I'm sorry, hon. Sending you a big hug...

I've done things such as brush my teeth, do my nails (hard to eat with wet nails! ), and recently, doing some light working out in the evenings. I found once I have exercised, I lose all urge to eat and sip Crystal Light drinks instead.

hot tea with a little milk and sweetener quells my sweet cravings because the milk makes it a bit heavy and flavourful, the sweetener makes it sweet, and since it's warm, it sort of fills my stomach. I have some tea if I can't sleep without a sweet treat

Nighttime eating was one of my biggest challenges. I used to get all my "goodies" ready and sit down to gorge and watch one of the many reality shows. When I switched to a healthier eating lifestyle I had to change that bad habit too. I have discovered that it was more of an oral fixation. Now when I sit down to watch my favorite shows I slowly sip (with a straw), a can of "Caffeine Free Diet Cola"...it keeps my hands and mouth busy. I have dropped 53 lbs total so it has definitely helped along with changing my eating habits (cutting out fries was another biggie).

I think that way to conquer this NES is to change the way we feel about eating. There was one person in the forum who said "And instead of eating a healthy snack, i always look at it as, well I'm eating after dinner and killing it already, i might as well eat all of the things that I want and starting "tomorrow" i won't eat after dinner at all".
I don`t know about the rest of you all but I have been starting tomorrow for 5 years and 150 lbs ago. Well you have to change that. It is OK to eat after supper... Healthy of course.... All the information that you read tells you that you have to eat a large meal 3 hours before bed.... Well I think that a night snack of fruit and vegetable will not hurt you. So make it special... get a dish fill it with maybe a sliced apple and some carrot sticks. Go curl on the couch and watch your favorite TV program and ENJOY it. Change the way you think about this..... I think we think things to death.......
I`m going to try this....... And remember say NO.... I`m doing this TODAY.

I had the nighttime eating problem for so long, and I believe it caused me to gain all the weight that now makes me overweight. I could easily get through the day eating in a healthy manner, but as soon as night hit, I would pig out on junk food. Recently, I have found a way to combat this problem and hope that it might help you too:

(1) I exercise at night, close to my bedtime. Not only is it a great way to relax before bed, but it also makes me so tired I lose the motivation to prepare myself anything. Plus, I feel like I wasted my workout time by snacking so badly afterwards.

(2) I get an incredibly big swet tooth at night, and if I don't satisfy it, I will most likely end up pigging out. I buy fat free cool whip, and every night I eat two tablespoons when I get that craving before bed. Sure, it isn't nutritionally sound, but it has really improved my ability to control my hunger.

(3) When I get the urge to eat befor bed, I down a whole water bottle. By the time I'm done, the water bottle has filled me up so much that I couldn't fit in another bite of food even if I tried.

I hope this stuff helps you, and good luck with this issue that I know is so difficult

You know, I think doing stuff like that is just great. Like you said, it's not the greatest choice, but it's not the worst, either!
One summer, I cut back on my chips. Instead of eating a big bag a day, I ate a small bag, and lost 20 pounds. Every bit helps.

I agree, sunflower! I always thought eating at night was a bad thing, but the program I was given by my dietician includes an evening snack (100-200 calories). I'm allowed 1 starch and 1 protein, so I'll have something like 1/2 English muffin with light cheese, melba toast with hummus, or 1/2 cup high-fibre cereal with some nuts.
Now that I know I'm allowed to eat a little something, I enjoy it more and I eat less!

Great tips, ladies!

Somehow I justify that if no one else is around to see me eat it, or it is late at night, IT HAS NO CALORIES
I appreciate reading everyone else's advise! Thanks!

O _ M _ G !! I USED to think the very same thing... Not any more though!!

I have a nightmarish combination of ADD, a lifetime nighttime binging problem, and hypoglycemia.

ADD makes me vulnerable to mindless eating. I don't realize I even got out the chips until I reach into the bag and notice there aren't any left.

With the hypoglycemia, I figured out how to schedule myself to eat every 2 hours, but when I try to cut myself off at 7pm, and don't go to bed until 10pm, I feel like I'm SUPPOSED to eat something, even though it's too close to bedtime. Darn that Pavlov...

My appetite is super strong between 7 and 10. I've toyed with the idea of an appetite supressant, but I just don't have the money for more medicine.

I haven't figured out how to conquor it, but I have noticed that if I intentionally eat high fiber foods at night, I don't seem to eat quite as much.

i hear ya there,I put the kids to bed try to exersize and then eat and go to bed,maybe we can chat a that time instead???