Wednesday, January 3, 2007

Midnight munchies

As a night owl by nature, I often get a case of the "midnight munchies." (Which, of course, is when I raid the fridge.)

Last night, for some reason, I felt an overwhelming urge to eat. I tried to satisfy this urge with (low-calorie) air-popped popcorn... but that didn't help. Overall, I munched on:
  • Air-popped popcorn
  • Trail mix
  • Dill pickles
  • Bean/pasta soup
  • Almonds
I analyzed my physical state of hunger every time I ate something new. I acknowledged that I wasn't really hungry. I tried to determine why I was eating. Was I bored? Lonely? Stressed? "Habit" was the best answer I could come up with.

Here's what I learned:
  • I need to find a way to break my midnight snack habit.
  • There's no point in eating low-calorie foods like popcorn and pickles if only something savory like soup with satisfy me.
  • I probably need to consume more calories throughout the day so I feel less of an urge to eat at night.
So... at least it was a lesson learned.

I'll give my workout today (an upper body strength training routine plus a cardio circuit) a little extra oomph.

6 comments:

Fatinah said...

I do the same thing - munch on crap I don't really want only to eat what I'm craving, thereby consuming more calories than I would have if I had just had some of what I wanted. Sheesh! Excellent to see it as a lesson learned, add the exercise today and move on. Thats the key to success - I'm sure of it! Please remind me of this later in the month when I do the same thing - ha!

Annieann77 said...

Maybe you need to find a snack that is high in protein or fiber to make you feel fuller for longer?

Krista said...

I'm in the same boat as you. Especially if I'm supposed to be doing school work. Last night I had a lot of trouble controlling the munchies too.

WeightWatchnWoman said...

I happy to know that you analyzed what you were feeling. It is also good that you are learning from the munchies binge, hence the what I learned section in your post.

Dill Pickles sounds good, maybe I need to pick some of them up.

Yesterday is over, today is a new day.....you can do it!!!

Best Wishes - Tee :}

Cory said...

It's great that you have learned those things. Those munchies are difficult to break. Just work out or something else that consumes your energy and keeps you away. And don't be afraid to plan some snacks. There's nothing wrong with eating between meals, as long as you are smart about it. It can actually boast your metabolism!

Elaniom said...

I noticed that most of what you "thought" you wanted were salty. Are you trying to do a low sodium diet? If so, you may be missing out on the iodine that is typically associated with salt (hence, iodized salt). Iodine is works on the hormones of the thyroid which are responsible for some facets of metabolism. You may actually need to add some salt to your diet and your cravings might quell.

If sodium/iodine are not the issue, you have already taken the biggest step toward stopping yourself and that is to analyze yourself and your triggers. What stops me from munchie during the night is drinking a huge glass of water just before bed. It helps me to feel fuller longer and also helps me to get up in the morning!! ;)