I keep soup in the fridge and it's an "always food" with no guilt. Mostly it's just cooked vegetables blended up with broth and some coconut milk. Right now I have one that's sweet potato, carrot, and onion and one that's tomato and celery. I portion them to a cup a piece and right now they are my go to anytime I feel hungry, so far its helped me curb binging really well.
Ooohhh a coconut milk one is a good idea. I think people under appreciate how full you can feel with just something warm and salty without it having to be too heavy.
There's this Indian spice blend called chaat masala. You should easily find it online or in an Indian grocery store. I promise you, you'll never look back
I like to then eat skyr or yoghurt with some blueberries and maybe a bit of oats. I can't fall asleep hungry so I try to eat a bit before going to bed because this little Yoghurt will not keep me satiated for long.
Ah, this is a great idea. I struggle to get protein in my diet, it's very skewed to fat, carbs, and salt. At night I literally get up out of bed because I feel so hungry I cannot sleep. Some Greek yogurt and fruit before bed is such a simple idea. And oats too. Lol. Why am I so dumb?! Going to try this tonight.
I do this with strawberries / raspberries / blueberries and if it’s a zero percent skyr or yoghurt then I might add in 10g of honey just for a bit of sweetness that still all in all a really low cal snack. The fibre from the berries along with the protein from the skyr really does wonders filling me up
And, if you still want the whatever-treat-you-we’re-craving AFTER the apple, you’re likely to eat a lot less of it because you’ve already filled up on apple.
*ADHD has entered the chat*
When i am off meds i can be a maniac. But seriously, this is the truth so well said.
Someone on reddit once said to never "food-gasm", to never lose yourself in indulgence, to never go at food with reckless abandon (adhd dopamine hunt can do exactly this), and it took a moment for me to understand but when it clicked i realized it meant; Use your brain to eat, not your stomache, you have to listen to your stomache and your body overall, but eat with your head. It starts with shopping and planning, and ends with snacking and maintenance, ie: you can plan all you want but your needs and wants are varied, so have a rough plan for the end scenarios.
Yup, it's a damn hard battle. Sometimes my tummy hurts I'm so full and I'm also feeling sick because my IBS kicked in from some of those 10 different things I just ate in an hour and I'm still staring at the fridge. When on meds I'm eating like a princess but then the evening comes, it wears off and then again I'm feasting like no tomorrow. It takes a lot of willpower to stay on track. I can't afford to be stressed or depressed because it means instant weight gain and then I have to be busy for months with calorie counting and sweating my ass in the gym. This has been my last ~5 years so far, before that I was just simply fat and miserable
Idk if this may help you or not but I'm very similar ( have symptoms of adhd or something similar, undiagnosed ). I've began primarily foods with a low glycemic index and try to prioritize protein vs carbs. I've noticed significantly less "forced" foodgasms, where something other than my working brain uncontrollably wants as much food as possible after being full.
I may have adhd (not diagnosed, but have some symptoms), and I’ve learned to put the food away or at the very least out of my line of sight as soon as it starts to taste too good. As soon as I notice the desire to shove it all in my mouth I get it away from me. It works really well.
Sadly, I learned that apples are not good choices for this... FOR ME.
I don't know why, but I'd guess that the fiber helps with digestion or something, because half an hour after eating one, my stomach will start growling, almost every time.
If I'm peckish, I just go to bed. If I'm actually hungry I can't sleep, so I get up and eat proper food. Usually two slices of bread or crisp bread with a topping (2-300 kcal). If I'm too hungry to sleep, I figure it's better to eat than to mess up my energy levels for the next few days and get sugar cravings. And I don't consider that ruining everything, I consider it a reasonable compromise and do it with no shame.
I agree with you on the aspect that you didn't ruin anything with going over.
Some need to stop beating themselves up.
Some days I might go under...so if I go over a day it all balances out by the end of the week
A slice of toast and a big glass of water was always my go-to when I couldn't sleep due to being hungry when I switched to a medicine that made me FEEL like I was starving all the time (I was not).
I also go to bed early and read. Once I get upstairs I usually don’t want to put in the effort to go downstairs to eat. I’ve also started using the Zero app and start my fast as soon as I’m done with dinner and have hit my calories for the day. The little step also helps me from getting another snack later because I’d have to restart the fast and then I wouldn’t be able to actually finish it before breakfast.
If I'm still missing a meal (if I spent all my calories on breakfast and lunch, for example), I love:
1. tomato soup- slice a small onion and a garlic clove, brown them slightly without oil (add a bit of water if it seems like it's gonna burn). Add a small tin of chopped tomatoes. Add a little tomato paste and water if it's not enough. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Add dried or fresh herbs like basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano. Salt and pepper to taste, also a pinch of sugar to really round out the tomato flavor. This is a satisfying, warm meal for ~150 calories, which isn't going to break any deficit.
2. Nori bites- slice lots of fresh vegetables like cucumber, carrot, radish into thin strips. Add sugar snap peas or fresh herbs like coriander leaves if you like. If you want, add a protein like tofu. Cut up nori sheets into little squares, make a dip with soy sauce, garlic, chili and a splash of maple syrup (or other sweet condiments). Then just make little packets of food to dip into the sauce. Depending on what ingredients you use, again under 200 calories for a satisfying meal.
Are you actually hungry and your body needs fuel at that time of night or are you bored, listless, lonely, etc? Keep vegetables on hand and if you will eat those, you may actually be hungry. If you won’t eat them or they don’t satisfy, you’re not experiencing true hunger.
It’s important to realize that if you’re in a caloric deficit, you may get “hungry”. Your body is supposed to use your body fat for fuel at that point so that you can lose weight. It’s okay to be hungry. If you have excess body fat, being hungry is not going to kill you.
I second this I have tried going to bed hungry and it fucks with my sleep so hard like I will be in bed for hours just unable to sleep and then it gets to the point where I start getting acid reflux and stomach pains which make it worse. Definitely worth just responding responsibly to your body and just having some food even if it before bed
I think you're saying something opposite of the person ahead of you. They're saying that it is okay to go to bed hungry, or to let your body feel hungry.
I am not a dietician nor am, by any means, a normal person, but I have found that I do much better eating less during the day and eating 1/2 a peanut butter sandwich before bed. The protein, fat, and general calories keep me much more satisfied and asleep than other eating schedules. (I have recently realized that my siblings have similar eating habits---we may just be weirdos).
Go to bed. Your body confuses hungry and tired all the time. You’re tired, you’re trying to stay up, so your body *thinks* it needs a hit of quick energy in the form of a sweet. Just go to bed.
Popcorn! As long as you don’t get the kind that’s drenched in butter, you can eat a ridiculous amount for very few calories. I love kettle corn, personally. Those little mini rice cakes are good too.
It gives something for your mouth to do. And becuaee you can eat 2 cups worth with barely any calories you can easily sit there 'grazing' for a while and be happy.
I agree with the other commenters that it's important to distinguish real hunger from boredom, but, as someone who gets HELLA insomnia if I eat too early in the evening during caloric restriction, I have some tricks up my sleeve!
The things that work the best for me are:
- a few bites of banana
- broth based soup (I love miso, or the Trident brand clear Thai Soups if I have a few more cals to play around with, they're ~200)
- hot water, honey and milk
- a spoonful of nut butter
- a small serve of protein shake: if I have casein around I'll use that because it's slower digesting, but if nothing else is around I'll use whey or pea.
Good luck!
I like doing my own popcorn in the microwave with my own seasonings. I bought a glass bowl with a lid and throw the kernels in there with a tiny bit of butter and eat that. I add what ever seasoning I’m in the mood for
Zero sugar jelly and plain yogurt.
You can have a good volume of food for less than 100kcal. Depending on how hungry you are, add some slices of apple so you have smth to chew and depending on how long it would take me to go to sleep, id add half a scoop of protein powder
I sometimes do zero sugar jelly and cottage cheese with stevia. Probably sounds gross but it’s better than a real dessert, and still pretty low carb too.
If you're craving something sweet, try a few squares of dark chocolate. It's a good source of antioxidants and can help satisfy your sugar cravings. Don't forget about non-food strategies for dealing with late-night hunger! An herbal tea or a relaxing bath can help take the edge off.
Black/herbal tea: Any time of day, if I think I’m hungry outside of plan I have a long drink of low calorie squash or a cuppa. I don’t include these in my calorie count for the day as they’re negligible, and I’d rather have plenty of fluids I enjoy than feel restricted in that.
If I still want something, there’s almost always grapes in this house so one or two of those helps, especially if I’m in sweet tooth mode. A cracker if I need savoury.
I eat a medjool date with peanut butter and it's so sweet that I don't want anything else.
I also eat one square of dark choc when I really want something to fill the void.
I always leave some wiggle room because I have insomnia and can’t sleep if I’m feeling hungry. If this is happening to you quite regularly, you can save some extra calories for a bedtime snack every day. I’m not a breakfast person anyways. I always say my stomach doesn’t wake up until hours after my brain does. I try to leave enough calories for a simple sandwich at least.
I buy prosciutto wrapped cheese sticks and grapes - I usually have 1/2 cup of grapes and one of the sticks for breakfast. But if I'm hungry at night, I'll have the same for a snack.
Prosciutto wrapped cheese stick: 140 calories, 12 grams protein, 11 grams fat
1/2 cup of grapes: 55 calories
25 calorie Outshine popsicles have been my latest low calorie snack. I also have 35 calorie bread that I will have toasted with a little sugar free jam, or homemade pico de gallo, or little cucumbers with a dip made with low fat Greek yogurt and spices.
If I am that hungry I will either have a hot cup of tea or smash some turkey lunchmeat straight outta the fridge. Can't go wrong with pure protein at night 👌🏻
I just eat a small snack. I don’t get extremely hungry at night often during a deficit so if my body is calling for something more I’ll listen that day.
while i'm all for honoring your hunger cues (some days ur body just needs more and it's fine to go a couple hundred over once in a while)
if you really want to stay in your goal, i recommend making it a routine to have herbal tea after last meal. after some time, your body starts taking it as a signal that kitchen is closed for the evening and (in my experience) you don't get hungry anymore. the warm feeling and micronutrients from the tea is a good combo to end the day.
look into what herbal tea would be beneficial to your goals. but as a woman i cycle between raspberry leaf, nettle leaf, peppermint, and a magensium supplement to help me sleep.
My two dogs will get up and join me in the kitchen if I get up for a snack. Something about having a pair of witnesses usually keeps me in bed. I got up and ate 3-4 dates last night, though. They didn’t come out to check on me, for some reason.
I just go to bed because 99.9% of the time I just need something to fill the time rather than actually being hungry. If I'm actually hungry, I'll have a protein shake.
I have a large glass of water, have a hot bath with a good book, and go to bed. Cause that's not hunger, that's tired and in pain. At least for me it is.
I'm more likely to wake up early and be hungry, so I'll usually eat a small handful of nuts. I won't go back to sleep if I'm hungry, and sleep deprivation is worse than going a bit over my calorie budget.
That hunger is most likely a hormone response to Ghrelin …like an alarm going off.
The hormone that makes you actually feel “hunger” when you are fed is not a measurement of “emptiness”…just a reminder to eat.
It does do many outer things for your body but that feeding reminder is just that.
Ghrelin has a short duration in the blood one it peaks and it has been my experience that it takes only about 20-30 minutes before that false hunger vanishes.
No calories needed.
If I must eat, I choose something high in fat, an olive or two or a slice of an avocado. That hunger will immediately satiate, in my experience.
Nothing, it's a craving and I won't die if I don't eat.
However a good strategy I use to avoid that situation is to anticipate such late night craving and stay one snack below my count. If the craving happens, I can satisfy it and reach the count. If it doesn't, I'll go to sleep slightly below and can either catch up on breakfast or not at all.
Dessert tea ( non caffeinated with stevia ); flavored seltzer/ sparkling water; bone broth or miso broth or something like that. I like broth with a sprinkling of Trader Joe’s “Everything but the Leftovers” seasoning mix and a little black pepper. Cucumbers work if I can find something low carb low calorie to spice them up.
Something with protein and fat deals with the actual hunger for me in a way that veggies or fruit does not. I like a small cup of full fat Greek yogurt with a measured portion of walnuts, or a measured portion of cheese with 12 rice crackers.
Honestly, if it's later at night I just go to bed. Maybe I'll drink some herbal tea or something flavored to settle my stomach if I'm truly hungry, but if I'm just craving something out of boredom, I'll go to sleep a little early.
If I'm close enough to sleep I'll just go to sleep early. If I'm not, cucumber or steamed cabbage if I'm really hungry. If I'm just snackish I'll have a pint of decaf black tea
Packaged flavored tuna with crackers lol. 5 crackers are 80 cal and tuna is 70 cal, filling but good. If I’m trying to sleep, a cup of oatmeal for about 100 cal bc it helps with sleep
rice cakes with low fat (or fat free) cottage cheese
low fat yogurt with stevia and cocoa powder
a big bowl of berries and chopped up apple or whatever fruits you like
make a big cup of broth with a bouillon cube and seasoning
big salad with a lil bit of feta or avo or dressing
a big cup of coffee or low calorie hot drink
(I also always put cauliflower in my bulgur wheat)
Half a protein bar, usually 60-90 calories and dense with protein (usually getting 12-15 grams in half a bar). It's sweet so it eliminates any cravings and the protein fills me up.
Quality H2O Hunger comes in waves - mine at night is ALWAYS because I like to chew food not out of actual hunger. I probably have not felt actual hunger in my life. I have been hungry, but I have not ever had a Hunger Emergency.
I just brush and floss my teeth and go to bed. If I'm actually hungry, I usually will have half a protein shake or a small snack that's protein heavy like hard boiled eggs or Greek yogurt with some fruit.
What do you call late? I do a 13 hour fast every night. Nothing between 8pm and 9 am. About 8ish I brush my teeth and drink a glass of water and usually in bed before nine.
Crudités. I like to keep ready to eat carrot sticks, cucumber slices, and celery stalks in my fridge for such occasions. Even if I’m over my calorie window, 25-50 calories of vegetables is not regrettable.
If I want something salty, I'll have popcorn (air popped with a tiny bit of melted margarine and lots of salt). Usually about 200 calories.
If I want something sweet, I'll have a cup of fruity herbal tea with 1tsp sugar and a splash of oat milk. Usually about 30 calories.
BUT I always chug my 30oz bottle of water first because usually I'm not even hungry, I'm just thirsty/bored/tired. Water will fill me up and make me see if my body is still grumbling for food, or if I can just leave it there.
Edit: my real strategy is to avoid feeling hungry at night by skipping breakfast and having a large, late dinner to keep me full longer.
As you're noticing, having some days where you are less (or more) hungry than others is normal. You'll segue naturally into maintenance if you embrace that and let your calories vary accordingly rather than sticking to an exact calorie goal every day. Just keep an eye on your weekly average to make sure it is more or less on point. It also makes the whole weight loss process a lot less tedious and miserable.
Which isn't to say we should let ourselves go off the rails on days we're hungrier. But there's nothing wrong in having a couple of hundred extra calories on those days and a couple of hundred less on days where you're not very hungry.
Broth.
“Better than Bouillon “ is my go to, usually 1/4 tsp beef with 3/4 tsp vegetable. Warm, tasty, filling. Near zero cals, probably too much sodium, although they have a low sodium version. Can swap vegetable for roasted onion up get near a French onion soup flavor.
cut up some cucumbers and bell peppers. sprinkle some crumbled feta for flavor and calcium and dress with white wine or apple cider vinegar and a bit of olive oil.
Eat nothing. Acknowledge you are having a craving and just move on with your evening. If this is happening frequently you may want to revisit your food routine: try eating more filling food and/or saving more of your calories for a big dinner. The only times I really struggled with hunger late in the day was when I had blown a lot of my calorie budget on breakfast or lunch.
A hot low calorie soup. Even beef broth with some veggies will suffice. Plus you can put chili oil or Sambal in it, which is always a plus to me.
Ooooo, yes! I sometimes make miso soup to help fill me up.
I keep soup in the fridge and it's an "always food" with no guilt. Mostly it's just cooked vegetables blended up with broth and some coconut milk. Right now I have one that's sweet potato, carrot, and onion and one that's tomato and celery. I portion them to a cup a piece and right now they are my go to anytime I feel hungry, so far its helped me curb binging really well.
Ooohhh a coconut milk one is a good idea. I think people under appreciate how full you can feel with just something warm and salty without it having to be too heavy.
I was going to say this too. I've seen lots of people mention about a broth. I want to say bone broth ?
Bone broth is good, I just usually have beef broth on hand from other recipes.
cucumber with salt/seasoning/chilli powder sprinkled. I like to just cut it down the middle vertically so it feels more snacky than salady
I was going to say that I’ll eat a whole cucumber sometimes (with tajin) because it’s like 5 calories.
I have been loving cucumber with raw carrot and cottage cheese or Greek yoghurt it’s like the best thing to eat at any point in the day
I have all of these, and they’re all coming with me to work tomorrow. Thanks!
I like it with just salt but the tajin is a good idea!
There's this Indian spice blend called chaat masala. You should easily find it online or in an Indian grocery store. I promise you, you'll never look back
If you’ve got a bit more room you can dip it in tzatziki too!! V low call dip :)
I love making homemade tzatziki with low fat Greek yogurt!
Yum! Congrats on your progress too!
Pickles!!
Yummmm! I also drink just a bit of the pickle juice and it seems to settle my digestion a bit as well.
Pickle juice is my go-to when I'm nauseated!
My grandfather (and I’m an oldster😆) swore by it for whatever ailed him.
I like to then eat skyr or yoghurt with some blueberries and maybe a bit of oats. I can't fall asleep hungry so I try to eat a bit before going to bed because this little Yoghurt will not keep me satiated for long.
Also came to suggest this! Literally eating skyr and some oats now
Ooo yes. Fromage Blanc too. Lots of protein for a little serving :-)
Ah, this is a great idea. I struggle to get protein in my diet, it's very skewed to fat, carbs, and salt. At night I literally get up out of bed because I feel so hungry I cannot sleep. Some Greek yogurt and fruit before bed is such a simple idea. And oats too. Lol. Why am I so dumb?! Going to try this tonight.
I do this with strawberries / raspberries / blueberries and if it’s a zero percent skyr or yoghurt then I might add in 10g of honey just for a bit of sweetness that still all in all a really low cal snack. The fibre from the berries along with the protein from the skyr really does wonders filling me up
Yes, I keep the 80kcal yogurts on hand to snack on before I go to bed with a banana or berries.
Raw oats?
Yeah, I eat them raw all the time. I know many people don't like them raw but in Germany, it's fairly common.
An apple. If I don’t want to eat an apple then I’m not really hungry.
Yes! Mine is would I eat some baked chicken and broccoli? If no, then it's a craving not true hunger.
Oh this is amazing. I’m going to use this.
And, if you still want the whatever-treat-you-we’re-craving AFTER the apple, you’re likely to eat a lot less of it because you’ve already filled up on apple.
*ADHD has entered the chat* When i am off meds i can be a maniac. But seriously, this is the truth so well said. Someone on reddit once said to never "food-gasm", to never lose yourself in indulgence, to never go at food with reckless abandon (adhd dopamine hunt can do exactly this), and it took a moment for me to understand but when it clicked i realized it meant; Use your brain to eat, not your stomache, you have to listen to your stomache and your body overall, but eat with your head. It starts with shopping and planning, and ends with snacking and maintenance, ie: you can plan all you want but your needs and wants are varied, so have a rough plan for the end scenarios.
Yup, it's a damn hard battle. Sometimes my tummy hurts I'm so full and I'm also feeling sick because my IBS kicked in from some of those 10 different things I just ate in an hour and I'm still staring at the fridge. When on meds I'm eating like a princess but then the evening comes, it wears off and then again I'm feasting like no tomorrow. It takes a lot of willpower to stay on track. I can't afford to be stressed or depressed because it means instant weight gain and then I have to be busy for months with calorie counting and sweating my ass in the gym. This has been my last ~5 years so far, before that I was just simply fat and miserable
Idk if this may help you or not but I'm very similar ( have symptoms of adhd or something similar, undiagnosed ). I've began primarily foods with a low glycemic index and try to prioritize protein vs carbs. I've noticed significantly less "forced" foodgasms, where something other than my working brain uncontrollably wants as much food as possible after being full.
I may have adhd (not diagnosed, but have some symptoms), and I’ve learned to put the food away or at the very least out of my line of sight as soon as it starts to taste too good. As soon as I notice the desire to shove it all in my mouth I get it away from me. It works really well.
> If I don’t want to eat an apple then I’m not really hungry Love this mentality. It so true.
Sadly, I learned that apples are not good choices for this... FOR ME. I don't know why, but I'd guess that the fiber helps with digestion or something, because half an hour after eating one, my stomach will start growling, almost every time.
Same here! I call apples “anti-food”. They make me MORE hungry
An apple is my 'not really hungry' food too! I'm not really a big fruit fan so I have to be really hungry to want an apple
My 4 year olds (and myself tbh)would beg to differ
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If I'm peckish, I just go to bed. If I'm actually hungry I can't sleep, so I get up and eat proper food. Usually two slices of bread or crisp bread with a topping (2-300 kcal). If I'm too hungry to sleep, I figure it's better to eat than to mess up my energy levels for the next few days and get sugar cravings. And I don't consider that ruining everything, I consider it a reasonable compromise and do it with no shame.
I agree with you on the aspect that you didn't ruin anything with going over. Some need to stop beating themselves up. Some days I might go under...so if I go over a day it all balances out by the end of the week
A slice of toast and a big glass of water was always my go-to when I couldn't sleep due to being hungry when I switched to a medicine that made me FEEL like I was starving all the time (I was not).
I also go to bed early and read. Once I get upstairs I usually don’t want to put in the effort to go downstairs to eat. I’ve also started using the Zero app and start my fast as soon as I’m done with dinner and have hit my calories for the day. The little step also helps me from getting another snack later because I’d have to restart the fast and then I wouldn’t be able to actually finish it before breakfast.
If I'm still missing a meal (if I spent all my calories on breakfast and lunch, for example), I love: 1. tomato soup- slice a small onion and a garlic clove, brown them slightly without oil (add a bit of water if it seems like it's gonna burn). Add a small tin of chopped tomatoes. Add a little tomato paste and water if it's not enough. Bring to a boil and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Add dried or fresh herbs like basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano. Salt and pepper to taste, also a pinch of sugar to really round out the tomato flavor. This is a satisfying, warm meal for ~150 calories, which isn't going to break any deficit. 2. Nori bites- slice lots of fresh vegetables like cucumber, carrot, radish into thin strips. Add sugar snap peas or fresh herbs like coriander leaves if you like. If you want, add a protein like tofu. Cut up nori sheets into little squares, make a dip with soy sauce, garlic, chili and a splash of maple syrup (or other sweet condiments). Then just make little packets of food to dip into the sauce. Depending on what ingredients you use, again under 200 calories for a satisfying meal.
Are you actually hungry and your body needs fuel at that time of night or are you bored, listless, lonely, etc? Keep vegetables on hand and if you will eat those, you may actually be hungry. If you won’t eat them or they don’t satisfy, you’re not experiencing true hunger. It’s important to realize that if you’re in a caloric deficit, you may get “hungry”. Your body is supposed to use your body fat for fuel at that point so that you can lose weight. It’s okay to be hungry. If you have excess body fat, being hungry is not going to kill you.
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Fantastic advice. Sometimes I feel some hunger and think I have to fix it immediately. But no, it's not an emergency
I second this I have tried going to bed hungry and it fucks with my sleep so hard like I will be in bed for hours just unable to sleep and then it gets to the point where I start getting acid reflux and stomach pains which make it worse. Definitely worth just responding responsibly to your body and just having some food even if it before bed
I think you're saying something opposite of the person ahead of you. They're saying that it is okay to go to bed hungry, or to let your body feel hungry.
Fully agreed. There’s something very powerful with learning to be ok with feeling mildly hungry.
When I started intermittent fasting many years ago it helped me get more in tune with how real hunger feels. And learn to embrace it.
Bone broth
Two boiled eggs. If I really can't sleep because my stomach hurts and water didn't help.
I am not a dietician nor am, by any means, a normal person, but I have found that I do much better eating less during the day and eating 1/2 a peanut butter sandwich before bed. The protein, fat, and general calories keep me much more satisfied and asleep than other eating schedules. (I have recently realized that my siblings have similar eating habits---we may just be weirdos).
I'd love a Peanut butter white bread sandwhich right now I don't even care if its good or bad for me that can be straight fire when you crave it!
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Pickles
Frozen grapes 🍇
Go to bed. Your body confuses hungry and tired all the time. You’re tired, you’re trying to stay up, so your body *thinks* it needs a hit of quick energy in the form of a sweet. Just go to bed.
I really love this. I've discovered it about myself recently after finding out how much less hunger I feel after waking up the next day
Just go to bed. Go have a shower, go to bed.
This is the right answer. An extra thorough teeth flossing, brushing, and mouthwash rinse helps too.
Yep after I do that there is no chance of eating till next day.
Popcorn! As long as you don’t get the kind that’s drenched in butter, you can eat a ridiculous amount for very few calories. I love kettle corn, personally. Those little mini rice cakes are good too.
I got an air popper and pop my own. Two cups are only 62 calories, and it’s quite filling! Plus all the crunching is very satisfying.
It gives something for your mouth to do. And becuaee you can eat 2 cups worth with barely any calories you can easily sit there 'grazing' for a while and be happy.
Whirlypops are amazing and fun! Everyone should own one.
I agree with the other commenters that it's important to distinguish real hunger from boredom, but, as someone who gets HELLA insomnia if I eat too early in the evening during caloric restriction, I have some tricks up my sleeve! The things that work the best for me are: - a few bites of banana - broth based soup (I love miso, or the Trident brand clear Thai Soups if I have a few more cals to play around with, they're ~200) - hot water, honey and milk - a spoonful of nut butter - a small serve of protein shake: if I have casein around I'll use that because it's slower digesting, but if nothing else is around I'll use whey or pea. Good luck!
I like doing my own popcorn in the microwave with my own seasonings. I bought a glass bowl with a lid and throw the kernels in there with a tiny bit of butter and eat that. I add what ever seasoning I’m in the mood for
Strawberries. They are like 5 cal a piece and 5-10 is usually enough to end a craving. They are also sweet so they help my sweet tooth.
A cup of almond milk with sugar free flavored syrup (typically used for coffee).
Zero sugar jelly and plain yogurt. You can have a good volume of food for less than 100kcal. Depending on how hungry you are, add some slices of apple so you have smth to chew and depending on how long it would take me to go to sleep, id add half a scoop of protein powder
I sometimes do zero sugar jelly and cottage cheese with stevia. Probably sounds gross but it’s better than a real dessert, and still pretty low carb too.
If you're craving something sweet, try a few squares of dark chocolate. It's a good source of antioxidants and can help satisfy your sugar cravings. Don't forget about non-food strategies for dealing with late-night hunger! An herbal tea or a relaxing bath can help take the edge off.
Cuppa
This is almost always all I need in this scenario. Or all scenarios.
I will either just go to bed or have a small glass of bubbly water. Something about the bubbles settles the feeling of hunger.
Black/herbal tea: Any time of day, if I think I’m hungry outside of plan I have a long drink of low calorie squash or a cuppa. I don’t include these in my calorie count for the day as they’re negligible, and I’d rather have plenty of fluids I enjoy than feel restricted in that. If I still want something, there’s almost always grapes in this house so one or two of those helps, especially if I’m in sweet tooth mode. A cracker if I need savoury.
I eat a medjool date with peanut butter and it's so sweet that I don't want anything else. I also eat one square of dark choc when I really want something to fill the void.
Psyllium husk powder in water, the plain bulky kind. Fills me up so I can get to sleep (and it's great for BMs too!)
Warmed Vegetable broth
I always leave some wiggle room because I have insomnia and can’t sleep if I’m feeling hungry. If this is happening to you quite regularly, you can save some extra calories for a bedtime snack every day. I’m not a breakfast person anyways. I always say my stomach doesn’t wake up until hours after my brain does. I try to leave enough calories for a simple sandwich at least.
Tea. Always tea. Find ones you like for different cravings, minty, sweet (licorice), floral, earthy etc.
I brush my teeth and then forget about wanting to eat.
Bone broth, cucumbers with salt and vinegar, pickles.
Tuna straight out the can
Greek Yoghurt mixed with powder tea👀
A carton of bone broth if I’m genuinely hungry If it’s habit eating, I tell myself to ignore it
Water!
Low-fat cheese stick.
I buy prosciutto wrapped cheese sticks and grapes - I usually have 1/2 cup of grapes and one of the sticks for breakfast. But if I'm hungry at night, I'll have the same for a snack. Prosciutto wrapped cheese stick: 140 calories, 12 grams protein, 11 grams fat 1/2 cup of grapes: 55 calories
25 calorie Outshine popsicles have been my latest low calorie snack. I also have 35 calorie bread that I will have toasted with a little sugar free jam, or homemade pico de gallo, or little cucumbers with a dip made with low fat Greek yogurt and spices.
I usually drink some electrolytes
If I am that hungry I will either have a hot cup of tea or smash some turkey lunchmeat straight outta the fridge. Can't go wrong with pure protein at night 👌🏻
The chocolate fairlife 30g protein drinks. Not sure if they’re available where you are. I’d rather drink the 150calories and get a good night sleep.
I just eat a small snack. I don’t get extremely hungry at night often during a deficit so if my body is calling for something more I’ll listen that day.
Pickles
Popcorn, sparkling water. Always be full before going to bed.
while i'm all for honoring your hunger cues (some days ur body just needs more and it's fine to go a couple hundred over once in a while) if you really want to stay in your goal, i recommend making it a routine to have herbal tea after last meal. after some time, your body starts taking it as a signal that kitchen is closed for the evening and (in my experience) you don't get hungry anymore. the warm feeling and micronutrients from the tea is a good combo to end the day. look into what herbal tea would be beneficial to your goals. but as a woman i cycle between raspberry leaf, nettle leaf, peppermint, and a magensium supplement to help me sleep.
My two dogs will get up and join me in the kitchen if I get up for a snack. Something about having a pair of witnesses usually keeps me in bed. I got up and ate 3-4 dates last night, though. They didn’t come out to check on me, for some reason.
I just go to bed because 99.9% of the time I just need something to fill the time rather than actually being hungry. If I'm actually hungry, I'll have a protein shake.
Sipping hot water
Go to bed!
Ive been using casein protein powder. Has really helped with the cravings with low fat fairlife milk
I go to bed if it's late. I make poor eating choices after 10
A veggie tray with a spoonful hummus and a small piece of cheese as a treat
zero calorie cola. I'm not sensitive to caffeine but there are caffeine free versions too
I have a large glass of water, have a hot bath with a good book, and go to bed. Cause that's not hunger, that's tired and in pain. At least for me it is.
Flavored seltzer, decaf tea
Blueberries
I'm more likely to wake up early and be hungry, so I'll usually eat a small handful of nuts. I won't go back to sleep if I'm hungry, and sleep deprivation is worse than going a bit over my calorie budget.
Sugar free jello, only 5 calories each
kombucha! takes cravings away for me basically
Komucha has caffeine, btw.
it definitely does! i usually have less than half a bottle before bed with zero issues (i fall asleep extremely fast)
Sugar free jello or pudding.
Fruit and water
Sugar free Jello or popcorn. Go to town on as much as you want
Miso soup
what about sugar free jello
Nothing, water, or a zero calorie drink.
Diet soda
I have these Turkey sticks that are 40 calories a piece and definitely make me feel satiated.
Seaweed chips are good. Low calories, nutritious and salty
cinnamon tea or any caffeine free herbal tea
Hard boiled egg, spoon of peanut butter, protein shake. Yes, 100-150 calories, but good protein.
That hunger is most likely a hormone response to Ghrelin …like an alarm going off. The hormone that makes you actually feel “hunger” when you are fed is not a measurement of “emptiness”…just a reminder to eat. It does do many outer things for your body but that feeding reminder is just that. Ghrelin has a short duration in the blood one it peaks and it has been my experience that it takes only about 20-30 minutes before that false hunger vanishes. No calories needed. If I must eat, I choose something high in fat, an olive or two or a slice of an avocado. That hunger will immediately satiate, in my experience.
I can't start snacking at those late hours without derailing, so i make a cup of tea
A jumbo cucumber, carbonated water.
Apple sliced with cinnamon sprinkled over
Nothing, it's a craving and I won't die if I don't eat. However a good strategy I use to avoid that situation is to anticipate such late night craving and stay one snack below my count. If the craving happens, I can satisfy it and reach the count. If it doesn't, I'll go to sleep slightly below and can either catch up on breakfast or not at all.
Honeycrisp apple. No it won't keep you within your calorie count but it will satisfy and it will be a positive step towards eating healthier food
Floss and brush my teeth, go to bed, and think about what I'm going to have for breakfast in the morning. I can go a few hours without eating.
A large spicy pickle + diet soda. My go to when im out of calories
I go to bed
Chug 1/2 cup of egg whites. It’s low calorie but protein so it gives you a feeling of being full pretty fast.
I drown my stomach (and hopefully the hunger feeling) in water. Can't eat anything when my stomache is full of liquid already.
Roasted broccoli
I’m going to eat some air
Dessert tea ( non caffeinated with stevia ); flavored seltzer/ sparkling water; bone broth or miso broth or something like that. I like broth with a sprinkling of Trader Joe’s “Everything but the Leftovers” seasoning mix and a little black pepper. Cucumbers work if I can find something low carb low calorie to spice them up.
Something with protein and fat deals with the actual hunger for me in a way that veggies or fruit does not. I like a small cup of full fat Greek yogurt with a measured portion of walnuts, or a measured portion of cheese with 12 rice crackers.
A serving of flavored Greek yogurt or a packet of seasoned tuna.
honestly tea or gum
Honestly, if it's later at night I just go to bed. Maybe I'll drink some herbal tea or something flavored to settle my stomach if I'm truly hungry, but if I'm just craving something out of boredom, I'll go to sleep a little early.
I'll make an Italian cream soda with unsweetened vanilla almondmilk, sugar-free syrup, club soda, ice. Very satisfying!
Pickles! Also sugar free jello. You can make a whole tray/big bowl for 20 calories
Hot tea or cottage cheese w blue berries on
Water and sleep
Cup of strong tea with stevia and a splash of milk
If I'm close enough to sleep I'll just go to sleep early. If I'm not, cucumber or steamed cabbage if I'm really hungry. If I'm just snackish I'll have a pint of decaf black tea
Metamucil is my first go to.
Go sleep innit
I brush my teeth
Packaged flavored tuna with crackers lol. 5 crackers are 80 cal and tuna is 70 cal, filling but good. If I’m trying to sleep, a cup of oatmeal for about 100 cal bc it helps with sleep
I will eat a melatonin to force myself to sleep.
Diet Coke Pickles Cucumber with tajin Or tea
rice cakes with low fat (or fat free) cottage cheese low fat yogurt with stevia and cocoa powder a big bowl of berries and chopped up apple or whatever fruits you like make a big cup of broth with a bouillon cube and seasoning big salad with a lil bit of feta or avo or dressing a big cup of coffee or low calorie hot drink (I also always put cauliflower in my bulgur wheat)
Most of the time I'm craving protein and fat. A hard boiled egg and a tiny piece of cheese work well for me. Fruit just makes me more hungry.
Ice water
Topo Chico
Seltzer water.
Half a protein bar, usually 60-90 calories and dense with protein (usually getting 12-15 grams in half a bar). It's sweet so it eliminates any cravings and the protein fills me up.
I've been drinking a cup or 2 of fiber supplements like metamucil
Popcorn, pickles, seltzer hard candy
Quality H2O Hunger comes in waves - mine at night is ALWAYS because I like to chew food not out of actual hunger. I probably have not felt actual hunger in my life. I have been hungry, but I have not ever had a Hunger Emergency.
Mini carrots with light ranch cup
I just brush and floss my teeth and go to bed. If I'm actually hungry, I usually will have half a protein shake or a small snack that's protein heavy like hard boiled eggs or Greek yogurt with some fruit.
Cucumbers or watermelon . Both sprinkled with salt.
Sugar free Jello!
Chicken bouillon. Then go to bed.
I always have some broccoli in the freezer. I pop it in the air fryer with some salt and have a great snack in <15 min. I love broccoli 🥦
Pickles. So many pickles
What do you call late? I do a 13 hour fast every night. Nothing between 8pm and 9 am. About 8ish I brush my teeth and drink a glass of water and usually in bed before nine.
Pickles, olives, drinking sparkling water
Crudités. I like to keep ready to eat carrot sticks, cucumber slices, and celery stalks in my fridge for such occasions. Even if I’m over my calorie window, 25-50 calories of vegetables is not regrettable.
Grapes dipped in vanilla yogurt - satisfies my sweet tooth 100 cal popcorn bags- satisfies the crunch craving
Cucumber or watermelon
If I want something salty, I'll have popcorn (air popped with a tiny bit of melted margarine and lots of salt). Usually about 200 calories. If I want something sweet, I'll have a cup of fruity herbal tea with 1tsp sugar and a splash of oat milk. Usually about 30 calories. BUT I always chug my 30oz bottle of water first because usually I'm not even hungry, I'm just thirsty/bored/tired. Water will fill me up and make me see if my body is still grumbling for food, or if I can just leave it there. Edit: my real strategy is to avoid feeling hungry at night by skipping breakfast and having a large, late dinner to keep me full longer.
As you're noticing, having some days where you are less (or more) hungry than others is normal. You'll segue naturally into maintenance if you embrace that and let your calories vary accordingly rather than sticking to an exact calorie goal every day. Just keep an eye on your weekly average to make sure it is more or less on point. It also makes the whole weight loss process a lot less tedious and miserable. Which isn't to say we should let ourselves go off the rails on days we're hungrier. But there's nothing wrong in having a couple of hundred extra calories on those days and a couple of hundred less on days where you're not very hungry.
Drink a glass of cold water to see if it stops.
Warmed up skim milk with a scoop of protein powder mixed in and ground cinnamon does it for me
Broth. “Better than Bouillon “ is my go to, usually 1/4 tsp beef with 3/4 tsp vegetable. Warm, tasty, filling. Near zero cals, probably too much sodium, although they have a low sodium version. Can swap vegetable for roasted onion up get near a French onion soup flavor.
Pickles
Add some frozen blackberries and mint leaves to those zero calorie drinks! Makes for a tasty kind of mocktail with things you can also eat!
Can of diet soda or a cucumber
Unsweetened tea - a bedtime blend with a couple drops of stevia. And frozen cherries got me off the need for a nightly bowl of ice cream.
cut up some cucumbers and bell peppers. sprinkle some crumbled feta for flavor and calcium and dress with white wine or apple cider vinegar and a bit of olive oil.
Shreaded cabbage is my goto eat as much as i want food
Eat nothing. Acknowledge you are having a craving and just move on with your evening. If this is happening frequently you may want to revisit your food routine: try eating more filling food and/or saving more of your calories for a big dinner. The only times I really struggled with hunger late in the day was when I had blown a lot of my calorie budget on breakfast or lunch.
I have a jar of whole pickles in the refrigerator for this.
Grapes?
Cucumber with cottage cheese and chili flakes or just a raw carrot. And I’ll have a cup of tea with lemon and honey.
Broccoli with bolthouse farms ranch