What day in my journal would a 3 am snack fit? I just couldn't sleep last night, got up at 2 am then 3 am and finally had some popcorn, cheese and an apple (could have been worse) so I'm just wondering does this count as a snack on Tues (yesterday)... I closed by Calorie King count for the day and was proud that I hit calories just right. Anyways I slept in, didn't have breakfast so I'm thinking this goes in breakfast/snack category for today Wed. And then today I'd have to count that in as calories (including the cheese) in my total count. Trying to stay at 1250 or so is all... And I KNOW, I KNOW eating at 3 am isn't a good idea! But those articles say if you can't sleep a bit of carbs like popcorn, or dairy helps. I'm all messed up from a deadline and will be back on track tomorrow.

put it on whichever day can absorb the calories the best

My new day doesn't begin until I've slept.

So if I stay up 'til 3 a.m. and then sleep until 10 a.m., what I eat at 3 goes on the day before.

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3 am is a bad time for me, too. I can totally relate! I usually wake up around that time just really having to use the restroom, then I'm thirsty, which from my old habits I translate as hungry. My solution is to try and ignore it, drink water, and force myself to go back to bed. I'm one that wakes up and I'm awake, instantly, so it's hard to get back to sleep. If I can't avoid eating, then I find that a 100 cal yogurt will do the trick, and it's less evil than the other options for a 3 am snack. Thinking about my morning weigh in helps most nights, though, to keep me away from any food. As to where to count it, if you went to sleep, then woke at 3 and ate, I'd count it as a morning snack for the second day.

Yes yogurt would have been a better option, because after the popcorn... I just remembered then I munched on salty pretzel's of my boy's. And I'm all bloated from the carbs today. However in my binging days of gaining weight back the damage would have been much, much more. Likely a few Fat Tire beers too.

[QUOTE=PhotoChick;2502023]My new day doesn't begin until I've slept.

So if I stay up 'til 3 a.m. and then sleep until 10 a.m., what I eat at 3 goes on the day before.

Yeah, I'd say that too.

I think this is really a personal matter between you and your journal. I think as long as you are comfortable with your choice, it doesn't matter. I also usually use sleeping as my "reset," so if didn't sleep I would probably count it in the previous days, but if I woke up, and actually had to get out of bed to get the snack, I would probably count it in the next day - but I don't think it's a big deal either way, unless you start playing mind games with yourself that are counterproductive, in which case it still doesn't matter when your day starts as long as you're being consistent - for example when I was working swing shifts, I did use the clock day, because my schedule was so screwed up that my "days" weren't always of the same duration (two shifts, and even two and a half were common, but the longest I ever worked was nearly a full 3 consecutive shifts, only about an hour shy of 24 hours). Working mixed up shifts, you can start to forget WHICH day it is, so I turned over my journal at midnight.

I just begin and end at midnight. So for me, the 3 a.m. snack would not be on the day before.

Jay

I don't think it matters all that much but I agree that you should put it where you can absorb it best.

The most important thing is to put it somewhere. I'm part of the "day starts when I wake up" crew, but it really doesn't matter! I do think you should establish a personal "rule" and then record that way consistently if you are really trying to track patterns. I have a problem with put it where it fits, over the long run you won't remember how you fit it in.

I find "pattern identification" (where, when and what we eat) one of the most helpful things about food logs.