hello all!! Without getting into a huge amount of detail (unless you want more, then just ask! ;-) I'm liz. I'll be 48 on Sunday, divorced mom of 2 kids, a dog and a cat. We all live in suburban phila. (Waves to all PA people)

I am a lifetime WW member, so I know the "good foods", etc.. I restarted WW several times over the past few years with limited success. I think #1, it got to be boring, and #2 I hated journaling. This time around I decided to count calories; I have a fitday journal I just started. I really like this method because it forces me to look at what I have eaten and how many calories it is. Yesterday I picked up a pack of 2 cookies which I like at the Wawa, and then I checked the calories. ~400!!! yikes! I put that back really quick.

I am good about controlling my food intake during the day but by night time -- especially 10pm or later, I *feel* ravenous!! I know that I'm not because I have had enough to eat!! But this craving is SO STRONG and I almost feel like I get a hunger pang that won't go away!!

Last night I had a PB sandwich and milk. But I can't do this every night!
what's going on and how can I get past it?

Thanks!
Liz

I get night cravings, too. You can always try the chug a glass of cold water method to see if that helps. Or make sure you have some cut veggies or fruit on hand for when the cravings some. I actually have some low-cal/low pt snacks on hand and I stay on the low end of my range or below it so that I can have that snack if I need it. Last night, I planned to have a snack and then I forgot about it!

Would you like to post an average menu for you? Maybe there could be other choices you could make during the day that would mean that either you weren't so hungry in the evening or that you had more spare calories left to use then. You're right, pb is a calorie MONSTER!

I used to be a terrible night-time grazer.

I plan on a snack every night--in time, I'll make it a goal to go one night without, then two, etc.

Tonight I may just leave out a veggie plate and graze on that. Or cut up apple slices. We'll see.

Night snacks were a problem for me too but I found that once I stopped giving into my cravings and stopped snacking at night they eventually went away. Now I don't eat anything after I have had dinner.

I can be good M - F, but come Saturday/Sunday...I'm a total hoss!

I have already gripped out my boyfriend, he is the worst at tempting me with Sushi. My indulgence is Mexican Food. I absolutely LOVE Mexican food!

I agree with the other posters...you should have a premade snack for your night time cravings, something like fresh veggies (no dip) or maybe some air popped popcorn.

My weightloss doctor told me that I could have fresh veggies and air popped popcorn any time I wanted.

I used to get late night cravings too, but they eventually went away. Human beings are very habitual creatures and if you are used to snacking at night, the cravings to snack will be there. Maybe you can do something to replace that habit like going for a nighttime walk or drinking some water when the cravings hit? After a while, you will replace that habit and the cravings will go away.

Plan for something that will fill you up without a lot of calories, like some raw veggies, a glass of skim milk, or maybe a bowl of soup (not cream based). There's nothing wrong with eating after dinner, and if it feels like you really need it it may help you stay on plan if you give yourself an after dinner calorie allowance. I would suggest staying away from high carb foods as they tend to make cravings worse.

Either that, or like others have said, just resist until the night time cravings go away.

I agree with thinpossible. I always want a bedtime snack so I just plan it. Also, I want to suggest that you look at your protein to carb ratio. I have found that if I eat a high carb diet, I have cravings.

It looks like you just started. The first month of healthy eating was the hardest for me. I had strong cravings day and night but after about a month of eating healthy the cravings pretty much stopped. I rarely have any cravings now. So I want to encourage you to tie a knot in the rope and hang in there! It will get easier!!!

Another possible idea- just go to bed earlier. I don't know how much sleep you get nightly, but maybe you could aid in getting your 7-8 hours by going to bed earlier.

(I've only been at this for a week, so this is what I had, yesterday)...

B: coffee w/ skim milk
omelet (1 egg, 1 egg white with a little milk) -- 1/3 c. FF cheddar, onion, spinach, garlic (yes, garlic in an omelet is fab!!)
I put the omelet on a flat-out

snack: 1 c. honeydew

L: flat out sandwich with 4 oz grilled chicken, salsa, lettuce, cuke, grape tomatoes (it's great!! It's a BIG sandwich and totally yummy! sometimes I'll add a slice of avocado)

Snack: either 1/3 c. hummus and carrots, or a fiber one bar (140 calories).

D: asparagus, and 1 c. whole wheat rotini, and ground turkey/spaghetti sauce

After dinner I had some 100 calorie kettle corn, and also lots of water all day. Alternatively I'll have a skinny cow sandwich.

Any input is appreciated!!

time2lose - great point. So if I have a snack I could have something with more protein. Any suggestions?

http://www.physorg.com/news72978010.html

here is some info to back that statement up.

sleeping at least 7.5 hours/day will help aide you in your weight loss!
Being a mom to 3 kids & 4 dogs I personally know that this task is almost impossible & catching up on your sleep on the weekends isn't a good solution. In fact it can hurt! It is usually suggested that a person should get 7 - 9 hours of sleep per night. Not only does it help you with your weight loss, but it helps with stress and a few other things that could be bothering you. http://www.pioneerthinking.com/ej_sleep.html

lizzy your meal plan listed looks great.

a tip on the spaghetti...I like to add diced carrots and zuccini & mushrooms. it adds more veggies and makes it a more filling meal without packing on the calories. They usually used those types of veggies in the sauce anyway, so why not add a little more! LOL

Carby snacks don't do it for me. If I have a nice solid protein for dinner, I usually don't need a snack before bed. But when I do, I aim for some cottage cheese, a mozzarella cheese stick or slice of cheddar and an apple, or a small handful of almonds or other nuts. They satisfy me faster than just popcorn would, and keep me longer.