Hi everyone,

I am new to this forum. I had my surgery in late September and have lost about 50 pounds. Since switching back to a full food diet, I have had serious night cravings, which was a serious issue for many years. That was the main reason I put on so much weight in the first place. I am worried that this will become an issue again, and I am looking for some moral support to help with my resolve. I look at this surgery as a gift - a second chance. I already feel great and the health benefits have been amazing. I don't want to put my new stomach in danger by overeating...this is a tough one for me! Any help would be so appreciated. Thanks!

Congratulations on losing 50 pounds and realizing you need help.

I don't really know what you mean by night cravings. It might be head hunger or it may be that you are actually hungry.

To address actual hunger, the best thing you can do is stay well-nourished. For me, that means following my program. Getting in all of my Protein and fluids every day, taking my Vitamins and supplements as directed, and exercising.

Try planning for a small, high protein snack before you go to bed.

If it's head hunger, and you let it control you, then you may need to talk with a counselor or therapist.

@@PBNB

We have a class in my area on behavior changes. His take on night eating is it soothes you to sleep. It becomes a routine/Habit that you have to find ways to break.

His suggestion is keep a piece of paper on the refrigerator.

Log: your intensity of hunger on a scale of 1 t0 5

Log: Asking yourself is this emotional eating or soothing - Log what you are feeling at the time

Log: if you choose to eat and how many calories.

Looking at your log each time at night will give you an Idea of your reasons for night eating. It will also make you pause to do the log and the intensity to eat may subside.

I agree with @InnerSurfergirl - planning a small, nutritious evening snack may be the safest thing to do. There are plenty of options that can help you stay on track. My current favorites are cucumbers with a splash of hot sauce & lime, a cup of herbal tea, a hardboiled egg or a tbsp of almond butter. You can also try those single serving packs of nuts. The point is to plan for and portion out something safe.

I have night time cravings as well, especially during my "non-feeding" days. It was really bad about 6 months post op, when I was barely getting in 600 calories a day and exercising a lot. I figured out that my body just needs a constant stream of food and I am absolutely useless when I do three squares and a snack.

My body is much happier with 6-7 mini meals over the day, mostly consisting of meat, cheese and edamame.

As long as my calories and Protein track about the same, I don't see the problem with it. 1500 calories over a day, whether it be in the form of three meals and a snack or 6 "mini-meals" is all the same. As long as I am making consistently good choices, calories in are calories in.

Speaking of edamame, I went to the movies this weekend and they offered them as a snack. I was super happy to have a safe movie snack!

Speaking of edamame, I went to the movies this weekend and they offered them as a snack. I was super happy to have a safe movie snack!

That's so awesome! I wish my movie theater would offer that!

Speaking of edamame, I went to the movies this weekend and they offered them as a snack. I was super happy to have a safe movie snack!

I take my own. Everywhere.

Pictsweet brand sells these little micorwave boxes that are "individual serving" size. You get a LOT in the box. They usually go on sale for 10/$10. YUM.

@@LipstickLady - Thanks! Going to look for those. Unless I go to the dinner movie theater, I usually have to grab mine from Whole Foods.

@@LipstickLady - Thanks! Going to look for those. Unless I go to the dinner movie theater, I usually have to grab mine from Whole Foods.

They are MUCH MUCH cheaper at costco.

When I get hungry before bed I try a glass of water. If that doesn't work I go for either a piece of cheese or mandarin orange.

The midnight munchies have been with me for years so I've had to break the habit. I'm with the high protein snack before bed time (or in my case in bed whilst watching TV) and I either have a chicken thigh or a protein drink. Seems to do the trick.

I am having head hunger and it is way worse at nights!!

Night snacking for me is a challenge. I don't always need a snack, but I find I have to pick and choose when I do. Figuring out if it's hunger or habit is the first step.

Sometimes just drinking Water works.

Some shows I find I want to snack while watching. The Shonda Rhimes TGIT lineup I want a glass of wine and sometimes popcorn. I have found that I can switch this up and drink peppermint tea and steamed edamame.

Some nights I a truly hungry. On those nights diced cucumbers with lime and sriracha sauce, a hardboiled egg, half a cup of low sodium veg broth or a tbsp of almond butter will do the trick.

One thing I did discover is my homemade hot chocolate doesn't help. Nutritionally it should, but I realized that it actually triggered hunger for me so I now stick to herbal tea.

Try an adkins Snack pack? Make your snack later in the evening? Try different ways and until you find what works for you. I eat beef jerky before I go to bed and I sleep better and get ten grams of protein... low carb... a lil high in salt so if your have blood pressure issues... that might not be the way to go...how about a handful of pistachios/ almonds... Pistachios because they make you work for it so you need want less.... The snack packs ( think trail mix adkins style) I am prolly spelling that wrong... But you eat one piece at a time... make it take longer it will fulfill the need to snack.... with a small amount... and it has protein...

Try an adkins Snack pack? Make your snack later in the evening? Try different ways and until you find what works for you. I eat beef jerky before I go to bed and I sleep better and get ten grams of protein... low carb... a lil high in salt so if your have blood pressure issues... that might not be the way to go...how about a handful of pistachios/ almonds... Pistachios because they make you work for it so you need want less.... The snack packs ( think trail mix adkins style) I am prolly spelling that wrong... But you eat one piece at a time... make it take longer it will fulfill the need to snack.... with a small amount... and it has protein...

This becomes an issue for me when I have too many carbs in my diet.