Evenings......

I am the same, the only way I could loose weight was by going to bed around 8pm!

Just don't buy any unhealthy food? I only have ingredients for meals in the fridge, freezer and cupboards … … … Can't snack even if I wanted to!

I have also been trying a cup of hot marmite drink. It sort of helps.
I have been trying to lose the same 1 and a half stone ever since last son was born 22 years ago. I have just got new scales- sadly they appear to weigh me as another half stone more. They might be faulty....

I also knit, maybe that does help

Meant to say, no weight gain either!

Boiled sweets are the answer. No calories, well hardly any. I gave up smoking in October and they also help with that.

"An apple would be lovely darling"!
But not as lovely as toast, or cheese and biscuits, or choc chip cookies ...

I blame DH he can get away with eating toast every night for supper about 9.30ish. How the heck do I resist when he calls from the kitchen 'What can I get you darling?'

I took up knitting again, if I'm not in the mood for following a pattern I knit squares for charity. It does help stop the munchies. Well, not altogether, but mostly.

Or crochet, or something to keep hands and brain a bit busy.

I've managed to lose 10 pounds on the 5:2 diet since Christmas but the nine o'clock munchies are unavoidable. I have therefore allowed myself three rich tea biscuits every evening at bedtime- fast day or not - because they stop me hoovering up everything else. I think it pays in the long run to accept you have a craving and work around it otherwise you give up eventually. I have never managed to keep to 500 calories on a fast day but still the weight is coming off so I must be doing something right!

Yes, I get a great urge to eat continually throughout the evening, even when I've had a substantial meal for supper.

Cleaning the teeth is good, I agree.

Cereals.....mmmm...now you're talking. And cheese!

Thank you Chloe. Not sure I've got self control where food is concerned. If they come in packs of 6, or buy 2 get 1 free, ha even better, gone in one.

Oh dear......

Squaredog wish I could help or suggest a solution but thought this might make you laugh instead. I cut up a low calorie cereal bar into tiny tiny pieces and have it with a coffee around 8.30 pm I make every crumb last and pretend its a mars bar or a bar of fruit and nut chocolate (who am I kidding) sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. However overall I think I win. But please enjoy this from me you will have to supply your own cereal bar

It's true! The 'watershed' is not only for tv it's for diets. After 9.30 ish I keep thinking about food [and the Wensleydale with cranberries calls to me.] I usually have a cup of tea at that point. However it gets really bad by 10.30 and the later you go to bed the worse it's going to get.Luckily I am happy to trot off to bed by then as I sleep well [and rarely suface before 8 a m.] That's not to say that the Wensleydale never wins [it won last night!]But I don't give up without a fight.Sometimes the Crunchy Nut Cornflakes win too.

Yes, it's up to me to practice self control, Jade2.

Silly me!

Grannyk having that attitude is what allowed me to loose a stone in weight, its about looking forward to meals and not eating everytime one thinks of food

How weird to want to keep on eating after the evening meal (sorry!) I look forward to my supper (eaten around 7:30) and sometimes we have a dessert e.g. stewed fruit and custard, but then I know that's it apart from Sleepy Time tea. If I find myself thinking about food, it will be planning a tasty breakfast - something to look forward to.

You know your weakness...
You know what to do...
It's up to you to practice self control.

Cheese is my downfall in the evenings. Especially with Aldi's Specially Selected Gourmet black pepper crackers. Take my advice - don't buy them, too nice by far. All the Christmas cheese is now gone thankfully but a couple of boxes of these crackers are lurking in the pantry.

I usually have wholemeal toast without butter but with reduced sugar marmalade late evening. I have convinced myself this is better than some of the foods I could be snacking on. Deluded or what?

Oh the late night munchies. With me it's chunks of cheese, crisps or ice cream. Go for ages without it happening but then when it does I eat loads. Find it's often when I'm too tired to get ready for bed and start picking instead. Best to have a hot bath and be ready for bed early. Also not have anything like that in the house [it's always food that's full of calories but an instant eat, isn't it]. I've been doing it recently whilst reading the 5:2 diet book and working out calories .

squaredog Try lots of no calorie hot drinks. That is anything without milk. I only really like peppermint or lemon and ginger but there are a lot of fruit and herb teas.
I find a warm drink seems to satisfy the stomach. (A bit.)
Keep nibbles out of the house. I have found it gets easier not to nibble or eat salad items which are virtually calorie free.

Twister mini ice lollies are my saviour. I need something sweet that takes a long time to eat, and licking the minimal amount of ice cream from the twists fulfills that need. It's the only thing that works for me, after years of the same problem.:-)

The nine o'clock munches are the hardest thing to ditch. I have to save some calories for that as I know it will occur. I try to have something vaguely healthy like a few almonds or an apple but I really Want Chocolate!!!! It,s no good trying to save a bit of chocolate for that time as I daren,t have it in the house.

My tip: brush your teeth as soon as you fancy something and you know you really don't need or want it. It spoils the appetite every time for me. Hope it works for some of you!