Danestress Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 I am a long time friend of late night snacking. I think this is probably the major factor in my post-40 weight gain. I am loving the low carb life, but I can't figure out what to do with late night snacking. I am hungry at night. If I eat dinner at 7:00, I really need a snack at 11:00, and I am a terrible sleeper, so most nights I can't just sleep through this. It feels kind of decadent to eat cheese that late at night. I can't eat nuts. In the old days, it was cereal or crackers, and they still call my name late at night. So far I have turned to creamy cheese instead. Maybe yogurt? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 MediFast Soft Baked Brownie or Chocolate Chip Cookies. Those are working for me!:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in Austin Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 A piece of dark chocolate? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leanna Tomlinson Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Greek Yogurt with a few berries - even a squirt of Redi-Whip only has 1 carb. Red Wine - Belly Fat Cure allows this on the low-carb plan Dark chocolate - I can't eat it at night or it keeps me awake, but others love it. A smoothie - Greek yogurt, coconut milk, and frozen berries I keep thinking of other snacks, but they all involve nut butters! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 If you eat as late as 7pm, and haven't done any physical activity after that, you shouldn't NEED to eat any more that evening. You can go to bed feeling a little hungry - you just wake up in the morning with a healthy appetite, and that's just what you want is to eat breakfast to get your metabolism going. The sugars in your "midnight" snack are going to hurt your chances of undisturbed sleep, the caffiene in chocolate wrecks mine. If you feel you need something in your tummy, drink water or milk. Warm milk is very tasty and relaxing. Or you can drink herbal tea to keep your hands and mouth busy. It might make for more nightime bathroom breaks, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Whipped cream and a few berries. Greek yogurt and a dash of cocoa (100% Hershey's Special Dark) cocoa powder with a drizzle of coconut oil. Add some cinnamon if you want. I swear, that one tastes awesome. :001_smile: A scrambled egg and cheese. Don't forget the butter. When I don't get enough fat for the day, I crave carbs. So if you're craving them, up your fat intake, and see if you can add in coconut oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 A piece of dark chocolate? Dark chocolate (70%+ cocoa) gets more calories from fat than from carbs (that's a good thing). A salad or cut veggies (pepper-red and green, cucumbers, avocado) with a fat based dressing or dip (olive oil & vinegar, ranch, blue cheese) would be a good choice also. A chef salad with a bit of meat (ham or turkey) and cheese is a good choice. Unless the yogurt is full fat with no added fruit or sugar, it's not a good choice. For low carb, remember calories from fat and protein good, calories from carbs bad. I've been LCHF for 6 months, have lost 22 lbs (my goal), and have never felt more satisfied with my diet and healthy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted July 17, 2012 Author Share Posted July 17, 2012 to go to the bathroom. I do think I have a high metabolism. I've been a normal weight all my adult life after about 22 (and was a normal weight before, just not slender). So whether I should be hungry or not, I am hungry. I can try to ignore it, but I'm hungry, and if I can't sleep anyway, I just have that much longer to get more hungry, you know? Last night for dinner, by way of example, I had a low carb preparation of chicken marsala (which still has some carbs, just far fewer than the normal preparation) and a very large serving of steamed green beans. So that was a really decent sized meal. And I didn't go for a walk after dinner, so it's not like I was doing something to burn a lot of calories, but nevertheless, I absolutely needed a snack at 11:00. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted July 17, 2012 Author Share Posted July 17, 2012 that sounds very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Dark chocolate (70%+ cocoa) gets more calories from fat than from carbs (that's a good thing). A salad or cut veggies (pepper-red and green, cucumbers, avocado) with a fat based dressing or dip (olive oil & vinegar, ranch, blue cheese) would be a good choice also. A chef salad with a bit of meat (ham or turkey) and cheese is a good choice. Unless the yogurt is full fat with no added fruit or sugar, it's not a good choice. For low carb, remember calories from fat and protein good, calories from carbs bad. I've been LCHF for 6 months, have lost 22 lbs (my goal), and have never felt more satisfied with my diet and healthy. True, when I say that I'm thinking of that one brand--Fage? It's like, 10% fat and so thick it makes sour cream question itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted July 17, 2012 Author Share Posted July 17, 2012 I know that is heresy in any group of women, but I don't really relate to loving chocolate. I don't know why is seems strange to me to eat salad at night. I think I look for comfort foods at night, but maybe if I fixed a salad with some protein filled toppings and put it in the fridge for a snack later if I needed it, I would go for that. Maybe full fat greek yogurt with sugar free carmel syrup. I think I will consider that one. I have been avoiding yogurt because once i start eating it, I tend to want to continue endlessly, but maybe I can be an adult about this:) Thanks for the tips! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 fat or protein. Try cutting back further on your carb intake and increase your calories from fat and protein. Keep in mind that the old trueism - the number of calories in should equal or be less than the number of calories out to lose weight - isn't actually true. Carbs stimulate insulin which stimulates fat storage which stimulates cravings for more food. It's a negative feedback loop. to go to the bathroom. I do think I have a high metabolism. I've been a normal weight all my adult life after about 22 (and was a normal weight before, just not slender). So whether I should be hungry or not, I am hungry. I can try to ignore it, but I'm hungry, and if I can't sleep anyway, I just have that much longer to get more hungry, you know? Last night for dinner, by way of example, I had a low carb preparation of chicken marsala (which still has some carbs, just far fewer than the normal preparation) and a very large serving of steamed green beans. So that was a really decent sized meal. And I didn't go for a walk after dinner, so it's not like I was doing something to burn a lot of calories, but nevertheless, I absolutely needed a snack at 11:00. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 celery filled with cream cheese or peanut butter deviled eggs You want sweet? Marscapone cheese and strawberries or blueberries; add a little Splenda or Truvia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leanna Tomlinson Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 My favorite brand of Greek Yogurt is Greek Goddess; it's in a green container. My dh doesn't like the flavor of yogurt but he loves Greek Goddess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danestress Posted July 17, 2012 Author Share Posted July 17, 2012 Most days less. I don't want to do a pure Atkins induction because I do want to eat a cup of berries a day and I want to eat a lot of low carb vegetables (though spinach salad is my favorite, and that's pretty low carb). Also, I want my one glass of wine a night:) But maybe I need to cut below that. I don't even mind wanting a late night snack. I just want to remain on plan when I am doing it, and eating brie late at night, while comforting and satisfying, just seems like tempting to fat Gods, even though I know fat is ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunflowerlady Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 How about just eating some cold cuts? Turkey , ham, roast beef -whatever you have on hand? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 True, when I say that I'm thinking of that one brand--Fage? It's like, 10% fat and so thick it makes sour cream question itself. :iagree: Actually I use the 0% fat plain kind; it also has no sugar. But it's very high in protein (higher than regular yogurt), so it keeps you full. I eat it for breakfast with berries, a few nuts, and some stevia, or when I'm on Phase 1 and can't have any sugar at all (not even fruit) I often have it with a few slivered almonds and raspberry/chocolate stevia (a flavored, no-sugar liquid). Phase 1 South Beach recommends "ricotta cremes" for after-dinner during Phase 1 - that's low-fat ricotta, non-sugar sweetener, some kind of extract (orange, almond, vanilla), and a few nuts. I find the Greek Yogurt is faster and easier to put together, and I like the texture better - creamier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacy in NJ Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Most days less. I don't want to do a pure Atkins induction because I do want to eat a cup of berries a day and I want to eat a lot of low carb vegetables (though spinach salad is my favorite, and that's pretty low carb). Also, I want my one glass of wine a night:) But maybe I need to cut below that. I don't even mind wanting a late night snack. I just want to remain on plan when I am doing it, and eating brie late at night, while comforting and satisfying, just seems like tempting to fat Gods, even though I know fat is ok. For so many years we've been told - fat bad; it's difficult to accept that fat really is an appetite suppressant. Since you're not looking to lose weight than I see why you aren't trying to eliminate the late night snack. You don't need to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petepie2 Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 I usually eat cottage cheese with some sugar-free jello for a bedtime snack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 I don't even mind wanting a late night snack. I just want to remain on plan when I am doing it, and eating brie late at night, while comforting and satisfying, just seems like tempting to fat Gods, even though I know fat is ok. Low-carb is the only kind of diet that works for me - but I don't like Atkins. It isn't true that all carbs are evil and all fat is okay. I swear by South Beach - it has a Phase 1 like Atkins, but you still eat lean meat and low-fat dairy, not bacon and heavy cream. No sugar, not even fruit. But I can have beans - if I have beans in at least one meal, I'm not hungry. (Phase 2 fruit comes back except for bananas, no potatoes or white starches, but yes to limited amounts of whole grains and sweet potatoes). It's a healthy diet - good fats, good carbs, lots of veggies and lower-sugar fruits, no sugar other than what's naturally in whole unprocessed foods, and reasonable portion sizes. It just gives me a "formula" to follow, which makes it much easier to do than "eat right". I find without the Phase 1 I still get too many carb/sugar cravings to do what I know I need to (I'm finally back doing it after slowly gaining a 15 lbs over the past couple of years). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggie Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 If you want salty, slice some radishes, bake them, and then sprinkle with salt. It sounds awful, but they really are tasty! Or....blend 1/4 cup cream or ricotta cheese, 1T pb, 1tsp cocoa, and some splenda or stevia to taste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 good cheese and a cup of herb tea are my go-to #2 would be a nice cup of homemade stock/broth - filling and has fat and protein. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happypamama Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 (edited) Creamy cheese. Yum. Cucumbers/peppers/carrots with dip. This is my favorite, because it's sweet but not sugary, and it has a satisfying crunch. PB with apple slices. I don't like chocolate that is dark enough to be acceptable on a low-carb diet. :P I reallllllly like ice cream, so if it's something that I can eat with a spoon, that sometimes helps. Hence the creamy cheese. But I should try sweetening plain yogurt with stevia and maybe adding some berries to see if that satisfies the same craving. Or make my own frozen yogurt/ice cream with stevia as the sweetener. Edited July 17, 2012 by happypamama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 I just had to give up the after dinner eating and adjust to it. I wake up famished, but I've learned to sleep without snacking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 I would recommend that when you finish eating dinner, as part of cleaning up afterwards, you build yourself an 11pm snack. Maybe a small portion of the chicken or some veggies and dip or greek yogurt or low-carb snack bar. That way, you aren't foraging at 11pm trying to think of something good to have - it's already there an waiting for you. I find that when I need to eat late at night, I have trouble thinking of what would be good for me to eat. Having my snack already to go makes it easier to manage portion size and be sure I am eating the right thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grover Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 I keep tinned chicken or sliced ham for my evening snack. If I'm feeling like a crunchy, salty treat (potato chips have been the hardest thing for me to ditch) I get pork rinds. In all honesty though, if I need a snack before bed, it's because I had too many carbs. I had to go below 20 a day for three weeks to finally ditch the carb cravings and really be satisfied with low carb eating - I now keep below 40 and that seems to be ok - if the carb craving sneaks back (wanting extra snacks) I go back to below 20 for a few days and it goes away again. I'm 30lb down do far, about twice that much again to go (sigh). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 FWIW, when I was tracking blood sugar for GD, a balanced bedtime snack definitely helped the fasting numbers, and my doc encouraged me to continue to have one (I was eating a snack around 9 or 10 pm, right before bed; I was also pregnant, obviously). Now I only have a little snack if I'm feeling hungry, which I haven't been lately. Hmmm... maybe it's the zinc? (the zinc can make me hungrier temporarily, though I feel pretty good if I had it with my dinner, then I'm not hungry later) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilliums Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Kale chips are also an option for a savory snack. 1 head kale, washed and thoroughly dried 2 tablespoons olive oil Sea salt, for sprinkling Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Remove the ribs from the kale and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Lay on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and salt. Bake until crisp, turning the leaves halfway through, about 20 minutes. Serve as finger food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaN. Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 If you want to try it... drinking water with 1/2 of a lemon squeezed in is a great appetite suppressant for me. I have to drink some each hour. I understand it may not work for you at night (waking at night for the RR) but just wanted to put that out there, for whenever the case may arise convenient for you, that it absolutely works for me....and I am very hungry at night if I do not drink this - otherwise, I'm completely fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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