Support for Getting Rid of Night Eating

Hi C.

Maybe you actually ARENT getting enough calories and or food during the day and by night, you are famished because of it...
Do you keep a food journal? I find this to be useful because you really get a birds eye view of what you are consuming.
Additionally, don't forget to eat a lot of fiber rich foods because this is what will help fill you up. Eat as much raw food too such as fruits and some veggies, this will help you get your metabolism going because the less you cook food the better, why? easy, once you cook let's say a vegetable, you cook out all the vital enzymes which help you to digest food.. hence, slowing your weight loss process. And are you getting enough water? when your body breaks down fat (fat holds toxins) so those toxins get released into your body, therefore, be sure and drink your water.. Sometimes, when we "think" we are hungry, our bodies are actually just thirty.. so try this BEFORE you go to eat something at night, get yourself a large glass or water or some herbal tea, see if that helps you alleviate the hunger pangs and too.if you just try and sit and relax with the feelings of WANTING something to eat, you may find that about after 1o minutes, the urge will slip on by...

best of luck to you!

S.

C.,
I agree w/ much of what Susan said. How are you defining being "good" throughout the day? Perhaps you are being too strict. You need to eat enough during the day -- generally three meals and two snacks, but your food choices need to be healthy (make sure to get enough protein, which is quite filling) and portion controlled. However, do not go overboard. You should only lose .5 to 2 lbs per week. If you only have five pounds to lose, you should prolly lose more like .5 to 1 lb per week, and the last several pounds can be very tough to lose. If you lose more quickly or use a diet that is not sustainable long term, you will gain the weight back (and sometimes more). And when you say you feel deprived, is that because you are physically hungry or are you feeling emotionally deprived? If it's the latter, you need to address whatever needs food is filling for you and find another way to fill them that does not involve food. If you want some ideas, please feel free to email me. Make sure you are eating in a healthy way during the day, that you are not cutting down by too many calories and that you are eating enough protein and other nutrients. And carbs are not the enemy. Try to stick with whole grain where possible, though. Have as many raw veggies (little to no dressing -- lemon or vineager [i can't spell!] work well) and as much broth based soup as you like. Canned soup can have lots of sodiukm, though, and it can cause you to retain water, which will show up on the scale. Don't let that deter you. Also, you can eat at night as long as you make good choices. Lastly, if you are tempted to have something that will derail your progress, try to focus on your goals (why you want to lose weight) and ask yourself if the food tastes better than your goals will feel.

Delicious teas at night to fill you up and satisfy your oral cravings is my suggestion. My husband and I also love sugar free hot chocolate with a teensy bit of milk. It's less than 100 calories and is very filling and tasty.

don't deprive yourself. eat as much food as you want, just make sure it's healthy, and low-calorie if you're trying to lose weight. your body needs food. if you're hungry you need to eat.

I understand about using the evenings to 'indulge'. It's often the time that can be just for me, once me children are in bed (I also don't have to 'hide' the bad food I am eating!). Feelings of deprivation are enemies to good health so I would advise you to let yourself eat whatever you want as long as you feel you are really nurturing yourself. Hoefully, this will give way to nutritious food and good self care.

Another factor in overeating is the correlation to being tired. The body naturally will crave more food when you are sleep deprived and it can be a vicious circle if you are up eating instead of getting to bed when you should. So if you are feeling tired, make sure that you are getting a good night's sleep.

From my experience, it never pays to restrict when or what you eat if it feels 'punative'. But sometimes the feeling passes if you give yourself a healthy distraction. Or ask yourself "what is it I really want". Most times, food isn't the answer (very Dr. Philish here!).

All the best to you!
N.

Have you tried brushing your teeth after dinner? Sometimes brushing my teeth or using a tooth whitener keeps me from eating in those tempting hours between dinner and bedtime. Good luck!