Binging before bedtime!!! Help!

So, heres the deal. I'm one of those major calorie counters, and I mean to the core. I count liquid calories (even the creamer in my coffee) and fruit calories. My main problem is this. Throughout the day I'm not very hungry so it's not hard for me to stay under 1000 calories. My main Problem though is that I binge big time before bed. I think its because a "full belly" makes me feel more tired, thus easier to sleep.

Are there any healthy choices on certain filling foods that I can eat to reduce the chance of binging at night? Lately I've been having chicken broth with 35 calorie slices of bread but some how that doesn't seem very healthy/safe to eat like that.

I eat many small meals throughout the day

Breakfast- 100-300 calories

snacks- 100-200 cal

Lunch- 300-400 cal

Dinner- 300-400 cal

Any suggestions on how to stop the binging at night or healthy filling choices??

I like a pound of broccoli when I'm feeling really hungry and just want to munch.  Popcorn (microwave popped in the special popper).

Make yourself a small, reasonable snack, ~100 calories, drink a glass of water.  If you're still hungry 15 minutes later, make yourself a ~50 calorie snack and drink some more water, if you're still hungry, make a ~25 calories snack.

Try breaking your dinner in half...eating half at dinner time then the other half when you get hungry later.

Or lowering cals (lunch maybe) in other meals to make up for the fact that you are hungrier at night.

I know that they say eat a large breakfast and make the other meals smaller...but it doesn't work for me because I can NOT sleep hungry. I would be up all night and end up eating something at 3am just to get to sleep.

I actually end up snacking lite during the day...then having a small meal at dinner time...when I get hungry later I have another small meal. (I try to do this at least 2-3 hours BEFORE going to bed tho)

edit:spelling errors

Oh, I also find that the more I eat during the day...the hungrier I am at night...and I am much more likely to binge at night.

I don't starve myself during the day...but I also don't force myself to eat meals when I'm not hungry. I know the "5 meals a day" people will probably say "No, No...that is all wrong". This may not be the "most effective" way of doing things. It's just what works for me. If I forced myself the 5 small meals, I would never stay within my calorie "limit".

Well typically the reason you eat before bed is because when you eat (more specifically a larger amount) your body is processing the food and it makes you tired from using more energy. . .I've only notcied this a few times in my life, once when I had amazing flank steak.

I'm a night eater too, and i have been munching on nut mix that have some M&M's in them, but unless you can keep it to a small amount this is bad because its high in cals (and good fats).

Maybe try eating your supper a lot later, or like layla said break your dinner in half.

Good luck on the munching, I'll need to duct tape my mouth shut to stop myself.
Sarah

i know exactly what you mean. try munching on veggies and some fruit. Some great suggestions:

- grape tomatoes (taste just like ketchup!). and if they're just too plain for you, you can dip them in ketchup ! lol

- watermelon. cold watermelon tastes GREAT. they fill you up, and you can eat as much as you want without really worrying about the calories.

- drink LOTS of water. i know this is hard. esp. if you're craving something, because that's the last thing you want to have. but ignore those thoughts and just chug down a tall glass of water without stopping to breathe. just keep chugging and chugging until your stomach can't handle it. you'll be so full that you won't even WANT to eat anything.

hope this helps! or like someone suggested above, since you are concerned about calorie count/day, you should just divide up your dinner and eat the other half when you get that urge before you go to bed. although this would be my last suggestion because, although you will still be within your calorie limit, it's still not good for your stomach to be filled with heavy foods.

good post. im a recovering bulimic of almost 3 years and the night time always gets me..

good tips =)

I have tried warm milk (an old tip from my mom)... before bed.  Makes your tummy feel full, and warm, and it has that fabulous tryptophan (sp?) which induces sleepiness.  And hey we girls need calcium anyway right?  What's a little skim.

Also, I heard they now sell Tryptophan as a supplement and it is supposed to help with sleep AND appetite control.

I drink a protein shake about an hour or so before bed with milk and fruit mixed in.  It's about 250-300 calories (depending on the type of fruit) and I like it because I drink it through a straw, which takes longer, and I know it's doing something good for me while I sleep, because of the increase in protein (nightime being the only time your muscles regenerate the extra protein gives a little boost). 

My friend has your same problem - she sleeps better with the full tummy feeling - and she has started eating yogurt and granola bars in the evening because it's small but filling.

I have the same problem too... Mega binge in the middle of the night and feel gulity the next morning. This is a real weight gaining solution. Do any of you woke up swollen all over, especially on the face. Nowadays, i cant differentiatie whether is swell or i had really grown bigger :(

I went to bed once without binge-ing alot. But i was hungry and all i have in my mind was food food food... had a lousy night of sleep. And guess what? The following night, i binged with vengance.. its a vicious cycle.