Question:
Lately I have been wanting to snack at night
I get soo hungry around 10ish I stay up really late and I do so well during the day, I am 7 weeks post op.. I tend to eat high protien food at this time. IS this bad for me to eat this late.. Like tonite I ate two teaspoons of peanut butter No crackers.. Last night it was string cheese.. Will this prevent me from loosing weight? — Catherine B (posted on May 6, 2003)
May 6, 2003
I had to laugh as I read your question...because it is late at night and I
am sitting here eating BAKED LAYS BBQ chips. This is my theory. You have to
do all things in moderation and learn to establish eating habits for life.
Something is working I have lost 65 in 2 months! Good luck and enjoy your
peanut butter!
— rpoepke
May 6, 2003
I'm sure it's not hurting you NOW, but the night munchies can grow &
grow. Fast forward to 2 years from now & you might have a HUGE battle
on your hands. Maybe not, but why gamble? The actual foods you're
choosing are not bad, IMHO. But the habit thing is so dangerous. We
always have this major pronged attack going on. The phsyical disease and
then the head games, part of which are the result of (not cause of) our
disease. We have to learn to work around the head parts of the disease. I
don't mean the mental illness many perceive we have, but the actual invalid
cravings a broken body sends out.
— vitalady
May 6, 2003
I think if you are legitimately hungry, then having a small snack of
healthy foods is fine. Plan for it each day -- maybe forgo a snack at
another time when you're really not hungry yet. I battle head hunger every
night, so for me, I don't want to plan a snack, since that would just give
me permission to eat when not hungry.
— [Deactivated Member]
May 6, 2003
I have always been a night snacker. I do the same thing...protien bars, PB,
cheese and even chips(ect.). I still have lost weight with no problems, so
I don't beat myself up for it, but I am trying to control it b/c it is a
nasty habbit! Good luck!
— Sandy M.
May 7, 2003
Catherine,
I'm now the same way a late night snacker, never was before (Pre-op) but am
now) it's weird, it seems that I eat enough threw-out the day, or at least
I think so, how-ever about 1 -2 hours before I go to sleep, I still have
to have a little something, now that wouldn't be a full meal but a small
snack averaging about 100-200 calories, I try to opt for the protein but
sometimes, the CARB, devil in me wins, go figure, It hasn't slowed my
weight loss down any, I even did some research in regards to eating late
and then going to sleep, the myth that's said don't eat after 8pm, or
you'll gain weight, well it's just that a myth..... Go ahead girl if you
feel hungry your body needs eat, and you're eating peanut butter, mmmmm
protein ! , You're doing awesome.....
Post op 11 months down 129 pounds
— tannedtigress
May 7, 2003
My cure for night snacking is simple. I go to the gym at 5AM every morning
and by 9PM all I want to do is sleep.
— Tawnda C.
May 7, 2003
I dont think those things will prevent you from losing weight, the things
you are snacking on are excellent sources of protein. Just dont go in
excess. Sometimes when I stay up late I like to occasionally snack on
something too. I like to snack on the Tostitos WOW chips, and sometimes
have them with a little salsa. One big difference now from when I was
preop is that I can only have a few of those now whereas before I could eat
at least half the bag. It has not prevented me from losing weight so far,
I have lost 65 lbs and I am about 3 1/2 months postop. Good Luck and
enjoy!
— Kris T.
May 7, 2003
The night time snack monster attacks me sometimes too - in fact just last
night it reared it's ugly head. I combat it in two ways. 1. I allow
myself 3 medium size Atomic Fire Balls (the big ones are too hot! the
medium ones come in a bag or multi pack) This is only 70 calories and it
literally takes all evening to eat them unless you ate them one right after
the other but even then it would take an hour and a half or two for them to
melt. It's sort of a sweets splurge without the bad effects. The trick is
not to go from 3 Atomic Fireballs to 3 Hershey's miniatures to 3 snack size
Snickers, etc. It's either fireballs or jaw breakers or NOTHING when it
comes to candy and this has worked for me. I'm 2 1/2 years post op. The
other thing is if I have munchies combined with being honestly hungry in
the evening I'll add a chocolate protein shake and just nurse it for 1/2 an
hour or so. I've found that it's not the food I eat at meals that messes
me up - it's snacking! So I'm strict with myself when it comes to snacks.
Best wishes to you!!
— ronascott
May 7, 2003
I'm gald someone asked this question as I am a night eater as well. So
weird cause during the day I eat my 3 meals and never overdo it on those,
but at night around 10 pm I get hungry and want a snack. I too stick with
healthy choices, but have been known to have the better choice chips or air
popped popcorn. I was feeling so guilty about this and I'm glad I'm not
alone. It has not hurt my weight loss at all being that I'm 7 months
post-op with a loss of 104 lbs. So I must be doing something right. And I
find that if I deny myself this late night snack in the morning I'm
starving and overdo it at breakfast. And then pay the rest of the day for
that. Anyway good luck to you and I'll try to remember not to be so hard on
myself.
— Heather B.
May 7, 2003
I've found that I'm finally learning some of the reasons why I eat late at
night, not all of which were entirely mental (to my surprise). Fatigue is
one of them. Sometimes, if I stay up too late (which I do a lot), I will
subconsciously reach for food, I think in an effort to get some energy out
of it. This doesn't work, of course ... sleep does. So if you need to
space out some of your daily food better in order to allow some intake in
the evening, then do it (nothing too "mental" about that, and I
do allow some food at night if I haven't eaten enough during the day). BUT
... if I find I'm just snacking like a madwoman, for no good reason (even
if it starts with good foods), I either use a protein shake to try to stop
the tide, or I give up and go to bed!
— Suzy C.
May 7, 2003
I often slice up an orange at 9 at night and suck on the slices until the
craving goes away, i usually finish about half of the orange.
— Alexandria D.
May 10, 2003
eat any protein and you'll be fine. also drink a big glass of water just
before going to bed. you'll lose, don't worry. (eat SF peanut butter,
OK?
Diane
— DianeN
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