[flatiron]

#1 I like to eat in vehicle when I am on the move.

#2 Because of my late hours I tend to get hungry eat AFTER 9pm


I log everything I eat and have been doing this for some time now. I have noticed these are my two worst habits where I many times don't make the best choice in food.

So easy enough I thought I just told myself no more eating in the truck and no more food after 9pm.

What I am finding is I cannot keep with this. I can go a while then I break my rule. I find all kinds of ways to justify it in my head!

I am starting to wonder if I have a problem? I am wondering if I need to go to Overeaters Annon! LOL!

But seriously, it is very frustrating.

Anyone else have one or both of these problems?

And any suggestions are appreciated too!

[Mrs Snark]

Oh yeeeaaahh, particularly eating in the car. I used to drive thru fast food joints (sometimes 2) on my way home from work every night. Then I'd get home and eat dinner, never admitting I'd eaten a ton of food in my car. I was a terrible secret eater.

It was a hard habit it break. Chewing gum in the car helped and having water with me in the car helped also.

[chickiegirl]

I work until 9 p.m. on the weekends and often have to fight eating anything after work, although I've had a supper between 6 and 7 p.m.

I think there's something about work that makes you feel you need to eat after.

My weigh-in is Monday morning, so that's part of the reason I don't want to start eating at night Saturday and Sunday. And the other thing is, I just fight it. I go home and drink herbal tea and usually by the time that happens we're getting near 10 or past 10 and I realize that's it's just too late to eat.

I know both of those problems are tricky. With the car, I just stopped. Even before I started my weight loss journey. I had a long commute and I would get a small takeout meal (two cheeseburgers and small fries from McDs or two donuts) and then go home and eat supper! It was just out of hand.

[midwife]

Do you go through drive-throughs? Lock your wallet in the trunk so that you have to get out of the car in order to buy anything. It will make it less automatic. One of my huge breakthrough moments was when I was driving to get a ginormous breakfat burrito and arguing with myself about whether I was going to, whether I should, whether I "deserved" it, and then I started driving to the restaurant and I told myself "Look! I'm going there anyway. I can't help it." And it struck me as SOOOO ridiculous, cause it was, cause who the heck was driving the car anyway? So, I took control then and I turned around and went home and it was hard, because I really honestly still wanted the burrito, but I wanted to exert control over my inner 2 year old more.

As for eating after 9, just look at the whole 24 hr cycle and figure out how to break the nutrition down to meet your needs through the day and evening.

You can do this!

[bandit2]

Hi flatiron - I commute and usually make a big coffee at home & sip on that in the car, which seems to help. Also I get home late and have my dinner around 8 pm - but I count everything & it has not been a problem as long as I stay within my limits for the day.

Good luck.

[sweetandspicy]

I eat in the car I just eat my protein bar or something healthy on my plan. yesterday I ate lettuce. YEs lettuce in the car. I cut it up bite size put it in a baggie and ate it on my way home. before i new it my veggies were gone and I was not tempted to eat any fast food as well as I was not hungry when I got home and made a healthy dinner without nippling...

I think you just should not eat 4 hours before you go to bed., It is hard to always do. if you have to eat late make healthy choices.

[Mrs Snark]

Originally Posted by midwife

Do you go through drive-throughs? Lock your wallet in the trunk so that you have to get out of the car in order to buy anything. It will make it less automatic.

That is such an EXCELLENT idea.

[Mikayla]

As far as eating in the car, it helps to plan ahead and keep healthy snacks/meals with you. For me planning ahead seemed like a ridiculous pain, but then I found myself eating anything I could find when I was out. So now I pack food to take with me so I always have healthy food nearby.

and eating after 9pm. What time do you go to bed? I read once that as long as your cut off is 2 hours before you go to bed you can eat anytime. For instance I go to bed at midnight most nights, so I have a snack at 9:30 or so. If i don't eat that snack I get uncomfortably hungry before bed.

[Jacqui_D]

I really like the wallet in the trunk idea! Also, I eat sunflower or pumpkin seeds in the car. Those shells keep you busy (and keep you awake if you are driving at night)! And definitely keep a bottle of water to drink. And if you are hungry after 9 pm, I say eat. I know it's not the best time, but it's better than ending up bingeing. Have a handful of almonds and/or walnuts. They're filling and good for you!

[Shannon in ATL]

I have a small baggie of whole almonds in the dash, typically 5-10 in the bag, that is my emergency in car stash. I get munchie in the car, too... I did start leaving my wallet in the trunk, too - that really helped me not go through a drive through. Didn't help so much with the stopping at Starbucks - for that I got a single serve coffee pot and bring my own mug of coffee every morning.

DH gets hungry after 9, and we fought it for a long time until we really logged all of his calories and looked at his day. He is often up until 1:30-2:00 am, so he is starving between dinner and bed. He had enough calories left in the day to be able to afford a small snack. Front loading the calories really didn't help, he was still hungry late. We plan for him snacking late now and have set up some options that fit within his calorie budget and aren't too heavy. Air popped popcorn, pretzels, fruit or raw veggies with salsa, that kind of thing.

[fatmad]

I also have irregular hours, and find that this sabotages my eating plan.
I have been better about it, but still need to keep a lid on things.
I have found that veggies are good car snacks, and that eating too soon before bed gives me reflux symptoms, so l have to be careful when and what I eat.

[Thighs Be Gone]

If I can afford it calorie wise, I will eat at 9 p.m. or even later. Otherwise, I try and make myself go to bed. It doesn't matter when you eat, just WHAT you eat. If you know you are a night eater than structure your day to do it. I am definitely a night eater and like to reserve about 1/2 my calories for after 6.

I went cold turkey on the fast food last summer. There are times I still eat in the car but it's something from home like fruit or whatever. In fact, I keep kashi bars in the console in the case I am some place and do get hungry. It is way better than fast food.

[srmb60]

Two weeks out of three I work until 11 pm. I always have snacks with me. A bottle of water, veggies ...

You can eat later in the day. Just make sure it's a wise choice.

I'm far more in favour of plans that ask you to eat every few hours then ones who tell you when to stop ... no more!

[Fressca]

I like to eat in the car! There are some great suggestions here, love the one about locking your wallet in the trunk!

I've come to do what others here have suggested: drink a tea or coffee, or pack something healthy. It may feel unnatural at first, but you'll get used to it.

[srmb60]

Oh yes ... water. Sometimes thirst is the culprit. Fiddling with the lid and having a good swig is sometimes as good as eating in the car.