Night time eating

Hello all,

I wanted to ask this question, has anyone have trouble with eating late at night.  Mine is so bad that I will wake up from a deep sleep to eat.  I spoke with my Dr. about this once and he said that I was not gettting enough calories during the day, so my body is craving them at night.  I am going through a bad transition in my life.  I was fired (unjustly) from my job in March.  I have been fighting with it ever since.  I started back to school this fall.  So I am thinking that stress has a lot to do with it.  However, I cannot seem to stop eating at night.  If anyone have and suggestions, I am open to them.

Thank you in advance....

Hello Kathy J!

Good on you for talking about this vexing problem! in the 12 step programs, it is said that we are
"as sick as our secrets!" -- so by sharing this issue with us, you have already diminished its ability to make things worse...

You have a lot going on here. You mention that your doc said that you seem to not be getting enough calories, and you also say that you are undergoing a lot of stress recently. These are both very useful bits of information. Do you have access to a dietician? If not, your doctor should be able to help you to access one in your local area. If you currently have insurance, I imagine that it would pay for some dietary consults. Now would be a superexcellent time to consult with a dietician -- especially one that has some expertise in the needs of post-RNY patients. What patterns in your eating are leading to inadequate caloric intake during daytime hours? Would a bedtime swig of protein shake (maybe heated up -- that could be very soothing and might promote sleep) help? The dietician would be able to help you to answer those questions. I know that you are under a lot of stress right now, but maybe tracking your food intake for several days would help you and also maybe the dietician to see where your current food situation could be strengthened. 

Are you maybe so stressed out that you simply are not sleeping well and when you awaken at night, your thoughts turn to food? Think of what soothes you to help you to sleep, and if this continues to be a problem, maybe your doc would consider a short-term course of gentle sleep medication...

As for the stress ,  of course you want to activate self-care interventions that have helped you in the past -- when I am upset, I like to for a little walk, journaling ALWAYS helps me, prayer, talking to a friend or counsellor, etc... 

You have done so well so far--- you had surgery, you lost weight, and you are weathering some reallty yukky sounding stuff like unjust job loss, but you are also persuing education. You sound like you have a lot of personal strengths, and you have resources and options that you can mobilize to help with this problem.

I would say that the number one thing, above school or any of the above, or anything else going on in your life, is to make sure that you are getting adequate nutrition! Talk to your doc, see a dietician, and without delay! The committment to surgery is a committment to your protecting your health... Please do take this to heart -- WLS patients do not have any 'wiggle room" for error with nutrition -- don't forget also that good nutrition can strengthen our response to stress, and -- can help us to sleep better....

Please let us know how you are doing...the wellbeing of one of us impacts all of us...

Hang in there!

==swizzlequeen.

Thank you so much for your response.  I have been hiding this for a long time.  My husband knows of course and he is worried.  He is not worried about me gaining weight, he is worried about my health.  Sometimes I can go all day without a bit to eat, but at night it all comes back.  I am so afraid to go back to where I started from.  I am currently in therapy for my stress and job loss, but I haven't really told the therapist about my eating habits.  When I went to my three year follow up appointment, they said I was doing really well.  I did not reveal to them what I was going through either.  I workout really hard, so hard that I injured myself this summer.  Thank you again, I will call me surgeon office and talk to the dietitian.

I will keep you updated.

Thanks for bringing this up. Nights are hard! I call myself a Sundowner--although it actually starts in midafternoon. I've tried planning one of my main meals for 10:15 p.m., and that does help. It doesn't totally eliminate the problem, but it usually heads off the middle of the night food crazies. Just brainstorming...what about planning one of your meals for 3:00 a.m.? It wouldn't be the best habit to start, but at least your calorie intake would be accounted for. 

Job stress is horrible, especially when it ends in being fired. I feel your pain. For that kind of anger/depression/pain, I've been advised to do something aggressive in the way of exercise (like boxing) or play a loud musical instrument (heavy metal...not my cup of tea) or tear out blackberry vines or similar. I have not followed that advice because I can't get too physical with this arthritis, but it sounds good.

Things that help me sleep are, first and foremost, being retired and not having job stress. But until that time comes for you--assuming people will be able to retire in the future--you could look into taking 5-HTP at night. It's a form of tryptophan and is gentle. Not only does it help you sleep, it is a mild mood lifter.

As my therapist says: Baby Steps.  It sounds like you are used to taking life by the horns and charging. I admire that! For now, though, consider taking it easy on yourself. No more exercise injuries, please! No more fasting during the day.

As you might suspect, I'm advising myself while talking to you. I've been stalled for nearly two months and am scared of failure and revolted with myself for failing. 

I'm pulling for you!

 

 

Thank you so much for the much needed advise.  I will try some of your suggestions.  My friend told me to put veggies beside my bed at night.  Like you, I am so afraid of going back.  I am back to working out like crazy.  So I hope that will help me sleep at night.  Again, thank you for your post.

Your doctor is right, maybe you're fond of eating empty carbs during the day. I suggest, eat protein rich foods in order for you to   feel fuller. Protein takes longer time to digest rather than carbs. 

I NIGHT EAT TOO! I'M NOT SURE WHY. BUT I DO. I TEND TO EAT CHOCOLATE OR ANYTHING SWEET WHEN I NIGHT EAT. I TRY TO KEEP THOSE FOODS OUT OF THE HOUSE. I HAVE EVEN EATEN CHOCOLATE CHIPS OUT OF THE BAG AT NIGHT. I'M NOT SURE WHY. I'M GOING TO THE DOC THIS WEEK!

Chocolate chips are Evil. I just bought myself a bag, because I "needed" a little chocolate. I am proud of myself though - as I was eating "just a couple more" I thought, who do I think I'm fooling here! I knew sooner or later I would have eaten the entire bag, and that is the LAST thing I need. So I marched over to the nasty trash can and buried them deep. A small victory.