Snacking and Nighttime Eating

So I almost never eat breakfast or lunch because I am just not hungry for the most part of the day. It's always been this way for me. My problem has always been snacking on unhealthy foods and then eating a late dinner and I find myself hungry later in the evening right before I go to bed. I am now preparing healthier snacks (for the most part) but wish I could stop the nighttime cravings for foods I know I shouldn't be eating because I am not always good at avoiding them. Does anyone have any tips on how to stop nighttime cravings? Were you able to overcome similar issues?

Sorry but I can't figure out if you are pre-op or post-op, and if you're post-op what type of surgery you've had.

I can only speak to my experiences and my situation since I don't know enough about your situation from your post. I had the DS more than 17 years ago. I eat all day long. I do eat three full meals and then continue to snack throughout the day. The most important thing for me is choosing the right foods to snack on for my situation. I try to avoid late dinners (but I think part of that is age and part of it is that eating a heavy meal late in the evening generally doesn't sit well in my tummy and I don't sleep well).

I control my nighttime cravings by trying to make appropriate choices for my situation (healthy or unhealthy is relative to your situation). One of my favorite evening snacks is a slide of toast with some butter and cheese along with a cup of decaf. Or I may have a few cookies.

Could your nighttime cravings have anything to do with the fact that you're staving yourself most of the day by not eating breakfast or lunch? Just a simple hard boiled egg for breakfast might help. Or some easy protein for lunch.

Hi Janet. I am post-op. I do know that I have to make more better choices when it comes to snacking and I should eat breakfast or have a protein shake. I just don't feel hungry and I get busy and before I know it, half the day is gone. I need more discipline and to just make it happen because you are probably right that not eating all day only adds to my nighttime eating issues.

It's always all about choices. Feeling hunger isn't why you should eat. You should eat to nourish your body. I think anyone who has ever been fat knows that starving doesn't work, eating one meal a day doesn't work. Even with WLS it doesn't work, as you've found out. Breakfast doesn't have to be traditional. Just focus on what's healthy for your type of surgery. For mine, it's all about protein and fat (I had the DS). Set reminders. Cook up a batch of hard boiled eggs if you like them so you have them to grab and go. Make it convenient for you to eat.

you don't have to be hungry to eat. Eating at regular times helps avoid the situation you described.

I often get up at 4:00 or 5:00 AM and have breakfast, then go back to sleep until 10:00 AM. It does not matter what your overall schedule is, as long as it works for you. What does matter is the total amount of calories that you take in during a 24 hour period.

I plan for nighttime eating and have something available that works for me. The secret for me of avoiding cravings is to find a food substitute what is similar to what I want, but is made with less sugar, salt, and fat. Quest Protein Chips, for example, are excellent for a quick snack. 180 calories and 18 grams of protein.

I plan six meals a day. Two meals of 300 calories, and four meals of 200 calories. My meals are what I used to call snacks. Frozen dinners work well for me. I space my meals about four hours apart and usually get up and eat at 4:00 AM. Between meals, I have a lot of water, Crystal Light, diet soda, and other liquids.

I never go to bed on an empty stomach. I always have something to eat before going to sleep. Eating every four hours means that I have never again been hungry since my surgery in 2007. My kryptonite is never letting myself wait until I actually feel hungry.

I'm not hungry in the mornings either, so I focus on getting in 1.5 liters of fluid before I have any solid food. For me, the advantages of this approach are:

• It helps me get plenty of fluids. If I have 1.5 liters by early afternoon, I am virtually guaranteed to have another liter throughout the rest of the day without even trying.
• It keeps me focused on DOs instead of DON'Ts.
• I save my calories for later in the day, when I'm hungrier.
• I almost never have to tell myself "no". Instead, I tell myself "later". If later comes and I still really want a particular food that's not in my meal plan, I allow myself to have it. As long as this doesn't happen too often, I'm fine.

Another thing that helps me is to have something that's fun to eat but healthy, for those times when I just want to munch on something. I used to feel guilty for wanting to eat when I wasn't hungry, but now I've learned that it's a normal human desire that we evolved long ago. Some examples of fun-to-eat foods include carrot sticks, pomegranate seeds, and watermelon.