How to end midnight eating?

Hi, I am a former D1 level athlete and I've struggled with being bipolar for a little more than a year now. Along with the bipolar symptoms, I have struggled with my weight. Right now, I am around 30 pounds more than I usually am. I've been keeping a food journal and exercising. I do very well during the day. However, several times a week I mindlessly go to the kitchen and pig out during the night. This kills any gains I make by eating well and exercise. I don't know why I do this. Maybe my meds increase my appetite and during the night I lose control and self discipline to not eat? I don't know. I only know that I want this to stop. I don't keep unhealthy food in my house either. I need to overcome night eating before I can really get my old body back. Any advice from you all?

Are you eating enough during the day?

I'm also guilty of this.
I know from my FOO (family of origin) desserts happened a lot. My dad had a sweet tooth all the time so chocolatey, ice creamy, pie like food was normal after dinner. My mother always made dinner with a meat, a veg and a starch so I think I got the idea that dessert just naturally followed that.

I also find that I feel less watched if everyone else is in bed. No one will judge what I'm snacking on if they are asleep. And if they don't know, I "don't have to feel bad about it" (never works out that way).

Not sure if either of those ideas help but I think to make it stop you need to figure out why you find yourself with less willpower at night. Stress from the rest of day built up? Tired or not tired and boredom eating? FOO issues?

I'm like that as well. I am good all day and at nite I am tired, bored or lonely or frustrated, and my desire to behave is very low as I am tired and my will power goes away......I have such a hard time at nite. They say to keep yourself busy but I am!!! Yes, I also used to get up at nite and raid the refrig. Now I don't keep much in it to raid but I sure understand what you are saying. Its a real problem!!

Try not to have anything in the house that is not healthy....no cookies, ice cream, etc. That helps when there is nothing there.....it may drive you super nuts but at least you won't be consuming 12 donuts....Its rough...when you go to the store only get what is good for you and don't bring anything home to tempt you. I will buy cookies, or so and say to myself oh, Ill just have a couple at nite.....Oh yeah, sure...NOT!!!! Like I will eat half of them, and then for breakfast then next morning I will eat the other half...LOL,LOL,

Sorry I just read you don't keep anything unhealthy.......well I can still pig out on cereal and yogurt too...and hummus...I love hummus... I guess whatever you really love, healthy or not healthy, needs to be totally ommited from your house..PERIOD!!....Too much temptation and what I call a trigger food...just eating it causes me to overeat...!

I do this too! I don't understand it. I was wondering if while I sleep my blood sugar drops or something that just makes me wake up and go straight to the kitchen? I hope someone posts some answers to your question as I would like to know too!

I keep tons of chobani yogurt in my fridge. I just did a 3-month test run ie between internist appointments and blood tests, and my cholesterol levels came back okay, all my readings were normal. I chose chobani because it's a greek yogurt so it's relatively high in protein, it does not have high fructose corn syrup, and it has a variety of flavors, one bucket is a good snack, two or even three buckets are not a binge, just satisfying, and it has pretty much killed my need for ice cream type desserts. I always think, oh, I can have a yogurt. the pineapple is SOOOO good, it's like a cream pie. most of them are zero fat, a few flavors are 2 percent fat, I just buy a variety and don't worry about it. so a bin of yogurt is my go-to bedtime snack if dinner was too early oor too light, or if I wake up because i'm hungry. Or some 95 percent avocado spread on a high fiber tortilla or slice of ezekial toast - I like to give my liver some good good fat at night because I think that's when it does all its work. oh and I am slowly and NOT PAINFULLY losing wgt, the "not painfully" is the most important aspect to me! I still get a dessert or whatever a couple or more times a week, but the rest of the time, I stick to about ten or so? plain simple type foods. Having those foods always in stock means I never have to worry about what i'm going to eat at my next meal, so I never get too hungry, and THAT has been the real key for me, that and lots of protein, fRom the yogurt, mostly canned chicken and fish and now I added nonfat feta cheese. oh and of course hummus.

((( HipsterPat ))) ... Just wanted you to know I understand where you're coming from ... My eating disorder is off the chain right now and I'm freakin' out while trying to figure out ways to get it back under control ... Hoping we're both able to do it sooner than later ... , Pfrog!