Help!! Im eating and I can't stop

[Amberoo]

I wanted to say, I have been dealing with the same problem for years. I totally understand. I'm horrible at night. And it doesn't help that I'm a night person. I have such a huge appetite and my cravings are out of hand. After dinner time it's like an endless all night all you can eat buffet. It's insane. I must stop!!

I found all the replies helpful. I have been trying to get myself to eat more in the A.M., less in the mid day, then in the evening even less... the biggest meals should be eaten early in the day, at least that is the most popular tip I've come across.

I hope we can get this under control, Miss Mcoy. We sure need to beat this cycle.

Good luck.

[Jen]

I find the best thing to do is to set a time like 7:30pm and say that is it...no more eating after that even if you are a bit hungry at bedtime it won't kill you. Clean up the kitchen, do the dishes and turn the lights off and stay out of there until the next morning. I've never been a bit night time eater, I'm more likely to graze during the afternoon and it helps just to stay away from the kitchen altogether.

[garnetrose32]

My sister in law and I was talking about this the other day. I told her I can go all day and not touch food but I know that it not the way to do it so I try to space my meals and have well balanced ones and cut back on the snacks but it seems like I am hungry from 6 o'clock on. She says the battle begins at the grocery store. Instead of buying the chocolates I love and the chips that I love, buy fruits and veggies cause if you don't have the stuff you love at the house, you won't be eating it unless you go to the store and buy it and that is a no-no.

[garnetrose32]

Originally Posted by Jen

I find the best thing to do is to set a time like 7:30pm and say that is it...no more eating after that even if you are a bit hungry at bedtime it won't kill you. Clean up the kitchen, do the dishes and turn the lights off and stay out of there until the next morning. I've never been a bit night time eater, I'm more likely to graze during the afternoon and it helps just to stay away from the kitchen altogether.

okay but I am a person who just cannot sit and watch t.v. or do whatever with the family without my fingers traveling to their chip dishes and candy snacks so I am just not getting them. I am buying more apples, and such. If I have snacks they are more of the healthy kind.

[Nikki_20216]

Same happens to me. I am so trying to break that habit! Somebody said to try and chew gum, or carrot.

[Autumn Night]

I do not overeat uncontrollably all the time. My overeating is usually set off by a trigger food. For example, last week I made some pasta salad to use over the next few days. I decided to taste a little while it was fresh, since I like it best before it gets dry. One bite, and it was like something came over me. I ate and ate. I finally put what was left in the refrigerator, and then started on the peanut butter and crackers. I don't really know what made me stop, because I certainly could have eaten more. I didn't even feel full. People who say the first bite of something tastes best, just don't understand what goes on in some people's brains. Every bite I ate tasted the best.

My solution to this problem isn't a very appealing one: don't eat foods that you really love, even in small quantities. I also plan my menus at least a day in advance, and then stick to it. If I had waited until the next day to eat one cup of pasta salad as planned, I woudn't have overeaten it because it would have been sort of dried up and unappealing. The previous time I couldn't stop eating involved homemade lemon bars. After eating over half the pan, I finally took the rest over to the trash can and dumped it in. It was the only way to stop. I ate a very small piece of frosted brownie at a reception at work last week, and it was torture. I could not stay in the same room with the treats, and had to leave.

Now when I look in the refrigerator or cabinets I don't see anything that calls out to me, "Yummy, yummy, eat me!" So my advice is, if you know you love it, just leave it (in the store).

[e.mccoy]

I would like to thank everyone for responding and leaving such great suggestions. I am still battling to overcome my nighttime obsession with food, but It's coming along. All of your suggestion were great and thanks again.