midnight munchies.. make them stop!

[nicodemis]

Hey all, quick question.. I've stepped up my training and am noting good results.. I really want to cut some lbs (about 10 and lean out my build a little-- more power, leaner legs, cut some off the chest, etc).. I'm in really good shape and have more of a triathlete build.. I'm fairly muscular at 5'10, 194 lbs at about 10-12 percent body fat. I cross train and weight lift three times a week, bike to and from work or do long rides/ fluid trainer in the eves and then usually, biking and swim on the weekends with my wife.. however

HOW DO I STOP THE MIDNIGHT MUNCHIES.

ever since I remember I wake up ravenous and can't control myself at the fridge. Anyone know how to stop this.. it can't be good as I feel like every time I do it, I'm just making it harder to lose that last little bit of fat I want shed. I want to sleep through the night..maybe instead of heeding my stomach I should roll over..

Hellllppp.

 

[less'go]

Do the muchies actually wake you up? That sounds pretty forceful... Maybe it's important to think about what you eat, do you go for fats + carbs (like chips) or proteins or ??? I get the munchies around 6. Only thing that helps is either total self-control (that usually lasts about 6-7 days), or making an effort to eat only nutritionally dense foods (nuts, cheese, etc.) and CHEW SLOWLY. This last part avoids the major gulping down of large quantities of food! Take small bites and enjoy each one, takes you longer to eat, more time to come to your senses!

Good luck, you're surely not alone on this one!
Sara

 

[stevek]

You may try a meal with more fat as your last meal. less carbs. it will keep you full far longer.

 

[nicodemis]

Thanks Sara, I don't ever eat things like chips, etc... I usually wake up and have a bowl of cereal or a pb&J sandwich. I'm really good with what I eat, with the exception of these cravings.. I wake up and it's like nothing in the kitchen's safe. I'll try chewing slowly like you suggessted.. think that's good advice overall. I'm military and grew up believing you had to wolf down all your food in under 5 minutes. The French are the masters of slow, decadent enjoyment of foods.. I was in Paris last summer.. smaller portions, but its part of the experience.. you take your time at dinner.. you don't rush to finish. Very different than the US where we're always on the go.

Thanks again for the write.

Nico

Originally posted by less'go
Do the muchies actually wake you up? That sounds pretty forceful... Maybe it's important to think about what you eat, do you go for fats + carbs (like chips) or proteins or ??? I get the munchies around 6. Only thing that helps is either total self-control (that usually lasts about 6-7 days), or making an effort to eat only nutritionally dense foods (nuts, cheese, etc.) and CHEW SLOWLY. This last part avoids the major gulping down of large quantities of food! Take small bites and enjoy each one, takes you longer to eat, more time to come to your senses!

Good luck, you're surely not alone on this one!
Sara

 

[less'go]

Originally posted by nicodemis
I'm military and grew up believing you had to wolf down all your food in under 5 minutes. The French are the masters of slow, decadent enjoyment of foods.. I was in Paris last summer.. smaller portions, but its part of the experience.. you take your time at dinner.. you don't rush to finish. Very different than the US where we're always on the go.

Thanks again for the write.

Nico

I am glad to hear you speaking well of the French. When people ask me if I like living here and why, I say yes!!! and then say basically what you said above, about taking time to enjoy eating (this extends to other areas of life as well, just taking the time to enjoy things). And the smaller portions, that is key. Every time I go back to the States I cannot believe the size of portions in restaurants. My husband (French) gets so disgusted by the quantity of food he hardly has an appetite once it hits the table! It's nice to finish a meal with some room left, each meal should leave with an little appetite for the next... I could go on and on and on... Enjoy, don't scarf is the bottom line!

 

[Aztec]

I don't see anything wrong with a mid-night power eating sesh. Why would you want to fast for 8, 9, 10, whatever, hours? If you want to rock up a bit, then why not cut back your calories a little bit during the day? Then grill up some chicken or other *good* food, and stash that in the fridge for the 2am top up of the tank? 100 or 200 calories aren't going to make you fat. If anything, the opposite since you are spreading your calories out over more time.

I used to make 1/4 of a Met-Rx shake and stack it in the fridge in case I got up. A hunk of salmon, some tuna, few pieces of whole grain bread, etc., would all be good.

 

[Duckwah]

i'd go for a protein shake with skim milk

its only a couple of hundred calories, virtually nil fat and it will knock the edge off your cravings while giving your body extra protein when you need it most

some pro bodybuilders even get up deliberately in the middle of the night to eat protein

 

[nicodemis]

Thanks Az, I think I'll follow your advice.. I did a preemptive last night and hardboiled some eggs so I didn't go nuts on the cereal.. I lifted back and did abs yesterday and then spun for 45 minutes.. went to sleep and BAM, 2:30am I was starving.. Had three eggs, some whole wheat bread with some jam and then sacked out until 7:00..

Hey anyone heard of Aceytl-l-Carnitine.. I have a friend who swears by the stuff. Supposed to more effectively fuel your mitochonria resulting in increased metabolic rates, better utilization of fat without increased heart rate, etc.. I've seen it tossed around this board some..

Thanks,

Matt-- err Nico

Originally posted by Aztec
I don't see anything wrong with a mid-night power eating sesh. Why would you want to fast for 8, 9, 10, whatever, hours? If you want to rock up a bit, then why not cut back your calories a little bit during the day? Then grill up some chicken or other *good* food, and stash that in the fridge for the 2am top up of the tank? 100 or 200 calories aren't going to make you fat. If anything, the opposite since you are spreading your calories out over more time.

I used to make 1/4 of a Met-Rx shake and stack it in the fridge in case I got up. A hunk of salmon, some tuna, few pieces of whole grain bread, etc., would all be good.

 

[mfallon]

Originally posted by nicodemis
Thanks Az, I think I'll follow your advice.. I did a preemptive last night and hardboiled some eggs so I didn't go nuts on the cereal.. I lifted back and did abs yesterday and then spun for 45 minutes.. went to sleep and BAM, 2:30am I was starving.. Had three eggs, some whole wheat bread with some jam and then sacked out until 7:00..

Hey anyone heard of Aceytl-l-Carnitine.. I have a friend who swears by the stuff. Supposed to more effectively fuel your mitochonria resulting in increased metabolic rates, better utilization of fat without increased heart rate, etc.. I've seen it tossed around this board some..

Thanks,

Matt-- err Nico

I've always believed in listening to your body. If you are truly hungry with the amount of exercise you are doing it sounds to me like your body is telling you that it really needs the fuel. I don't see anything wrong with that as long as it's healthy food like the others have suggested. As Aztec stated eating smaller meals more frequently is much better than eating larger less frequent meals. I think what less'go meant by chewing slower is actually chewing longer since chewing longer breaks down the food more and the body is able to process it more efficiently. It's unfortunately no coincidence that the average American eats too much per meal, too few meals, much too fast, not to mention what they eat and over half of our population is overweight. That's probably why so many drivers don't like us cyclists over here. We're makin em look bad

Matt