[rachel1985]

I've restarted my diet/exercise program about 3 weeks ago. (I use myfitnesspal to track my calories and exercise.) Here the last few days, I feel like I'm STARVING by the end of the night. Breakfast is at 9 am, lunch at 1 pm, supper at 6 pm. I'm usually awake until 10-12 o'clock. Here it is just after 11 pm, and I feel like I'm starving. My stomach is rolling around making noise at me...but I'm beginning to wonder....am I really hungry? I won't eat again tonight, it's too late, but I don't like this hungry feeling, but even more than that, I hate not knowing if I'm hungry or not .

Any advice/insight would be awesome.

[Porthardygurl]

I hear that when you think you are hungry and its not a typical time to eat..try drinking a few glasses of water and then see..cause sometimes our body confuses hunger for being thirsty.

[kelleyb]

I would recommend some white chai tea- lots of flavor, very little caffine, so it could help fill you up and let you sleep. Otherwise, some nice hot herbal tea or roobios (sp?) tea. It SUCKS to be hungry!

[mnemosyne]

Hey!

Are you eating snacks? Could you plan an evening snack of some sort? Alternatively, could you add a snack between lunch and dinner and eat dinner later? I tend to eat my meals later than most Americans, and although I get hungry before dinner, I don't go to bed hungry.

Alternatively, are you eating enough fiber? When I eat dinner, I eat a large salad before the main meal. I find that I feel (and stay) more full with all the veggies, and since the meal lasts so much longer (with all the initial salad-eating) I can make it through the evening without feeling deprived. The only thing you have to look out for are the salad extras. I've been less than disciplined about them lately, but am cracking down now.

I hear that when you think you are hungry and its not a typical time to eat..try drinking a few glasses of water and then see..cause sometimes our body confuses hunger for being thirsty.

Oh, this too. Here's another idea for a late-night 'snack' that feels better in the summertime: an Italian soda. You can make them with sugar free syrup (the sort you would use to flavor coffee drinks, available in the coffee aisle or online. I have a sugar-free dark, bitter chocolate and a sugar-free hazelnut right now) and soda-water or DIET tonic water. (Regular tonic water has sugar and therefore calories.) Tasty and fun and calorie-free.

I hope those ideas help!

[Meka150]

I love myfitnesspal. I agree with mnemosyne snacks are key. I eat well not necessarily eat(sometimes its a protein shake) but I have something 6 times a day not including at least 8 glasses of water. I try to have something about every 3 hours. I eat later than most people too (night owl) but I won't have anything 2-3 hours before bed. The heavier the food the earlier I eat it.

[lyndzro]

Hi Rachel,
I know this is a little controversial among some dieters (who would probably say snack on low cal food, veggies etc), but have you ever heard of psyllium husk? Its ground from the seeds of a plant and is often taken by those who suffer from IBS or constipation as it expands in your tummy giving your stools more 'structure', but also fills you up. You take it with lots of water and it the powder expands into a gel like substance and fills your tummy. The powder has no calories, it can be taken in pill form which might be about 10cals inc the capsules. It really does fill you, not to the extent a meal would, but takes away those mad hunger pains.
I take it the odd time eg when I PMS NOTHING can fill me, no matter how much I eat, so this is great for that. I bought 1kg of the powder off ebay for about £13.00 (and this will prob last years!), but if you have a sensitive gag reflex I'd get the capsules (the texture is not too pleasant in powder form!)
I know its controversial, but used every now and then I find it helpful, but obviously could be misused by some. Good luck!

[mysleepingdragon]

Of course you are hungry at 11pm! You are eating your meals about 4 hours apart and your body is naturally hungry 4 hours after dinner!

If my staying up hours are extended for any reason, I allow a pot of tea and a few cubes of cheese. There is something about a hot drink and plain cheese that satisfies without creating a snacking mania for me. Chose something that fits with your plan, that doesn't cause cravings and that you have no trouble controlling.

Hope you find what works!

[stranded]

We eat dinner about 6 hours before bedtime, so I always plan for a high-fiber snack of 200 calories about 2 hours before bed, and reduced my calories at dinner to cover that 200. I actually started this because I needed food with my meds before bed, but found that it filled me up, kept me from doing a late-night snack and really helped with my digestion.

I'm really thinking about trying mysleepingdragon's suggestion of tea and cheese, too, though earlier in the day so I can have caffeinated tea!