Going to bed hungry

[convert124]

Ok so I eat pretty well (very well sometimes).  3 Meals a day, ocasionally snacks if dinner is going to be late but only an apple or something small.  I don't skimp on protien or carbs, I eat plenty of veg.  I generally go for the half plate of veggies, palm sized protien and fist sized carbs ratios on my dinner plate.  I drink a lot of water in a day, I've been hitting the 3L mark regularly recently so I don't think I'm confusing hunger with thirst.

So my question is why am I still hungry before bed? Should I eat or just ignore it? I generally eat dinner at around 6 and go to bed at around 11, no snacking in between just plenty of water.

Oh and I also do half hour static bike in the morning (7:30ish) and a 2 mile brisk walk with the dog at lunch.

[Trini]

Sounds like you may not be eating enough. Try adding a little more protein to your diet. Like a lean protein shake. Sometimes going to bed early also helps.

[Tave]

I agree with the above poster, maybe having something small after dinner, but before bed may help.  Some people drink milk, some people have another snack.  See what works for you.

[OCDOC]

There is a natural rise in insulin and cortisol overnight (a diurnal thing), and maybe the 5 hour fast (6pm to 11pm) combined with your 'fist-sized' carb at dinner is making this happen while you are still awake. Insulin rises can trigger hunger.

Like others have suggested, try a small protein or nut snack about 8 or 9 pm..eg an ounce of almonds. This might suppress the spike until after you are asleep and you might not feel that hunger.  Rob

[convert124]

Thanks for your suggestions all. I just question my thoughts on adding more to my diet as I've plateaued for so long in my weight loss previously I don't want to over eat and ruin the balance again.

Thank you for confirming my suspicions that I just needed a little evening boost.

Lara

[Tave]

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@convert124 wrote:
Thanks for your suggestions all. I just question my thoughts on adding more to my diet as I've plateaued for so long in my weight loss previously I don't want to over eat and ruin the balance again.

Thank you for confirming my suspicions that I just needed a little evening boost.

Lara

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All we can do is give you suggestions. Ultimately you make the best decision for yourself.  A plateau can happen for many reasons, but it usually happens to everyone at some point.  If your aim is weight loss, then know that you will not always see the changes reflected on the scale.

As for eating later, if you are worried about overeating, then you could always save some of your daily calories for that pre bedtime snack.  You could also increase your activity level during the day so you can "earn" those calories through exercise. 

And keep in mind if you are already consuming fewer calories than you burn, then weight gain should not be an issue.  So if you are aleady carrying a deficit and eat a small snack that does not put you over your total caloric limit for the day, you should be fine.  

[josephz2va]

Depends on how filling your meals have been and how much burning you have done. My dietitian usually recommends plenty of fiber in the foods to be filled up. Even if I eat 1700 calories a day and restrict myself from foods not recommended included starches, alcohols and restaurants.

[ThickVic]

When I eat carbs regularly I get hungry within a 3-4 hours of eating. When I substitue them with a big serving of veggies like sauteed onions & mushrooms, Salads, Cauliflower faux-mashed potatoes, etc. (with my protein) I'm never hungry at all. Using a spiralizer I got as a gift at Christmas to make Zuchini noodles (Zoodles) and other fun stuff makes substituting veggies for carbs delicious and easy. I'll eat a piece of high fiber toast (sometimes two) with almond butter & jam, or eggs for breakfast when I feel the crave- or a Paleo-Banana, Date, Carrot Muffin depending on how I feel. Bottom line is, I'll eat healthy carbs for breakfast & lunch. For Dinner I know I probably won't be burning a lot of calories after eating, so I leave the carbs for morning & mid day- substituting them at dinner for a pretty large delicious veggie dish of some type. Herbal relaxing teas an hour or two after dinner also acts as a kind of snack and gets me nice and relaxed prior to bed so I get a good nights sleep. Blue Green Algae or Spirulina algae capsules with each meal also do a really great job of controling hunger pangs. Give em a try.. they're inexpensive and healthy.

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"Breakfast like a King, Lunch like a queen, and dinner like a pauper." 

"Don't look at what you think you know..look at your results. Your results will dictate what you truly know."

[convert124]

I do already eat a whole load of veggies and fibre. All the carbs I do eat are wholegrain/wholewheat etc. I know for a fact though that I can have the biggest plate of veg for dinner but if carbs aren't included I get very hungry, very quick. I like to have all food groups represented at all meals. It's what I have found works best for me.

Also I'm pretty sure I don't have any calories left most days. Actually, thinking about it, it tends to be worse the more I drink after dinner. So maybe I am confusing hunger with some other feeling?

[emili]

good carbs are the secret to feeling full so I agree don't skip on them. if you have an inkling that you might be confusing feelings- that you probably are. Maybe its gas bubbles or maybe you just need something other than water to satisfy some unknown craving. Try a cup of tea two hours after dinner. Really hot so you have to sip it. Make it as big as you want- decaf if that's a worry. pick a flavor if you prefer. it might satisfy your need for comfort which sometimes feels like hunger.

[ThickVic]

May wanna try a handful of mixed nuts with or after dinner. The healthy fat from the nuts may satiate your apetite. A calming relaxing chamomile tea after dinner may also help. 

[convert124]

Thanks all. I'll give both a snack of nuts and tea a go in the evening and see how it goes. It's worth a try.

[Trooper]

A teaspoon of peanut butter or five saltines does the trick for me. A small apple might also help. 

[MonicaJ]

You're going 5 hours without food. That's enough to make anyone hungry. Eat a small snack before bed, or a few hours after dinner. 

[Caliban007]

Muscle Milk Protein Powder (I love the cookies and cream, well as much as you can love the taste of a protein powder).  It says on the back if you're trying to lose weight, use one scoop w/ 8 to 12oz of water and it's only 150 calories, and 16g of protien.  Plus all the vitamins and amino acids to help build/repair from your exercise for the day.

I've always craved sweet at night before bed and like you I eat dinner on time but goto bed later in the night.  I've found this works great to quell the hunger pangs and satisfy my sweet tooth just a little.

[MsJessAmy]

Eat dinner later! Sorry if this sounds really obvious or if it's not possible for you, but I find if I eat dinner before 8pm I'm starving by bedtime (like you, I go to bed around 11.)

Worth a try to see if it helps.

[Thomasdesu]

It seems you've got too much of a gab between food and sleep, but that is no problem. I wouldnt suggest exactly changing sleep time with eating time and what not. It all depends on what you're doing in that 5 or so hour span between dinner and bed. These are my best tips to stop cravings:
-Do things that take your mind off food, e.g. Go for a drive after dinner, read books close to the time you sleep and limit your, 'Sitting on the couch' behaviour if you're doing that ;).
-Drink warm water, whilst cold water makes your metabolism faster, warm water makes you full (Or atleast it does for me). I recommend having tea before bed, it has little to no caffeine and it is hot and relaxing. You can also get sleepy tea, which helps you become sleepy and have a well rested sleep 😉
Anyway, hopefully these tips help!

[LTMcDade]

I had that problem when I started changing my eating habits in late December. Now I eat about 6 times a day, minimizing my carb intake. All meals include veggies and protein. Since getting the Fitbit on new years day I now count calories and weigh my food. I've put myself on a 1700 cal diet. Early on I wanted to eat someone lol but now I often take in less than the 1700 cal. Be weary of some of the nuts, they are high in calories and carbs, not a good combination when trying to lose the weight. Hope this helps.