after dinner eating

So I just started my summer job two weeks ago, and until then I never had a problem with eating after dinner.  Lately though, i have had these terrible urges to eat every single sweet or salty carbohydrate in my pantry! More than half of the calories I consume daily occur after 6:00 p.m.  I feel like this is going to really set me back on my weight loss goals.  I just don't know how to stop eating all these carbs in the evening.  On most days I eat a 300-350 calories breakfast around 8:00, then I get a 20 minute lunch break at work around 1:30-2:30, where I eat a 200-350 calorie lunch.  I get off work at 5:30 and either have class or soccer for the next 3 hours.  Most days I bring myself a light snack to tie me over until after those activities.  All of my down time is after 9:00 p.m. and that seems to be the times that I find myself having 500 calorie cereal binges! (sad, I know)

I don't know if anyone else has problems with this, or if I am completely crazy here!  So, any advice would be super helpful.

Oh, and don't worry, I don't have a problem with being UNDER my calories at the end of the day.  I am aiming for around 1,500.

I always eat a snack before bed! As long as you are within your allotted calories for the day, I don't see a problem with it. 

I always need something sweet after dinner around 8 pm so what I do is make sure to have at least 100 cal. left over and then I have  a weight watchers chololate mini roll which is 80 cal. and 4 tablespoons of sugar free jello mixed with cool whip (free) which is like 15 cal for 2 spoons. always satisfies me.

Yeah but I always feel bad!  So that tells me that I am obviously
putting something in my body I really shouldn't be.  Grr, Maybe I
am just being too hard on myself.  I guess I just wish there was a
way to spread my calories more evenly, instead of having to shove over
half of them in after 7 pm. You're right though bella, it shouldn't be
a big deal.

You definitely should not feel bad. It doesn't matter what time you eat during the day... snacking at night is not going to make you gain weight. You probably actually burn more calories sleeping than being inactive during the day!

how about a bigger lunch?

OK, not the most constructive of commets, and I'd like to second what bella said about not feeling "Bad" if bad means guilty.  You do need that intake, and it sounds like you know it.  If "bad" means urpy or ill or really stuffed... let's get you a bigger breakfast, or a more calorie-dense light snack after work- how about a Luna bar? I think they're awfully yummy.  Or put some peanut butter (or almond butter, or tahini) on whatever you're eating then.  the proteins will help you concentrate in class and build muscle in soccer.

snack on fruit or popcorn but don't use the microwaveable stuff, use an air popper. but if you don't have an air popper,  i learned in my weight maintenance class that 2 tbl of kernels put into a brown paper bag and sealed then microwaved until it popping slows (about a min) and you have really healthy serving of popcorn. top it with cinnamin for something sweet. it should yield three cups popped.

You're going a long time between meals.  Is there any way you can fit in a quick, healthy snack a couple of times a day?  You might be hungry because you need more nourishment.

I eat in the evening, but I plan my eating.  I usually have a bowl of high fiber cereal with fruit and skim milk at around 7 or 8 pm and that takes care of all cravings.  I go to bed around 10 and find that I sleep better if I don't eat right before.

I totally get these late night urges, only I usually get them after I've already eaten my calories for the day.

I figure that if the urge is really strong (for something sweet, salty, healthy, not-so-healthy) my body is telling me something. I give in once or twice a week (sometimes more), and I've continued to lose weight (at a pace of 2-4lbs a week) consistently.

Don't feel bad. Your body sends signals to your brain when it needs something (fat, carbs, protein, water, vitamins, minerals, whatever). If you ignore these signals continually your body will adjust. So, if you're not getting enough calcium, your body will take it from wherever it can find it in your body. If you're not getting enough fat, your metabolism will slow down so the fat stores last longer. If you don't get enough protein, it will take it from your muscles.

Point is, your body is very smart and efficient. Listen to it. It knows what its talking about.

Are you saying you don't eat supper?  If so, that's got to change.  See if you can have something substantial ready to warm up when you get home. 

I'm an avid late night eater...constantly (and sometimes successfully) trying to break myself of that habbit.  Sometimes, I realize I snack a lot if I'm munching on carb-y things (cereal, sandwiches, etc)

One of my favorite things to snack on late at night that satisfies a pretty good sweet tooth w/o leaving me craving is the really dark chocolate.  A good piece of dark chocolate (I LOVE cocoavia's 100 cal chocolate sticks..MMM) and a cup of hot tea is an absolutely lovely snack, and b/c of the tea, it's pretty filling too!

That's just me though.  Things with strong flavors (like dark chocolate) tend to leave you satisfied with a smaller amount. Try finding your perfect treat, and save that for your night time snack :)

I always eat after diiner. I always have leftovers cals as i'm nto hungry at tea time.

If rockmelon/cantaloupe are in season BUY! They are super filling. I eat like, half at a time, for only, like  150 cal. You could add strawberries and blueberries. Plus its healthy and sweet!!

Safeway brand Fat Free no sugar added caramel swirl ice cream. 90 calories a serving!

You should be eating every two hours, high in protein, low fat. You're killing your weight loss goals by eating after dinner, especially cereal, as your body doesn't burn off any of that when you're sleeping.

8a.m. - Oatmeal (whole rolled oats) with cinnamon, a plum, and a glass of skim milk - ABSOLUTELY NO SUGAR in the oatmeal

10a.m. - A fruit like an apple or orange, and some vegetables, like a carrot or celery

12p.m. - Two turkey sandwiches (non fat turkey) with mustard or tuna with nothing in the tuna. NO EXCEPTIONS. Load up on lettuce, and add some side vegetables or a side salad with that. (Celery or carrots are good)

2p.m. - 10-15 unsalted almonds

4p.m. - Some non-fat, low sugar yogurt

6p.m. - Meat and vegetables

You can substitute a meal with your post-workout energy drink. I recommend non-fat, low carb, low calorie protein mix. I use GNC Whey ISO Burst, which provides 20g of protein per scoop, and recommends you have a scoop twice a day.

You should be working out 3 times a week (full body), and doing cardio on the off days, for at least 20 minutes. This means high intensity cardio, like running, biking, or swimming. If you really want to burn off fat, I suggest doing interval running: Running at your normal pace for 2 minutes, and then sprinting for 30 seconds - then repeat over and over. Push yourself with the intervals to obtain gains in how long you can run for, however it doesn't have to be 20 minutes, as its very high intensity.

This program takes a lot of dedication, but its worth it. In my first month I lost 17lbs of fat.

Original Post by vitenser:

On most days I eat a 300-350 calories breakfast around 8:00, then I get a 20 minute lunch break at work around 1:30-2:30, where I eat a 200-350 calorie lunch.  I get off work at 5:30 and either have class or soccer for the next 3 hours.  Most days I bring myself a light snack to tie me over until after those activities. 

Oh, and don't worry, I don't have a problem with being UNDER my calories at the end of the day.  I am aiming for around 1,500.

With the breakfast & lunch you're currently eating, you get to 5:30pm having only eaten 500 - 700 calories. Then, you have a "light snack" - since your other meals are pretty small, I bet that's even smaller - and then, some days, you have soccor. Plus, 1500 is pretty low overall.

How about eating a bigger breakfast & lunch - maybe aim for 900ish calories between the two - and increasing both your per-soccor snack & daily calories on the days you have soccor? The, you could have a small snack on class days, and every day you would have enough calories left for a ~400 calorie dinner, plus a glass of milk/ something else small at bedtime, if you want.