I’m slowly reading through The End Of Overeating, so I haven’t quite conquered my problem yet. I’m still overeating EVERY day almost. It seems like my problem is getting worse the more I focus on it.
The main problem is the eating at night after I have already eaten 3 good meals and had my total calories for the day. Take yesterday for example, when I ate well and ended at around 1900 calories for the day after dinner. I worked out and even drank enough water. It was a good day… that is until the slippery slope of night snacking began.
After dinner I was fine. I ate enough and drank plenty of water and was full. I sat down to write a blog post and do some reading, but soon my thoughts turned to food. I wasn’t even hungry but I was thinking about eating. My brother announced he was going to get something to eat at a fast food restaurant and I asked him to bring me something back. Since he was in a good mood he agreed.
I had no idea what he would bring back for me to eat since I did not specify. As I waited for him to return I thought about eating whatever it would be. I also thought about how I would be fine if he didn’t bring anything or I chose not to eat it. I wasn’t hungry and I knew I wasn’t hungry. But I still thought about this magical food that would show up. My brain convinced me that eating would be fun and enjoyable. Sure I didn’t need it, but it would be fun! It would make me feel better! (Note: I didn’t feel bad at all, actually I felt great from working out and eating healthy all day.)
My brother ended up returning empty handed because of debit card problems, but that didn’t stop me. I had already convinced myself to eat something. So I turned to what was most convenient. Cheetos and chocolate chip cookies. Let me just say, I don’t even like cheetos. They have no taste and are gross. But I ate them and the less than delicious chocolate chip cookies. I ate them and then felt sick afterward because it wasn’t good food at all. But still, I ate them.
This morning when I weighed in I was back over 240. That isn’t hard to imagine, but it hurts to see. I know it is water retention and blah, blah, blah, but when I saw the number in the back of my mind flashed the words NIGHT TIME EATING! It is my destruction and my biggest hurdle.
I feel so proud of myself on the nights when I don’t eat anything after dinner and go to bed without snacking. I even started eating dinner later so I wouldn’t be hungry at all before bed. Somehow that hasn’t stopped me. I almost think that it is more of a habit now than anything. I’ve gotten used to eating something before going to sleep over the last year. It is a lot like the extra meal I would eat right when I got home from school in high school. I didn’t really need it but that was my habit. Now my habit is unnecessary night time eating.
I wish I had a solution to this that would stop it. I hope that by changing and moving and completely taking myself out of this house and situation that it will stop. When I stay at friend’s houses or am traveling I never do this. I don’t eat at night unless I was too busy and skipped a meal earlier in the day. The night time eating is not something I need to do and it is not something I want to do.
I wish I wasn’t posting this, but it is important that I’m honest and real about my journey – struggles included. Maybe some people can drop 200 pounds with no problem. I can’t. I’ve clearly got food issues and things I need to learn how to deal with. If I didn’t have food problems I would be awesome … I love to exercise, I love my life, etc. But food is still tripping me up and I am not going to pretend it isn’t.
I’m only going to be at home for maybe two more weeks in the next month, but I am open to suggestions about how to combat this problem. I don’t want this bad habit to come with me as I move and change my life. Any suggestions? Anyone want to call me at 10 p.m. and just say no? Anyone else conquer this problem?
I don’t think anyone loses 200 lbs with no problem! It’s hard for everyone. After reading Kessler’s book, I found setting rules about my eating helped. For me, it was not eating all the junk food people put out at work. I set a rule that I just wasn’t the kind of person who ate that food, period. When I see it, I look away. Or, I imagine it’s really nasty (and usually it is).
Try telling yourself you just don’t eat after 8 pm. That’s it, no exceptions. Or if you really are hungry, you can eat oatmeal. Not exciting, but will fill you up.
Ask your brother to help and not do you any favors. And get rid of the junk at home if you can; nobody needs cheetos and chocolate (well, ok sometimes chocolate). Good luck!
This is huge for so many people! I had some comments on my blog post yesterday about it. For me, this is what I do & I know, easier said than done…
I PLAN FOR MY NIGHT SNACK. I have a few different ones I like that are healthier for me. I know the calorie, fat, carb content of the snack & I just make it part of my food plan for the day. In fact, I like these organic animal “crackers” (really cookies) from Costco. My hubby always teases me because he hears me counting them out when I go to eat them so I eat only the amount I want to eat. They go on a plate & the container DOES NOT come with me so that I can sneak more or eat mindlessly!
After eating them, I IMMEDIATELY BRUSH MY TEETH. If I am still hungry OR just want something, I keep that no calorie flavored water in the house & sip on that.
Like I said, easier said than done but it works for me.
I’m still struggling with binge eating so I’m sorry to say I don’t have any answers. I don’t know why I can stuff food in my mouth while thinking about how much I want/need to lose weight. It just doesn’t make any sense but I still do it. I guess the only suggestion I could make is go to bed earlier so you aren’t tempted to eat. I’d be happy to call you and tell you to put down the cheetos (they are gross) ;)
I’m so sorry you’re struggling with this, I know how defeating and frutrating it is… my only tip would be: brush your teeth, floss, rinse with Listerine!!!! I do this long routine at 6pm every day, that way I know I won’t eat again until the next day because I’m too lazy to go through the teeth cleaning again. I know it sounds silly, but it really works. Plus, the fresh taste in your mouth acts as a deterrant to eat more.
I hope it helps :)
Marta’s last blog post..Simple Pasta al Pesto e Pesce + Contest
@Judy & Marta
Both of you mention brushing my teeth. That is a thought and something I haven’t tried before. It could help…
what about keeping fresh cut veggies around? that way if you need a little something to nibble on, you can get out that cup of cucumbers. it’s convenient and it’s real food.
but i’m not one to talk, i just had two nights of nighttime snacking and i feel awful. blah! i feel for you.
Shy Girl’s last blog post..weigh-in today
I don’t think it’s a problem to eat at night! I eat something after dinner almost every night, and it doesn’t affect me negatively. I PLAN for it. I make sure that an evening snack fits into my calorie allotment for the day, and then I have that (healthy, planned for) snack an hour or two before bedtime.
I don’t think there’s any reason to fight your body’s desire to eat at night, as long as it’s done in a healthy way. There have been countless studies that show that WHEN you eat doesn’t really matter – just WHAT you eat and HOW MUCH. Here’s a helpful article: http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSI/9273/35323/432544.html?d=dmtHMSContent
Kimberly’s last blog post..New vs Old
Oh I so get where you’re coming from. In fact, reading your post made me want to eat something. (And it’s almost midnight here!)
I have noticed that just someone mentioning food or seeing food (pictures, commercials) makes me want to eat something and I’m not even hungry.
A lot of times I can still snack at night because I have points left (and I do not have anything at home that would be really unhealthy), or I try to snack on fruit which doesn’t have points here.
I think snacking is my main problem, not just snacking at night but in general, because I do it a lot.
Bella’s last blog post..Weigh-in for 07/02/09
I have struggled with this too, but brushing my teeth really has helped. I also will occasionally “budget” in an evening snack. Usually it’s something like 100 calorie popcorn, and that’s it. I think setting up “rules” for evening eating is a good idea. Have a go-to snack that you will allow yourself to eat, but don’t eat anything but that. Also, when I want to eat sometimes I will chew gum or just go for a walk. Doing something to occupy your mind might help too, like a Sudoku or crossword puzzle.
erin’s last blog post..July Goals Checkup: Week 1
The first part of that book made me want to binge!! I’ve been not binge eating lately but i don’t know whether it was because of that book.
@Kimberly
I know WHEN you eat doesn’t matter as much. It’s just the problem that I am still eating late even when I’ve already eaten enough for the day, even when I don’t need or really even want any more to eat. I still do it. Thanks for the article link!
@Bella
Don’t eat anything! Hehe. I understand the food images making you want to eat – that happens to me too. It triggers that desire to eat even though we aren’t hungry. Lame!
@Erin
Thanks for the suggestions. Definitely going to try brushing my teeth. I’ll think about the rules idea. I tend to set rules just to break them, lol.
I buy delicious fruit infusion teas and ONLY have them after supper in the evening. It’s my special night time treat. They taste so good that you don’t have to sweeten them, and needless to say, you don’t need milk. Sure, I have to get up a time or two to go to the bathroom at night, but it’s worth not diving into the left-overs from dinner! It’s not as if you’re hungry! Otherwise, just go to bed earlier!
The only thing that keeps me out of the kitchen at night is routine. Dinner. Blog. Workout. Shower. Straighten hair. Bed. Any break in that routine and I have a bowl of cereal. I make sure that my “free” time is happens when I’m full and that the time is occupied when I am most likely to snack.
I also find that my photo food journal (growlinmytummy.com) is a huge help. If I post pictures of what I eat after dinner, I’m not able to snack because the post is already there and I can’t add to it. And I’d be to embarrassed to put an entire post of just my snack.
Come on! You can do this!
krissie’s last blog post..just to prove his point
Gosh I have this problem too, I know you can’t ban foods from your house like I do, but can you designate certain cabinets as off limits, you won’t open them or look in? Hubby sometimes puts food in a place I don’t look, out of site out of mind! I wish it were easy to lose the weight! oh well.
MackAttack’s last blog post..Tagged
Mary, I know where you are coming from. I have always had a problem with overeating. As my dad once said about himself, “I do not have an eating disorder, I have a love of food disorder!” :-) The only words of advice I have are to keep healthy snacks available. While it is not as good as avoiding the food, it is better than eating cheetos and cookies. One snack food I like keeping around is sugar-free fruit flavored popsicles (like frozen kool-aid). These have very few calories and are quite tasty. Another thing I really like snacking on is sliced cucumbers and onions soaked in vinegar and a little Splenda. Very satisfying, but very good for you.
The second word of advice resonates what you have already read. Brush your teeth. Your body subconsciously reads that to mean you are done eating for the time and it will lessen your cravings.
South Beach Steve’s last blog post..No Excuses, No Regrets!
This is going to sound silly. But my best weight loss came when I started going upstairs at about 8pm. I was going to bed. I’d read, play on the laptop, sometimes even sleep. But I was away from the kitchen and the TV and it seemed to kill most of the desire to eat. Better yet? The nights I went to sleep by 9pm, made for much improved mood, sleeping, working out the next day.
RunningLarge’s last blog post..Running Fat & Slow (but with a partner)
This is a big problem for a lot of people. And when I was obese, it was a problem for me too! John and I would eat enough food for a whole meal after dinner – seriously. Chips & cheese, ice cream, cookies.. .
When I started losing weight I did a couple of things differently. If I wanted dessert, I had it right after dinner with everyone else. If I felt the urge to eat again after the dinner dishes were done, I would make a hot drink, then chew some gum, brush my teeth and if all else failed – I’d go to bed.
It’s not an easy habit to break, and I think for a lot of people, planning for a nightly snack is a good way to still have the food, but not blow your calorie intake for the day.
Diane Fit to the Finish’s last blog post..Restaurant Buffets are Fun for Heavy People
@Running Large
I can’t go to sleep that early. I’ve tried and I’m just not sleepy until at least 11.
Have you read The Structure House Diet? If not I highly recommend it. They advocate (suprise suprise) structured eating. That is planning the night before what you are going to eat. Then you track and also track things like mood, if something “set off” your eating at a certian time, etc.
I’ll call you every night at 10! What’s your #? :-)
The nighttime food bug gets me sometimes, but I deal with it by keeping a very tasty low calorie cereal at hand – less than 200 calories for a serving. Cereal is the only thing I’ll allow myself to eat before bed, but even this isn’t necessary most times because I’m not hungry….but STILL eat it.
Lately I’ve hated this feeling and have basically been fighting with my brain. Every fiber of my being screams for the food, but somehow in the last few weeks, I’ve conquered by saying “NO”. Believe me, it’s been hell. But I wake up the next morning saying, “Yep, I didn’t need it and I did just fine without it”.
Yum Yucky’s last blog post..Taste Test: Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut Bars
Since the calorie counting began I have pretty much killed off snacking badly, lots more control. However, today I am in snack mode like mad. I blame my period. *nods*
is it because you’re not busy doing something? maybe you need some sort of hobby/activity for after dinner that can occupy your mind and divert it from food?
wildfluffysheep’s last blog post..surprise surprise
Eat when you are hungry, eat smaller meals (many throughout the day, and at night as well), and eat clean. This is the best advice I have. This way you will be able to eat at night and have those calories to do so. I like the advice you gave me about the one day a week splurge–that’s something I’ll be incorporating as well.
Tony’s last blog post..Internal Conversation
Send me your phone number; I’ll text you at random times to tell you not to overeat if you’ll text me at random times to tell me not to overeat :)
Brushing teeth is a really good one. Works well for me. I’ve also got a piece of paper right by my desk that tells me not to overeat. Kinda useful to see that all the time!
Sagan’s last blog post..Exercise vs. Sleep
Mary.. losing weight is never easy it’s rather difficult if you ask me but I have no doubt that you can do it! I too used to do a lot of night time grazing.. it would always be between 8-10 while I was planted on the couch watching my Red Sox play or watching that nights or previous nights (damn DVR!) shows.. What has worked for me is instead of eating three big meals I typically eat 5-6 small meals a day now and drink LOTS and LOTS of water.. That last meal comes in the form of a small snack around 8 in the evening and I will sometimes chase it with a decaf tea. On the nights that I feel like I could eat my way through the tub of fro yo in the freezer I’ll take out my nail polish and start painting my nails.. nothing is more upsetting then messing up freshly painted nails! lol
Good luck! I know you can do it!
When I was growing up…we ate dessert and hot tea every single night. It was almost expected of me to eat some cookies with my tea. I have broken the habit (it took years to undo) but when my parents visit…I make a dessert(s) so that they will have a treat with their tea.
My big problem time is when my kids are napping.
Connie @ Fat2HotMommy’s last blog post..Week 15…In Love with Hummus