I have a serious problem with wanting to eat, eat, eat in the evenings. My husband and I will be relaxing, watching tv and all I want is to be munching on something yummy (and not good for me!). My husband is really good about only snacking on stuff that I don't like (like certain flavours of chips). I can be doing great all day, not feeling hungry, getting though any cravings, but I just can't seem to break out of this evening munchie madness (habit? boredom?). Argh!

I do the same thing... Expecially when I am watching tv. I cant stop thinking of things I want to eat! Sometimes I just make myself go to bed because I know that the temptation is to great and if I am concious I wont beat it and then just be mad at myself for giving in! Lately, I have compromised with having an apple (healthy) with a little caramel (unhealthy), but I justify it because I eat more apple than caramel!! haha I get my healthy and sweet!

I ate a lot of apples with fat free caramel apple dip in the evenings when I first started counting calories... Like club said above me - crunchy, healthy apple, minimal amount of not so healthy caramel dip.

If I brush my teeth after dinner it seem to help me not eat again.

I save a few calories for an evening snack. I don't eat nearly as much in the evenings as I used to (and there are somedays that I'm starting to forget about it altogether!) - but I'll eat some low fat pudding or yogurt, or a cheese stick and a piece of fruit.

Chew gum.

Say in your mind - "kitchen closed"

Brush your teeth and go to bed to watch tv (or get romantic with hubby).

Exercise while you watch tv-march in place, pushups, situps, squats, etc.

drink tea! tea always curbs my munchies. also, keep telling urself how awesome it will feel to go to bed without giving in to the munchies! that sense of satisfaction and 'yes, i can do this' is one of my fav rewards. if all else fails, if you invest in an air popper, popcorn is 15cals per cup! you can add a little i can't believe it's not butter spray (0 cals, although prob not awesome for you) and salt, both of which u can regulate. not so awful. good luck!

These are all good suggestions (I have the same problem).

If you don't want to eat anything:
1) Brush your teeth
2) Go to bed

If you need to eat something:
1) Find a very low calorie snack
2) Drink tea

Ugh, sounds so easy when I type it out, but as soon as I sit in front of the TV I eat!! Last night I was so mad at myself, I ate guacamole chips and onion dip. Oh, and chocolate.

I live alone so it's easy for me to not even have these things in my house. When I don't, I allow the calories for a night snack and I do okay. But when I have these things in my house, I just eat them. :-(

~CGH~

This may sound silly but it works for me. I peel a grapefruit (which I love) I peel it by hand slowly and very completely. This takes me 20 min then I completly pull apart on piece at a time. In total it takes me 45-hour to eat one grapefruit. Kepps my hands and mouth busy. You can use an orange if you like that better. Silly but really works.

Evening munchies hit for me when I'm bored. So I try and do something with my hands. There are simple games you can buy to fiddle with, you knit or sew, fold a basket of laundry, whatever.

Also, sometimes, I realize that I'm just bored. TV isn't always as entertaining as I think it should be. So I'll try and get up, do a little housework or read instead. If you have the time, you could always try a light work-out in the evening, just to keep yourself busy

gum
tea
orange
small hot chocolate

Or I start reading a book or do about 5 minutes of light arm exercises and sit ups and that motivates me not to eat.

I eat a handful of nuts and raisins and a huge cup of tea. Its not easy though cuz my daughter has health issues and she sometimes doesn't sleep well so there are times when I am up to 1 in the morning
not easy

I wish I had some constructive advice for you, but I am really just jumping into this thread to let you know you are not alone. I can control my food intake all day long, but when evening hits I am a shark cruising the reef. I will take a bite of this, a nibble of that, trying to get rid of the munchies with the fewest calories possible, but they never go away. And for me they start as soon as I'm done with dinner. I have even had to go to bed early when tea, coffee, or a piece of fruit doesn't shut up the voice in my head. I sympathize with you, MakingSkinny.

I don't know why, but that struck me as soooo funny, I cannot stop laughing.

~CGH~

a walk and two benadryl. LOL