[4212darren]

I'm trying to keep my cake-hole shut after supper so I can lose some poundage but even though I can handle being hungry I wake up in the middle of the night from the hunger pangs. My plan is to tough it out and soon my body will adapt to the new normal.....or will it?

 

[Tracerboy]

Divide your supper into 2 or more smaller meals. In fact, you could do that to all your meals if you feel hungry throughout the day. This is also supposed to increase metabolism versus eating big meals and nothing at all between them. And drink water, that helps.

 

[CEB]

Drink water and "Emergen C" powderized drink (small packets available at most groceries) Lots of vita and electrolytes. Drink lots of water and don't watch any food commercials. You should pull this in no time at all!

Chip

 

[Crockpot2001]

One thing to keep in mind is that serratonin output is increased with carbs. Serratonin is a hormone that contributes to our feelings of well being and sleep.
When I go to bed hungry I often wake up, not so much hungry but just wired. I eat an apple or orange, brush my teeth and go back to sleep. I think one of the other posters may be right, break up dinner or reduce it and have a lowfat/low protein snack before hitting the hay.

 

[mtbfool]

If you are so hungry that it is waking you up, you aren't eating enough. There was a similar thread not to long ago.
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=258522

You need to figure out how many calories you burn in a day, and then eat about 500-700 calories less than that. Anymore than that is asking for failure.

 

[cgee]

Deep into training where I'm burning tons of calories sometimes I wake up at two or three in the morning starving, too. I eat two slices of bread and some fruit juice. Eating an energy bar before bed helps, too.

If you are just trying to lose weight and need a sweet, try popping a chewable vitamin at different times (multivitamin, Vitamin C, and calcium all come chewable). It's almost like eating "Sweet Tarts" candy. Also get some crystalized ginger at the health food store. You only need one or two pieces to "burn" the hunger out of your mouth.

 

[jeffscott]

Tough it out, doesn't sound right. Balance and smaller more frequent meals.

Remember some one said it takes 20 mins from eating until the sugar hits the blood.

So your trying to level out your blood sugar.

 

[BoiseBoy]

Take it easy on the simple sugars

You may benefit from trying to balance out your blood sugar levels by trying to stay away form simple sugars (fruit/juices/sodas/energy bars...)late in the evenings. You may be better off trying to get some slow burning complex carbs such as oatmeal. protein and and some fat may also help to slow the absorption of your foodstuffs and level off your blood sugars so that you don't wake at night starving hungry.

A previous poster was on the right track as far as dividing up your large supper meal into two smaller meals as well.

 

[Flyer]

Try drinking a glass of skim milk at night. It helps. If you're really hungry, drink that and a eat few nuts. Almonds/Walnuts are very good for you. I know a couple of people who had the same problem and are happy with this approach. Plus, milk and those nuts are amazing for your health. Walnuts are the best and Almonds are almost as good. Other nuts are just okay.

Losing poundage is best done by long sessions of relatively easy aerobic activity like slow jogging (9-12 minute miles) or cycling. Starving yourself is really bad for the body though eating in moderation and a bit less than usual is not a bad thing.

 

[4212darren]

I ate an Orange before bed last night and slept like a baby. My knee is feeling better now too so I'll be jogging more. I take perverse pleasure in the pain it brings me.

 

[*rt*]

ditto that

If you are so hungry that it is waking you up, you aren't eating enough. There was a similar thread not to long ago.
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=258522

You need to figure out how many calories you burn in a day, and then eat about 500-700 calories less than that. Anymore than that is asking for failure.

this was my thought as well. maybe your body is telling you you simply aren't getting enough calories to sustain. you can lose weight without starving yourself. mtbfool is right - figure out what your basal metabolic rate is (see a nutritionist for help), add the number of calories you burn above and beyond that on the average day and then reduce your intake by 500-700 cal. you shouldn't be waking up in the middle of the night starving.

rt

 

[Pivvay]

Like everyone else said you gotta eat more. Loosing weight is a gradual thing especially when you are training. Besides if you starve yourself your body will just shut down your metabolism and you won't lose any weight anyway. Believe me, I learned that the hard way.

Drink lots of water, eat good food and you should be eating ~500 calories less a day than you need. But you need those carbs to fuel your workouts and the protein to build your muscles. I lost 25 lbs from my fat post wedding weight to my summer race weight. Took me 6 months to do it gradually but I still got to eat dessert and wasn't starving all the time.

 

[2fst4u]

Calories

I'm trying to keep my cake-hole shut after supper so I can lose some poundage but even though I can handle being hungry I wake up in the middle of the night from the hunger pangs. My plan is to tough it out and soon my body will adapt to the new normal.....or will it?

Never lower your calories too quickly, it shocks your body and causes undue hunger.

Lower your calories slowly over a week untill you reach the correct amount of calories you should be at.

You shouldn't be losing more than 1-3 pounds per week. If your calories are too low your body will starve and all metabolic processes will slow, so will fat loss.

Also at the onset of a weight loss program you might be hungry and grumpy, this should wear off quickly, if it doesn't your calories are too low.

Make sure your at the correct calories!!

Check this site out http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

This will help you dail in the perfect calories and protein and carbs so you can lose fat and not muscle/performance.

 

[perryr]

I have a tuff time not eating at night. Worse time for me! I have found that a spoon of all natural peanut butter, maybe 100 calories, consumed slowly, does a lot for taming the night hunger.

 

[_hamilton]

I have a tuff time not eating at night. Worse time for me! I have found that a spoon of all natural peanut butter, maybe 100 calories, consumed slowly, does a lot for taming the night hunger.

I suffer from this delima also. After trying to tough it out and losing sleep,
I would rather eat something before bedtime. If I don't sleep well I might
end up eating lots of crap the next day.

I like the natural peanut butter and a cup of sleepy-time tea. Sometimes I'll have it on one piece of wheat toast.

I also eat a small bowl of healthy cereal at times.

I feel your pain. I've been working out hard this winter and am hungry a lot.
My weight hasn't changed much, but I can feel my skin getting snugger.
I'm riding pretty strong for this time of year, but I need to drop at least ten pounds to
be podium worthy. I don't know if I'll get there, but I'll be faster either way.

 

[mtbfool]

I like the natural peanut butter and a cup of sleepy-time tea. Sometimes I'll have it on one piece of wheat toast.

Doesn't that make your toast soggy?

 

[bn_acyclist]

Try this.

Sugar-free Jello. I will eat this right before bed to fill the stomach. It's easier for me to fall asleep with a little something in my belly.

Or Suger-free pudding with a spoonful of peanut butter.

Is Sugar-free bad?

I do stick to fresh cooked food, whole grains, fresh fruit and vegies and stay away from trans fats and hydroganated? oils as my number one way to diet. I also eat four to five times a day. Seems to work for me.

 

[mtbfool]

Sugar-free Jello. I will eat this right before bed to fill the stomach. It's easier for me to fall asleep with a little something in my belly.

Or Suger-free pudding with a spoonful of peanut butter.

Is Sugar-free bad?

I do stick to fresh cooked food, whole grains, fresh fruit and vegies and stay away from trans fats and hydroganated? oils as my number one way to diet. I also eat four to five times a day. Seems to work for me.

If it works for you it works for you, but artificial sweeteners are notorious for making you feel more hungry.

 

[_hamilton]

Doesn't that make your toast soggy?

yes, I like to toast it first so it will really soak up that tea!

 

[2fst4u]

Calories

A few points here Gents;

The whole idea of food turning to fat if eaten before bed is a myth. Most of you know this already, but I mention it just in case you feel guilty for eating late.

Actually, eating before bed if done with the right food balance (carbs, proteinn and fats) for your specific goal will promote fat burn and muscle repair as you sleep.

Please, eat a nice small calorie well balanced snack before bed if you are hungry. Also eat one during the day if your starving. Remember if your not giving your body enough balanced calories you will be in a starvation mode. This is not good. 1-2 pounds a week loss at the most. Take as long as your racing schedule will allow to burn the extra fat.

Fat loss too fast is no bueno for athletes.

From my point of view, by lowering calories too much and too quick you will be cutting to much muscle right along with the fat

Every racers goal for weight loss should be to... lose the excess weight (fat) in a positive way by giving your body the perfect amount of calories. This will allow the repair of your body from your training while burning fat and not losing too much (if any) muscle.

So, fat loss without very much (if any) muscle loss is the key. This all relies on your nutrition (calories, fat, carbs, protein, meal spacing and such) You need to be in a calorie deficiet but not too much.

This site will tell you how many calories you need. http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/ first figure out BMR then daily calorie needs. having your nutrition dailed in will make you fast, fast, and faster.