I was always had issues with afternoons, not evenings. I trace that behavior back to being a "latchkey child." When I got home from school, I wasn't allowed out of the house, there was nothing to do but watch TV, read and eat. I always get hungry/snacky between 2-5 at work but I am very rarely hungry after dinner.

Maybe some of the things I do to defuse my afternoon hunger cravings would work for you after 6:00.

1. Plan your meals. I always plan to have at least 2 healthy snacks in the afternoon, sometimes 3. Usually, it's fruit and cut up veggies (carrots, grape tomatoes, sugar snap peas and pepper strips). I buy snacks on Sunday and pack my lunches/snacks for all 5 work days on Sunday, so they are ready to go. If I don't eat them, they will go bad and I hate to throw away bad produce (waste of money). Make sure you have a healthy dinner/after dinner snack ready.

2. Stay busy. I deliberately schedule meetings in the afternoon. You could work on hobbies or write letters/emails to friends/family.

3. Junk proof your space. I keep healthy standby snacks at work (like dried fruit) and absolutely no junk. I never keep cash/coins on me so I can't hit the vending machines.

4. Sip herbal tea. I am a tea fanatic, in the afternoons I drink at least 2 cups of herbal tea. I love Stash Blueberry - it's naturally sweet. This keeps my hand moving something to my mouth, fulfilling the desire to be eating (like how smokers chew toothpicks to fulfill the physical craving).

5. Brush your teeth. I hate eating with a minty mouth. If I am snacky but not really hungry, I will sometimes brush my teeth - I never want to eat right afterwards.

6. Make sure you are eating enough throughout the day. Lots of people are "good" and "careful" during the day and then lose it at night. In my experience (when that happened to me in the past) I really wasn't eating enough during the day, I was overly restrictive. It's no wonder I ate outside of my control - the body wants to LIVE!

Good luck!

Hi, I used to do fine during the day, too but when evening came I would get sooooo hungry or rather eat sooooo much. I can't truly say I was hungry.

Do you eat enough? Do you have healthy snacks? What weight loss plan are you following? I'm doing Weight Watchers Flex Plan.

Wishing You All The Best
Denise

Congrats! Glory on reaching your goal weight and maintaining.

I find evening my hardest time too, I think because i'm busy during the day and I don't usually notice if i'm a LITTLE hungary because i've been eating so healthy, but then if I get home and am not distracted by a project or going somewhere, then let the grazing begin! I'm awful if I don't keep myself busy. I'm trying to drink some lemon water or brush my teeth to keep from going back to the fridge to the pantry to the fridge to the pantry.anyway...you're not alone

You're definitely not alone. I solved the problem here:

I think I finally figured it out

*wink*

YES!!! I know exactly what you mean. When I'm at work, I'm on a schedule and I stay busy. Once I get home and have to cook, I blow it. It never fails so I definitely know how you feel.

This a great hint! Everyone should read it. LOL!

It's helped me to cut my evening meal in two. I'll eat something like an apple right before I leave work or when I get home, then I'll eat again about 8. Not a full "dinner." I've made my lunch my biggest meal of the day.

Also, it's helped to have something interesting to do. Something to keep my mind and body occupied.