Night Eating Problem

**bigmatt33** · 09-29-2012, 10:40 PM

A problem I have is that I wake up twice a night hungry and can't go back to sleep until I eat. I also crave carbs and combine that with being half asleep and I don't make the best choices at night. I can't have anything like sweets in my house or I will eat them like crazy at night. Then I'm pissed off at myself the next day for doing it. A lot of times I will eat crackers with almond butter or special K cereal. This could be a benifit if I was bulking but I am trying to cut. Any suggestions?

**Shsm** · 09-29-2012, 10:50 PM

Eat casein protein such as cottage cheese or Greek yogurt immediately before bed to eliminate these cravings. If these cravings still persist, fit your food choices into your daily macros.

**austinite** · 09-29-2012, 10:51 PM

Why do you wake up twice at night?

Try a cup of decaf instead of eating. Or try and resolve the issue of waking up at night so often. Tylenol PM or melatonin should help.

**bigmatt33** · 09-30-2012, 04:03 AM

Yeah I would love to sleep through the night. I'm going to try the melatonin and eating casein protein. A lot of times I wake up to pee so maybe if I didn't drink so much water I wouldn't be waking up.

This has been an issue for years. If I can cut this night eating out I think it will allow me to achieve a new level of cut. It wouldn't be so bad if I woke up and craved lean protein but I don't. What I crave is junk food but I settle for crackers or cereal. I hardly ever eat crackers or cereal during the day.

**kronik420** · 09-30-2012, 04:13 AM

Originally Posted by bigmatt33

Yeah I would love to sleep through the night. I'm going to try the melatonin and eating casein protein. A lot of times I wake up to pee so maybe if I didn't drink so much water I wouldn't be waking up.

This has been an issue for years. If I can cut this night eating out I think it will allow me to achieve a new level of cut. It wouldn't be so bad if I woke up and craved lean protein but I don't. What I crave is junk food but I settle for crackers or cereal. I hardly ever eat crackers or cereal during the day.

frequent urination ( especially waking up more than once a night to do so ) can be a sign of high blood sugar, ie. diabetes. are you a diabetic? if not maybe your should get a test done. (its a simple test, if you know anyone that is a diabetic they can do it for you, only takes less than a minute).

as for your cravings, learn to control them, it may be harder for some people to do so, but not impossible.

just a thought..

**Lord Me of There** · 09-30-2012, 06:28 AM

Take a hard look at your TDEE and your caloric intake. I had the same problem for years with waking up hungry at night, especially as I trained up to a race. Turns out I was using outdated information and sloppy nutritional accounting. Once I got my TDEE/cal intake in sync and cleaned up my diet, I noticed an almost immediate improvement. Keep in mind, however, that you've started a little habit here and it may take a week or two for your sleep to reregulate even after you notice the cravings and hunger have diminished or disappeared.

**fatman225** · 09-30-2012, 08:27 AM

You could PLAN a couple night time meals, and have them ready to go before you go to bed.

Then simply cut 2 meals out of your day time schedule. Saves you time during the day.

I'd be more concerned about the loss of sleep if you have trouble getting into REM, but if you can dream between meals you are then getting REM.

**MR-FQ320** · 09-30-2012, 09:29 AM

I'm having pretty much the same problem as you OP, Im cutting on a carb cycle and have my diet planned out exactly but because of the shortfall in cals im often woken by hunger pangs, on of the other main guys recommended psyllium husk fiber to me, i bought some and im planning to take 10g along with a protein shake when i wake, that should give me the full feeling and see me through to morning without adding excess cals and carbs on board

**dren** · 09-30-2012, 06:26 PM

usually when you wake up at night and crave sweets you possibly have Candida ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candida_%28fungus%29 )my answer to every thing is do a detox, its really hard to do if your a sweet tooth, but a pree diet can warm you up to it, by going on a raw food diet (vegetables and fruits mostly veggies) and easy on the meat do for like a week then if you can put up with it do a herbal full body detox, which the best way to be on it is become vegan just for that time

**Sfla80** · 09-30-2012, 06:31 PM

Have the same issue. Wake up starving. I always do cottage cheese.

But my question is. If lets say it's 4am and I'm eating. I wake up for the day at 640am. Where do u add those calories too?? Is that lets say the last thing u eat for the day? Or the first?

**canesfan804** · 09-30-2012, 06:45 PM

[QUOTE=dren;6189103]usually when you wake up at night and crave sweets you possibly have Candida ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candida_%28fungus%29 )my answer to every thing is do a detox, its really hard to do if your a sweet tooth, but a pree diet can warm you up to it, by going on a raw food diet (vegetables and fruits mostly veggies) and easy on the meat do for like a week then if you can put up with it do a herbal full body detox, which the best way to be on it is become vegan just for that time[/QUOTE

I did this one time for a month. From day 1 I had blow outs every 15-30 mins. Looked like a can of spinach. I quit after 2 weeks for fear I would get fired. LOL