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The Midnight Snack
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I've been trying to drop a few pounds recently. For the most part, I eat well during the day--including three meals and two snacks. Lots of fruits, vegtables, whole grains, lean protein, light on processed and refined sugars, no booze, etc.

What I struggle with is the "midnight snack" syndrome. Somewhere between midnight and 3:00 a.m. (I go to bed around 10:00-11:00) I wake up extremely hungry and the only thing that satifies me seems to be some carb/fat combo. Needless to say, the lbs are not coming off like they should and my Buddha remains.

Any suggestions for averting the midnight snack syndrome? I've tried drinking fluids but that just makes me get up to pee more...

Matt

P.S. I'd post this in the main forum, but there's a lot of shit-slinging going on as of late...
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Re: The Midnight Snack [mts] [ In reply to ]
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Main forums a gong show. I shake my head.

Are you cutting yourself off from food at a certain time (like no food after 8pm, bed at 10)? That is sometimes a problem. And, of course, are you eating enough? If you are really that hungry in the middle of the night then you are definitely not taking in enough!


______________________________________
I know I'm promiscuous, but in a classy way
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Re: The Midnight Snack [mts] [ In reply to ]
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I once read that eating a banana before bed will help get you through the night. Never tried it though.

____________________________
Life is Short...Run Long
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Re: The Midnight Snack [mts] [ In reply to ]
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I find lately I don't even check the main forum at all....same old BS. The good stuff is here.
Anyway, yeah Id say it sounds like you are eating well, but not enough. After hard ride days I wake up in the middle of the night hungry and know I did not eat enough.
Lots of debate, but I dont think it really matters WHEN you eat...but WHAT/how much. If you are making up some 'rule' that you wont eat after 7pm, but you havent eaten enough, then eventually you will give in to unhealthy cravings...have a snack before bed but a good one, like a banana maybe with a smear of natural PB for a bit of good protein/fat.
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Re: The Midnight Snack [mts] [ In reply to ]
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i use to have this problem especially when training was really heavy. one thing that really helped was having a snack before going to bed that had some protein in it. tuna on crackers or cheese on crackers - yum! or hot chocolate or an apple and 1 oz of string cheese, etc... generally 200-300 calories about 30 minutes before bed will tide me over until the morning.

halliet
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Re: The Midnight Snack [mts] [ In reply to ]
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Speaking of the different bedtime snacks... I used to have a PB&J sandwich every night before bed, but now it's a toss up between that or a bowl of Kashi Go Lean Crunch. mmmmmmm :)


______________________________________
I know I'm promiscuous, but in a classy way
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Re: The Midnight Snack [mts] [ In reply to ]
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If I must get up, I drink a low carb protein shake. The ones I get have 20g pro and about 100 calories. It keeps the hunger at bay so I can go back to sleep.
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Re: The Midnight Snack [mts] [ In reply to ]
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Well, if you are trying to drop a few pounds, but you are waking up hungry, I would suggest a lean protein OR a handful of raw nuts--both should help you sleep through the night. I would imagine that you are waking up hungry bc you haven't had enough calories in the pm. Try about 200 calories (I don't know your height or weight or BMI)

I have been eating just a HUGE salad at night but it has full fat salad dressing and avocado--Fat will satiate your appetite--fruit and carbohydrates won't.

Good Luck, let's hear what you experiment with..

leslie myers
http://www.foodsensenow.com
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Re: The Midnight Snack [Honey] [ In reply to ]
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+1 on a snack before bed.

+1 on the Kashi Go Lean Crunch... that stuff is yummy! I've been doing that with the Fiber One yogurt (80 cals each) for breakfast.... YUMMY!





Come crawling faster
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Re: The Midnight Snack [Honey] [ In reply to ]
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These are all great suggestions, thanks. I'd been operating under the thinking that once I'm done with dinner that I shouldn't eat any more. I like the lean protein suggestions...though I think a high carb snack spikes the insulin which results in feeling tired.

Right now I'm 5'10, 160# (male). I race at (runner primarily) at around 140#. I packed on the pounds in the process of getting married, moving into a new house and generally, becoming more busy. I've got the time now to right things...though at 34 years old, I'm finding that it's much harder to drop the weight than when I was in my 20s.

Matt
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Re: The Midnight Snack [Honey] [ In reply to ]
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yes to the nuts, i agree. nuts are very filling, but the serving must be deliberate. it is easy to eat 700 calories worth of nuts in within a few minutes. literally!

also i would like to add Omega fats, perhaps a spoon of fish oil before bed along with a big apple or banana. smear a dab of peanut butter on that banana (or apple) and that is a super good night snack. the Omega fats--we should all be taking them.

cottage cheese is another good night snack. i add cinnamon to mine and really enjoy that. an apple with the cottage cheese is very low calorie as well, but provides some fiber to bulk up the gut.


what we need to realize is eat when hungry. if someone is waking up in the middle of the night with hunger paigns, that is the best sign of a deficit. the problem is that the body can mistake it for starvation though.
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Re: The Midnight Snack [mts] [ In reply to ]
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Haha, I tend to wake up hungry in the middle of the night when I'm training lots too. All that it means is, you didn't eat enough during the day.

If you truly want to lose weight and can do so safely, suck it up and go back to sleep (or try to). If you're undereating by too much (more than a 500 calorie deficit a day) then reign it back in to no more than 500 cal deficit/day.

I finally figured out that if I have a pbj with nutella spread over it about an hour before bedtime, I'd sleep just fine. I'm not trying to lose any weight though :-)

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
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Re: The Midnight Snack [mts] [ In reply to ]
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I also second the cottage cheese suggestion. I keep a tub of low-fat cottage cheese in the fridge sometimes for if I wake up and need to eat in the middle of the night. I've found a couple of spoonfuls sends me right back to sleep!
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Re: The Midnight Snack [mts] [ In reply to ]
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Great suggestions here. I would also add that you should think about drinking a small glass of milk with these snacks.
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