Late night munchies, weight vs measurements, discouraged

lusciousL · 01-07-2012, 11:13 AM

Lately I've been eating pretty decent during the day, it's just that at night, i get so restless with the munchies, I'll have a slice of cheese, a bite of soy yoghurt, a few almonds, no spectacular binges whatsoever but all these little snacks add up!!

I weighed and measured myself today, gained half a pound but lost a little bit in the midsection areas, chest, waist, hips and thighs.

I find it hard not to get discouraged with myself after seeing the numbers on the scale.

So, what are your tips on not to get discouraged, dealing with late night munchies, etc.?

Thanks in advance for replying

handcycle2005 · 01-07-2012, 11:34 AM

If you're losing inches, you're on the right track.

Are you also exercising?
Muscle is denser than fat so you can lose girth and still maintain or gain weight from muscle mass gain.

lusciousL · 01-07-2012, 12:24 PM

hi handcycle, thanks for the encouragement that I�m on the right track

I used to run 3 times a week, havent ran for almost entire December, have started running again 3 days ago (so I ran 2 times, not the usual 5K but more like 2 to 2.5K, need to build up again)

daniliebe · 01-07-2012, 12:32 PM

I find that drinking one or two herbal teas at night helps me to feel full and helps me not to munch out.

RunbikeSki · 01-07-2012, 05:20 PM

lucious,
Try planning a snack. You know you will be noshy at night, so lay out an evening snack that you can look forward to, and add it into your daily calories. If you have a hankering for sweets, a greek yogurt w/fruit, or a low calorie pudding cup works well. If it is a salty, crunchy pita chips (they are easy to make from WW pits) and a 1/4cup humus, of a low calorie cheese with wasa bread thins. Knowing that you have that waiting for you may help stave off the mindless noshing.

clarkslp · 01-07-2012, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RunbikeSki

lucious,
Try planning a snack. You know you will be noshy at night, so lay out an evening snack that you can look forward to, and add it into your daily calories. If you have a hankering for sweets, a greek yogurt w/fruit, or a low calorie pudding cup works well. If it is a salty, crunchy pita chips (they are easy to make from WW pits) and a 1/4cup humus, of a low calorie cheese with wasa bread thins. Knowing that you have that waiting for you may help stave off the mindless noshing.

Totally agree. I always plan to have a good snack at night and make sure it contains protein and ideally some fiber. For me I find an apple with peanut butter, just plain peanuts, or a greek yogurt with some fruit works well for me. I am also a big fan of multi-grain chips with a good black bean dip (heavy on the dip)...but try to limit that to once/week because of the sodium level.

I have also found that if I am getting 25-35g of fiber during the day I am less hungry at night. To me this is the other side of eating junk/fast food....no fiber to help you feel full.

dinienb · 01-07-2012, 11:06 PM

I had the same type of struggle....I would eat good day and night during the week and then overdo it with treats on the weekend. I think the key for me to avoid too much snacking at night is to make sure I eat when I need to during the day, and never get super hungry. I try to think of food more as fuel, and when I do need a snack I try to make smart choices.

Of course I've learned I cannot usually be trusted with eating from a bag, box, or container of anything so I make sure that I portion out my snacks. If you have a few multigrain crackers and low fat cheese with a few nuts on a small plate, you see how much you are eating and will see if it's too much or not. I sip on water or herbal tea (not too close to bedtime!), and also chew gum, pop a mint, or have a no added sugar popsicle when I feel the urge to snack out of boredom or habit.

I also wanted to suggest adding weight or body resistance training into your running schedule. Exercises that build muscle also helps to tone up and burn fat (plus it's good for bone health). I started training with russian kettlebells (iron ball with a handle), they call it the "broccoli of fitness"...it's not easy learning but I've lost an inch off my waist doing that type of exercise.

Keep in mind that sooo many factors influence the scale, so go more by your measurements, fitness progress and how your clothes feel. I know it's all easier said then done, as we all want to see the number on the scale go down...bur even if you can't see it right away know that by eating well and execising that all kinds of positive things are happening to your mind and body!

VitoVino · 01-07-2012, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daniliebe

I find that drinking one or two herbal teas at night helps me to feel full and helps me not to munch out.

Great tip. Drinking green tea seems to suppress appetite as well.

RyanEParker · 01-08-2012, 06:18 PM

Hey there,
I too have always had problems with late night munchies. I put it down to having some free time after the hectic day and subsequently thinking about food too much when your mind is idle. I try to keep myself busy thinking and having a glass or bottle of water next to me. It helps but not a lot.

lusciousL · 01-09-2012, 11:59 AM

Thanks for the tips

Yesterday I went to bed earlier than usual and while I was in bed I had visions of heaps of icecream with nuts and caramel and chocolate but instead I kept drinking from the waterbottle I had taken with me.

After an hour of not being able to fall asleep cos of thinking about food I went downstairs and had a cup of soy yoghurt, I didn't feel really bad about it but it was not planned....

*off to Youtube to watch Kettlebells in action* -> had heard of it before but have never seen it*