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Night Time Snacking
I have had 2 bad nights. I did not go over my calories, but I binged snacking after dinner. Last night it was Wheat Thins and the night before that it was mini rice cakes (carbs - my fav). I feel like crap. Both times it was me that was craving snacks & giving ino my craving, but of course my hubby follows my suit. So that makes me feel bad too.
It is not so much what I ate and it wouldn't even bother me that much if I did go over my calories some. It's the way I feel. I feel like I am starving...even though I'm not. I need to put food in my mouth to feel better. I feel so out of control. Mad because my stomach is not full, just satisfied...I hate that feeling. I want to feel full. I hate not feeling full and the longer I feel that way (after dinner), the more anxious I get. The more I want to eat. I just hate that feeling of always needing more to feel ok.
During the day, I'm ok. I drink lots of water (former coke/tea addict here). I balance out my snacks and meals well. But then as the day gets closer to the end...and I eat my dinner... I feel satisfied physically...but my head wants me to feel full and I don't, it drives me crazy.
Does anyone else feel this way? I know that it is an emotional thing...but how do I fix it?
is it really bingeing if you stayed under your calorie budget? If you didn't eat the crackers would you have been way under your calories? Maybe the reason why you're so hungry at night is because you're so hungry at night.
Do you plan your calories out to make sure that you meet your minimum?
I agree with peaceapple. If you are under your calories, you could still be hungry.
Snaking is not a dirty word. And your choices are too bad, maybe try adding a protein with the carbs. Like cheese with the wheat thins; peanut butter or a glass of milk with the rice cakes.
I was told by a dietician to never eat a carb without protein. It makes the snack stick with you longer, because protein is digested more slowly. If you just eat the carbs your blood sugar spikes, then falls, and you feel hungry.
I am the same... I dont head to bed until around midnight, so dinner ends maybe 6:30.... 8:30 planned snack..... then 3.5 hrs of thinking of things I could eat.
I greatly watch what carbs I eat, and if it isn't big on fiber, I don't eat it. (diabetes) So the only way i get my calories is through mroe fat (I'm trying to even it out more) but the other night I ate twice as many carbs for dinner as I usually do and I FELT full for a long time after dinner. I keep around 140 carbs a day which includes 25-30 grams of fiber.
Are you using your analysis tool? How much fiber are you getting a day? you may want to try more carbs at dinner with more fiber and see if that helps, and maybe, eat dinner a bit later?
coco,
I read Judith Beck's book that focuses on "how to change how you think about food"....the thoughts you are having BEFORE you overeat. She spends alot of time helping you to discern between hunger and non-hunger.
She is big on not forbidding yourself certain foods, but allowing yourself to eat ONLY planned foods. In other words, if you are craving candy or crackers or chocolate you can tell yourself you can have some of it tomorrow. To eat the food, you have to have written it in your food plan earlier that day. It helps you to not impulse eat. You can say to yourself, "ok, I can have some potato chips, tomorrow, I will add them for my afternoon snack". I think when you allow yourself a "treat" food, she asks that you keep the portion size around 150 calories. If say, the candy bar is more than that, you might stretch it out over two days, but it has to be plannned for. It also helps to help you to not feel deprived.
I used to be such a "good girl " and always bring 2/3 of my take out meal home when we would go out to dinner with other couples. It gave the impression that I was trying to diet and lose weight. But then when in the car alone with my husband I would pick at the leaftovers and as soon as I got in the door I was in front of the tv finishing the rest of that restaurant meal. I was mostly just lying to myself.
Now, I take that food home, and when I want to eat it that night , I keep telling myself, it's ok to leave this food in the box because I will have it to eat tomorrow. I then try to purposely distract myself with some other activity. It is working for me. I don't feel sorry for myself and I don't feel deprived, and sometimes I even toss the leftovers.
The section she has on emotional eating is a huge help to me. You have lots of tools to turn to, to help you make it through the night. But all require willingness, which is what is needed in any lifestyle change. If anyone out there has bought her book and is trying her program please shoot me an email. I wold love to partner with someone on this journey.
Coco,
I am struggling with the "not feeling stuffed" feeling, too. I have spent the larger portion of my life stuffing myself. Now the habit of doing that is hard to break. I spent lots of nights miserable because I stuffed myself until I was uncomfortable.
It is a STRUGGLE! Therefore, I PLAN snacks every few hours to help me get through that uncomfortable feeling that I need to eat. I am able to tell my self...just wait a little bit, we are going to eat here in a little bit...you can make it!
THE BATTLE IS IN YOUR MIND, not in your stomach.
Your stomach is absolutely thrilled not to have to deal with so much food at once. Of not being so overstretched that it hurts. Your belly is happy when you eat just the right amount for the acids and enzymes it has available to deal with what you ate. Your bloodstream is happy not to have to try and deal with all that fat and blood sugar...etc. You get my point.
SO. How can you change your mind? You have to start making positive statements in your mind. You have to start changing your attitude. And as you continue telling yourself positive things you will find they are true. And you will believe them. And you will be able to control the urge to give in to the TORTURING thoughts of your negative self...your old self...your self that doesn't control what you are doing.
How do I know what I am saying is true? Experience.
I AM slowly changing my mind. And I AM winning the battle. There are days I fail. But I am more quickly recovering and reinforcing those "holes" in my mental armor. And I start again. With confidence I tell you, you can WIN.
Oh. And your stomach will shrink over time, not back to where it was when you were a little girl, but it will shrink some.
Also on the practical side...decrease the amount of foods you put into your stomach (all at once) gradually. That way you won't get so gnawinly hungry. You stomach will shrink gradually as you decrease the amounts you put into it. Use foods that are high fiber and lower cal to help fill the void...ie salads and veggies. 2 cups of green beans are about 40 calories. 1/2 cups of salad greens about 33. Gradually decrease the volume of what you eat so your stomach will shrink and you will feel less hungry over time.
Suddenly decreasing the volume can leave you ravenous. Keep those snacks handy to help overcome those "gotta eat" feelings.
Coco,
I learn something every day. I have been studying ways to help people with depression ways to help themselves other than medication.
It was interesting to note that one of the things that makes people overeat and use "comfort food" is low serotonin. Your brain needs carbohydrates to make serotonin. Serotonin in your "feel good" brain chemical. People who suffer from depression are generally low on this neurotransmitter.
So...people who are overeating are often responding to the body telling them they need to increase serotonin anyway it knows how, and eating carbs is one of the ways to help increase it.
SO....ways to increase serotonin other than eating carbs...sunshine, exercise, multivitamin/multimineral supplement, sleep, cut out caffiene, cut out smoking, cut out illegal drug use, some people like tryptophan or 5htp supplements for this (precursors for serotonin which you cannot directly supplement...won't cross the blood-brain barrier). Other suggestions I found online SAM-e, accupuncture, laughter, meditation, get in touch with nature, get in touch with God (or higher power), volunteering, love a pet, stop smoking, stop drinking alcohol, cut out caffiene, visit with others....
I think it reminds me of doing those things Mom always said...go out a play, eat your greens, share with others, play nice, go have fun, get your sleep, don't drink too many sodas, don't eat too much candy, don't ever smoke, don't ever drink alcohol, take good care of yourself, go to Sunday School, go read a book. However, I have to disagree with Mama. I do like to sing at the table!!!
Crap!!! I was at 1400, then had a craving flung on me. Now at 1924!!!!
I am studying Serotonin and it's relationship to overweight, overeating, addictive behaviors, etc. It is very interesting.
I am hoping to try some things to increase my serotonin (without drugs) and see if they work.
I am still having trouble getting back on track!!!! I'm down a pound from my highest bad weight since I went on a spree, but for crying out loud. I've got to get hold of myself. This is less than my burn today, but not by much. And way too much salt.
OK this is a true rant, now.
Texmom,
That makes SO much sense to me and something that I will look in to. I have mild depression, major anxiety. I just recently quit smoking (about 2 months ago). Cut out my coke and tea addiction (still have 2 cups of coffee in the am).
I think I have been wallowing lately....I seem to have forgotten how to deal. I have been an over eater for as long as I can remember, I am 34 now. This is harder than quitting smoking. I'm just trying to deal with myself while still taking care of my family. It's hard and I know most if not all of you can relate to that. But I will definitly look into this more.
Thank you for posting this!
cocoflanel - one thing that I do (that I know doesn't work for everyone) is chew gum. It gives my mouth something to do when I am eating out of boredom and fools my body into thinking that it has had something sweet to eat. (I use sugar free gum of course) I know that for some people gum just makes them more hungry so I don't know if it will work for you.
Another thing I can suggest for that feeling of just not full is to drink 16 plus ounces of water about 10 minutes before sitting down to eat. Again, it could trick your body into thinking it is stuffed - on less food. Also many times I find that if I just have a big glass of water when I get to feeling "hungry" (especially at night) that the hungry feeling goes away because I was actually thirsty.
Good luck with all of this - you can do it!!!!
Sunni
Hi Sunni!
I have increased the amount of water that I drink and I am chewing lots of SF gum. But...I have not been drinking a glass of water before dinner, even though I know I should and I have not tryed chewing gum when I get in that panic mode...so thank you for the helpful reminder...I will try this!
Coco
Coco,
See my note on serotonin in the Rant section above. I've forgotten the name of it. I think it's on little things.
Oh, and Coco,
Some sugarfree gums are sweetened with xylitol or sorbitol. This can give you diarrhea. it's the same stuff that some laxatives are made from.
So if you are having that trouble, check the sweetner in your gum.
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