Any good tips to stop nightime "binging"?

[quileness 0]

I'm great with my diet during the day but always feel hungry at night. I've tried drinking lots of Water, etc, but nothing seems to satiate me enough to not feel restless and I end up snacking...and snacking...and snacking until I feel satisfied enough to go to bed. I know this is putting a huge wrench in my progress, so I'm hoping someone has a good tip to help curb those nighttime cravings.

Thank you!

[dk4k 15]

Find something to do that keeps you busy! If you are engaged in some activity, other than watching tv, you will think about eating a lot less.

[jsea 3]

I asked the same question a few weeks ago (prior to my first fill) and received a ton of great feedback but what I think has helped me most is staying busy, and also if you are going to eat, make it Protein. Something that will satisfy you. I love to eat a Greek Yogurt with a little bit of granola on top. I will usually eat it around 7:30pm and it holds me over until 10pm which is when I usually hit the hay. It satisfies my craving yet also fills me up. I also think cottage cheese does the trick. Someone told me on here (which has seems to have stuck in my head) that night eating is a bad habit and we are trying to break our bad habits not continue them so it's best to find something else to do but that habit is hard to break and if you feel like you must eat something try your best to make it a healthy choice which is protein and always try to keep your Snacks under 180 calories. Hope this helps!!! It's a journey, we all are learning and trying. Success will come we just have to keep at it!!!

[mint2bskiny 4]

I eat a pice of wasa bread (20caloires) with 1tbp of sugar free jelly (10calories) at night. sometimes i even add 1tbs of smart choice peanutbutter. I eat that about 3 times a week around 10pm and alway seem to do pretty good during the week. *its the weekends that hold me back* LOL.

[electronicart 120]

I think my brain is just hungry! Since I've been banded, I have moments when physically I am not hungry. Still, I think about snacking, especially at night. If I do, I make sure its only a small handful of Snacks. Sometimes I just tell myself I'm not hungry, I just think I am. Old habits are hard to break, but, do-able!!!

[JerseyGirl80 12]

Even before I got my band, I was always good at eating right during the day, then once night time came the binge eating or non-stop snacking would start. Still today, these urges get me. The main thing that helps me with this is not keeping any unhealthy Snacks in my house, ever. When I do allow myself to have "bad" snacks, I get a small serving of it and it's just a one time limited thing. Now when I'm hungry late at night and feel I need some kind of snack, I'll have cheese and maybe a few crackers, fruit, a handful of nuts, chobani yogurt, or carrot sticks with some fat free dip. These kind of snacks never worked for me before the band, I just thought "are you kidding? who really believes carrot sticks are a snack?"lol but now because I can't eat that much these sort of "snacks" really do help me. Occasionally when I get really exciting with my snacks I'll have a skinny cow or weight watchers ice cream, but only on the days when I know I'm on the lower end of my calorie intake. I'm mainly a salt craver, not so much sweet, my doctor actually recomended eating beef Jerky (high in protein) whenever I crave chips or something salty, this helps too because I love chips/doritos, I could eat them for Breakfast, lunch and dinner lol. Honestly when I really have the munchies at night I try to eat something healthy and go to sleep, I've even taken naps on days when I'm home and bored to keep myself from eating just because.

[quileness 0]

Thanks for all the tips. The band hasn't really helped me not feel hungry thus far. I can deal with the empty feeling during the day, but I literally can't fall asleep on an empty stomach. I wish I could. If I'm not full, I just lay there thinking about food. And it's definitely a sugar craving...if I try to eat something high Protein I will still be "hungry" until I have some sugar. I think this is partially out of habit, but also because I'm doing a very low carb diet during the day. I wish I could find something that kills the craving without also killing my diet. ><

[CheckYes 46]

Please don't think I'm being rude but you just have to STOP. Do not give in to these cravings with unhealthy food. Have an apple and move on. You can try all kinds of tips and tricks but the bottom line is that you must say NO to yourself. After a few days of doing that, you might find the cravings for snacking will diminish.

You can do this!!

[vlp1968 83]

You've gotten some good adive so far. I like the idea of beef Jerky, lots of chewing and it's full of protien. Dr. Phil reccomends brushing and flossing your teeth. It may be a signal to stop eating. I know I don't like the feeling of eating right after I brush my teeth. Might be worth a try. Good luck!

[jsea 3]

Thanks for all the tips. The band hasn't really helped me not feel hungry thus far. I can deal with the empty feeling during the day, but I literally can't fall asleep on an empty stomach. I wish I could. If I'm not full, I just lay there thinking about food. And it's definitely a sugar craving...if I try to eat something high Protein I will still be "hungry" until I have some sugar. I think this is partially out of habit, but also because I'm doing a very low carb diet during the day. I wish I could find something that kills the craving without also killing my diet. ><

Try the greek yogurt with a little granola for the crunch. It is sweet yet it is also protein!!!!!

[FLORIDAYS 3,040]

If you are eating the correct portions and calories at meal times then you will know its your brain talking and not your stomach. It happens to all of us.... I try not to eat after 8pm. But if its one of those nights.... I'll make myself a 16oz cup of sugar free hot chocolate... The directions say to add the packet to 8oz of Water but I add it to 16. That satisfies me and I have only consumed 25 calories.

[Momto3redheads 18]

If you are eating the right portions of the right foods, etc, and you are still hungry - like really hungry and not the I am bored so I wanna snack hungry....then you probably need a fill....as once you hit your "sweet spot" you will find you really aren't hungry between meals -- and even if you get bored and go to snack, you find a few bites satisfies you and you are full again.

Hang in there - this is a journey, not a destination!

Kim

[screeden 21]

when I get snacky at night, I eat yogurt and that helps a lot with the cravings. I get the dessert type yogurts, feels like I am cheating but I am not.

[dk4k 15]

It's such a mind game!!! I was walking around in circles last night, trying not to give in to night time snacking. I knew it wouldn't benefit me. I just try not to eat a few hours before bedtime.

As a snack though, I have had an apple dipped in sugar free caramel topping, it was amazing and sweet! Sometimes your brain just won't shut up about wanting something sweet.

[nu2ywg 4]

I have the same problem, I do GREAT in the daytime but once evening hits, I could eat non-stop. My strategies are to keep busy, even folding laundry or doing something with my hands while watching tv helps. And sometimes I just go to bed to avoid eating. I also try the every other day thing...allowing some snacking one day but not the next, then snacking the next after that. Then you can work down to snacking every third night...Also, I weigh myself often. I know a lot of people are trying to weigh themselves less but I find progress on the scale really motivates me to keep going whereas gaining shocks me into action. Hope you find something that works for you, I know how tough it is.