Question:
Does anyone have trouble with night eating after WLS?
I had my surgery 18 months ago and down 120 lbs. I was never a night eater but lately I will eat anything (from about 7-9pm then I go to bed) that is not nailed down-and I do mean ANYTHING! I hate myself for this as I do well all day then in the afternoon I plan on 1 snack that leads to 3. Then after supper it becomes a chow fest. Any help? I tried upping the protein in the afternoon, but I still want more-especially carbs and some sugar (artifical anything) or just deal with the dumping! I need help with this as I this is dangerous territory for me. My amounts are getting larger and the food too important. I obsess about food all day. PLEASE any advise you can give me? Donna — Donna B. (posted on April 29, 2003)
April 29, 2003
Have you tried following the "Rules of the Pouch". There is a
link to it somewhere on this website. This might help curb the nighttime
eating and get you back on track. Good luck!
— Dawn P.
April 29, 2003
Donna, I may be staing the obvious, but are you bored in the evening? I
find that I still look towards foow when I am bored. I work hard to
recognize that is what I am doing, and i try and find thing to do to take
up my time. See if that helps. I would also suggest that you make sure that
you are getting in all of your protien in during the day, other wise, your
body may be feeling like it needs to "catch up" in the evening.
Try supplementing with protien drinks to keep you full. Good luck to you.
Evenings are hard, I know.
— Vicki L.
April 29, 2003
I work afternoons, so I get home late and when I get home I want to sit,
relax and eat! I've noticed this becoming a bad pattern. I now either eat
some popcorn or a protien bar and wait a good hour or so before I go to bed
and I'm still losing. Good luck and don't get down on yourself, just find
something else to focus on :o)
— Sandy M.
April 29, 2003
You need to replace this habit with another. Do you Knit, Cross-stitch,
paint Birdhouses, do dried floral arrangments? You can find small craft kit
Ideas at Wal-mart that you can sit in the evenings and work on. It will
take your mind off of food and you'll be rewarded in the end with a
finished product ;~).(Start working on X-mas Gifts for family and friends)!
I've been obsessed with crafts since my RNY 11 mos. ago. GOOD LUCK!
— Tambi B.
April 29, 2003
Two things: 1) Are you eating every few hours during the day? That helps to
keep your metabolism steady. If I don't eat enough during the day I tend to
make up for it at night. 2) Are you eating a lot of carbs? Carbs make you
crave carbs and have that hungry feeling. I find that an all protein
breakfast seems to help me control my carb cravings throughout the day. If
all else fails, I eat something really bulky that makes me unable to eat
anything else: nuts, apples, peanut butter, raw carrots . . . Once I get a
pouch full of that I CAN'T eat anything else!
— ctyst
April 29, 2003
I have a terrible time with this also. Nighttime has always been my
downfall, and unfortunately they didn't operate on my brain so it's still a
struggle. What I've found works best for me is to have a late night
protein shake or protein bar. For me, these are very filling and curbs my
desire for other food. Hope this helps you some. The other posters have
had good ideas also. I like the idea of crafting, I may have to try that
next ;o) Take care
— Robin V.
April 29, 2003
Well, this might sound like a strange suggestion (I think the others have
been great, by the way), but I take all my vitamins and supplements as well
as my other meds after eating my dinner. By the time I finish getting
those down, my pouch is full and in no mood to eat. Not upset, just not
wanting anything other than fluids, even when I feel physically hungry.
Other than that, it does sound like you may be bored or lonely or feeling
"empty". Are these feelings triggers for you? Would you
consider therapy with an eating disorder specialist? Many blessings, Robin
— rebalspirit
April 29, 2003
Oh, Donna, do I "hear you" on this one! I was always a
"night eater," and I find that's where my problems come even at
just 11 months out (and I'm glad to see you hanging in there at 18 months,
btw!). Sometimes, even if I eat more during the day, the night thing still
happens. I find two things are helpful: (1) getting out of the house (I go
to the gym, but going *anywhere* beats being too close to the food); and
(2) sometimes, I find I eat when I'm tired -- as if I'm trying to get
energy from food (instead of just going to bed, already!), and I wind up
turning to carbs and sugars for the quick energy without even realizing
that that is what I'm doing. Next day, I feel physically and mentally
awful, and scared to death about repeating the pattern. Some folks also
"protein load" with protein shakes, which I've had mixed success
with when I see this pattern rearing its ugly head on me again. And, if
you work outside the home, there's always the option of clearing the bad
carbs 'n sugars out of the house entirely -- you can let yourself eat them
during the day so you don't go "mental" with deprivation, but
keep 'em out of your reach at home. Good luck!!!
— Suzy C.
April 29, 2003
Donna, boy do you sounds exactly like me! lol I am so obsessed with food
again that I watch the food network all day! I eat alot at night as well,
and atleast you go to bed early. I'm usually up till midnight, so imagine
how much i eat! I'm 1 year post-op and at my goal weight (still losing very
slowly) Some may say to just cut everything out, but for me personally-
that is not realistic and just won't happen. So I plan everything out, I
know I'm gonna eat more at night, so I plan my snack to be during that
time, as well as a protein shake or drink. I also will eat veggies and
fruit, too. So I am eating maybe 4 times after 7, but its not 4 times of
junk, there is some healthy in there as well. I also eat alot of sugar,
which I shouldn't, but I don't go overboard and that is really my snack
instead of chips or something. <p>
Don't let your portions get larger- measure your food, and tell yourself
you are full even if you aren't. At this point, we should be able to eat
6-8oz at a time, but really no more. If you continually eat the same
amount, overtime you will feel that this will probably satisfy you, so you
can't eat more. Or just break up your meals more, and it will feel like
you're eating alot, but they are just smaller. Do 5 small meals and say a
protein shake instead of just 3 meals. Also, when you start the day off
with just protein (no carbs), you may find you're not as hungry throughout
the day. You're not alone! Goodluck to you!
— Lezlie Y.
April 29, 2003
OMG, Donna. You're scaring me. Those are my pre-op habits and I'm only 6
weeks post op. Firstly, I don't think the food network is a good TV
choice, howabout the exercise network? j/k...I agree with the others, WE'RE
bored. I see my night eating could happen now. I just get out of the
house. I don't bring my purse, but I go to a store and look around. This
way I'm out of food's way and I have no money to spend! All the other
posts were great, too. As a matter of fact, I'm printing them for future
use!! Good luck. You've done so great thus far, and you'll continue to do
great...you're just in a funk!
— msmaryk
April 29, 2003
The nnight munchies DO seem to afflict us later after WLS. I never was a
night eater. Ever. Just recently, I'm somehow thinking I need a little
snack. WHAT? I've NEVER been a snacker! So, I"m adjusting my protein
shakes upward. The only reason I'd think that I'd have crazy stuff is if
there is a nutritional "hole" in my regimen somewhere that the
Carb Monster is trying to fill. I can easily stuff protein shake into that
hole until I figure out what it might be. LOL!
— vitalady
May 1, 2003
This has always been a problem for me as well. I just recently made a rule
for myself. I've been able to follow it about 75% of the time which is
very successful for me! My rule is that I will not have any SOLID food
after 8:00PM. I can have anything I want to drink including a protein
drink if I'm really hungry. I've found though that I'm usually not really
hungry. Usually I have a large glass of SF tang mixed with peach water
(fuzzy navel) and lots of crushed ice. That seems to take care of my urge
to eat most of the time. For those times I really want to chew something,
I have a Detour and UTurn protein bars cut into slices (8 slices per bar)
in the freezer. I have one or two slices of protein bar and again, it
seems to satisfy my need to eat/chew. But I'm trying really hard to stick
to liquids only after 8:00PM.
— jutymo
May 1, 2003
Donna, I was always a once a day eater. Rarely did I snack. Now I do
sometimes get night munchies, but they are not everynight. One week I
might have them and the next I don't. When I do have them, I just try and
compensate by eating lower calories during the day and having low calorie
things to snack on. Sometimes I think its just the desire for a little
hand to mouth action. I like cottage cheese, so I keep that on hand. Also
sugar-free jello, sugar-free popcicles, pickles, a healthy choice ice cream
sandwich, a couple of shaved slices of deli lunch meat, popcorn I try to
keep it under 200 calories and I also try and have dinner later. Good luck
to you.
— Lisa N M.
May 1, 2003
Donna, I've always been an after dinner snacker, and still fight this
problem three months post-op. I deal with it two ways: (1) drink protein
in lots of water right in the middle of the snacking time (9:00 pm) and (2)
then go read in my bed. If I really need help, I will go ahead and brush
my teeth-- food really tastes bad after brushing your teeth. Good luck,
Beth
— Beth S.
May 1, 2003
Someone in an earlier question mentioned drinking hot Peppermint tea when
the snacking urge was there. The fluid is a temporary filler, but the
peppermint taste acts the same as brushing the teeth. It ruins the taste
of what you might want to snack on. I bought some last week and have been
using this 'method' and it has worked so far.
— Cheri M.
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