I find myself hungry every evening. I try to snack on a lot of fruit so I don't feel too bad about it but at a certain point I feel like I just need something else at night to fill me up. Anyone have any good snack suggestions that won't make me feel guilty?

I'm the same way! I'm fine during the day at work but as soon as I get home, it hits me. No matter what I do, my mind keeps going back to all the stuff in my fridge.....

I plan an evening 'meal' to keep away the hungries. By planning it, I know I won't go over my calories for the day.

I have protein and small amount of good carbs, plus maybe a 1/2 cup of fruit, or 6oz lowfat yogurt. Sometimes I nibble a 'handful' of unsalted pecans or cashews. My hand holds 1/4 cup.

My usual is a protein shake, plus either -
2 ounces of lowfat colbyjack or cheddar cheese w/1 serving of whole wheat crackers;
-OR-
1 env. plain instant oatmeal - I pour part of a vanilla shake on the oatmeal, drink the rest.

I also drink a 20 oz bottle of very cold water during the evening, at least 2 hours before bedtime.

What's a lot of fruit? While fruit is certainly a better choice than crackers or whatever, but it's basically just sugar and metabolizes quickly. You'd be better off with protein of equal caloric value or veggies. You can probably have three time the amount of veggies as fruit so more volume = more full. Veggies also have lots of fiber. You could dip the veggies in humus for some protien, red pepper humus is my favorite it tastes like cheese, or a handful of nuts always does the trick for me and they're a good combo of protein and healthy fat. Just a handful though cause they are caloric.

Veggies will work better than fruit? I've never heard that before! I'm going to try that

My hunger hits me at night as well. I typically try and spend only 1/3 or 1/4 of my calories in the morning and afternoon so I can spend the majority of them on a big dinner and possibly a late night time snack. That way I don't feel like I have to exert a huge amount of self control and deny myself which I think would lead to falling off the wagon. Perhaps a similar plan would help you with your cravings.

protien helps me. it helps to stabilize bloods sugar and doesn't trigger additional hunger. fruit is really healthy, but you may want to try adding something to that like nuts or cheese, or just eat a protien meal and then have some fruit afterwards. but fruit alone could trigger more hunger. the other thing i do is make sure i've had enough calories during the day. i've also heard some people say that they save extra calories for the evening and eat a bigger meal then, specifically because they seem to have more hunger in the evenings. good luck!

I have the same problem. I was considering staying up until midnight so I could tap into the next day's points, but I figured it doesn't work that way Stay strong if you feel like indulging - we can do it!

I plan for an evening snack, so I keep a couple hundred calories each day for that.

I need protein or fat in the snack, or it's not satisfying to me. Cheese and an apple... peanut butter on fiber crackers... strawberries with whipped cream... cheese and some popcorn... a cup of hot tea with a tablespoon of cream... they all are satisfying to me without "breaking the bank" of calories. And they give me much more satiety than fruit alone could do.

Yes! Veggies are WAY low cal. Lots of fiber, too. Fruit has fiber, but more calories. But fruit is WAY better than what I USED to eat at night.

When i am really dying, I pop myself a 100 calories bag of microwavable popcorn... then I munch on it really slow. Or if I am HUNGRY, hungry, I will have a little dolup of LF cottage cheese (lots of protein! I read that protein is good for if you are hungry b/f bedtime).

I drink iced cold crystal light at night. I try not to eat after dinner because i eat sort of late cause of the gym. It works for me. and its like 10 cals for a little pack (on the go pack). Put lots of ice and it will fill you up.

That reminds me - I also have one of my "seltzer drinks" every night. I do a 12 oz can of seltzer and 4 oz. of cranberry juice (or what ever juice). That is about 40 - 60 calories depending on the juice. I like the bubbles.