How to cope with late night cravings

[Anonymous]

Slam a glass of water, brush your teeth and then paint your nails. Can’t eat if you are waiting on nail polish to dry!

[Anonymous]

If you're eating a balanced dinner and you know it's not actual hunger, it's a habit you have to break like any other. You really need to just break up whatever routine is leading to the hunger. Try a different flow of events for a few nights and see if you can shake. Otherwise you have to just stop. If you don't give in for a week or so, I bet that craving goes away.

[Anonymous]

It's a behavioral habit, OP. Find something else to do. I take a shower, or I do some kind of elaborate evening skincare routine. I try to reduce the amount of time in the snack zone (8-10pm) to the extent possible. When I was at my most disciplined, I used that time to work out and have a shower. Now, I mostly use it to work, have a cup of tea, and have a shower. When DH is available and interested, we have s*x. When he's not and nothing else works, I clean.

What absolutely 100% does not work is sitting around watching TV or reading or anything else that I would also do while having a snack. It has to be something more active.

I used to have a "snack in moderation" approach, but I don't need to be eating then. It's not good for my physical health. It's not satisfying the emotional side of things either. For me, not snacking at all is the best policy. (Note: this policy is basically out the window this week and I can feel it in my body already due to the presence of a lot more sugar in life than last week.)

[Anonymous]

I have a bunch of special herbal tea that I drink at night. There’s something to be said about a hot beverage that’s very satisfying, especially in winter. Depending on how fancy I’m feeling, I garnish with cinnamon sticks or fresh ginger and honey.

If you’re not actually hungry (which is what it sounds like) allow yourself one treat. Personally I like chocolate coveted sea salt caramels because it hits that savory sweet craving and it takes awhile to eat. I limit myself to one a night, and I find myself looking forward to it. Building it into my routine helps a lot. I also know that if I gorge one night, I’ll have to without because I only go to Trader Joe’s every so often.

You have to figure out what works for you. Tea is what made the difference for me.

[Anonymous]

Wegovy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every night I say I won’t snack and every night I succumb. The second the kids are sleeping and I’m able to rest, it’s like my brain is wired to think relaxing equals a snack. It is such an intense and powerful feeling and I am struggling to push past it. I suspect if u could stop it for even a week, it would diminish significantly.

Anyone else deal with this or something like it? Any strategies that work for pushing past it without losing your mind?

Thanks!

Are you eating enough during the day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every night I say I won’t snack and every night I succumb. The second the kids are sleeping and I’m able to rest, it’s like my brain is wired to think relaxing equals a snack. It is such an intense and powerful feeling and I am struggling to push past it. I suspect if u could stop it for even a week, it would diminish significantly.

Anyone else deal with this or something like it? Any strategies that work for pushing past it without losing your mind?

Thanks!

Are you eating enough during the day?

Yes, average 2000 cals and often more. When I try to reduce I feel like I’m starving.

[Anonymous]

I have dealt with these intense cravings all of my adult life, even without restricting, to the point I feel as though I can not sleep unless I get out of bed and eat something(and that something is not broccoli, it is fatty carbs.)Hunger hormones actually peak in the evening, so it is slightly more than habit responsible for these urges. I am overweight and it is a work in progress. What has helped me is a heavy protein and fiber rich dinner and a planned satisfying snack I take up to bed with me. Right now it’s a decent handful of walnuts, two dates and a super crisp Cosmic apple. Even bringing up half a sandwich feels less out of control than eating a box of crackers smeared with butter later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Take sleeping pills and program yourself to fall asleep sooner in the evening. Your body will shift after about 2 weeks and you won't feel hungry at night anymore. The sleeping pills are just to ease you into the new schedule.

+1. Np, and I recommend sleeping pills, too, or going to bed earlier.

[Anonymous]

I’m the same way OP. I broke it for the most part when I got Invisalign and HAD to stop eating frequently because you have to have the retainers in all the time and can only take them out for a few hours to eat. Now I’ve made it a habit to brush my teeth early and put my nighttime retainer in. That way I don’t want to take them back out and do the whole brush/flossing routine again. Start with brushing your teeth and drinking water instead. Make sure you’re eating mainly protein for dinner!

[Anonymous]

I bought some semaglutide. It’s a miracle drug. My food chatter is completely gone.

[Anonymous]

I have this issue. I lost 10 lbs by having a coffee for breakfast, small lunch, regular dinner and a half peanut butter sandwich or cup of fat free yogurt with fruit before bed. I couldn’t drop the late snack or I would start eating my kid’s snack at midnight. Also agree that tea can help.

[Anonymous]

Knitting in front of the TV. It will keep your hands occupied.

[Anonymous]

Pop a melatonin and go to sleep. Or do a strength workout and chug a bottle of liquid IV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every night I say I won’t snack and every night I succumb. The second the kids are sleeping and I’m able to rest, it’s like my brain is wired to think relaxing equals a snack. It is such an intense and powerful feeling and I am struggling to push past it. I suspect if u could stop it for even a week, it would diminish significantly.

Anyone else deal with this or something like it? Any strategies that work for pushing past it without losing your mind?

Thanks!

Are you eating enough during the day?

Yes, average 2000 cals and often more. When I try to reduce I feel like I’m starving.

Your body is lying and exaggerating. You can drop below 2000 and feel fine once you retrain your body. It's not easy but if you cut calories, your body will eventually stop yelling at you. I went from eating like 2000ish calories per day to 1200 by ignoring the hunger pangs until they gave up. You can do it.