? Anxiety? Habit? Genuine hunger? If it is boredom or habit, you need to work out other things to occupy yourself...yes.. I know easy to say, harder to do. If you are geniunely hungry, try saving a few cals back from earlier in the day to give you enough to have some carrot and celery with cottage cheese (or something else reasonably light and low cal that you like). If you think it might be just habit - I did this too - then force yourself to drink one glass of water before thinking of going to the pantry. Even if you hate it to start with, the water will gradually become your new habit :flowerforyou: Good luck
  • BronnersHarris
    BronnersHarris Posts: 247 Member
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    I do this. I tend to use it as motivation to do my workout DVD as once I've burned the cals there is enough there for me to have a low cal treat. Otherwise I drink peppermint or caffine free green tea. Seems to help with the cravings.

    As pp said, I make sure I drink plenty of water in the eve also. :)
  • mccarol1956
    mccarol1956 Posts: 422 Member
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    Personally I would leave calories for eating at night! Nothing wrong with eating if you have the calories left to do so!
  • julierewa
    julierewa Posts: 17
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    Try drinking a glass of water immediately before eating your evening meal and be sure to have a portion of protein with your meal. No protein can make you stay hungry. Then what I do is have a small pot of tea (no milk) later in the evening and I have one sweet treat with it - all calorie counted of course - maybe a Weight Watchers chocolate dessert.
  • Liquid741
    Liquid741 Posts: 292 Member
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    i usually just drink a beer...but only if i budget for it! honestly, if i dont have the cals, i dont eat...i focus on my goal, because i hate feeling the guilt.
  • roachhaley
    roachhaley Posts: 978 Member
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    I just go to sleep lol

    But, whenever I want to eat when I shouldn't be, I try and find a household chore to do, or errand to run, or just something to do. Once I'm done if I still feel like I want the food I'll give myself a little bit. Most of the time I forget I even had a craving
  • SorchaRavenlock
    SorchaRavenlock Posts: 220 Member
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    Try drinking a glass of water immediately before eating your evening meal and be sure to have a portion of protein with your meal. No protein can make you stay hungry. Then what I do is have a small pot of tea (no milk) later in the evening and I have one sweet treat with it - all calorie counted of course - maybe a Weight Watchers chocolate dessert.

    I've been doing the same thing in the evening: tea with a few light low cal biscuits.
    I make a small pot of herbal tea and sip it. I get something like apple& cinnamon tea it will smell lovely, and the warm water keeps me feeling full. The biscuits give me something to slowly nibble on and they are my treat for the day.
    I just put my feet up, sit there with my fragrant tea and nibble my biscuits while watching Netflix, and that's my reward for having been good for the day.
  • eyclypz
    eyclypz Posts: 14
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    Thank you so much to everyone who responded! You all gave great advice, you guys are wonderful.
  • OMGItzRory
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    I'm a night eater and this past week i've gave myself a cut off time of where i can no longer eat. ( i'm up late nights so it's 2 am,it's normal for me to be up till 4 or 5 am) pretty much make sure it's a time that can work for you not i'm not going to eat after 7 pm but go to bed at 1 am.. i just tried to cut it at least 2 hours before i wanted to sleep. and i have a don't break the chain going off of this. (where each day i don't eat past 2 am i put an X on the date to keep you motivated to keep not doing it) It's been pretty helpful for myself to do remind myself i don't need to eat late nights and i need to eat all my meals and snacks for the day before 2 am. ( and i don't mean eating a huge meal or anything at 1:50 am)
  • Aquaduckie
    Aquaduckie Posts: 115
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    I will sip on hot tea, camomile or cinnamon, as long as it doesn't have caffeine. I also like a treat of sugar free jello. It was a free food on another weight loss plan I followed. It only has 10 calories, so it's a sweet treat you can afford, even if you're out of calories for the day. I personally just really try to avoid breads and heavy foods at night. And I also try to cut off eating at least 2 hours before bedtime.
  • fayereed
    fayereed Posts: 4 Member
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    Night times are sooo hard! One way to not eat is to go to bed. Obviously thats not feesible to do at 8pm every night. I find drinking diet pop helps. You could try having your evening meal later on, and have a "dessert" shortly after your meal such as a mixed fruit salad.
  • MisterTEZ
    MisterTEZ Posts: 272 Member
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    it took me a lot of discipline and focus to avoid overeating in the evening before going to bed, I would usually try to keep myself occupied so I wouldn't think of food if it was down to boredom etc. or If I am hungry or cannot give in to a craving I would burn off some calories and I wouldn't feel bad about it, but as times goes by your body will adjust to your eating habits, mine did anyway..good luck
  • LilacDreamer
    LilacDreamer Posts: 1,365 Member
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    i tend to get hungry at night if i cant sleep but my body is super exhausted (weird, right?)


    like tonight i had 4oz of baby carrots with tomato & basil hummus and a 90calorie tiramisu snack cake (From the asian market) oh and and i also had 2 bottles of water.

    the food adds up to about 180 or so calories, but i had the calories to spare because i didnt eat enough during the day.

    Sometimes, if i dont have the calories to spare OR if its past a certain hour (like past 1 or 2am) i will add them on to the next day, but still remain accountable (try not to do this ALL the time, because it does take away from the rest of my calories for that day) because in the end, your body doesn't know the difference between calories from 1 day to the next, it goes by overall calories in and out, and remaining even (or under) for the week. Some people don't even go by daily calorie allotments, they go by weekly.
  • AssembledIncorrectly
    AssembledIncorrectly Posts: 64 Member
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    Go to bed earlier