Late night craving help, please

Good morning!!!!  I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend and is having a great day so far (that's the extent of my Monday cheer LOL)  I need some help please.  I have some late night cravings, usually after 1am or so.  I work 3pm to 3am, so I'm up until 4 or 5am usually and my craving**** harder at those times than any other.  I keep craving salty things...wheat thins, cheese curls, pretzels...the list could go on, but I will stop.  I'm usually fine during the day, if I get a craving I grab an apple or some cheese and off I go.  But lately, those haven't been helping either.

I'm 7 months out tomorrow and have been able to have all my foods back since month 6 so I'm trying to make sure I get a variety of foods at at least one meal, usually dinner, so I don't go looking for food.  But that doesn't seem to help either.  Starting May 1, I go to a different schedule of 2pm to 10pm, so I think that will help a lot, but I still have to make it there.  Does anyone have any tips for me or any ideas?  I'm open to anything...thank you so much guys!  

I usually like to snack right before bedtime. So in order to get in extra protein, I keep some nuts on my nightstand -i.e. shelled pastacio(spelling's off) or unsalted peanuts something that requires a little work. Good luck and keep up the good work.

One of my surgeon's rules is that one of the 5-6 mini-meals we eat is within an hour of bedtime. Maybe eating a minimeal late in the day will help.

 Since you are craving salty things, you may want to try some salted nuts.  You can probably find ones that are only slightly salted ( i.e., not David's salted pumpkin seeds).  

When I could afford them, I liked protein bars.  They provide quick satisfaction but have some problems.  Most notably, they remind me of chocolate bars.  They're a bit costly compared to protein powders and their protein g to carb g ratio is a lot worse.  But, if it gets you through a tight spot you may want to consider it.

I want to commend you for realizing what foods are giving you problems and eliminating them from your diet.  I'm especially amazed with your elimiation of Diet Coke.  I just don't have that fortitude.

a nice spoon of peanut butter will stop my cravings thats for sure....it just puts a nice taste in my mouth and kinda lingers there if i dont drink for a bit....i had some before bed last night and i slept really great
have a great day
debby

I read about a great idea on an OH post about determining if you have hunger, or only a craving.  Ask yourself if you want a hard boiled egg.  If yes, then you're hungry, if not, it's head hunger/cravings and you shouldn't eat.  This trick works for me.  I also try to drink a glass of iced tea or crystal light before I give into eating.  So many times I'm thirsty, not hungry.

You guys, thank you so much!!!!!  Maybe I need to have just a little something before bedtime and it will stop.  I like the idea of making something like peanut butter or nuts.  I should also try drinking something before bed...but I want to sleep thru the night!  LOL  And when I was at Walmart today...I walked right by all of those snacks...thank goodness!  LOL