Each morning I wake up thinking "Today is the start of my healthy lifestyle!". I eat a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner and throw a couple tasty(but healthy!) snacks in there too. I am good the whole day! But as soon as the evening hits i want to eat and eat and eat. It doesn't matter what i've eaten or NOT eaten during the day. It doesn't matter if i exercised or not. It starts off just eating a snack so i am not hungry through the night. But it doesn't stop at just one snack. I seriously eat until my stomach hurts. A bowl of Cheerios(or maybe 2 bowls)...and 2 low cal snack cakes...and a handful of pretzel thins... and a couple pieces of candy...and some pita chips with hummus...and a peanut butter sandwich...etc(you get my point). I am not hungry but i keep on eating anyway. This happens every day. I don't know how to make it stop! Has anyone else had this problem and found a way to get out of the rut and onto the healthy lifestyle track so they can FINALLY start losing the weight again? Oh and i don't know if this matters...but i hardly drink anything. I have a cup of coffee in the morning and then maybe 2 glasses of water throughout the day. I wake up every morning with a slight(but noticeable) headache that my sister says is from lack of fluids. Of course i know how much water i SHOULD be drinking...but is not getting enough fluids really sabatoging my weightloss efforts(aside from the horrible binging i do practically every night). Thanks in advance!

The drinking can help. If you drink a glass of water before every meal and in between, in curbs the hunger. That's from what I've learned from my weight loss. You can always spice up your water, if you don't like the taste. And did you know, ice water burns about 8 calories per glass? And about the eating when it comes to snacks, you can eat all the low cal snacks you want, but you have to make sure it fills you up. I usually grab a cup of yogurt or slice up some sweet potato fries. you got this <3
-Kassie

Personally? I think you've answered your own question right here. If you aren't drinking enough (and if you're only drinking a cup of coffee plus 2 glasses of water throughout the day, you're NOT drinking enough) then you're probably not going to feel as full. A lot of the times, what we believe to be hunger is actually thirst, so one of the tricks I've learned is that when I'm "hungry", to try drinking an 8 oz glass of water to see if that satisfies the urge. (It usually does.)

And your sister is most likely right about the headache. Dehydration (even slight dehydration) can cause headaches and fatigue.

As for lack of fluids "sabotaging" your weight loss, well, I don't know if I'd go that far with it, but it definitely isn't doing you any favours. A well-hydrated body is a healthy one, after all. Again, I can only speak for myself, but I can tell you that when I first started my weight loss, in January of 2011, I didn't drink much at all in terms of water...maybe 1-2 glasses a day. And I had the same problem as you -- I couldn't stop eating in the evenings! Once I started drinking a good amount of water (and I gave up caffeine!) I found that my nighttime binges disappeared. I just didn't have the "need" to eat at night anymore.

Well, there are a couple of items.

First you are doing that by habit, so my guess is, the food is tied in with some other habit that you have . . say snacking while you are cruising the net, or watching TV.

My guess is that it's all association. SO, what I recommend is that you figure that part out and CHANGE that routine for a bit. This could be kinda tough, because it's obviously a comfort thing, so it may be giving up computer or TV at your usual times for a while.

Also, it really could help to consume more fluids. I tend to drink nice warm something at night, like hot tea or coffee. It's relaxing and very minimal calories.

Doing something simple like brushing your teeth early may help you break the pattern.



One thing you are going to have to accept, is that this is a comfort pattern and it's going to take willpower and dedication to change it. It's not just about being hungry, so being willing to put up with hunger alone is not going to cut it. To some extent it's going to be a mind game for you.


Awesome that you have detected your pattern though, and I know you are going to be able to come up with a reasonable solution.

Drinking more water may help, but I drink plenty, and it still doesn't help me when I go on a food bender (as I have for the last three days). I wish I knew the magical "click" that happens when we feel in control and why it goes away inexplicably. If I ever find out the answer to that, I will have solved my weight problem for good.

Until then, I'll struggle, just as you are doing. Sorry I can't offer any advice, but I did want to empathize with you.

Wow. I deal with the exact same issue although I drink mire than enough water. I will be reading the suggestions. I wish you luck!

What exactly is that? Are you too low in calories? Too low in protein:carb? Having a blood sugar wigginz?

A.

I eat yogurt, wheat bread, oatmeal, salads, pita chips and hummus, chicken breast, broccoli, etc. I may not be getting enough protein. I'm not sure.

You know the days that i do better and don't have the craving/binges I eat:
Breakfast: 3 egg white, 1 slice whole wheat toast, 1 banana
Snack: Apple slices with some cinnamon sprinkled on top
Lunch: Either a "smart ones" frozen meal with raw baby carrots OR leftovers from the previous night's dinner
Snack: 1 mini bag of light popcorn and a can of sardines
Dinner: Baked lemon pepper tilapia, steamed veggies (an entire bag), and a small serving of macncheese (i use kraft veggie pasta which is made with cauliflower)
Night time snack: usually a cucumber salad with light dressing and a piece of fruit

First thing, is it possible to not have those foods in the house? Atleast for a few weeks so you can knock off the habit of eating at night. Or if it's other people's food could you put it in a cabinet and just call that off limits to yourself?

Then like others suggested, try drinking more water and fluids. One thing I often do at night (it's also my weak time) is have a big 16oz travel mug filled with tea and sip on that all night and refill as needed. I have a bunch of flavors to keep me entertained and it fills the need for something sweet at night. You can do herbal and caffeine free if caffeine keeps you up (but caffeine can also act as a appetite suppressant)