struggeling

him1025
him1025 Posts: 44
in Introduce Yourself
im struggeling with night time grazing. i wake up 2-3x a night and all i want to do is eat. normally its a pb sandwhich with a glass of 2% milk or left over supper. i know its not good to eat in the middle of the night. the problem is i cant seem to kick the habit or sleep without doing it. any tip or suggestions would be great thanks :)

Replies

  • lmelangley
    lmelangley Posts: 1,039 Member
    If you can't quit cold turkey, try nibbling on something with fewer calories. Like an Arnold Sandwich Thin and 2 tbls hummus. And, drink water or almond milk. And, plan what you're going to eat and account for those calories in your diary before you go to bed at night. It doesn't really matter when you eat your calories - it just matters how many calories you're eating over the course of the day.
  • him1025
    him1025 Posts: 44
    i try to remember what i ate through out the night but it always seems to slip my mind in till im in bed going over things in my head :/ thanks for the tips i will pick this up when im shopping this week
  • jillyb1970
    jillyb1970 Posts: 1
    I have the exact same problem....I get up and eat several times per night and then wake up disgusted with myself..... I also cannot sleep unless I eat and I always want bread and milk or cereal. I used to do this once per night for years, always At 2am, now it's all night long. I eat more at night home sleeping than I do when I am working the night shift......sooooo frustrating as I have gained 25lbs as a result and having a very hard time losing weight or stopping my night time eating.......glad to know I am not the only one......
  • mimyb
    mimyb Posts: 7
    I always seem to get hungry at night too. I dont actually wake up to snack, but definitely before bed while I'm watching TV I find myself getting a little peckish so I do a couple of things.

    Firstly I try and delay dinner until around 7pm, if I eat earlier usually im starving before bed.
    Secondly, if I do get hungry I snack on a small tin of tuna. Sounds gross I know, but if you buy the flavoured ones they arent so bad and will only set you back around 100 calories per 95g tin. Does miraculously make you feel more full for very little calories and barely any carbs (not good before bed). I also drink a cup of tea with it and that fills me up.
    Thirdly I brush my teeth to signify the end of eating for the day...wash with mouthwash...if you want to eat anything after that it will taste god awful.

    Also I think trying to change your mindset might help. If you believe you are going to wake up and eat then you will. If you do wake up in the middle of the night, get up and make a cup of tea. Just like it didn't take your body overnight to make the midnight snack a habbit, it won't take overnight to undo it!! Remember that only you have control over this and if you train your brain to think different then you will also start behaving differently :)

    Good luck :)
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
    Can you brush your teeth or mouthwash and discourage it? My bf does this and I hate it because he comes to bed smelling so yummy! Try just drinking water? Otherwise just leave room in your allotment for it
  • TheDoctorDana
    TheDoctorDana Posts: 595 Member
    My aunt used to eat in her sleep. She would wake up in the morning to the craziest concoctions left on her counter :huh: She eventually had to put a padlock on the fridge to stop herself. Might be an idea if nothing else works :flowerforyou:
  • GeminiFairy89
    GeminiFairy89 Posts: 45 Member
    Try drinking water instead. If just regular water doesn't work, try putting some lemon in it.Works for me!
  • jodyw83
    jodyw83 Posts: 38
    The eating late at night thing is a MYTH! As long as you do not go over your 24 hour calorie count and you make better choices it is just fine to eat at night. I live for my late night snack. I am at day 41 and have lost 24.4 pounds with not a lick of exercise and I eat late every night. A lot of the studies that show late night snacking is bad for you, follow people that have other bad habits and will eat a 1500 calorie snack right before bed. A little something will help satisfy that craving and keep you on track. A full belly helps me sleep better too!
  • marpeters
    marpeters Posts: 205 Member
    I read a book called the Carbohydrate Addict. They say that one of the symptoms of being addicted to carbs is nighttime cravings. Try more protein at night, more water, more exercise and cut out all wheat and white/brown sugar for a while. Your body will have come adjustment time but you may be free of those cravings. Worked great for me.
  • slrose
    slrose Posts: 164 Member
    if you are going to graze do not allow yourself to go back to sleep without logging the calories. take your snack to the computer if you must
  • marpeters
    marpeters Posts: 205 Member
    The eating late at night thing is a MYTH! As long as you do not go over your 24 hour calorie count and you make better choices it is just fine to eat at night. I live for my late night snack. I am at day 41 and have lost 24.4 pounds with not a lick of exercise and I eat late every night. A lot of the studies that show late night snacking is bad for you, follow people that have other bad habits and will eat a 1500 calorie snack right before bed. A little something will help satisfy that craving and keep you on track. A full belly helps me sleep better too!

    I actually disagree. Science has found that we digest our food differently at night. Carbs especially get digested into more fats at night. Study out of U of Cal Berk. I believe took people with same diets and gave some less food during the day and more at night. Night eaters gained more weight and especially built up belly fat.
  • aarnoldmcf
    aarnoldmcf Posts: 41 Member
    How often are you working out or doing physical activity? If you are doing something active, this should help you sleep through the night because your body is ready for rest. Your late night eating does not sound like hunger. Your mind has developed a habit, but you are probably not hungry. You just have to satisfy the "mind trigger". This sounds like "restless" eating . Your cause for late night eating is due to some other cause, maybe it is an anxiety you have about something else.
  • tyabd
    tyabd Posts: 87 Member
    well some ppl have sugar level issues get your self checked and for the time being dats and milk should be the choice... 2 dates will give you instant energy and help you go back to sleep easy... foods that release energy slowly make you eat more...

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