Losing Control at Night

Shawnda1730
Shawnda1730 Posts: 38
edited December 21 in Health and Weight Loss
I am looking for some good advice on how to control my eating at night. I work all day and I do fine at work, structured, eat well and often in order to keep my metabolism going, but when I get home for dinner time, I just lose it. I start eating whatever isn't nailed down. Cake, Chips, Ice Cream, eating way too much at the actual dinner entree. Does anyone have any advice on how to stop this madness.

Thanks for you help.

Replies

  • RedWeb
    RedWeb Posts: 108 Member
    Don't have "Cake, chips, Ice cream" in the house.

    End of the day people on here can give all the advice they want. You need to have self discipline and be motivated to lose weight. It's not easy but it can be done. Just stop and think how much time you would need to run/walk/workout to burn off something before you eat it.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    I have the same problem. Dinners aren't my best friend. Recently I started sitting down eating my dinner with a TV show on, dring hot tea with my meal. Then after finishing it, I don't stand up immediately but rather watch TV for a bit longer while drinking the hot tea. For dessert, I will have a bowl of freshly cut organic strawberries. Sometimes when I feel really craving for something sweet, I keep telling myself that I don't want to see scale going up tomorrow. :) It took me a while to get used to not eating before bed.

    And if possible don't buy those cakes, chips or whatever you think might tempt you big time. :)
  • myke66
    myke66 Posts: 11
    Ugh, this is my problem too. "Night eating" is something I enjoy so much that it was difficult to curb. I personally handled it by going to be earlier. Seriously, whenever I started to feel hungry after dinner, I would drink a glass of water (to curb some of the hunger) and just go to sleep.

    It actually helped me get on a better sleep schedule anyway, cause I would be up till 1-2am nightly. Now im going to be around 10:30-11:30.

    Here's something else that might help that I actually used last night. Whenever you're about to eat something at night, think about how you'll feel about that decision in the morning. I literally had a little ice cream cup in my hand last night and put it away after saying "ill regret you in the morning"

    Then I went to sleep. :)
  • mmsilvia
    mmsilvia Posts: 459 Member
    I usually have the munchies when I get home from work. I try to have dinner ready (crockpot) within half an hour of getting home. If I can't wait I will have a glass of cold water. If that still doesn't work I have carrot sticks until it's time to eat.

    My late night munchies are watermelon and air pop popcorn. Both I keep on hand and ready so that I can just grab & eat. I love that I have have a HUGE bowl of watermelon for only a few calories. It can be just a refreshing & sweet as ice cream.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Oh I'm the same! I can go the whole day with such control over my eating, and around 3pm the cravings kick in like crazy. By 5pm I'm basically binging. Then it raises the question as to eat dinner or not.

    I agree with RedWeb, don't have the food you're gonna crave in your house.
    I find I usually only binge on food that is actually within my reach. But more fresh fruits and veg you can eat raw instead of the processed food.
    Better to eat too much fruit and veg than fattening food.
    Good luck :)
  • ctooch99
    ctooch99 Posts: 459 Member
    I was the same way - it sucks! What helped me out a lot was to have a high protein small snack at work just before leaving for the day. If I feel hungry late, I have a handful of cashew nuts or sunflower seeds. The protein will curb your hunger and when you get home, you will be ready for dinner, but not so voracious you eat everything in sight.

    Also I found having a meal planned helps in a HUGE way. Before I did not know what I would have for dinner, so I would come home, open the fridg and while deciding - "hmm some cheese - chomp, hmm a piece of bread - chomp" before I knew it, I ate 4 things and had not decided on dinner!

    Now I know my meal before I get in the door - I come home and either make it, or if I cooked already, pop it in the microwave - the protein snack and that tactic have virtually eliminated my impulse eating - down 28 pounds since January!
  • ggeise14
    ggeise14 Posts: 387 Member
    Also, if you eat dinner at the kitchen table leave the bowls, pans, etc. with the remaining food on the counter don't bring it to the table. Easier to just eat what you've put on your plate and not graze.
  • Nicola0000
    Nicola0000 Posts: 531 Member
    Im the same way. I try to stop, pause for a few seconds and ask myself am I actually hungry, or just bored?? I find it helps to just take a few mins to ask myself, realise Im not hungry at all, and then tell myself to put down the cookie!!!!!
  • QueenCat25
    QueenCat25 Posts: 130
    I've tried eating more earlier in the day, turning on music and dancing, reading a book, drinking a crap load of water, or just going to bed early.

    It's difficult, but it's possible to overcome. You need to take control back, and you CAN do that.
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
    I heard from a professor that it can help having a regular, high-protein snack when you get home from work to tide you over until dinner is ready. The person he told the story about would have a container of cottage cheese, and lost a bunch of weight that way because he didn't get super-hungry by dinnertime, so he had better portion control.
  • ctooch99
    ctooch99 Posts: 459 Member
    I heard from a professor that it can help having a regular, high-protein snack when you get home from work to tide you over until dinner is ready. The person he told the story about would have a container of cottage cheese, and lost a bunch of weight that way because he didn't get super-hungry by dinnertime, so he had better portion control.

    I can attest (as posted above) this works!
  • 10acity
    10acity Posts: 798 Member
    I had the insatiable-after-work-munchies problem, too. I realized that I am going to eat a significant amount in the evenings no matter what I eat throughout the day, so I started eating much less throughout the day. Protein shake (usually with water) for breakfast, a little AB&J (almond butter & jam) for lunch and fruit if I get snacky in between. I then have a decently large meal in the evening. It works for me because I don't really get hungry during the day, even though I'm eating much less than I used to. And I don't end up snacking after dinner because the meal was large enough that I am usually quite full.

    I'm sure it won't work for everyone, but it pretty much solved the issue for me.
  • hbdbaltzell
    hbdbaltzell Posts: 3
    Get all that stuff out of the house :) I have a 5 year old and I have to keep a few treats around to bribe him to eat his dinners and what not and my husband likes a snack now and then so what I have done is gotten rid of my favs and kept things they like around even if its not their #1 choice it good enough and it keeps me from losing control I use to do so good all day then go wild and even wake up at night and stuff my face with junk. Another thing is you don't want to have nothing while they eat these yummy things so buy more fruits because for me fruit is a treat if you buy some diffrent kinds like one day fresh pinapple next strawberries (with light cool whip :) verry low in calories). Also and this is my last thing i promiss I just recenly decided to try kelp and i created a nice treak with it and it only takes 10 mins put kelp in oven till krispy should be turnin a little brownish melt dark chocolate 60% coco or more and not to much cuz the kelp breaks down add some salt mix it together and put on wax paper let is get hard and u got a health choclate treat :)
  • TanzaMarie
    TanzaMarie Posts: 94 Member
    This is what I do the worst with too. Some days you just don't want fruit when you sit down to watch TV to unwind. I try to have almonds or pistachios near by. I put them in a bowl so I know exactly how much I'm eating. And sometimes I'll have a glass of wine and always have my water beside me. Popcorn helps. When I went something sweet (and dark chocolate just isn't enough) - chocolate cheerios with vanilla soy milk. The combination is just AMAZING.

    All food aside. If I put the calories in before I eat them, that reminds me that I just don't have the calories to spare. Or if my favorite show is on, I'll enter what I want to eat during it first thing in the morning so I can order the rest of my food around it.

    I still fall off the night eating wagon sometimes...I just remember to start fresh with the next bite (or tomorrow)

    Good luck!
  • tmstebb
    tmstebb Posts: 13
    I have this same problem....First thing when you get home fix your self something HOT to drink....coffee, hot tea, low cal Hot choc...sit down and relax for a few minutes while enjoying it. This helps your cravings and makes you feel full so you can organized & fix something healthy.
  • Raseac11
    Raseac11 Posts: 41
    I can so relate to your post. It doesn't matter what I have in the house, I will find something. Sometimes it's like I want something, but I don't know what I want, so I keep eating different things. I'm hoping that hopping on MFP to chat, rather than eat, will help. Sometimes, I don't eat all my lunch, so I'll snack on what's left of my lunch on my way home, and that way I'm not starving when I walk in the door. The first thing I do is usually walk my dogs before dinner. Another thing that has helped me is to eat very slowly. I can scarf down a meal and think I'm still hungry, but if I eat slowly, my brain figures out that I'm really not. Everyday is a challenge though. I've had a lot of stress, and evenings is when I want to turn to food.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    I had the insatiable-after-work-munchies problem, too. I realized that I am going to eat a significant amount in the evenings no matter what I eat throughout the day, so I started eating much less throughout the day. Protein shake (usually with water) for breakfast, a little AB&J (almond butter & jam) for lunch and fruit if I get snacky in between. I then have a decently large meal in the evening. It works for me because I don't really get hungry during the day, even though I'm eating much less than I used to. And I don't end up snacking after dinner because the meal was large enough that I am usually quite full.

    I'm sure it won't work for everyone, but it pretty much solved the issue for me.

    I'm the same-although I don't have protein shakes or almond butter. I am a night eater-so I eat less during the day so I CAN eat at night when I really want to. Dinner is my biggest meal of the day-and I usually have a snack before bed too. It works for me.
  • loztredders
    loztredders Posts: 142
    I always floss and brush my teeth after dinner, and this signifies that I'm done eating for the day.
    I used to be a big night time junk snacker but never since I've adopted this strategy, so could be worth a go!!
  • GoldSag1
    GoldSag1 Posts: 122 Member
    I had the insatiable-after-work-munchies problem, too. I realized that I am going to eat a significant amount in the evenings no matter what I eat throughout the day, so I started eating much less throughout the day. Protein shake (usually with water) for breakfast, a little AB&J (almond butter & jam) for lunch and fruit if I get snacky in between. I then have a decently large meal in the evening. It works for me because I don't really get hungry during the day, even though I'm eating much less than I used to. And I don't end up snacking after dinner because the meal was large enough that I am usually quite full.

    I'm sure it won't work for everyone, but it pretty much solved the issue for me.

    What she said all day long! I realized I needed something "heavier" for dinner. I usually don't get hungry afterward and any craving is usually held in check by a cup of green tea(no sugar of course).

    I hope you find what works for you. You might have to try a few of the suggestions to see exactly what fits into your lifestyle. I can also attest that eating a high protien snack right before leaving work helps! Best of luck and keep us posted.
  • watercolormama
    watercolormama Posts: 131 Member
    I find I struggle right before dinner 3:30-5:30 while preparing the dinner, and then again sometimes late at night. So, I try to plan for my 'nibbling'. I am just too hungry by the time dinner comes, so I eat a hard boiled egg cut in half about 3:30pm and/or a few sticks of celery, radishes, sliced cucumber, peppers, sliced purple cabbage, etc. I often eat those kinds of vegetables while getting the dinner ready. The egg really helps curb my craving.....just seems to satisfy with the fat. I do nuts as well, but I can get carried away with them sometimes. An egg is only 80 calories and so good for you. An alternative snack before dinner would be a half an apple sliced thin and some toasted almonds. And, there is always water, but I can't walk around in a hunger state all the time and feel like I will achieve any real success. I have to eat something nutritious. As for chips, etc., I've realized it is better to not have them around regularly. Same with good crackers. I love gourmet cheeses and it is an area I can't control too well, so I just don't have them unless I'm entertaining and can share. Good luck to you. Plan, plan and plan and I think you will do well.
  • katstar55
    katstar55 Posts: 2
    i have taken all the fattening stuff out of my apartment because i'm a night eater too. i just eat healthier stuff. sometimes i snack on sunflower seeds because breaking the shell takes time to get the seed out. it works for me when i'm working it anyway. i just hope i don't go out and buy bad stuff to bring home. if i want ice cream i get one of those tiny servings at the store and eat it while i'm waiting on the bus. i do live alone so that's why i can just buy what is good for me to eat. if you have a family it's harder. maybe trying to stay busy at home playing games with the family or doing crafts or something that keeps your mind busy would help you. good luck.
    :smile:
  • katstar55
    katstar55 Posts: 2
    i agree, planing is definitely the way to go.
  • AmiC0717
    AmiC0717 Posts: 440 Member
    As I'm thinking about your post I realize the advertising at the top of the page is for McDonalds Rolo McFlurry. Seems pretty counter productive :) I am working on week 4 of making better food choices and cutting calories. I too am an evening eater vs day eater. There was a few nights I said screw it and went to bed early. I know it's probably not the best solution but it's what I've done. I also try to pack one healthy snack in my lunch to eat around 330p before the end of the day so that I'm not totally starving when I walk in the door. I have always been a meal planner so I usually know what's for dinner and just get right to making dinner. I also give myself a snack in the evening if I completed my excercise for that day. That snack has to be fresh fruit or less than 100 calories but I still feel like I "got something". Good luck to you.
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