Hi everyone! I just joined 3chicks. I just graduated occupational therapy assistant school at the age of 54. I am starting an exciting new career and life, and I want my health to reflect that. I need to lose 100 pounds. I feel like the online support can help, and I hope that I can encourage others at the same time. I can keep my eating under control until the evening, but that is my hardest time of day. I start eating when I get home from work and tend to keep munching until I go to bed. I just moved to Tyler, Tx, and don't really know anyone here yet, so I thought going online was a good way to go. Any tips to discourage overeating in the evening would be helpful.

Welcome!! Glad to have you. Look around, there are lots of tips here.

Evenings are my worst time too. What's been helping me is, halfway between supper and bedtime, I've been eating 2 stalks of celery cut into pieces with 1 1/2 Tablespoon of peanut butter on them. For me, that takes away the wanting to munch on everything I can find.

I've started knitting baby caps in the evening for preemie newborns at Children's Hospital - learning the patterns can keep me occupied for a couple of hours, because I'm not a very good knitter yet and can't put it down or I'll lose my place!

otachick,

You've gotten some good advice already. A few things that came to mind when I read your post are:

1. What kind of diet are you on?

2. Moving to a new town & starting a new job is exciting, but also stressful, & stress increases cortisol output, which in turn increases insulin output, which INCREASES HUNGER. What you are experiencing is probably, at least in part, very real physical hunger. Do you eat enough & often enough during the day? Do you eat enough protein? Many people get ravenous when they eat too many carbs or wait too long to eat.

3. Plan ahead as much as possible. I have a friend who says that when she gets home from work, she nibbles on cheese & celery or just a small handful of nuts while preparing dinner. For her this decreases her hunger enough to eat reasonably at dinner & be satisfied.

4. If there is a TOPS organization in your area, that might be a good way to meet people. It's my understanding that they are a non-profit support organization that allows any diet you want. Their fees are low & they are just there for support.

Please let us know how you are doing with all the changes in your life & your diet. Good Luck!

I do that too. I start the day with a good breakfast and that is the best thing I do. It keeps me full and motivated for the beginning of the day. I do my best to plan my meals and that starts at the market, buying things that keep me on track. I live in a rural area, so going out for a snack is not something i just randomly do. My tip, have a plan. Planning is good. I have maintained my weight for a week, going to the gym today to walk. (Snow outside makes it treacherous).

Welcome Otachick! I am 54 also, and have the same problem with overeating in the evening as you describe, although I eat healthy stuff for breakfast and lunch. I agree that hormones from stress play a big part of that uncontrollable craving, especially for me. I've found that drinking a large glass of 1% milk when I get home really slows the hunger, and if I then eat some lean protein like sauteed chicken tenders (prepared the day before, usually), I don't go crazy with eating all the carbs in the pantry. Although I don't have as much to lose as you, I'm trying to stay motivated and this site really helps. Good luck and I hope to hear back from you.

Me too. My worst time is in the evenings. I find that I have to stay away from anything that looks like bread, etc. And I will eat a couple fruits instead & that seems to really help me. Hopefully that idea will help. Good luck there girl! You'll do it!

I'm in the same boat. Once the sun goes down, it's on. I try to keep all bad food out of the house. Of course I live alone so it's little easier.

Night eater here too. Thought I had it licked, but its been a tough week.

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS on your graduation! You must be so proud.

As a person who has dealt with nervous binging for most of her life I can tell that it can be problem for a lot of people. Some decide never to eat unless they are at a table but I think you can just subsitute when you get the urge. Long days filled with classes and etc. will build up stress too, even if you are happy to be there! I still want something at night even though I've gone cold turkey on the junk eating and I like something crunchy, so I eat some baby carrots or thin slices of apple and sometimes I put a small amount of peanut buttr on them. Drink a glass of water and make sure to limit how much fruit or veg you'll eat, just as you do with anything else! I agree with the other crafters, I am a knitter too-it's hard to eat when you are creating!

Good luck to you...best wishes

Thanks everyone for the helpful suggestions. I have started freezing slimfasts and eating them after supper (like ice cream) because I crave something sweet after supper, and that is helping me somewhat. I put it in the freezer after work, and it is the right consistency after a few hours. If you leave it in the freezer all day, it will be hard as a rock! I have also started taking Fiberchoice Weight Management pills as soon as I get in the car after work, so I won't be ravenous when I get home. Just the 2 changes have made me lose 5 pounds already.

Frozen Slim Fast? Never thought of freezing ! Do you freeze it in the can or do you make or pour it in another container before freezing? This might be helpful to me and I do like Slim Fast and it is pretty filling.

ETA: Shortly after typing this I thought you must not freeze in can as how would you eat it? LOL So I guess
you pour it into another container. Ok, I'm a little dumb sometimes.....

I do freeze it in the can, and then I open it with a can opener. Ice cream is one of my biggest downfalls, and this is a good substitute for me.

I used to do this years ago with "Sego" diet drink in the can. Remember that one?