Evenings......

??

Go to bed VERY early?

Eat a bit less at other times of day and then tell yourself that at 8.30 you can have a cup of ovaltine/2 biscuits and a small piece of cheese/a banana or whatever else you fancy, but put a limit on it, and stick to it.
I find if we eat our main meal before 7.30 I am feeling hungry by bedtime.
I don't have a mid afternoon snack if I know I'm going to eat early for any reason, then I can have something later on.

When do you have your evening meal? Circumstances mean that our's has been pushed back to between 7 and 8 leaving me feeling quite full for the rest of the evening. My other trick is to only buy nibbly things that I don't like, so plenty in the cupboards for the rest of the family but nothing to tempt me, except my 80 or 90% chocolate, of which I am allowed 2 squares per day - entirely for the iron of course!

I find now I am on my own I definitely get an attack of "the munchies" in the evenings.

I know I am not going to be able to resist so factor it into my daily calories, sometimes it works and I only have one thing and feel very pleased with myself - other times I keep making journeys into the kitchen to find something else!! I try to keep lots of fruit to snack on but there are times when only a packet of crisps will do!

The reason I'm asking.......I ve started this flipping 5-2 diet today......

Wish me luck this evening......

I think my electric blankie will be on and I ll be tucked up with good book by 9. Only way, methinks!

Finding something to do with your hands- crafts I meant! X

Nice to hear I am not the only one.

My DD introduced me to Graze who send me me 4 'good' small snack boxes each week. I limit myself to one snack box an evening. Also buy small bags of fruit/nut mixes for other days. It works for me (and I have very little will power).

That s jolly nice of them Lynda.

Can they send some to me, too?

Just got this from Dr John Briffa
www.drbriffa.com/2013/12/06/a-simple-trick-for-avoiding-over-eating-in-the-evening

He advocates eating a snack in the afternoon to stop you feeling hungry in the evening.

It doesn't work.

Knitting

I agree that knitting is helpful, but I save up about 100 calories to consume after 8pm, such as a Carte D'Or individual ice cream dessert (I like the cherry ones), a packet of French Fries crisps or fun size packet of Maltesers. They satisfy the craving and I look forward to them all day when 'fasting'!

Squaredog forget the 5:2 diet, there's a much better one. Have you come across the 12:12 diet?

The briffa tip would not work for me. I feel the urge to snack after a large evening meal and particularly as I am about to bed. I often go up with two or three biscuits!

My tip: brush your teeth as soon as you fancy something and you know you really don't need or want it. It spoils the appetite every time for me. Hope it works for some of you!

The nine o'clock munches are the hardest thing to ditch. I have to save some calories for that as I know it will occur. I try to have something vaguely healthy like a few almonds or an apple but I really Want Chocolate!!!! It,s no good trying to save a bit of chocolate for that time as I daren,t have it in the house.

Twister mini ice lollies are my saviour. I need something sweet that takes a long time to eat, and licking the minimal amount of ice cream from the twists fulfills that need. It's the only thing that works for me, after years of the same problem.:-)

squaredog Try lots of no calorie hot drinks. That is anything without milk. I only really like peppermint or lemon and ginger but there are a lot of fruit and herb teas.
I find a warm drink seems to satisfy the stomach. (A bit.)
Keep nibbles out of the house. I have found it gets easier not to nibble or eat salad items which are virtually calorie free.

Oh the late night munchies. With me it's chunks of cheese, crisps or ice cream. Go for ages without it happening but then when it does I eat loads. Find it's often when I'm too tired to get ready for bed and start picking instead. Best to have a hot bath and be ready for bed early. Also not have anything like that in the house [it's always food that's full of calories but an instant eat, isn't it]. I've been doing it recently whilst reading the 5:2 diet book and working out calories .

I usually have wholemeal toast without butter but with reduced sugar marmalade late evening. I have convinced myself this is better than some of the foods I could be snacking on. Deluded or what?

Cheese is my downfall in the evenings. Especially with Aldi's Specially Selected Gourmet black pepper crackers. Take my advice - don't buy them, too nice by far. All the Christmas cheese is now gone thankfully but a couple of boxes of these crackers are lurking in the pantry.

You know your weakness...
You know what to do...
It's up to you to practice self control.

How weird to want to keep on eating after the evening meal (sorry!) I look forward to my supper (eaten around 7:30) and sometimes we have a dessert e.g. stewed fruit and custard, but then I know that's it apart from Sleepy Time tea. If I find myself thinking about food, it will be planning a tasty breakfast - something to look forward to.