Need suggestions to curb midnight snacking
 

I'm hoping I'm not the only person who has ever had this problem, but I'm feeling at this moment like I am. I have been eating right and excercising regularly for the last month and half and feel great about the progress that I've made. The problem I've been consistantly having is midnight or late night snacking. After falling asleep for a couple of hours, I am waking up with this urge to grab a "bite". It's nothing big, maybe a handful of pretzels or a spoonful of peanut butter, but I just can't seem to stop and I'm becoming very annoyed with myself. I'm hoping that there are others out there who have or had this same pitfall issue and I'm looking forward to some much needed suggestions or advice.


Every day, every moment that I continue onward makes me stronger in body, mind, and spirit.

I have to admit that when my head hits
that pillow...I'm out for the night...so I
don't have your particular problem.
But you might want to look at several
things....do you do exercise at night??
What time do you have dinner? Do you
allow for a snack at night in yr eating
program? Right now I'm on some
strong anti-inflammatory medicines &
antibiotics because of a leg injury from
last year. And one of the side effects is
an extremely dry mouth. I keep a
glass of water or seven up or ice tea
every night on my night stand next to
my bed...just in case I do wake up and
am thirsty. Then I take a sip and go
right back to sleep. Most nights I just
sleep right thru. But you might want to
try that. Or prepare and plan a late
evning snack each day to ward off the
'hungrys" during the night. A glass of
skim milk with just a dot of chocolate
syrup and 2 ice cubes...or a dot of
coffee or a few strawberries and then
wiz in the blender makes a very good
lite full feeling snack. Do you have a
young child or baby at home that
would wake you up anyway? If not
then maybe you could just play some
soft and relaxing music when you go
to bed that might help you sleep thru
the night without waking up.
I'm sure some of the gals here can
also offer suggestions. Good luck

HHHMMM it sounds like you have some insulin resistance!! (my word for the day) before you go to bed eat some protein. do not eat fruit or crackers, or milk just a glass of water and a piece of chese, or small hunk of meat, even a few spoons of peanut gbutter. give that a shot for a few days then let us know if that helps. but stay away from the food after dinner untill this last snack. OK?

one thing that susan aslo said is that dehydration can aslo cause us to think we are hungry try drinking more during the day and then a full glass at night too.

the reason i am thinking of sinulin resistance is that when your body is stimulated to make insulin (carbish foods) then when the food is all used up the inslin is still floating around your body and that will triger a low in the blood sugar which will triger your body to be hungry. like if you eat cereal in the morning you will get hungry before lunch but if you eat a meal with eggs then you can almost work through lunch you need to remembver to eat??? the same thing the cereal has trigered the insulin production where as if you have eaten the protein that leaves a less of an insulin spike so with the cereal when the cereal is all gone the insulin is still floating around and promoting your hunger feelings where the protein has less of an insulin spike so when that is gone you do not have as much hnger feelings. but just give this a try to see if that will help. (you are talking to one who used to get up to eat oreo cookies at night!!!)

I keep a big bottle of water and a book by my bed. I just don't go to the food if I wake up and think I'm hungry. I get a drink, read a few pages, and by then I've forgotten the hunger.

Carol

I say water too..
I also have this problem...I just roll over and try to go to sleep, cuz I'm too lazy to walk downstairs into the kitchen and go 'fridge surfing'.

((HUGS)) get a bottle of water by the bedside table...
I can totally see how a protein snack before bed might help too.

Water and protien!! I agree definatly. Your not alone..believe me. Try it and see if it works

Heres something I have done, it might help you.
I have sleeping problems so this is often a problem for me I resolve this with ...........
1- beautiful tea pot
1- lovely tea cup and saucer (beauty helps the soul and you feel so special)
Celestial season teas of your choice (Mint is always good spearmint if you can find it or whatever soothing taste pleases your taste)
several packets diet sugar
1- small lovely plate with a pre-prepared snack

Personally I have a tray for my tea pot, cup and saucer and so on

I like to place a few thin slices of cheese, four or five slices of cucumber, lightly salted and a few tasty meat slices arranged daintily around the plate. All your senses are happy!

A small (pretty bowl) of tuna salad and celery stalks
a protein bar
whatever.
I prepare mine ahead and leave it in the fridge all ready for this time of sacred space. A gift to me.
My tea pot is filled with the tea of choice, everything on the tray and ready for me. All I have to do is boil water and go sit on my bed or in my favorite chair with my "special treat" just for me.
It feels so good!!!!!!!!!
I prepare extra meat at dinner so I have snack foods, sometimes spicy but always to my taste. Try it. It works for me and give me a little really quiet time all my own.
Play a little music soothing and wonderful or watch an old movie or whatever but make it a gift to you.
Good luck!!!!!
Pam

Thanks everyone
 

After reading everyones posts and finding the support and encouragement I need, I am happy to say that I've gone 3 nights without having my midnight snack. Now I know that may not sound like alot, but it's the longest I've gone in almost 2 years.
Thanks again for your help and I'll keep you posted as to my continuous success.