Eating At Night Topic
Stargazer
02/02/23
I have a habit of eating at night in front of the tv at night (my husband does also). It’s not fruits and vegetables. It’s usually peanut butter with chocolate chips and a 1 cup of milk or wheat thins with melted cheese and hot sauce. Any ideas on how to gradually change this habit into a healthy one(s)? I’m trying to lose about 15 lbs by July. I had lost 15, but gained 5 back after a cruise and keep inching up and down. I also lift weights three times a week.
U1194153516
02/02/23
Hi! I have had this problem too and I’ve found that drinking lots and lotssss of water helps. You’re body mixes up hunger and thirst ques and most likely you are just eating because you’re bored! Don’t restrict yourself if you need a snack though! Just reach for something healthier: almond milk, apples with peanut butter, and I love the 70 calorie brownies from fiber 1 to get over my chocolate craving!
Stargazer
02/02/23
Thank you! I will try drinking water and I like the Fiber One brownie idea. Would putting a thin layer of peanut butter on it and drinking a glass of milk (I love chocolate with milk…be ok?
Dietician
02/02/23
HI Stargazer,
Here are some healthy snack ideas and also an article on evening snacking I hope you find helpful.
https://www.mynetdiary.com/low-calorie-snacks-that-fill-you-up.html
https://www.mynetdiary.com/nighttime-snacking.html
Drinking hot tea can also help. Also, brush your teeth after you have your lighter snack so you are less likely to go back for more.
You can do this! Brenda (MyNetDiary Dietitian)
Stella_Celeste
02/03/23
Hi Stargazer! Nice name by the way. The only solution that worked for me was to completely change my sleeping schedule. I suffered from insomnia for more than 20 years. I used to work the night shift and later the evening shift. Until last year, I could easily go to bed at 6 am or later. My friends laughed at me saying that I was a vampire because of my sleeping habits. Of course this had an impact on what and how I eat. It is proven that the food we eat at night are often bad choices. Because I wanted to make major changes in my life but mostly wanted to try to achieve remission in my diseases I worked hard to get rid of my insomnia waking up every single day at 7:00 no matter if I slept or not. My sleep is now a lot better and I can go to bed at 10:00 pm and fall asleep. I’m still fragile because this is new but I’m confident. Because I have a better sleep schedule, I have a better eating schedule with my obligatory 3 meals a day and I try 2 or 3 scheduled snacks. My snack always contains protein. So I’m eating 5 or 6 times a day every 2 hours and a half and my snacks are always planned in advance. Now I never leave home without a healthy snack just in case. If for some reason I forget I will drink a meal substitute with at least 12g of protein and lowest carbs and calories possible. If that’s not possible my plan C would be to buy at the convenience store some of those high protein milk. If I eat my 3 meals and my 2 or 3 healthy snacks. I’m not hungry anymore during the evening. Of course, I also had to learn the difference between real hunger (physical) and psychological hunger. There is a good article in my net diary blog about that. I try to use scale of hunger to help me know how I am hungry and how I am satisfied to help me know when I should stop eating. Hope this helps.
Stargazer
02/03/23
Thank you Brenda and Stella. I’ll read the articles. I just put hot teas (with no caffeine) onto our grocery list. I also like the idea of protein meal substitutes to grab in a pinch, b/c my schedule changes all the time. The more options I have, the better.
#fat+mental4life
02/05/23
Hi! I suffer badly with insomnia too and always want to eat at night. I find that, every time I’m hungry at night, brushing my teeth instead of eating helps remind me that I shouldn’t be eating at night (I know it’s weird but it’s genuinely helped me). It won’t work for everyone but it does for me. Hope I’ve helped. :)
#fat+mental4life
Good luck with your journeys to healthier lives guys! xx
Dietician
02/06/23
replied to #fat+mental4life
Hi #fat+mental4life-
Thanks for that great tip! It helps to hear what works for different people. Have a great day! Joanna (MyNetDiary Dietitian)
Eating At Night
