I’ve been reading about getting better sleep - and almost everything says don’t eat before bed. Problem is, I eat pretty much nonstop or least every 2-3hrs from the time I get up, until I go to bed
Our family eats dinner around 530 and usually around 9 when I’m winding down for bed I’m hungry. By 930 I’m ravenous - So I eat !
Are there any foods that are better to eat at night than others?
Vegetables. Eat a carrot or a cucumber and you may realize the “ravenous hunger” was just your brain playing tricks on you because it can go away as quickly as it appeared.
Other than that, maybe your portions are too small throughout the day. Or maybe you don’t fuel your workouts properly.
I try to eat enough - but it’s really hard!
How is your fueling DURING workouts?
Sounds like it’s as much a habit as it is your body needing fuel. Lately I’ve decided if over worked out in the evening after dinner, I’ll follow up the workout with a glass of milk mixed with Instant Breakfast (chocolate protein vitamin mix w/real carbs) + a scoop of protein powder.
So I’m reasonably confident I’m getting enough calories and nutrients. And since it’s consistent, I’m not on the hunt for snacks and meals. I just know this specific amount is enough and that’s what I limit it to.
Drink water or non caffeinated tea does help. I tend to stop eating after dinner. If extremely hungry, I will grab a fruit and drink non stop. Usually works
How much water are you drinking during the day?
Good question, it does reduce hunger pangs !
Have more protein in your diet
I generally workout first thing in the AM - before 6am on weekdays and before 9am on weekends .. for rides without intensity I don’t eat. For anything hard I eat ~80-140g carbs / hour
I think my workout fueling is ok
I try to eat 120-160g / day. This is a total calorie problem I think, vs protein
TLDR: If you are meeting your performance goals, why begrudge the evening treats?
Are you sure there is a problem?
Maybe there is a problem; I just didn’t register one in your post. You only described hunger that is asynchronous with your family dining rituals.
Here is my little story.
Decades ago, I tried to control my evening intake. My goal was simple and thoughtless: if lean = fast, then less food = more speed. But I didn’t enjoy the internal battle. I prefer to surrender to my desires.
In fact, 1000 kcal before bed is probably my favorite time of day. Why take that away if all other systems are performing adequately?
I was never super lean. But I was fast enough. For all I know, that midnight bowl of ice cream may have been my secret sauce.
I haven’t seen my abs since the last century, but I can do anything I want. No one looks at me and thinks: nice physique. But I am in my mid 50s, I can ski a 50k in the winter, I can bike 100 miles in the summer, I can run to work every day.
I feel good. I like food, especially at night. I wake up with crumbs in the bed and I think: ah, I am the most fortunate man on earth.
If you are fast enough, or if you are meeting your other goals, why begrudge the evening snack?
Maybe we should start a mutual support thread and submit photos of our last guilt-free meal before bed?
My hunger follows a similar pattern, so here’s what worked for me: dinner at 5:30 (which is way too early but that’s the time my family eats as we have little kids), healthy snack at around 7:30 when the little ones have gone to bed. This is often Greek yoghurt and blueberries, or sometimes a slice of cheese and an apple. Then when the next hunger train comes around (9ish) I floss, mouthwash and brush my teeth, which usually calms the signals down and tells my body it’ll have to wait for breakfast.
But I agree with the guy who said “if there’s no problem with your health or performance, why change anything?”.
If you do start a thread for the constantly hungry, I’m in.
Just made myself a bowl of Greek yogurt and some toppings.
I eat nonstop
No snacks for slow people!!!
I’m about to go to bed and just had a few bites of the Ben and Jerry’s. I’ll probably be tossing and turning at 3am and regret it, but so far I’m happy with the decision.