I tend to eat A LOT at night and so I thought to myself, "What could I do instead of eat food? Drink coffee!" I didn't get into coffee until my boyfriend got some Starbucks from his brother. We tried it and now I can't function without coffee in the morning (omg, I sound like an old man!). It's weird, coffee gives me that boost of energy and makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

So, what I'm asking is: could coffee be an acceptable substitute if I'm having a late night craving for food?

The caffeine and stuff might not be the best as a late night snack. It may not prevent you from going to sleep, but it may keep you from getting a good deep REM sleep. I always get up at like 3 or 4 and can't fall back asleep. And it also depends on the type of coffee you're drinking; is it Starbucks? Is it with lots of cream and sugar? I think you'd be better off drinking a huge glass of water and seeing how you feel instead. At least that has no calories and no caffeine.

I don't know about late night, because of the caffeine, but if you go for a decaf option I totally think it is a good idea. For me, I have found having a coffee in the afternoon helps me from getting all snacky at that 2-4pm period. My stomach feels full after drinking it and it usually takes me a good 15 minutes to make it, and 30 minutes to drink the coffee.. enough time to get over that bingey type of mood. Amazing job on the weightloss!

If you're eating well, and if it doesn't wreck your sleep or give you heartburn, it's great.

i use coffee in the mornings and uncaffeinated herbal teas in the afternoons and evenings.

I suggest herbal teas instead of coffee They are very soothing to drink as well Just don't load them up with sugar.

I second the herbal tea in the evening.

There are lots of great decaffinated ones. And they are soothing and taste great. Chammomile is my fave, a cup of that and one cinnamon graham cracker makes a nice late evening snack.

The Chammomle is soothing and the cinnamon graham is a nice treat, that doesn't totally blow the calories.

I also have cinnamon apple, orange, lemon/ginger, raspberry, eggnogg, gingersnap and a number of other flavored teas. A nice change of pace.

My great grandmother was a great tea drinker, mostly at night as a soother. I remember drinking tea with her, along with the graham crackers or 2 plain crackers. 2 was always the limit, ??

But it reminds me of good times, calm, relaxed, and then you hit the hay.

sometimes I find that any hot drink (esp with milk in it) gives me the feeling of having something to eat, or satisfies that need to eat something. Decaf coffee, low-fat hot chocolate, decaf tea with milk could all do the trick....

would keep it decaf though. caffeine takes 6-8 hours to leave your system. a good uninterrupted sleep is important and good for you!!

~CGH~

Don't drink coffee late at night because you probably wont be able to go to sleep. My late night snack is always grapes or yogurt but I drink coffee every morning

Only you know your own tolerance to caffeine and the number of calories you add to your drink. But if you're not overly sensitive to the caffeine (I know i can drink a diet coke and sleep 10 minutes later) and keep the calories low, its not a bad plan, esp. as a replacement for higher calorie foods.

Maybe decaf if you think the taste is OK, but too much caffeine is a bad thing. I second the tea idea in the evening. I sometimes have a cup or two of coffee in the morning or afternoon to get me going. I suggest just filling up on any liquid. Lately I have some greek yogurt to fill my tummy in evenings.

I am not bothered at all by caffeine no matter what time of day I take it. I also find coffee soothing and tasty, and for me it is a great substitute for snacking in the evening. I use no sugar and try to be as sparing as possible with the creamer to save on fat/calories. I wish I could develop a taste for black coffee.

as with everyone else, i suggest tea. i usually drink peppermint or sleepy time tea. they do fill you up! especially if you drink a couple of cups.

not as much as the way coffee does (it also kills my appetite) but i think its a better substitute

Do whatever works for you! The minimal calories in coffee mean it is rationally a good decision, just see how your body reacts to your new "snacks" I personally drink loads of tea every day because I can't stand coffee (bleurgh!)

sbux has 2 teas that i love: refresh and calm