Oooh, that almost sounds like it could be a title of a very interesting book. But it's literally about the "hunger" we feel at night...or lack of.
Once we've hit night time, our whole day is coming to an end, or at an end, depending on your kids ages, your husbands work schedule, YOUR work schedule, etc.
Here are a few "issues" I know of, have heard of, have experienced myself:
1. It's dinner time, but I am sooo not hungry.
2. I've had dinner, but now I have to put away the food. And the temptation is JUST - TOO - MUCH! (you know what temptation I mean...take a bite, put some in a plastic container, eat a bite, put some in a plastic container. Whatever you haven't eatten, goes in the fridge for tomorrow.)
3. I had dinner 3 hours ago and now I'm hungry again!
4. I've had dinner and it's almost time to go to bed but I'm just so tired and I can't go to bed this early! So I had a snack.
5. I've had dinner, I've had dessert, I've had some wine, I'm still going to the kitchen...Why am I not losing weight? (....I plead the 5th - when ya can't say somethin' nice, don't say nothin' at all ;)
So, my response?
1. If you're not hungry, DON'T EAT! You probably ate too much lunch or too much snack after lunch, or snacked too much WHILE you were cooking (totally me!)
2. If you can't get over the temptation of leftovers - #1 don't cook enough to have leftovers OR #2 ask someone else to put them away for you (I ask my husband every once in a while when I just know I can't resist - casserole's are my down fall. I usually don't even make them! Partly for that reason! My kid's don't like 'em too much either, though.) OR #3 After everyone has had their portion, put the leftovers away before you even begin eatting. At least put it in containers and if someone wants more they can get it, if not, it's already packed away - top is on, just put it in the fridge.)
3-5. If you're "hungry" after dinner...
Are you trying to lose weight? Because if you are, you must put your body into a caloric deficit. Now, your body does not like this. It wants to maintain the weight it is. So, when you're body says, "I'm hungry" consider this. If you are trying to lose weight, your body is going to be in a caloric deficit and you are going to get hungry! But the point is not to eat those extra calories. So you'll have fill your belly up with water or distract yourself with some kind of activity or just go to bed - depending on what time it is I guess.
Then there's the other end of the spectrum, are you eatting enough? If you ate dinner at 5p and all you had was a 1 little red potato, 5 bites of very lean meat, and a cup of green beans, but you worked out in the gym for 3 hours at very high level AND you skipped lunch b/c you were late to your kid's whater...well, you might just need to eat! So, just try to be HONEST with yourself and figure out which one of these you are. (If this is you, that's a whole other topic and it will be filled with me saying - eat your calories!! If you don't your body is going to hold onto everything it gets and you will either gain or maintain your weight.)
Then there's the issue of "appetite". What is appetite? Yes, think about it......
You might, "have an appetite for steak" or an "appetite for cookies". An appetite is more of an emotion. I FEEL like eating steak. I FEEL like eating cheesecake. I FEEL like eating Italian. I FEEEEEEELLLLL- I FEEL.
It is a feeling. After dinner, do you just FEEL like eating? Your mouth just wants something to chomp on, your eyes see cookies, your ears hears the chips being crunched on the commercial, your tired brain tells you to eat chocolate (me again!). But what does your stomach say? Cuz if it ain't hungry, you don't NEED food.
Maybe you really do feel hungry, but you're one of those who logs your calories and you know you've had all you need. So, why are you feeling hungry. Well, THIRST can be mistaken for hunger, too. When was the last time you had some water? It does a body good! Drink some before dinner, during dinner (especially if its a salty meal) and after dinner.
If you are just craving that cookie and can't get over it...give yourself 20-30minutes and distract yourself with something else. And drink some water. Then see if you are still craving that cookie.
Ultimately, it all depends on you. How much do you really want to meet your goals?
Self-control, Self-discipline, Perserverance, Endurance
It's not easy, but it is do-able!
Just be honest, are you really hungery? or are you tired, bored, thirsty, way under your calorie goal?
Learn to listen to your stomach! Not your taste buds! (Your salivating now, aren't you?)
Appetite, Thirst or Hunger? You decide!
Once we've hit night time, our whole day is coming to an end, or at an end, depending on your kids ages, your husbands work schedule, YOUR work schedule, etc.
Here are a few "issues" I know of, have heard of, have experienced myself:
1. It's dinner time, but I am sooo not hungry.
2. I've had dinner, but now I have to put away the food. And the temptation is JUST - TOO - MUCH! (you know what temptation I mean...take a bite, put some in a plastic container, eat a bite, put some in a plastic container. Whatever you haven't eatten, goes in the fridge for tomorrow.)
3. I had dinner 3 hours ago and now I'm hungry again!
4. I've had dinner and it's almost time to go to bed but I'm just so tired and I can't go to bed this early! So I had a snack.
5. I've had dinner, I've had dessert, I've had some wine, I'm still going to the kitchen...Why am I not losing weight? (....I plead the 5th - when ya can't say somethin' nice, don't say nothin' at all ;)
So, my response?
1. If you're not hungry, DON'T EAT! You probably ate too much lunch or too much snack after lunch, or snacked too much WHILE you were cooking (totally me!)
2. If you can't get over the temptation of leftovers - #1 don't cook enough to have leftovers OR #2 ask someone else to put them away for you (I ask my husband every once in a while when I just know I can't resist - casserole's are my down fall. I usually don't even make them! Partly for that reason! My kid's don't like 'em too much either, though.) OR #3 After everyone has had their portion, put the leftovers away before you even begin eatting. At least put it in containers and if someone wants more they can get it, if not, it's already packed away - top is on, just put it in the fridge.)
3-5. If you're "hungry" after dinner...
Are you trying to lose weight? Because if you are, you must put your body into a caloric deficit. Now, your body does not like this. It wants to maintain the weight it is. So, when you're body says, "I'm hungry" consider this. If you are trying to lose weight, your body is going to be in a caloric deficit and you are going to get hungry! But the point is not to eat those extra calories. So you'll have fill your belly up with water or distract yourself with some kind of activity or just go to bed - depending on what time it is I guess.
Then there's the other end of the spectrum, are you eatting enough? If you ate dinner at 5p and all you had was a 1 little red potato, 5 bites of very lean meat, and a cup of green beans, but you worked out in the gym for 3 hours at very high level AND you skipped lunch b/c you were late to your kid's whater...well, you might just need to eat! So, just try to be HONEST with yourself and figure out which one of these you are. (If this is you, that's a whole other topic and it will be filled with me saying - eat your calories!! If you don't your body is going to hold onto everything it gets and you will either gain or maintain your weight.)
Then there's the issue of "appetite". What is appetite? Yes, think about it......
You might, "have an appetite for steak" or an "appetite for cookies". An appetite is more of an emotion. I FEEL like eating steak. I FEEL like eating cheesecake. I FEEL like eating Italian. I FEEEEEEELLLLL- I FEEL.
It is a feeling. After dinner, do you just FEEL like eating? Your mouth just wants something to chomp on, your eyes see cookies, your ears hears the chips being crunched on the commercial, your tired brain tells you to eat chocolate (me again!). But what does your stomach say? Cuz if it ain't hungry, you don't NEED food.
Maybe you really do feel hungry, but you're one of those who logs your calories and you know you've had all you need. So, why are you feeling hungry. Well, THIRST can be mistaken for hunger, too. When was the last time you had some water? It does a body good! Drink some before dinner, during dinner (especially if its a salty meal) and after dinner.
If you are just craving that cookie and can't get over it...give yourself 20-30minutes and distract yourself with something else. And drink some water. Then see if you are still craving that cookie.
Ultimately, it all depends on you. How much do you really want to meet your goals?
Self-control, Self-discipline, Perserverance, Endurance
It's not easy, but it is do-able!
Just be honest, are you really hungery? or are you tired, bored, thirsty, way under your calorie goal?
Appetite, Thirst or Hunger? You decide!
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