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2/5/13 8:51 A

Wow, really good ideas here! This is becoming an issue for me again, along with middle-of-the-night fridge raiding. It's just a matter of willpower and breaking a habit, but it's a hard habit to break once it gets rolling. I make an "Other Goal" of having an evening snack only if hungry, but I think I'll try a warm beverage instead!

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2/5/13 8:20 A

this is always an issue for me. if i eat dinner at around 5:00, by 8:00 or 8:30 i am hungry for a snack. going from dinner to bedtime without a snack is just too many hours for me.

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2/4/13 8:08 A

Reading is good. I never read and eat at the same time. I get into what I'm reading and forget about my craving.

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2/4/13 7:13 A

I managed not to snack through the Superbowl, though I was still over on calories for the day.

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2/4/13 5:54 A

I get out and go for a hike. I hiked around Hillsborough enjoying the Stone Arch Bridges and the ice jams. Check out the photos!
http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal.asp?id=JSTETSER

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2/3/13 11:07 P

I have never tried my herbal teas with creamer in them.... I have been trying to cut back on coffee and drinking more tea and this maybe how i can enjoy it more... and cut down on evening snacking at same time....

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2/2/13 7:04 P

The more you resist eating in the evening, the easier it gets. Be sure you are meeting your nutritional needs and spacing your food appropriately throughout the day. A planned evening snack within your calorie range can be a big help.

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2/2/13 3:38 P

Oolala, thank you! I never really thought about the evening snacking as another habit to change. And I do have the habit of chewing through stress. I can go through a pack of gum easily at work, chomp, chomp, chomp. The last two nights, when DH was away, I gave in to the snacking. I'll see if I can keep your message in mind tonight.

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2/2/13 7:58 A

I've never been an evening snacker. About the only time I eat something at night is if I have a beer or something and need something to eat with it. It's a good thing I don't drink very often. With daytime snacking, you have to just tell yourself no. Sometimes I have to repeat it often. When the weather is nice, it's much easier to go outside and do something. When you're stuck inside the house, it seems like you get those urges more. Just need to stay busy.

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2/2/13 1:51 A

I like flavored herbel teas for evening. After I finish eating dinner, I put the kettle on and pour steaming water over tea bag in a very large cup. Anything with mint is my favorite, but I have other assorted flavors (pumpkin spice, apple cider, lemon, orange, etc). I will sometimes add non-fat no sugar powder creamer, sometimes flavored with vanilla or right now I have a mocha mint from Christmas. I also add sweetner.

I have read articles which state that hot beverages are good appetite suppressants. I also go to bed early because I get up at 4 am to get the workout in before work. To get 8 hrs of sleep, that puts me in bed by 8 pm. Usually I'm there by 8:30, but in the winter and after particularly stressful days, I'm in bed by 7:30. If your body needs sleep, be good to it and put it to bed.

But OOLALA is right on the money with breaking emotional ties with destructive habits. It's the science of emotional brain training. We train our bodies, and our brain can be trained, too. Our brains become wired to trigger behavior to handle stress, the fight or flight response you spoke of, and we automatically follow the path that is familiar and which has worked in the past to soothe us. First step is recognizing that you are starting down that path. Be Aware. And then do something different. Anything different, like she mentioned. What do you really need? Sleep -- are you eating because you're tired? Are you bored--maybe the corny movie or romance novel or playing the piano or listening to music--what rejuvenates you emotionally? Do you need a good cry? Or a trusted friend to just listen to you express the emotions you are feeling? Anger, sadness, fear, guilt. Each time you choose something other than food to respond to these emotions, you are building new pathways in your brain which will eventually become stronger and it will become easier to resist the food pathway. Just like building your bicep; each time you lift a heavier weight, it becomes easier.

I highly recommend Laurel Mellin's book The Pathway and the program that she developed for emotional brain training--see her website at ebt.org. Best wishes to you on your journey.

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2/1/13 11:45 P

I usually drink something...water, hot green tea or even coffee with a little whip on top!

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2/1/13 10:22 P

If I want something after dinner, it usually is either a craving for sweet or creamy - so my fave way of dealing with this is to make herbal tea (because black tea will keep me awake) - I prefer an almond flavored herbal tea, with some stevia or no-cal sweetener, and some nonfat milk to make it creamy. Satisfies every time, and the only calories are the milk - which gives me a bit more calcium anyway.

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2/1/13 7:40 P

You turn it off by practice and by thinking differently, in my experience. It's just a habit. You've made a strong habit of believing because you have problems, it's okay to eat. It's totally illogical, but it is what we do, so it has to be countered. FEELING STRESSED IS NOT A GOOD REASON TO EAT.

I almost never eat at night anymore, but it took over a year before it really felt normal. First of all, I eat very good, complete meals. I've never eaten "diet" meals. Over the years, the quality of food I eat has gone up and the amount has gone down, but I eat full meals, so I can never actually rationalize adding any more food in the evening. I've had plenty and my body has reserves, so any reasons my mind comes up with are myths. If you give in, you reinforce the habit. If you don't, the habit gets weaker. That is just the truth.

However, I do allow myself milky mocha (decaf, if necessary) or vanilla milk. I'm not a big tea fan or I'd have that. Even if the calories are greater than those in carrots, I find that NOT CHEWING in response to stress is very important. Cut that tie.

I also allow myself to sleep, veg on stupid movies or TV, cry, or whatever. I stopped believing that I would find something that would make me feel as good as food did temporarily. Many life problems are ongoing. Try to get a good night's sleep and try again tomorrow.

And do work on cognitive behavioral skills that may help reframe problems or on spiritual practices that bring comfort.

Corny as it may sound, the serenity prayer is hard to beat. Either do something productive to solve the problem, or accept that it's not possible at the moment. I'd add to alternately do something else pleasurable, if possible, although sometimes our biggest problem is how few things we find pleasurable. Then our work is cut out for us.

You can conquer this. It's helpful to stop insisting that it's hard and reframe it. It's annoying, frustrating, and anxiety-producing, but it's tolerable and doable.

If we can wait until an appropriate time to pee, we can wait until an appropriate time to eat!

Edited by: OOLALA53 at: 2/4/2013 (02:16)

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2/1/13 6:04 P

Hot tea!! I sip it slowly and hold with both hands. Warms my hands and keeps me for reaching for food! HA!

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2/1/13 4:41 P

I struggle with the same problem. Before I got braces, I kept lots of raw, fresh veggies on hand. Now, I try to steam some or have a protein bar. I, too, have been digging into the PB lately!

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2/1/13 3:26 P

I have never been a night eater, but a late afternoon eater. I can do damage starting at 4:00, so I'll just drink coffee, sometimes with milk. As soon as dinner is done, before I wash up or put out the trash, I brush and floss. Then I'm done. I also never eat on my sofa, which is where I watch TV. It's a "safe" place.

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2/1/13 2:49 P

It DOES help that I have to go to bed early (I usually wake up at 4AM for early morning workouts), but sometimes I'm so ravenous, especially on those days when I'm strength training. My go-tos are usually almonds and Cheerios for some weird reason...

I'm still trying to figure out alternatives, but it's a struggle.

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2/1/13 2:38 P

I can not eat at night. If I eat then I can not sleep. After I eat supper I am full and go for a walk. Best wishes, Linda from bean town

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2/1/13 2:27 P

I started eating spoonfuls of peanutbutter last night bc I cleaned out my kitchen/pantry and there was nothing else sweet that I hadn't eaten-- had one of each fruit in the house during the day. I ended up taking a bath and going to bed at 8:30. My boyfriend commented, "who goes to bed at 8:30?" Hey buddy... I also hafta get up at 5:30 it isn't that much of a stretch.

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2/1/13 2:16 P

I struggle with it everyday. OMG EVERYDAY.

My 'go to' right now is to brew a cup of tea and take a hot bath. If I'm sore from exercise, I throw some epsom salt in the bath.

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2/1/13 2:12 P

It happens to all of us... we get upset, that flight or fight response kicks in and immediately we want those carbs/sweets to give us quick energy to run away. Our bodies have no idea we aren't trying to avoid a predator... what do you do instead? Or you are winding down for the evening and a sudden urge to eat something hits... right now I have not much in the way of unhealthy snacks in the house, but even healthy choices can be bad when eaten in excess... how do I turn off this urge?