Late night eaters

[cici52]

I have been having a little trouble getting my calories high enough on up days. Not really stressing about it as I'm still in the newbie catagory and weight is coming off almost 1 pound every two days. Have gotten some good suggestions about higher calorie food and will start using some of them tomorrow.

One thing that I have found is that while at 8pm I am still digesting dinner, by 11-12 I feel hungry enough to add a few more calories. Last night I had oatmeal and peanut butter with cream and honey which got me within 200 calories of where I should be. Slept like a log for my usual 6 with no middle of the night bathroom run. Did not feel compelled to eat first thing this morning which is unusual. Probably all kinds of good brain chemicals from the carbs.

So, are any of you late night eaters? Does it effect your success?

[marlamp10]

I'm a late night eater both for schedule reasons and because I can't sleep on an empty stomach. I've been eating at night since I started, so I don't know if I would do better if I didn't, but it doesn't seem to matter. I lost 8 lbs in 4 weeks, so I can't really complain.

On the other hand, I tend not to eat breakfast and don't start eating until noon or later, so I still get a long food-free stretch in there anyway.

[Carly]

I always eat something right before bed. On DD that is usually the only time I eat. However for me it is around 9:30pm not 11pm. I don't typically stay up that late. Surely not during the week. I get up a 5:30am for work.

[gotitnow]

Cici52 and Marla....same here! I lost to goal, always having late (some very late) snacks! I have never been a breakfast eater either and never am hungry until well past noon.

Whether it was the Sirt-I Gene kicked in all this time or not, I didn't worry, as long as I was losing! I did lose slowly, but always felt like it was because I could not keep my DDs extremely low. I decided early on that it wasn't a race for me, and didn't mind being a turtle!!

My DDs were anywhere from 500 to 750 and I still lost! I also used Medium days to keep my rotations the same every week, but as others have said, it depends on how fast you may want to lose or, in my case, what my body could handle best!

Sometimes it takes experimenting! Best of luck however you choose to work this marvelous plan!!!

Phyl

[cici52]

So many choices. I really have to work at unlearning 50 years of diet dos and don'ts. So far, 12 hours is about as long as I have gone totally without food regardless of when the last meal of the evening is.

Thank goodness you veterans are patient with all the questions.

[SICCHI]

Oh I wish I had this problem, I just love to eat on my UD's! I have to pace myself or I go over. Most of my calories on both UD's AND DD's are eaten at night. I can't sleep on an empty stomach no matter how tired, I wish I could. I don't think it makes a difference what time you eat. For years I was slim and I only ate at night. Its when I started eating 3 meals a day everyday that my weight increased... My stomach and appetite just got bigger and my digestive system never got a break. I just love this way of eating and feel really good (says me on an UD ). The DD's are a bit of a struggle but I'm learning what works for me. Good luck with your diet, I wish I could take those extra calories from you

[gotsomeold]

Originally Posted by cici52

So many choices. I really have to work at unlearning 50 years of diet dos and don'ts.

Yep. JUDDD kind of forces us to drop the 'this will work for anyone' mentality and learn what is right for each of us, as individuals with vastly different metabolisms, life styles, and food needs. Welcome to yourself!

Some people really cannot go for many hours without eating anything. Others only get hungry once they eat (that would be me). I encourage you to experiment - find the pattern that works best for you. ... Then don't be surprised if it gradually changes as JUDDD magic really takes hold.

Eat at 11:00? Most days I have been asleep for hours. However, I do tend to eat most of my calories at dinner.

[piratejenny]

I'm not doing JUDDD at the moment, but just started following a low-carb plan that recommends eating a snack before bed!!! And even a middle-of-the-night one, if you happen to wake up! Oh, poor me!!!

The idea is to prevent your liver from "dumping" glucose (*when your blood sugar starts getting low), which can make weight loss more difficult. The liver will do this about 5 hours after the last meal, so eating every 5 hours or having a snack when it will be more than 5 hours til the next meal is meant to prevent this.

Some people's livers don't overreact to low blood sugar, and going longer between meals won't hinder their weight loss.

But for others, eating frequent (but small & controlled-carb) meals/snacks, even late at night, may be helpful!

PS: I couldn't tell by hunger cues alone that I needed to eat. In fact, I trained myself to go 12-16 hours between meals, to skip breakfast, etc. But because I test my blood sugar, I'm pretty sure when my liver "dumps", because my blood sugar will shoot up when I haven't eaten anything at all for hours.

[adillenal]

I am not a night eater. I guess I never have been. Not a snacker either. And I can sleep like a log regardless of being hungry or not. I guess I am just a lucky one when the sun goes down. Now DH is the opposite.

[marlamp10]

Originally Posted by gotitnow

Cici52 and Marla....same here! I lost to goal, always having late (some very late) snacks! I have never been a breakfast eater either and never am hungry until well past noon.

Yeah, I've always been a nighttime person, and even though I'm up at 7 I'm often not in bed before 1am. Besides that, I'm often in evening rehearsals that will keep me tied up from 7-10, and I generally want to eat something after I get home--or someone wants to go out for a drink. So late-night eating has been part of my life for a long time.

And I always partially blamed my inability to lose weight on late-night eating, but now I'm not so sure. . .

[cici52]

So glad to hear there might be an up side to it. I'm starting to get the message. "DIfferent strokes for different folks." So hard after trying to follow all the rules of different plans. In fact, the freedom aspect was what first attracted me to JUDDD. Why do I keep sweating the small stuff?

[gotsomeold]

Originally Posted by cici52

In fact, the freedom aspect was what first attracted me to JUDDD. Why do I keep sweating the small stuff?

It gets easier with practice.

What attracted me was the maintenance plan was built-in. I get so tired of weight loss plans that 'end' by saying, now figure it out on your own'...good luck.

[Whitlin']

cici you look so nice in the new picture.

I felt I must come in and mention one thing that hasn't been said.

Eating too close to bedtime can be bad news for the bejillions of people (I believe that's pretty accurate) who have acid reflux. Some people know for sure that have it, most who have it aren't aware, and some suspect something's uncomfortable, but they have it but still haven't figured it out yet. Anyway, there are bejillions. It is SO common.

When you eat and then lie down within the next few hours, you could be damaging your esophagus. This can be a big deal for your health, and part of the reason you don't feel well in a lot of ways. So check out info about this if you suspect it at all, pay attention to whether you feel bad when you lie down after meals, and just be careful, everybody, okay?

[Luv2Eat]

My acid reflux disappeared when I started Low Carb! I was concerned at first that it would aggrevate the symptoms, but instead, it disappeared! Well, except when I fry chicken in ground pork rinds, teehee

cici52, everything I thought I knew about nutrition has been turned on it's head with Low Carb and now IF too. It's been a major mental adjustment.

[SoHappy]

I'm another one who usually isn't hungry for breakfast until later in the morning, around midday. Oh, I can go out for breakfast and force myself to enjoy it! But normally, here at home, I'm not very hungry until later.

And I also want and enjoy evening snacks after supper. Preferably a couple of them. LOL
I guess evening eating takes the place of my missed breakfast in the morning. It seems to be the way my body asks for its feedings.

When I eat my daily calories doesn't seem to make much difference. How many calories I eat seems to be the key point for me.

[brehede]

I am so jealous of people who struggle to finish their UD cals - I never have a problem unfortunately!

Dee

[Carly]

My terrible (I'm talking acid filling my mouth and causing me to choke) acid reflux completely ended by the time I lost less than 20lbs. Now that 50lbs are gone I don't remember the last time I had it and I still ocassionally sleepwalk eat which may include eating while laying down if I walk back to bed with the food. For me being over weight totally caused it, but I know that it is not always advisable to lay down with a full stomach. I need to eat right before sleeping or I will surely sleep eat which is way worse for me.