Evening binging

[Westieowner]

Hi, Does anyone have any advice to help with evening binging? I am 58 and my weight has yoyo'd all of my adult life. Fatigue seems to cause my over eating in evening as I'm too tired to do any hobbies & TV can be boring. I can stick to healthy food during day but all goes to pot in the evening. Many thanks in advance

[lucigret]

Best advice I can give you is to make sure you eat enough at your meals and definitely include healthy fats that will leave you feeling full and will help to stop any cravings for food, or space to binge without feeling very uncomfortable. You will also find that including healthy fat will help with feeling of fatigue, especially if you lower white carbs, such as bread, potatoes, rice and pasta.

[Westieowner in reply to lucigret]

Thank you lucigret, your advice much appreciated. I don't eat many white carbs, healthy fats good idea, always feel scared eating fats. I know avocado is healthy, which other foods are healthy fats?

[lucigret in reply to Westieowner]

butter, cream, cheese, virgin olive oil, fat on meat, chicken skin to name a few

[Westieowner in reply to lucigret]

Thank you

[Professor-Yaffle Visitor Visitor in reply to Westieowner]

Oily fish is also really good for fatigue 🐠🐟

[Westieowner in reply to Professor-Yaffle]

Thank you professor waffle, much appreciated

[Professor-Yaffle Visitor Visitor in reply to Westieowner]

I don't have much time for cooking in the week but nearly every day my lunch is a tin of oily fish of some kind with salad or veg.... it really keeps me on my toes and I notice quite a difference in my energy levels if I swap the fish out for different proteins or fats. I always keep boiled eggs in the fridge in case I really want a snack.

I think you are not on your own in your eating pattern.... it's sort of a symptom of modern life, which is stressful. I'm sure you can make some changes though .... I find it helps to not have foods in the house at all if they are the kind of foods I wouldn't want to be eating.....

[TheTabbyCat Administrator 10 kg in reply to Professor-Yaffle]

Thanks for the tip about fatigue/oily fish. Lately I've been struggling with tiredness and with hindsight it's probably because I haven't had pan seared salmon for yonks. I used to have it twice a week.

Next shopping trip I'll add some "blue" fish. Mackerel, sardines etc.

[Professor-Yaffle Visitor Visitor in reply to TheTabbyCat]

Yum. Enjoy!

[gman1961 Restart April 2024 in reply to Professor-Yaffle]

Interesting about oily fish and fatigue ,I must eat more .Gary

[walkinthewoods 7lbs in reply to Professor-Yaffle]

Boiled eggs in the fridge-what a good idea. I do find it difficult sometimes for a quick snack when on LCHF as traditionally I would have reached for a sandwich.

[BerlinBetty Visitor in reply to Professor-Yaffle]

Yes, oily fish is wonderful. We eat a lot of it here in Portugal, both naturally oily and fish preserved in good virgin oil. At my age, oils the joints (Nature's WD40) but also full of nutrients, and as the Prof says, filling.

[lucigret in reply to Professor-Yaffle]

definitely

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone in reply to Westieowner]

eggs, coconut oil, oily fish

[walkinthewoods 7lbs in reply to Westieowner]

Lots of advice on low carb high fat eating plans. It has worked for me. I invested in a recipe book which also provided a really good insight into the science behind this type of eating plan. I have never felt so good.

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone]

I agree with lucigret: look at your evening bingeing in the context of your overall meal plan, rather than seeing it as a weakness. Chances are your "healthy food" during the day is leaving you hungry.

This is a good, straightforward plan that may help phcuk.org/wp-content/upload... and I highly recommend the Daily Diary for ideas and food chat: you'll find it with all other forum activities in Pinned Posts

[Sherlockthepup in reply to BridgeGirl]

Thank you, that is a really well thought out leaflet, I'm going to print it now

[MissisB 4 stone in reply to Sherlockthepup]

Hello and welcome Sherlockthepup.

As well as reading this leaflet, you might like to look at the Pinned Posts. Full of helpful information on how to find your way around the Forum, as well as more helpful information on healthy eating for weight loss.

Please do come snd chat around the Forum and join in as many activities as you want, as I am sure you would find it really helpful.

Wishing you all the best.

[Sherlockthepup in reply to MissisB]

Thank you 🙂

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone in reply to Sherlockthepup]

You're welcome It's very straightforward and it can be adapted to your tastes.

The Daily Diary is a good place to see what other members are planning for their meals, and joining a weekly weigh in will give you great team support. You'll find them, and all other activities, by following this link healthunlocked.com/weight-l... to Pinned Posts

[Greendream123]

Good question - I'm a binge eater too. I managed to stop binging for 4 months but then the bad habits crept back. For me, it isn't about what I'm eating during the day, feeling hungry or anything like that but rather psychological. Things that have helped me include brushing my teeth after dinner (with very strong toothpaste), only eating at the dining table, questioning why exactly I'm wanting to eat, challenging those irrational thoughts around binging and so on. I also found it helpful to post in the daily diary and be honest about evening eating. Good luck, hopefully 'see' you around.

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone in reply to Greendream123]

I agree with Greendream too, Westieowner , there are two possibilities. One is not eating enough, or enough of the right stuff: the other is habit/psychological, and there it's a question of looking at your behaviour and what might work for you. And, of course, it could be both at the same time

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone in reply to BridgeGirl]

I'm being very agreeable today 😆

[Greendream123 in reply to BridgeGirl]

...Are you talking to yourself? 😆

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone in reply to Greendream123]

It has been known 😹

[Lytham 3 stone in reply to BridgeGirl]

ALWAYS AGREEABLE! x

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone in reply to Lytham]

😹

[Westieowner in reply to BridgeGirl]

Yes definitely partly psychological. Thank you

[Westieowner in reply to Greendream123]

Thank you, your advice is much appreciated. I also feel my binge eating in the evening is psychological more than being hungry & I also definitely comfort eat!

[Bee-bop Maintainer 2st 7lbs in reply to Westieowner]

I agree with Greendream123 on brushing teeth, eating enough at the last meal and closing down the kitchen helps.

My Plan means I fill up on lots of veggies and healthier carb choices which means I haven't been tempted on an evening for a long time. I did have a blip a week or so ago and it was to do with my old pattern of "not wasting food" and being a bit absent minded. I eat my daughters left over cheesy bake at about 9 pm 🙄 afterwards I was saying to my son, why did I just do that ?! I know that I've had a couple of stressful weeks so, that could have contributed..

For me, I also am a strong believer in not beating yourself up about blips because, it tends to make us feel worse and that can lead to unhealthier eating choices.

Good luck on your journey westieowner 👍

[Westieowner in reply to Bee-bop]

Thank you Bee-bop. Good luck too

[walkinthewoods 7lbs in reply to Greendream123]

Great advice. Honesty is helpful for me as it gives me time for self reflection. I know no one will judge me on this forum. It has been so helpful.

[focused1 Maintainer 13kg]

I had to set a time and after that it was a fruit tea which is actually quite refreshing cold or sip on a low cal hot chocolate . Have an evening walk and track the steps and calories.It puts you off eating . Group classes are starting up . Maybe plan one of those as this is also my worst time too

[Westieowner in reply to focused1]

I have been thinking about early eve walks so this is a good idea, thank you

[N-o-r-d-i Maintainer 64kg]

Hi, I have a long history of binging. It was so bad a couple of years ago that every day after work I would go shopping and bring massive amounts of food and eat it all… each evening I’d think that I would start eating healthier next morning or next Monday but it didn’t happen or didn’t last for more than a day or two. And then eventually I realised that I needed to face what I was doing and I decided that I would be recording what I eat every day and weighing myself every week. I said to myself that I can eat whatever I would usually eat and there’s no restrictions at all, but I simply need to be honest with myself and write it down. Somehow this made it much easier not to binge - I didn’t want to see those massive amounts of food recorded. Later on I started introducing daily calorie limit, and later introduced 8 hour eating window. I still sort of binge, in a controlled kind of way - sometimes I have large amounts of food in one go, but without going over my calorie limit or eating window. If I want something else, but calorie limit is reached or it’s outside my eating window - i try to plan whatever I want for the next day and then look forward to it. But I do remind myself that going over my limit will happen occasionally and it doesn’t mean I ruined everything. As a precaution, to avoid all or nothing thinking 😊 there’s so many layers to binging behaviour, it’s important to explore what drives yours and how you can help yourself to come out of it. I found the attitude of helping myself as opposed to fighting myself or controlling myself made a big difference. Hope you will find where to start that is suitable for you personally. Feel free to chat if you want any more info. 🤗

[Westieowner in reply to N-o-r-d-i]

Thank you. Some really good advice in your reply, much appreciated

[Dave1000 1 stone]

Hi Westieowner i understand your predicament as it’s certainly one that and many others have suffered but somewhere if weight loss is to succeed and be sustained you have to take back control. I am 6 years older than you so you have every chance of getting there well ahead of me. 😂I am not suggesting it’s easy but I took certain steps. Initially the kitchen was closed for business after dinner, in my case following TMAD until lunchtime the next day. No more late night sandwiches or similar snacks. Ideally the fridge would be closed as well but this is a marathon not a sprint so ease into the change. In my case I decided to allow myself berries and full fat Greek Yoghurt and I follow a LCHF plan. If I didn’t fancy this maybe a jelly a small piece of cheese, a few nuts or couple of small pieces of 80% darl chocolate. Some have carport celery or cucumber and peppers cut and sealed in tubs ready to go to at any point, others choose snacks such as pork scratching, find something that works for you.

As your weight loss progresses and you gain more control this can be reduced more successfully. I have recognised a potential problem with too much fruit and the hidden sugars. I have this week decided to get ve them a miss. Managing okay so far🤪

Good luck with whatever you decide. You can and you will succeed, be strong💪 👍

[Westieowner in reply to Dave1000]

Thank you Dave1000 for your advice, support & encouragement, some great ideas in your post, your encouragement is much appreciated. Wishing you well on your journey too.

[Dave1000 1 stone in reply to Westieowner]

An absolute pleasure. Thank you.

[12345pink Visitor]

Why don’t you drink alcohol free if you want a drink. Erdinger and Heineken are very good and you think your drinking lager. Erdinger has 0.4 alcohol Heineken is 00. Becks is another one which is 00. There are several non alcohol drinks Tesco keep a good variety. I didn’t realise how good they were until I went to my friends celebrating her birthday I bought erdinger and my friend took a wine which was non alcohol, try it you will be surprised. Try reading a book autobiography’s I love. GOOD LUCK.

[Westieowner in reply to 12345pink]

Thank you 12345pink. I don't drink alcohol so it's not an issue for me

[Lynne64 Restart Jan 2024]

Hiya. My binge eating history over my life has always had a comfort/struggle underlying the behaviour. Aspects of mindfulness have helped me recently. I've learned to sit with difficult emotions that would previously send me to the cupboards for sweet stuff. I've also acknowledged that my binging was so ingrained that it also just became a habit! So now, I set rules! I enjoy Intermittent fasting and do that 6 days a week. On a Saturday, I relax, and my only rule is no binging! Started this new healthier lifestyle on 15th March and I've lost 21lbs. I'm 56 and slap bang in the middle of the menopause too 😁 all the very best

[Hinewme12]

This so resonated with me. My weak time is the evening as well. Awareness of evening binging is the first step. It’s a bit like an addiction, so couple that awareness with some will power and you’re on the road to overcoming it. You’ve already received some good tips; here’s what has helped me:

1. Get your vitamin D levels checked by your doctor. Lack of vitamin D causes fatigue among other things. I was put on a very high dosage to bring levels up from “dangerously low” and the difference to tiredness was amazing.

2. Once checked, take vitamin D supplement - either doctor prescribed dosage or standard daily dosage from pharmacist.

3. Before going to the kitchen cupboards, for inspiration to keep you on track, look at a picture of somebody who’s body shape is like your target body shape.

4. Go for a walk or get up and walk on the spot/round your living room. Just MOVE, even if for only a couple of minutes, just to remind yourself of why you’re doing this and boost your willpower.

5. Plan what you’re going to eat the next day. You can factor in calories to give yourself a healthy snack in the evening.

6. Drink water.

7. Think about how well you’ve done throughout the day and that binging now would spoil all that hard work.

8. If you still have the ‘urge’ to eat something then have a square (not a row or bar!) of DARK chocolate or, my first go to would be ONE raspberry. I often find that that is enough to squash the urge (but that’s with will power too). Raspberries are a low sugar fruit.

9. Enlist on one of the many walking challenges- they do not have to be competitive unless you want it to be. Set your own daily/weekly challenge. They are a great encouragement to increase your daily steps.

10. Rather than watch boring tv, put on one of the free yoga, dance, Pilates, classes that are available on smart TVs/you tube etc.

11. Look up the Parks fitness programme. It’s free online exercise programme similar to the 0-5k couch to fitness programme. Think it’s 90 days and starts with gentle exercise building up challenge over time.

Apart from the vitamin D advice, these tips are not anything significant (nor in a particular order) but they have helped me, and hopefully, will help you too. I’m the same age as you and I am a ‘recovering’ biscuit binger lol.

Good luck.

[springersrule Moderator Host 76kg in reply to Hinewme12]

Hi Hinewme12 and welcome to this amazing forum. Those are some great suggestions for diverting attention from evening bingeing.

Are you on a weight loss journey yourself or are you maintaining now? Either way I would suggest you spend some time clicking about to find your way around. It's easier if you have a lap-top as there are several threads. If you’re using another device I strongly suggest that you use the web page as opposed to the app at least until you know your way around.

Have a good read of the pinned post “Welcome Newbies” and follow every thread.

Here’s the link to the pinned posts

healthunlocked.com/weight-l...

I strongly suggest you read and contribute to the both the Daily Diary and a Weekly Weigh in, there's a dedicated maintainers post too if that's more appropriate.

You will find there's loads of tips and advice from other members on food plans, exercise, how to keep going etc Sharing your daily menu not only helps you stay committed, it can help other members too.

Good luck I hope to "see " you around.

[Hidden]

I also am a night binger. I think for me it is about telling myself no, or looking for something else like fruit. Could also have cherry tomatoes. I am telling myself it is about discipline too. Another time it helps if I get away from the TV and do something. So keeping busy. I also need to think of nice healthy snacks which are ok to have. Eating healthy and hopefully making some nice meals and snacks. Which would then have me feeling better and also loosing weight. Try to walk a bit and jog a little. But need to stay focused on all this to achieve loosing some weight. Hope this may help.

[springersrule Moderator Host 76kg in reply to Hidden]

Good morning Pinkmover and welcome to this amazing forum.

Its lovely to see you giving support to others and hope the forum can do the same for you. As i've just said above this a great place for help and support so i would suggest you have a good read of the pinned post “Welcome Newbies” and follow every thread.

Here’s the link to the pinned posts

healthunlocked.com/weight-l...

I strongly suggest you read and contribute to the Daily Diary and a Weekly Weigh in, I find them both invaluable.

You will find there's loads of tips and advice from other members on food plans, exercise, how to keep going etc Sharing your day and daily menu not only helps you stay committed, it can help other members too.

Good luck I hope to "see " you continue to join in

[walkinthewoods 7lbs]

I have few years on you and have found this an issue for me too. I usually keep one `treat` for evening. Might be fresh fruit salad with double cream at this time of year. I am on LCHF and definitely find the low carb diet energising me.I also have little energy for active hobbies when I sit down in the evenings after a busy time gardening but have reconnected with knitting and crocheting which keeps my hands busy and doesnt require too much energy.

[Tgostswimmer]

Sounds to me like you have a very good awareness of what your situation is and where your struggles lie. Good on ya for wanting to deal with it!

You are trying to kick a binging habit... think about what advice would be given to someone thinking about quitting smoking... keep busy, put money in a jar for each pack you don't buy, reward yourself in a healthy way for each day that you don't smoke... play a game with your mind!

I'm totally with you on wanting to be more active in the evenings and not having the energy. Oh, all those well-intentioned but missed evening walks! But being bored in front of the TV is such an easy partner for snacking! I would suggest you find something low-energy to keep busy until the habit breaks... take a bath, dust some house plants lovingly, listen to a different radio station/podcast/audiobook, write a letter to an old friend, research pension options, take a free online course... anything to get through those evening hours!

Wishing you all the best... it's something lots of us struggle with. You have all the choices in front of you... try them! x x x

[Aprilshowers17]

Hi WestieOwner. I have been a night binger for several years and beat myself up about it almost immediately. I have found that eating enough protein during the day is key. Aim for 1g protein for every kg of body weight. You will spend a long time checking out protein values and the reward when you hit the right amount will give you such a boost you will forget to binge. The other things I do to distract is paint my nails, take a long bath, go outside even if its into your garden and sit outside noticing the different smells, sounds, sights be in the moment. Hope that helps xx

[BerlinBetty Visitor]

All this is so familiar to me, Darling, and I identify with so many of these excellent responses from others. For me, it was a life habit to snack in the evening, and it began innocently enough with family tv time over the three nights of the weekend when I was a child. My Dear Auld Dad loved sweets, and we all loved crisps, especially when in the 60s they began producing flavoured ones (cheese and onion and bacon-flavour, as I recall). We were all Slim Jims, so feasting on chocky, crunchy boiled sweets (fruit sherberts), chewy sweets (Fuller's fruit and mint chews) and packets of Cadbury's milk chocolate, seemed a harmless habit while we rocked with laughter to Morecombe and Wise, or goggled fearfully at Dr Who. Crisps tasted great with chocolate, and by the time I was 10 or 11, I was hooked.

Later in life, snacking after a hard day's work seemed like a reasonable indulgence: a glass of wine, a bowl of crisps and a daft soap were a daily anaesthetic. A stressful day might find me imbibing two glasses of wine, and a bar of chocolate invariably followed the meal. It's like muscle-memory, isn't it ? These sorts of habits become ingrained, and an important part of self-comforting, inseparable, for me at least, with watching telly.

Little I can add to the excellent advice already given. Nowadays, I allow some sweeties and crisps at the weekends (back to childhood habits) and it has made the weekend more special. But I have to ration myself, or I'd eat a whole big bag of crisps. Little bowls are important to me: a bowl of crisps and some pieces of chocky in another bowl and that's it. Sometimes I have to contrive to have finished one packet of something by Sunday evening, so that there's nothing of that sort on the house until I shop on Friday. During the week I might eat a bowl of cereal (no sugary ones) or eat some cheese and a few dates. But mostly, I remind myself that craving these things is mental and emotional. As all these good people suggest, if I've had a proper supper I don't actually need these treats. It's not a hunger reflex; it's the kiddy in me craving a sugar-fix.

Good luck. So many of us are with you; we know exactly what you are experiencing.

love Betty

p.s. Just shows that I should always check my typing carefully before publishing. I've just corrected: 'A stressful day might find me imbibing two glasses of wine, and a bra of chocolate...

😜

[N-o-r-d-i Maintainer 64kg in reply to BerlinBetty]

‘A bra of chocolate’ just made me giggle out loud 😁

[BerlinBetty Visitor in reply to N-o-r-d-i]

I can't decide whether I might have meant a bra made of chocolate or a bra filled with chocolate... 😱

[monday1957 3kg in reply to BerlinBetty]

HmmThe size of my bazookers, I think I’d opt for bra filled with chocolate 🤣

[BerlinBetty Visitor in reply to monday1957]

Just brilliant. I laughed and laughed, thank you x

[Paulssis 2st 7lbs]

Hi, I know exactly what you mean, evenings are always my worse. I now always have a mixed fruit salad in the fridge and do think you should not deny yourself yr favourite treat whatever it may be but just have a little bit, I.e 2 pieces of choc if that is what you like. Just knowing I can have my treat if I want without feeling guilty really helps me and a lot of the time I then give myself a big pat on the back because I only had the 1 piece of choc. Good luck.

[Sara_2611]

I can only think it best you binge on heathy stuff really because binging on high fat stuff would not just raise your blood pressure but have an effect on your heart

[trewollack]

Thank you Westieowner for raising this issue. The replies have been very helpful and, as I'm in the same position I am going to look seriously at my store cupboard and shopping list. Fish pie is a great favourite of mine - maybe I'll swap the potato topping for parsnip and carrots?

[Westieowner]

You're welcome, trewollack I'm so grateful for all the advice too & amazed at how many replies of support & encouragement I've been sent! I find mashed butternut squash quite a nice topping for fish pie, cottage pie etc. Good luck on your journey too

[1vern0n]

Well, I think this is a very common problem with lots of good advice. I also nibble in the evenings and constantly blame my husband as he's the one getting out cheese, crackers and crisps. I find it SO hard to resist and end up going into another room, taking a bath or putting on a facemask. So, in all I'm isolating, wrinkled with a refreshed face 😆

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone in reply to 1vern0n]

That sounds like a winner 😸

[MezzoSoprano]

hi there. Yes I have always had this problem. All day I can be as good as gold and on track and then say nine or ten at night I find my mind travels towards the kitchen. This is a real problem if there is nothing in the cupboard or fridge that will do the job without wrecking all the good work. Recently I have taken to downing at least two glasses of water, without thinking, just do it and wait five minutes. This sometimes turns out to be all that is needed, but if the nawing thing is still there, I have some back up snacks which do not break the carb bank and keeping away from the sugary stuff. I have some smooth brussels pate, reduced fat type, and I have cucumbers, I have about 5 inches of cucumber and spread both pieces thinly with pate, and find that the crunch of the cucumber does the bitey thing I need and the protein in the pate helps with the hunger thing. Also if cucumbers aren't available land I have tried the two glasses of water I have crackerbreads (19 cals each) and I put the merest suggestion of butter on two, and then something like reduced fat soft cheese, or better yet cottage cheese loaded with pepper. This does the trick. If absolutely none of this works, then a brazil nut, and half a piece of dark chocolate (eaten together) is not too disastrous. Thems my gotos.

[Edge1234 Visitor]

I keep a food diary on my phone (lots of free apps to enable this) and I make sure I fill it in 100% honestly and every day. I realised I felt soooo rubbish filling in ‘9pm three glasses of wine, two packets of crisps, large handful of peanuts and around 6 chocolate digestives.’ I just stopped!!! Who wouldn’t - reading that 2/3 per week 🙁

Good luck x