Tips for night time eating

I am getting myself back on track, I have gained 25lbs and will not gain more. I am good all day at work, plan my meals, (breakfast, snack, lunch, snack) and drink my water. But as soon as I walk through the front door at home I am like a Hoover Vac, eating everything in site. Last night while making dinner I decided to make a good choice and had a hard boiled egg, but after dinner between 8pm-10pm I was grabbing everything in site. I had chips, dip, yogurt, jello, more chips, cheese with crackers. You think I was being sent away and was not going to see food for months. Any tips you guys can give would be appreciated. The problem is after dinner until I go to bed. HELP.

Oh Laura, I have the exact same problem. I do so good all day. Yet, night is a different story. I don't know what to do either. I wish I had the answer. I have no control over myself. I know that I shouldn't be doing what I'm doing, but I don't seem to be able to stop myself. I'm going to try and read a book to keep my mind off of food. I'm going to try to go to bed a little earlier. I had planned on doing this as of tonight. I am beating myself up and I just hate myself right now. Keep in touch. Nancy

Ok, you know that that is a problem time for you. So you need to find something to occupy yourself during that time. Go for a walk, start some kind of activity. Are you sure you're eating enough for your dinner? Are you making sure you have a dense protein first, then a good carb? Are you waiting to drink at least 30 min after you eat, and then do you make sure you drink plenty of water? I had/have to talk to myself alot sometimes. I can usually talk myself out of the snacking by reminding myself how far I've come and how hard I've worked and is it worth blowing it for a few MINUTES of satisfaction. If that doesn't work, then I grab a cheese stick or a small handful of nuts and nibble on it and make it last as long as possible. Also, throw away any bad snacks you have in the house (i.e. chips). If you have to, stomp on them first then throw it out, get it completely out of the house. If your family complains, tell them tough, that it's a trigger food for you and you can't allow it into the house anymore. Keep healthy snacks around, what's good for you is good for them also. While yogurt and jello aren't bad, they aren't dense enough to satisfy your hunger and probably need something more dense. Make sure you NIBBLE. I can make a peanut last 4 "bites". I break it in half and then in half again and chew it until it's mush. You can make a 1/4 cup of peanuts last a long time that way. HTH Linda

If i got the nibles and have had all I should I turn to nuts with the shells on. The harder they are to shell the better. Bazil nuts are hard and I heard they have something in them good for us GBP poeple. Sorry do not remember what it is.

Nighttime is the hardest time for me. Everynight I get the munchies. I started making up ziploc bags of cheese and summer sausage and another one with veggies. As long as I can grab something other than chips, it's a good thing. Get the junk out of the house. It's what I did. Mom and my son didn't like it, but tough cookies! they don't need junk either. Only thing I keep for snacks is baked lays. I buy the snack size , so it's portioned out.

I am the exact same way! I make great, well-balanced choices during the day, but once I get home it's like I go crazy. I eat dinner, an hour later go for a snack, an hour later another one, etc. Half the time I'm waiting just not to feel too full so I can shove a few more handfuls of something in. I just stocked up on fresh fruits, lots of SF Jello and pudding, rice cakes, and Absolutely Free ice cream bars. I'm hoping to turn to those instead of my usual (Combos, Sun Chips, and mini bags of shorbread cookies). Good luck!

Laura, IMHO that one egg was not enough really. Try increasing the amount of food (protein) you eat at dinner. Hopefully, that will help. Good luck, I am fighting those demons also. I do well if I plan dinner ahead of time, usually. Tonight I had chicken w/ mushrooms (3oz of chix) and Fauxtatoes (1/2 c) w/ a small salad (maybe an 8th of a cup). MaryLyn

I have always been a night muncher. So I plan for a snack at 10 pm. Always protein. I don't keep chips or crackers, etc. in the house, because they would "call" to me.....LOL. The others have good tips too, keeping your hands busy---do you like to knit, crochet, read, etc., etc. Anyway, I eat my supper and then plan when and what I will eat for a snack, and make myself wait until 10 pm (I don't go to sleep until usually midnight). Do what works for you, but most important, plan for it, put it in your alloted calories for the day. Just know that you're not alone, but you must take control, and you can. We're all here, cheering you on! Hugs, Connie -147#

Thanks everyone, I am gladd to see I am not the only one, I was starting to think had something wrong with me. But you guys gave great tips. I am removing all deadly snacks (chips, etc) and replacing them with cut-up vegs, hard boiled eggs, chicken, sf jello that I can grab instead. Even told well more like demanded that my husband put my new exercise bike together so I can do that at night. Thanks everyone. laura

I have the same problem! basically, I allow myself about 100 calories for a night snack. If you're careful, you can eat a lot for 100 calories. A few things that help me are: chewing gum, that helps throughout the day as well, drinking something hot like tea, cut up veggies because they have less calories then fruit, nuts, chicken and other things - you can eat a "HUGE" amount of raw carrots, cucumber slices, dill pickles, bell pepper slices (I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE yellow bell pepper slices), and even canned green beans for less than 100 calories and no fat and few carbs, if any. Sometimes, I'll pop open a can of green beans and eat them right out of the can - they're delish and you don't need butter or anything. A whole can of green beans is 70 calories, no fat and no carbs. If you need something on it, shake on a little Molly McButter. Also, if you're really craving something more "snacky" pop a bag of 100-calorie size microwave popcorn and munch on that for a little while. If all else fails, do what I do and simply go to bed early. If I am having a particularly bad evening with the munchies, I'll just throw-in-the-towel and hit the hay for the night. Good luck, Laura! Hugs, Tracy