My food problem. Help me end this cycle.

[Anonymous]

I can diet/eat healthy quite well all day long. But the minute I finish my healthy dinner and get my kids to bed I am STARVING. and 3 or 4 nights a week I will overeat snacks while I am watching TV and finishing up my work.
I have tried everything I can think of! Brushed Teeth and used mouthwash after dinner. (whatever! I can brush again!) The weeks that I can come up with the motivation to NOT do this I can lose weight. and I feel better and less guilty. I know its just not healthy to gorge on unhealthy chips, pretzels, etc. so late and in such excess.
Has anyone had this issue and solved it in a creative and successful way?

[Anonymous]

What's a typical breakfast, lunch & dinner?

[Anonymous]

breakfast - wheat toast with light Peanut butter, an egg or 2. Morning snack - cottage cheese. Lunch - salad with grilled chicken and some hummus a wasa cracker or 2 (maybe a small handful of pretzels as a treat!) afternoon snack - some nuts and small apple or a lara bar. Dinner - grilled chix or salmon, veggies, brown rice. I have tried having a later healthy snack of a wasa cracker with peanut butter but this just starts the evening downfall of bad eating. My kids and DH will be so mad if I take out every chip and cookie in the house. which is my next step.

[Anonymous]

This is what I had to do when I lost 40 lbs ...I had to go to bed as fast as I could once the kids were asleep. I had always used up my calorie allotment by 5:30 so I ended up always going to sleep hungry. I put the kids down by 7:45, did the elliptical until 8:15 and then went right to bed. It was gross but I had to shower in the morning because, if I stayed up, I'd be too tempted to eat.

[Anonymous]

Don't buy the foods to begin with

[Anonymous]

You eat healthy food but that is a large amount of calories even without the late night snacks.

[Anonymous]

Can you sign up for a late night class at a gym or rec center? That's what I do because of the same issue. At least 2 nights a week I am not derailed...

[Anonymous]

OP, the meals you detailed are not a lot of food. How many calories are you actually taking in? You are probably hungry - depriving yourself during the day so you're trying to make up for it at night. (22:33 - are you eating disordered?) This happens to me sometimes when I try to be "good" about my eating and not snack or eat sweets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You eat healthy food but that is a large amount of calories even without the late night snacks.

How many do you count?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You eat healthy food but that is a large amount of calories even without the late night snacks.

disagree. not a lot of food before the snacking.

[Anonymous]

OP, are there addictions of one sort or another in your family? If so maybe you should consider whether you have a problem with compulsive overeating and seek treatment. Just a thought.

[Anonymous]

How much do you drink a day? One of the most common causes of overeating is that dieters do not drink enough and will mistake thirst for hunger. Women need to drink on average about 72 oz of water a day and men need to drink on average about 100 oz of water a day. One potential solution is that you need to get a large glass, say 16 oz and fill it with water. When you get hungry, drink the water down first before you get a snack. Refill the glass and leave it. Then have a small snack, say 2-3 crackers. Go do something else. If you get hungry again, drink the glass of water again, refill. Have a small snack. Water will fill up your stomach and help abate the feeling of hunger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How much do you drink a day? One of the most common causes of overeating is that dieters do not drink enough and will mistake thirst for hunger. Women need to drink on average about 72 oz of water a day and men need to drink on average about 100 oz of water a day. One potential solution is that you need to get a large glass, say 16 oz and fill it with water. When you get hungry, drink the water down first before you get a snack. Refill the glass and leave it. Then have a small snack, say 2-3 crackers. Go do something else. If you get hungry again, drink the glass of water again, refill. Have a small snack. Water will fill up your stomach and help abate the feeling of hunger.

Fantastic tip!!!

[Anonymous]

Just be careful of overhydrating. You can create a life threatening situation if you drink too much water. A friend of mine almost died this way.

[Anonymous]

OP here, the going to bed (or at least upstairs) idea is a good one. I think being so accessible to the kitchen and food is part of the problem. I think I am getting the right amount of calories. usually around 1500 which should be enough to lose weight at a very moderate pace or just maintain.