I am so upset with myself! I always try and stay on my diet durring the day, but the night comes and everyone is in bed and I feel like I can eat because no one is looking. I feel so ashamed because I know why I'm gaining wieght, but no one else does!
I did it again tonight. I didn't eat anything bad until everyone was in bed. Then I ate a large bag of chips and half a turkey with stuffing. I don't know what to do....I wish someone could help me stop.

I understand funny - you probably love staying up after everybody goes to bed, because it is quiet and you have your own downtime to be alone. But what if you went to bed when everyone else did, that way you know you wouldn't be eating, you would be sleeping. Other than that, the only way I can keep from eating is to keep my hands busy on this keyboard or doing something with my hands.

just keep on truckin!

hugs, Cathy

It's hard to admit that I do this, so thanks for the kind words. I actually had a friend suggest that I play video games to keep my mind off the fridge. I'll try something to keep my hands busy.

It's great to find a forum where people undersatnd all of this.

Isn't it the truth. I find comfort in the night too, especially w/cookies or cake, its just such a relaxing soothing feeling. Video games is a great thing to do. I have a miniture hand held yatzee game that I just love and I do play it alot at night. If our tv had closed caption on it I would watch late night shows but to turn it on and blast it cause I am hard of hearing would wake the house up. Excuses excuses huh....

Hang in there fnf and know your not alone.

Love, Leenie

I used to do a lot of cross-stitch.. and watch (ok ok.. LISTEN) to movies... that helped. I'm online a lot now in the evenings (which is my "rough" time). Can't type and eat at the same time - I'm too uncoordinated lol. And I'm trying REALLY hard to get out and let my dog walk me in the evenings.

Thanks for the support and letting me know I'm not alone Leens and Judomom!

I feel so much better knowing that other people struggle with this. In my personal life I have never run into people who struggle with late night eating. They cheat during to the day. I have no problem being good in the day time. It's when the sun goes down that the danger begins! So far I've had to try and deal with it myself. Not very well might I add ( ).

I was thinking about maybe getting some crafts that would occupy my hands. Needle point might be a good idea. Thanks Judomom.

Don't worry about not being able to turn up the TV Leens. I find TV just makes me want to eat more!

Thanks again! It's comforting to not be alone!

I know exactly how you feel, I am the exact same way. I can follow a strict diet to the letter during the daytime, but it's in the evening, after my daughter is in bed, that I find myself wandering into the kitchen to see what is in the fridge or in the cupboards. It is a hard habit to break, but I keep myself busy by talking on the phone or playing on my puter.

I have the exact same problem when i'm anxious or depressed. I can't binge during the day when others might see me, i don't want them to know i don't have things under control. It's important to not deprive yourself too much during the day, the cravings by night time might be too much to handle. But for me, I've noticed that it wasn't so much the cravings for food that made me binge, it was the underlying anxiety, sometimes so general and evasive that it escapes awareness. The thing with binges is that when I do it, it's like i'm in a trance, after a while the food no longer tastes good, but i keep on going. It seems apparent to me now, my mind doesn't crave the food, it craves that trance, that moment of forgetfulness when it's no longer held prisoner by anxiety. I ramble, but the point is a craving for food isn't always a craving for food, sometimes it's a craving for escape.

You are absolutely not alone. Just one more nibble... yeah, right!

Vanity, that's an excellent point. I'm trying to learn to say "I don't really want to eat this, I'm just upset about ____." And think about it before I eat. It is soooo hard, but I am hoping that with practice I can do it consistently, or even break the habit completely. (When you see pigs flying overhead, you will know I have been successful at this...)

I ate late at night again last night, but this time I didn't go for my typical chips or chesses. (I'm a salt lover ). This time I went for some cabbage rolls (I'm half ukrainian). I noticed that instead of completely binging, I only ate a little, then I went to bed. I know caggage rolls aren't a great thing to eat late at night, but I didn't eat nearly as much! I felt so much better this morning!

I know that it's going to take a lot to alter my behaviour, but I'm thinking that weening of the really bad stuff to maybe even raw vegetables late at night (maybe not that drastic just yet ) could be a way to slow down the damage and help me change.

I think being able to talk about this late night secret has helped me too. I don't feel so ashamed anymore.

Thanks everyone!

Marleah, I know what you're talking about , once your mind sets on bingeing, it almost takes an act of god to make you stop in your tracks and think about what you're about to do. But it does get easier with practice
nice going, fatn'funny, tonight a little of the cabbage rolls, tomorrow night raw cabbage :-)

Right now I am not in a very good state of mind and it is killing me not to go and eat something in the fridge...I am really having a hard time because I found out my mom is in the hospital I have been on her about losing weight and giving up smoking and she just does not seem to understand the importence..She has had heart problems in the past and was told to give up the smoking and she did for a while and then she started back..now on top of having to try to break one bad habit she has gained about 40lbs I feel bad when I tell her about her weight because I can't control my own. I really feel that I should be up at the hospital with her but I really don't know if I can handle it right now, I'm waiting for a call from her friend for the status but that was over an hour ago ...I am bipolar(manic-depression) and I have not had a depression episode in a while and I really cannot afford for one to come on right now when I am trying to change my eating habits because I would eat until I can't eat no more...well, it is hard not to cry right now so I am going to go and settle for a small bowl of cereal just to try and releive some of the anxienty I feel coming on ... I already have a bad case of heartburn to top things off! I feel aweful a bowl of cereal at 11:45pm and I have not been eating anything past 8pm..hopefully I will do better tomorrow

Hey there!
Well it is hard to stay up at night and not eat... I don't care who you are. I watch tv and all of those dang fast food commercials just about drive me crazy. My hubby and I love to eat together, in fact that is our main source of entertainment. One night at midnight we were watching a movie and the people on tv were eating breakfast, well what do you think that I did???? I made breakfast...at 12:00am! How crazy is that?? We try and go to bed early now, because we are trying to lose weight. My hubby and my son suffer from depression and my son, who is only 10, weighs 125 lbs. We are working with him and talking to a pscychologist to help him. Food comforts my son and he struggles so much with his self esteem, but he doesn't understand that is doesn't help him, it only makes him larger. I pray for God to give me understanding so that I can help, because I know it so easy to hurt them. I hope that you can find a way to stop yourself from eating. I know that sleeping is the only thing that works for me. LOL I did hear once that if you drink a glass of apple juice it kills your appetite. I am not sure if it really works, but it is worth a try.
Much love and luck to you!

well the night with the cereal was not the end of my eating out of control that night i ate the cereal and a a ham sandwich on wheat toast but the good news is my mom is doing okay but has to follow up with a heart specialist..i had lost 7lbs by the 10th of Jan but as always it did not last long I have been on a eating binge since the 15th so I know i have gained weight but I don't want to find out how much.. But the good news is that I am starting over tomorrow and I plan to do things different and maybe i will come off on top in the long run..I just which there was some type of way that we can just wish the weight and the overeating away and it be gone for good would'nt that be nice ..I am thinking it may be easier if I replace a meal or two with slim fast shakes but I am somewhat afraid of the milk content in it but right now I will try anything within reason..does anyone know anything about slimfast??

So sorry to hear your mom's in the hospital.
I hope it's not serious and she's home soon.

I don't want to tell you your business, but if you're bi-polar, and on medication for it.....it's important now more than ever to not miss any doses when you're dealing with extra stress.

You don't deserve to get worse.


Re: late night snacking....
When I start a weight loss plan, I decide I'm not eating after 10:30pm (I'm awake till at least 1am).
The first month is torture and then it's gets better.
I've always been a night muncher, but I know it's one of the things that ruined maintenance when I've lost weight in the past.