If there is one thing that frustrates me most about my eating habits it's how I can eat perfectly on plan all day (packed lunch, little choice there) and then overeat at night. I am committing to not eating after 7 p.m., but man can I pack it away between 5:30 and 6:30 if I let myself! I'm all about the carbs at that time of day. Blech.

How do you all deal with the witching hour?

Cindy

hi Cindy,

man, i suffer from exactly the same thing, mine is a bit later though 8-10 and i can pack away thousands of calories during that timeframe if i let myself...

i have tried hot tea with limited success. i have tried putting my laptop on my lap and convincing myself not to move (again with limited success). i have put aside calories for that time of night so i have a healthy snack (and sometimes it devolves into a huge binge) ... lately i have been completely removing myself from the ground floor where the food is and 'hiding' in the basement wtih my laptop and tv... it seems to be helping... and my eating disorder therapist suggested a single piece of non-white toast before bed if i am really really hungry at 10pm...

i have heard other suggestions too like chewing gum all night, sucking on a SF candy, calling a friend and others....

I am still working on it... so for now, i am sticking with the basement avoidance technique until i am 'stronger' again... (I am earning day 5 binge free right now)...

let me know how you make out?

Hi Kim. I think what you're doing is pretty key. If I made the small change to move to the basement when I watch TV as opposed to the living room (which is 12 feet from the kitchen) I may be less inspired to snack. I think for me it's 1) avoid snacking while cooking supper 2) get the kitchen cleaned and get the heck out ASAP and 3) find distracting activities/watch TV in a different part of the house. It sounds pretty doable, in theory

I try the hard candy method or lollipops with a filled center with water to keep the witching hour at bay. Its hard but most times it works and when I slip I have low calorie tasty substitutes at hand so as not to pack so many calories like I try not to do fried foods or so much cheese or bread but if my sweets fail then a grilled cheese with 16 ounces of water usually does the trick or a PB and J sandwich. Think outside the box and include not necessarily fat free options but low fat options to snack on if you have to.

Except for vegetables, skim milk, & sugar free jello, I don't keep any carbs or sugar in my house. Flour, sugar, and snacks are the first things I grab at night.

For a while, I was very strict about not eating a night time snack. If I had cravings, I would go to bed early. However, I had a relapse in my binge eating disorder and started making runs to the pizza place or convenience store. So, it didn't matter that I kept junk out of my house. I kept bringing it back in.

Now, I'm loosening up on my rules. I am allowing myself to snack at night on foods that are on plan if I'm hungry. Last night, I feasted on red pepper dipped in low fat mayo + some sugar free jello. It was at most 150 calories, which is the same as 1 serving of potato chips. But more nutritious and satisfying.

I am fine with giving back some of my calorie deficit at night- it's better than eating an entire bacon pizza & large fries during my typical binge.

This is really hard, but if you conquer the night time snack attack, you will feel great (and hungry) in the morning.

I totally understand what you mean. 8-10 is the worst...once the family has gone to bed, there's no one to stop me from eating...so i just keep going at it. but my house is only one story...so the basement thing really isn't gonna work for me unfortunately...

something else that worked for me, for a while anyways (and maybe, lightbulb moment!, i should try it again!) is a simulated 1lb of fat that i carried around (http://www.diabeaters.com/ item PS019) ... it is disgusting and realistic and a lot bigger than i would have thought for one pound! i put it in my pocket and felt the 'weight' of it both physically and emotionally every time i wanted to binge....

My sleeping hours are weird, so I mostly only eat at night. But, yeah, between the hours of 9-1 is when I usually want to eat something, so since I am so nocturnal I just act like the night is my day if that makes sense and use my exercise bike if I've been especially bad. Hopefully I'll get out of this phase.

Oh my gosh, I have the exact same problem - same hours and everything. I do SO well during the day. I'll eat healthy, small snack throughout the day, but when I get home after work- it takes every ounce of strength to not binge from the second I step in the door til I go to bed. I have also been trying to not eat anything after a certain time. (I picked 8pm) The only thing that seems to help me is to keep busy. I just have to have a project to keep my mind off of food.

Not only does it keep my mind from junk food, I have gotten a lot done this summer. I have finished up so many house projects, it's rewarding. I also find that if I want something, sometimes it's just a matter of going through the motions. I can make a cup of tea and sip on that for a couple hours at night - it keeps my hands occupied.

I freeze fiber one yogurt and have that as my "ice cream"...only 50 calories and I am satisfied.

I have a witching hour too!! I tried "no eating after x time" and all that - and I'd wake up hungry in the middle of the night.

I have tiny ramekins I found at the store - they hold a single serving of raw almonds. For some reason, these are what work for me. I plan them into my day, and they have good crunch, good fiber (fills me up), and are a little sweet. I've still got nights where I'm patrolling the kitchen, searching for something to stuff into my mouth. But these have helped a lot. You really just have to find what works for you. I have a friend who has a cheese stick or a skinny cow as her night snack - people with insulin issues will find protein a good snack, as it won't leave you hungry at 2 am....

I probably gained all my weight between 7 and 11pm... I totally know what you guys are saying.

I guess its good to be aware that that time of night is hardest and to keep tabs on how many times I find myself thinking about eating and trying to make healthy decisions.

I guess I should pick a time to not eat after also, I'll go with 8pm because I normally go to bed by 11:30. Good suggestions all around.

I try to stagger my calories so that my heaviest meal is dinner. I eat nearly 1/2 my day's calories at dinner. I eat between 6 and 6:30 when possible, and then I go up to the sitting area in my room after dinner is all cleaned up and pretty much stay up there all night. The food is not on that floor and I don't obsess about food if I'm up there.