[stepbystep]

So I'm on day two of healthy eating having probably spent a year not really focusing and then the last two weeks on holiday and overindulging. The smaller portions are right now a shock to the system, but I am focused and know that it will become normal as what I'm eating right now is the correct amount.

However, it's 19.25 here and I ate dinner about 30 minutes ago and the long evening ahead of me just seems so depressing. Lat night I ate later as I was in from work later, but then went to bed soon after and was up today at 7am on my day off as a result.

Now, I feel like going to bed again, but know this is a silly pattern to get into. I can't replace non-eating in the evenings with 8pm bedtimes!

ANyone else had problems with this? Any advice?

[MauiKai]

What's wrong with 8pm bedtimes?

[stepbystep]

Well, when you put it like that....!!!

I guess my question should be, how do people cope with foodless evenings once dinner is over and you are 'fueled' for the day but old habits are saying to night snack, no matter what time you choose to go to bed?!

[MauiKai]

I go to bed at 8 or 830 often. Science has shown over and over that weight loss and many other health issues benefit greatly from more sleep. After dinner, until then, I work on a project. I knit, I do laundry, dishes, read, play with the dogs, take a slow walk...

[stepbystep]

Pre weightloss journey did you eat a lot in the evenings? Do you crave food after dinner?

[MauiKai]

Yes. I used to eat dinner in a hurry so I could get to the big show...desserts, snacks, crap.

[Wannabehealthy]

There's really nothing wrong with getting up early on your day off. For good sleep habits, you are supposed to get up and go to bed at the same time every day.

I understand what you are experiencing because I used to go to bed very early to keep myself from eating again. Eating after dinner is a habit. It is not due to hunger unless you really aren't eating enough. It would be best if you found something to do that would keep your mind off food. It can be anything, different things work for different people. Do crafts, join a gym, take a class. If this is your biggest obstacle, then this is what you must work on first. Try to get through one evening without eating. Then do it again the next day. The more times you are successful, the sooner you will change the habit. It will also help if you don't have anything in the house suitable for snacking.

[IanG]

Read in bed.

I love early nights. They are the best weightloss trick in the ...ahem...book.

I need to sleep early now anyway. I get up early to exercise. And exercise also tires you out.

[nonameslob]

It gets easier. You just need to break your new habits and get into new, better ones. Some nights that may mean early to bed - we've all done it and there's nothing wrong with that! But you can also manage on nights when you don't go to bed early. Drink lots of water (until a certain time...you don't want to be up and down all night!) or make some hot tea if you feel like you want a snack. Go to the gym. Go for a walk. Do the dishes, laundry, cleaning.

I personally find that once I get home from work I barely sit down for more than an hour before bedtime. Not much time to think about snacks, though occasionally I'll make some air popped popcorn.

I'd also make sure you're eating a big enough evening meal.

[spanky]

Well, I do calorie counting so I save 100 calories from my day's allotment to have something after dinner if I want it.

My usual after dinner activity is to write to pen-pals, which precludes having food in my hands so that keeps me out of a lot of trouble.

[stepbystep]

Thanks everyone,

Today I am changing my eating around a little as I have an early lunch with my boss so rather than my usual snacking in the afternoon and then having dinner when I get home from work at 20.30 and then wanting my sweet treats out of habit, I am going to take dinner to work (chili con carne to stick in the microwave) and then have a banana smoothie when I get home for supper. It will be interesting to see if the sweetness sees me better satisfied.

I do know that I also need to find things other than going out eating and drinking to do with my evenings too.

Thanks again

[IanG]

On the evenings, drink but don't eat.

It works for me.

Few can do it.

But it works for me.

[stepbystep]

i dont know if a smoothie counts as drink though? It's got way too much stuff in it not to be food surely?!

[Palestrina]

For snacking at night was just a habit. If you're a calorie counter you can split your calories in such a way where you can have a late evening snack because it doesn't really matter when your calories come in. However in my case if I eat after 7pm I get heartburn at night and digestive issues are not pleasant. So I had to quit my late snack habit. It's one of things that if you do it for a few days consistently it breaks the habit. I wouldn't dream of eating a snack at night now, it would feel so weird.

I think it's a good thing to get up early on your day off. This is coming from a mother of 38 though (yrs, not kids lol), I know that while I was a teenager and in college I was all about the early morning weekday classes and sleeping in until 11am on weekends. But grown ups can't do that as easily and really shouldn't. Keeping your circadian rhythms out of whack is a big contributor to obesity and other health problems. One must wake around the same time every day and go to bed around the same time.

It is very important that you are eating enough though. If you're truly hungry at night, like rumble in the tummy then that means you're not eating enough in the day. If you continuously ignore REAL hunger it may result in binging.

[IanG]

i dont know if a smoothie counts as drink though? It's got way too much stuff in it not to be food surely?!

I meant booze! My bad.

And early nights are good because you can't eat when you are sleeping. Nor feel hunger.

You should wake up hungry.

That's what breakfast is for.