Overeating at night? Tips or suggestions?

[Wabi Sabi]

I work 3 overnight shifts each week. I've read about how shift work can disrupt hormones and lead to weight gain, and that may be partially to blame here, but I have another problem: I can eat reasonably at home, but there are ALWAYS lots of sweets available on my overnight shifts at work for the staff and I just can't resist- I've always had quite the sweet tooth. My weight has been creeping up, and every time I go into work I tell myself that I'll resist, but then there's a fresh pan of brownies, and one tiny sliver becomes a full brownie and then another, and I end up just so disappointed in myself. 

No matter how much I tell myself that I won't give into temptation at work, another shift comes along, and I'm there all night long, and those yummy baked goods are just calling my name. Any suggestions or tips on how I can stop this cycle? 

 

[HomeAgain]

I tend to crave sweet when I need more fat or protein.  If I make sure to stock up on cheese, avocado, and nuts, I steer away from sweets.  If I add in an orange and some individual squares of dark chocolate, I satisfy the occasional real sweet tooth.  And if I just can't resist something I'll regret later, a stick of gum goes a long way.

[TrulySusan]

I don't do shift work, but to behave at home I brush my teeth immediately after dinner. For some reason, that helps signal my brain that I am done until morning. If I really had to eat a treat, I would have it with a cup of hot tea (0 calories) and then brush my teeth.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Maybe bring snacks you can have that aren't so high in calories.  Like raw veggies. 

 

 

[wintermom]

I've got a weakness for sweets, too, though if there is sweets available every single shift I worked I'd get tired of it really fast. Who is bringing it in? Is it a gift, or something? If you know it's always going to be there, then bring something even better from home that you love even more and know won't make you feel guilty. If I had a tray of fresh berries and yogurt, it would be very easy to pass on the empty calories in brownies. If I had a couple boring carrot sticks, I'd be all over the brownies. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I'm actually not tempted by sweets, but stuff like chips..forget it.  If someone was laying out bowls of chips every day I might need to have my jaw wired shut.  LOL

 

I think it's rather obnoxious when they have constant food at work like that.  I worked for one place that was like that.  It was like a daily buffet of sweets and baked goods. 

[Tanaqui]

When you get your brownie or cookie or whatever, do you put it on a plate? How big is the plate? This may sound stupid, but if you put it on a teeny tiny plate you might be able to trick your eyes and mind into thinking you have a much bigger portion than you really do. Then you eat less.

 

And if you plan to have that serving of dessert rather than going "Oh, today I'll be strong!" then you won't be disappointed in yourself and you won't eat more than you plan to out of guilt. So try eating light that day, before you go into work for the evening - soup and salad for dinner instead of a whole big meal, and no dessert because you'll have your dessert at work.

[JumpyTheFrog]

Are you getting enough sleep? I've read that even just a few nights of being short on sleep makes people hungrier by changing their hormone levels (insulin resistance and maybe changes in ghrelin as well). I know that whenever DH and I have to get up several hours earlier for a plane flight or something we are ravenous all day.

 

 

[JumpyTheFrog]

Are you a moderator or "all or nothing" type person with regard to food? Some people find it easier to eat a small amount of a treat regularly while others, like me, find it easier to completely avoid something than to eat small portions of it. My strategy, if the food were calling to me, would be to physically stay away from it as much as possible.

[Laurie4b]

Wow. That is a very hard situation. Having your sleep disrupted by shiftwork is going to increase the likelihood that you will eat more than you should. Additionally, most people are triggered by sight. You are hormonally disrupted AND constantly tempted. Every time you resist and walk by, you're using up some will power. (It apparently is finite! Really. I've read that.) so you might exercise will power 19 times, but give in on the 20th, but you don't get "credit" for the times you don't eat that shift!  

 

Are they in plain sight? if you can avoid seeing them, that will help. 

Is it possible to ask that they be put out of sight if not? (ie those who want them can go get them, but their presence won't slap you in the face.) 

You might try a substitute. For instance, dark chocolate can be quite satisfying and hit that craving without all the sugar. I like Trader Joe's organic dark chocolate (purple wrapper) because it's satisfying, but not so creamy that it's irresistible. I need to keep that around. 

Another substitution might be a big bowl of fruit. You could bring it in to share and make sure that that is what you see first. The fiber and the sweetness might help. It might also give others ideas about bringing in healthy food rather than sweets. 

You might also try something that isn't sweet (like spicy popcorn or a healthy fat like guacamole or nuts)

Also, eating a good meal before you come in with plenty of protein and healthy fat is important. 

 

I'm sorry. You've really got a hard task to resist when your resistance is naturally down. 

Edited April 25, 2016 by Laurie4b

[wendy not in HI]

I have a serious weakness for sweets.  A fresh plate of brownies would really do me in!  I cannot have a sliver.  I just can't.  I have been dieting since January and have been virtually sugar free and I'm not craving sweets like I used to, but I recently had a cookie attack, after telling myself I would just have one.... So I'm back to no sugar.  I am an addict.  

 

I would start telling people that I'm doing a no sugar experiment.  And then I'd have some little treats for me - I'd cut up a granny smith apple and bring it along with some peanut butter.  I would get some beautiful fresh strawberries and some whipped cream.  I would buy some other things that I love, like shrimp, or salami, or veggies or some grilled chicken strips - something I can pick up and munch on whenever I see those evil brownies.  

 

That is really a tough situation! 

[Joyofsixreboot]

For me, I'm fine if I don't take the first bite. If I do it's "Katy bar the door.". Also if they are so n the break room don't go there or wherever they are. Distance is your friend.

[AmandaVT]

For me, I'm fine if I don't take the first bite. If I do it's "Katy bar the door.". Also if they are so n the break room don't go there or wherever they are. Distance is your friend.

 

Yup, I can't tell myself that I'll just have a taste or a bite. It's a slippery slope from there to eating more than I would like or need. The only thing that works for me is to have a time when the kitchen closes for the day. No eating anything after x hour. I brush my teeth after dinner and that's it. (most days - today I ate an eclair and the last few bites of DS's dinner). 

[vonbon]

When I exercise really hard and fairly consistently, the bad food doesn't appeal to me as much and I'm not as hungry in general.  I actually end up craving healthy stuff (lettuce, broccoli, apple, etc.) and water after a workout.  I also crave lean protein and fewer carbs.  Fatty, sweet stuff doesn't really appeal when I'm in good workout pattern and actually tends to gross me out.  

 

One thing that stands out is that the workouts have to be pretty thorough and challenging; for me that means working out with other people.  I wouldn't push myself hard enough alone.  Just walking (though good exercise) doesn't seem to have as much of an effect for me craving-wise, though some exercise is definitely better than none!

 

This type of healthy craving never happens when I'm not working out.  Meaning, I don't find this to be true when I'm sedentary.  If I get into a sedentary pattern, the further away I get from consistent exercise, the more I start to crave bad stuff.  Bad stuff begets more bad stuff and I'll yo-yo between sweet and salty.  Caffeine seems to cause me to crave sweets when the buzz wears off.  

 

I buy bulk packs of gum and mints.  Sometimes I'm not really hungry and that's enough of a sweet.  

 

From experience, I think shift-work and insomnia or lack of sleep play a huge part with hormones and cravings.  There are some good TEDtalks on sleep deprivation; very informative, good info and I think shift-work and cravings were mentioned.  

[vonbon]

I re-read your post.  One trick I use is, if we buy junk food (rare), I have DH lock it up in his work truck, which requires a key and walking a ways in the dark at night...flashlight, shoes, etc....All of that adds up to a good-enough barrier to generally keep my paws off of it.  Is there some way you could "hide" that stuff from yourself at work?  That's hard if it's in a common break area--    Out of sight/out of mind?

 

A co-worker of mine used to grow his own vegetables.  He'd bring in humongous bowls of fresh green peas in the spring--best work snack ever!  He'd bring in carrots and other fresh stuff from the garden and put it in the common area.  People loved it!  Maybe you could counteract things by bringing in veggie trays so it's not all junky stuff?

[Seasider]

Maybe bring snacks you can have that aren't so high in calories. Like raw veggies.

A jar of dill pickles. I find a good kosher dill pickle spear can knock out a sugar craving. Weird but it works for me.

[nd293]

As a starting point, I would take my own low(er) calorie sweet treats and have that instead of what everyone else is eating.

 

I realised that the only time I really binge on junk food is when I have insomnia. I get hungry, and no one is watching and I don't want to make a noise, so it's easier to get a handful of biscuits and some chocolate. Once I started keeping canned fruit in the fridge - something I enjoy (although admittedly not nearly as much as the biscuits and choc) and that was quick and easy to serve I found it pretty easy to skip the 2am binge.

[gardenmom5]

eat  protein, and make sure you have quick and easy access to something protein dense at work. sugar is a quck energy pick-me-up.  the energy from  protein will last longer.  also make sure you get enough sleep - I found I'd eat more sugar if I was tired - but was unwilling to just go take a nap.

[Lizzie in Ma]

I always want something sweet after a meal.  I went low carb high fat in November and I am doing great but this was still a problem.  Then I started making these for myself and they are a rich, indulgent, good for you sweet treat.

From the Detoxinista web site with modifications

Raw Brownie Bites (Vegan, Paleo)
Makes about one dozen

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups raw walnut halves
1/4 cup cocoa powder ( I use a superfood one I got on amazon)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (alcohol free, if you prefer)
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup soft dates, pitted (about 10 Medjool dates)
1 tablespoon water

I also added about a handful of dried cherries and a handful of Lily's stevia sweetened dark chocolate chips (expensive but I don't use a lot of them)

Directions:

In a large food processor fitted with an “S†blade, grind the walnuts into a fine meal. Add in the rest of the ingredients, and process again until a sticky, uniform dough is formed. Scoop the batter by heaping tablespoons onto a plate or baking sheet lined with parchment paper, to prevent sticking. Roll the balls between your hands, and roll them in cocoa powder, if desired.

[Garga]

I don't have advice, just commiseration. Slooooowly since Halloween I've been upping the amount of sugar I eat. It really is an addiction. I would think about candy and chocolates all day long and finally would give in and eat some. I couldn't seem to stop myself from buying them. Every single day I would eat some candy/chocolate.

 

I finally realized I was eating about 1 to 1.5 candy bars every single day. They were in small sizes--the small bite size pieces, but they were adding up. No one should eat a candy bar, or more, every day. It's so unhealthy.

 

So I went through the house and threw away all the chocolate. I made sure I had some raisins and canned fruit and some rice cakes to have something sweet to much when all the good stuff was gone.

 

I absolutely know I would not be able to resist food sitting out at work. I am so sorry you're going through this. I know what it's like to say, "I will not eat any today..."only to fail again and again and again.

 

Oh--I had almost kicked the chocolate habit back at Halloween. I had managed to stop myself from bringing any new chocolate into the house. The day that I finally ate the last of the chocolate and was ready to go cold turkey was the day after the church's Halloween party. My husband came home from the party with a Wal-Mart sized bag stuffed with leftover mini-Twix. I honestly just about cried. And, as I wrote above, it just got worse from there until I was eating more than a full candy bar a day. I'm on the cusp of overweight. My weight is 1 pound under the "overweight" range for my height. That's the only thing that gave me the boost this time around to get rid of all the candy.

 

If I were you, I'd definately have something else to munch on at work. Something I could munch on non-stop if I had to. Gum or celery or carrots. And a little sweet like raisins. I would need to munch to get past wanting to munch on the sweets. And if you can stay out of the room where they are, even better. Like, if it was a breakroom, I'd do anything I could not to have to go in there. Get a little cooler for your lunch instead of using the fridge or something. If they're just out, then I'd try to see if they could be put somewhere else where they're not easily visible.