It seems like EVERY night, no matter how much or little I eat throughout the day, I always want to devour everything in sight after the sun goes down! I KNOW I am not physically hungry . . . that's what is so frustrating. It's always high carb sugary junk that I want: cookies, ice cream, snack cakes, pudding . . . anything that is terrible for you.
I have not been buying the food and thankfully it is not in the house. But it's like a switch goes off in my head around 8-9pm and I can't turn it off. I get all of these crazy thoughts shooting through my head thinking about chocolate, then ice cream, then chocolate chip cookies, then I debate about going to the store to get the stuff (which I never do). I feel like a crazy person!! I've been trying to pay attention to how I feel when I start to get sugar-psycho, and I've noticed that I am usually more tired than anything else when I start to feel this way.
Does anyone else get like this? How do you deal with it?
Last edited by MandaLynch; 07-24-2010 at 10:47 PM.
Reason: Edited to say that I also just noticed that TOM is about a week away which doesnt help!!
Um, I have before just like anyone else. But since I'm doing good I don't even think about junk. I know how it feels and it's terriable! Maybe thinking of the tastes might satisfy you, like picturing eating it, yeah I know that sounds odd, but it could help. But my suggestion is go to sleep. When one is tired some sort of hormoine controlling appatite gets high. So you should try going to bed earlier, maybe take a bath or something so that you can calm down and relax and think, "ok, I need to be stronge and resist...think about getting some shut-eye." Hope that helps in anyway, goodluck with your munchies.
I know how you feel. I would manage to do great all day and then blow it at night whether I was hungry or not. It's a good start that you aren't buying it. That was my first step because no matter how much I craved, I wasn't going to go to the store to get it. I also keep myself busy. When I first started, I read my favorite series of books (400-900 page books) probably four times each. I think I actually have them memorized, but they kept my mind busy so I wasn't thinking about food. Since then, I've gotten into a more regular routine where I can do other things and still not feel the need to snack. For me and hopefully for you, if you can make it through a few weeks without giving in, the urge will go away. It will become normal not to eat at night. I do take medications at night that have to be taken with food or when I really am hungry, I'll have a yogurt or fruit and I'm satisfied with it. Good luck!
omg- ALL THE TIME. And I used to sit there and try to figure out why it happens. Like, was I not eating enough during the day or what?
For me, I think it's because during the day there is a lot to keep my mind off food, but by the end of the day I'm just sitting around online or whatever and I get bored. I'm a bored eater, so this makes sense.
I tend to eat a snack around 7 or 8 to try and keep that "bingey" feeling from hitting, because once it does, I'm screwed. I've been pretty good lately actually... haven't wanted to eat as much as I used to. When I first changed my eating habits, I would get MAJOR munchies at night that would drive me nuts.
The way I used to eat, nighttime was almost always binge city... so I think for me, it's just taking my body some time to learn that I just won't be taking part in that disgusting habit anymore (lol).
If you get a craving, try eating something small and low in calories. No big meals, or a large portion because then you're sleeping on it. I usually go for pretzels. Takes care of my salt craving and isn't too high in calories or fat. Once you do that brush your teeth. Who wants to eat with toothpaste after taste, right? Then try to keep your mind busy 'till bedtime. I like to get into bed and watch movies or read there, rather than on the couch. Once I'm in bed, I'm usually too lazy to get up again, so I'm less likely to go back to the kitchen for more food...
Hope that helps a bit. Hang in there... I know it's a B!tch - you can do it.
Last edited by singforthedayx; 07-24-2010 at 11:53 PM.
I have the exactly thing only for SALTY food. One thing that might actually help and it was tested on Rachael Ray is sinfully delicious candy the lady had those exact cravings and got this sinfully delicious spray and after a month using it she lost 13 pounds.
Look up sinfully delicious candy spray on google
my friend also uses this and she says it cuts her cravings
Omgoodness... this is me too... The only thing I found to work is pushing everything back as far as I can lol...
I don't drink my first shake (breakfast) til 2 hours after I've been up.... Then I eat my snack as I'm leaving to do something (if I have nothing to do... I walk the kids to the park... or we go swimming)... Then I push my lunch back til I get home... I make SURE I stay out til at least 4:30 or 5... Then I have another shake (lunch)... with a snack about an hour late... Dinner shows up at 8:00 - but I split my dinner up... I eat the first part... My salad, my fruit, and a huge glass of water... then I wait an hour and a half to two hours... then eat the main course (Keeping my total dinner at 500 calories though!) Then about a half hour before I go to bed I eat my 40 calorie popsicle... (EVERYTHING STAYS RIGHT AT 1200 CALS)... It keeps me from gorging on horrible snack foods at night (I'm a chocolate/ice cream-a-holic)
Last edited by Lippy100485; 07-25-2010 at 02:03 AM.
Ah! I get the same thing! In the evenings, all I want are CARBS, CARBS, and MORE CARBS. It's awful. Here are the coping strategies I use:
I split my calories into more than three meals, so that I eat something just before "dinnertime," but still have something left to eat a snack later. My biggest meal is around 4:00, so that I can eat "dinner" around 8:00.
When the craving hits, I start drinking water. If after about 30 minutes, the craving doesn't cut out, I add some flavoring (like Crystal light, or a lemon and Splenda, or a cucumber slice).
If after an hour, I'm still craving, I give in (in moderation!). Half a slice of bread with feta cheese and cucumbers. One piece of chocolate. One bite of a brownie (I immediately give the rest to my spouse). Etc.
Good luck, and if you come up with something that really works, please share it with the rest of us! The cravings make me crazy too.
I'm a big "bored" eater too, I can be sitting on the couch and then remember "oh we have leftover lasagna still!" and then I can't get it off my mind until it's in my stomach. After I eat it, I'm so satisfied. THEN, when that few seconds of satisfaction ends, I feel so incredibly guilty at what I just did.
I'm a late night carboholic, too! Actually, one thing I love about my ADD medication is that it killed those cravings... I have no idea how or why (maybe just a placebo effect?) but I don't care as long as it works!
This will probably sound weird, but I used to get low fat Cool Whip and keep the tub in the freezer. I'd cut it into little cubes, and when I'd get those insane cravings, I'd get a little cube and kind of suck on it and let it melt. It lasted a little while and was tasty but not a lot of calories. Also I think the creaminess made it feel a little more substantial than a piece of candy or something. I don't know, but it worked for me!
Wow guys, THANK YOU for the AWESOME tips!! You guys are great. I actually got through last night without scarfing down a bunch of carbs! Strangely I had a spoonful (not heaping) of peanut butter and it seemed to make the craziness vanish. I don't know if that's the healthiest option but it's better than eating a mountain of ice cream.
I'm also glad I'm not the only one who falls victim to this carb monster at night. I think with all the tips everyone has given we can all find something that will help!
YES! I have this problem too! Especially because my roomies all eat crap while watching tv! Like literally these itty bitty little things (size 4,6, and 8 respectively) sit there and eat a bag of potatoe chips, chocolate milk, cookies, chips and salsa, chips and cheese dip, fried mozorolla, etc. which makes me want something to eat too!
So far I haven't buckled because it would mean leaving the house to buy it. Plus I feel self-concious eating in front of them because they're all so small-so that helps too. Also, I've noticed that in the 5 weeks we've lived here they've all gained weight. Not a ton, but enough to give me pause about eating like them again...
sooo yes, I know exactly what you're talking about! I've found having a couple of 100 calorie packs around helps. They're so expensive that I'm really good about eating just one pack at a time . I know for some people it's tough to stop after just one little pack so that may not work for you. But it helps curb my craving for salty/sweet/whatever.
Peanut butter is fine. Just try to avoid carbs because they won't digest well overnight. I actually did the peanut butter thing last night, too... bc by the time I was hungry it was too late to have a snack -but I was hungry to the point where I couldn't fall asleep. So 1 o'clock in the morning, I'm downstairs eating a spoonful of peanut butter lol.
Anyway, I think the PB thing is a good idea. I'd go looking for all natural peanut butter, though. Most peanut butter has partially hydrogenated oils ....aka trans fats, which is a big no no for everyone - not just those trying to lose weight. It's a killer. I've noticed natural peanut butter is more runny than regular PB, but it doesn't taste any different, really...
Last edited by singforthedayx; 07-27-2010 at 09:55 AM.
I find that I have the most cravings like this at night when I eat more sugary things during the day. I'm an avid sugar-cutter outer and I've found that it works for me personally.
I follow South Beach so I try to keep grams of sugar to a minimum (the highest I'll go is about 7 and that's usually for a sweet treat)....
It's seriously made all the difference in the world. I will say this, when you start to out it's hard because you crave all of that stuff, but after a few days you've detoxed and I personally felt a lot better.
Love the peanut butter to kill cravings! I do the same thing with that, reduced fat of course. I also do hummus on a whole wheat Wasa crisp. This fills me up and is SO satisfying and full of fiber. And if all else fails, a 40 calorie fudgcicle is awesomeness for killing the chocolate cravings...
Night time munchies!?
I think I actually have them memorized, but they kept my mind busy so I wasn't thinking about food. Since then, I've gotten into a more regular routine where I can do other things and still not feel the need to snack. For me and hopefully for you, if you can make it through a few weeks without giving in, the urge will go away. It will become normal not to eat at night. I do take medications at night that have to be taken with food or when I really am hungry, I'll have a yogurt or fruit and I'm satisfied with it. Good luck! 
