late PM food issue....
I am on a different shift on my job. I'm starting at 2PM and finish at 11:30 - whatever. My day starts at 7AM for a pool day or 8:30 for a running/bike day. I do great eating throughout the day with a good breakfast a nice post exercise drink or Power Bar a few hours later an apple with a Greek yogurt. A few hours later a nice salad with nuts or eggs and cheese mixed in and a a good dinner with meat veggies and potatoes/pasta. The dinner is at 6PM which I eat 75% of it and then at 730 PM eat the last 25% of what is left over. This is all on the job mind you. I do the last 25% as an effort to stay full as I don't want to eat like crazy as I come home around 12AM .
So my last meal is 730PM, so to speak.
My problem is when I come home. My intentions are daily not to sit around at that time and fill myself with comfort eating. With no success .... ever.... It is a different me Mr. Hyde coming home late at night eating ... cheese and mustard or hard boiled eggs with mayo, pretzels or peanut butter on a spoon, etc ect ect.
90% of the day I'm good, worked out burned 500 - 800 calories ahead of the game but at night Mr. Hyde comes out and messes me up so what to do?
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Comments
I worked 21 years of shift work, all 3 shifts every week, consisting of 2 nights, quick turn to 2 days, and then a quick turn to a midnight shift... On my night shifts I would try to eat my dinner a little later and then about 1.5 - 2 hrs before going home have 2 pieces of fruit, a banana/apple and a dozen nuts.... Go home walk past the pantry/fridge and go to bed.... My midnight shifts were much harder... I think your time frame from 7:30 to 12midnight is too long without food!.... Be strong you can do it.
David,
I'd agree with Tim the 7:30 to midnight is too long. On the core diet plan I'm following they tell me to stuff my face every 3 hours pretty much. You don't want to go beyond that.
It's a long day with the morning workouts so perhaps moving the meal later is one solution or perhaps keep doing what you are and add in a piece of fruit at 11 pm. This is something that is typical on the core diet, some type of fruit there is also greek yogurt or cottage cheese (which I hate) as an option about an hour before bed. They also recommend a protein shake before bed and I'm not sure if that specific for me but I vaguely recall that its to help with the long time over night with no food.
Gordon
1. I think going from 7:30 to midnight when you get home and settled is too long without a meal/snack. Try and eat something every 2.5-3 hours to avoid real hunger setting in. If you wait too long, you will over eat before the "I am not hungry any more" vibe kicks in.
2. Budget another snack/ low cal treat for when you get in your car or just arrive home. Its a small reward and way to stave off the hungry pangs from dinner long ago. Also, eating small things ever few hours will keep your metabolism up and the fires burning.
3. Budgeting a snack/trreat you can live with at say 150 calories is much better then "going off the program" and eating whatever is in sight.
Just a few thoughts.....
Seriously, as everyone said the over eating may be due to primarily to waiting too long to eat. Why not have the full meal, wait for your blood sugar to stabilize and then have something else to eat. This may be around the 3 hours that gordon mentioned. You can also have water with a scoop of protein before bed. (Core diet recommendation) What are you having for breakfast in the morning? How you start your day, can lead you into a downward spiral for the rest of the day....... Just my 2 cents.
I eat great during the day no question about it. I agree the time between my 730 PM meal and when I get home is to long to wait without eating. The hours are my crunch time on my job and eating is just out of the question until I'm finished and heading home.
I have fresh cut strawberries in the fridge grapes too. So what do I do ? I eat peanut butter or cheese and pretzels with mustard... I just lose it coming home from work and well just pig out... I'm without discipline
I think that might be a Core (diet) recommendation?
IMHO....your problem is wrapped up in your last statment...."your 500-800 cals ahead of the game"...your under fueling yourself man...your already burning cals and watching to eat well...but why are you 15-25% (assuming 3000 cal day) under caloried at the end of your day...no wonder your hungry.
Eat more during your day....with something saved for like 9-10pm...and/or build in your late nite snack...and allow for 200-300 cals (a nice bowl of ice cream!) when you get home...!
We work hard...reward yourself up to the constraints of your caloric budget...don't be a spartan man...there are no points for that.