This all started when I was preggo with baby number 1..... I NEEDED to eat at night or I threw up...So now...


My BIGEST problem is I can not stop eating everything in sight after dinner... It seems to be NO matter what I NEED to eat snacks! But I hate it... I tell myself if after the kiddies go to bed I NEED to eat it will be a salad or a piece of hard candy....no it turns into chips and cookies and ice cream....not to mention its the holidays and my husband loves homemade goodies in the house and loves the smell of home baked goods.... Grrrr.... So much temptation....SO I need any all and tricks you gals have too NOT eat at night!! Help me!! (Also posted in Calorie counting)

I cant just "get it all out of the house..." My husband and kids would kill me...So I need practical advice please... Thank you in advance! Will power dust...?

Hi! I hear ya on the evening snacking! For me, it works best to fit my workouts in either before or after dinner. After I work out, I always feel like eating fresher/healthier things. When I work out after dinner, it keeps me from doing OTHER things (i.e. eating!). I don't know what your exercise scedule is like, but you might want to try fitting in some activities to distract yourself from food in the evenings! Hope that helps!

Sarahkatt, I have read from many sources that it doesn't matter when you are eating your calories as long as you are staying within your allotment for the day. Could you decrease calories easily during the day to allow for more snacking at night? Also, GO TO BED!

I get hungry at night also. I will go to bed. Sounds crazy but if it's like 8 pm and I start to get hungry, I will drink a cup of water and than go to bed if I still continue to want to eat. Rather eat first thing in the morning than late at night.

I was JUST about to post this exact thread!
I have the same problem. I will be after dinner and I'll think I'm doing ok, and I even have like 150 calories left to have a snack, so I have a snack and then I get RAVENOUS and want to eat everything in sight! Next thing I know, I've eaten 400-500 calories, and I'm STILL hungry.

Like you, I have a husband and two kids, so I can't just get rid of everything. And sometimes, it's not "forbidden" food I'm even eating, so that wouldn't help anyway, you know?

I like the suggestion of going to bed. I stay up WAY too late. I'm a night owl, but have to be up by 7:30, so I'm always tired, which I know doesn't help. Maybe tonight I'll eat my last snack and just go to bed. Can't hurt to try it.

Good luck!

i agree with Thighs Be Gone. i am a big evening/nighttime snacker. so i keep my daytime meals as light as possible so i have extra calories to eat after dinner. i still have to be really careful not to binge, to watch my portions, and to try to make at least some of the snacks healthy. but if i tried to cut out snacks after dinner, i wouldn't be able to stay on plan.

i also can't keep all the "bad stuff" out of the house because of my son and BF. but it's essential to also have the "good stuff" available. and i don't mean just fruits and veggies. if i need chocolate, i have weight watchers or skinny cow ice cream in the fridge. or Curves bars and other low cal/fat snacks. don't deprive yourself of the things you crave. buy baked chips and other slightly healthier alternatives, and make sure you measure out your portions.

Thank you all so much for your support and suggestions- The fact that Im not alone is a GREAT big help. I'm going to try to eat only a salad or low no calorie lunch so I can eat a small snack after dinner and not go over my plan. Also, I'm going to try to eat it about 9:30 10 pm so I can eat 1 snack and then go to bed... Thank you again!!!

Skinny Cow ice cream is awesome! I get the vanilla/caramel cones. The cones are coated with chocolate inside - they're SO good. Only 150 calories each!

I also always have caramel rice cakes or chocolate/peanut butter rice cakes in the house. Those will help with a sweet tooth at night. For me, sometimes it's not even that I'm HUNGRY, I just want to eat. So I think I need to work on that psychologically, but at the same time, keep lower calorie snacks in the cupboard so that I don't expect too much of myself too soon and just end up eating the gross stuff.

You are DEFINITELY not alone!

Hi everyone:

I joinged the forum specifically for this topic. I am wondering if anyone has heard of or if there is a thread specific to Night time eating sysndrome. I read about it online and can't post a link to this really great study because I only have 5 posts! But the docs who performed it were Kelly Allison, and Alan Stunkard at U of Penn. They wrote a book called Overcoming Nighttime Eating Syndrome and I am going to get it.

This describes me to a T - I also wake up at night and eat. All the tips in the world, and I have tried them ALL ... like saving calories, exercising at night, brushing my teeth - do nothing. Anyway, I am going to get the book that these docs wrote, and have discussed it with my husband too.

I am also going to open a thread and see if anyone else has any tips for treatment because I know this stems from an emotional reason for me. One of the treatments mentioned was Zoloft, but I had been on it for more than 2 years and it really did nothing for my night binging.

Anyway - I am working on changing my behavior and willing myself to get through the night after my last snack, but I do feel I need more.

Thanks, all!

eating something with protein is helpful for your evening snack. i don't know anyone who would be satisfied through the night with a salad. a little protein can go a long way to get you through the night without being too hungry or unable to sleep because you are hungry.

Hm. Something really just jumped out at me. You said:

Based on that, it sounds like you don't have a lot of calories to spare. Which makes me think that you might not be eating enough to nourish your body and so there's a REASON you're starving at night.

How many calories are you eating every day and *what* are you eating? Are you getting a lot of protein and fiber and complex carbs? Are you getting healthy fats?

If you're eating too few calories, or if you're eating calories that are not nutritionally solid, then you could be sabotaging yourself and creating a situation where your body is CRAVING food and nutrition at night.

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