Hi all, been Keto for 3yrs. Gained weight only. But controlling my MS without meds so I’m not stopping. I can usually fast til lunch or do a 12hr between breakfast and dinner, but it’s the night time snacking I can’t reign in. It’s tv and couch and just constantly snacking at night.
Solutions?
OMAD and hit all your macro’s. Eat it a little later in the evening not giving yourself time to even think about food before bed.
I actually find that a large, protein sufficient lunch & no dinner works to avoid night time munchies. I just tell myself “that’s me for the day” & all thoughts of eating pretty much evaporate. I may have a decaf with a pinch of salt & a teaspoon of cream if I feel the need but I rarely do.
I start with a Bulletproof coffee but with cacao butter bc of a dairy allergy. Lunch is around 12:30-1pm and it’s usually fatty protein like bacon or chicken thighs with skin and some veggies with a fatty dressing.
I work in construction as a welder, so I get home and I can be pretty exhausted. Dinner is usually around 5-6pm and my fave is bacon and eggs. But depends on what leftovers I have. Actually now that you ask, a lot of times I come home and don’t make a meal meal. I just pick around the fridge. Then sit to watch TV and justify making a Keto cookie dough mug. Which I don’t tolerate almond flour that well but it’s nice for treats.
Guessing my issue is taking time to make a real dinner. But even then I can keep eating last that bc if habit.
I really like OMAD when I can do it. Problem is that recently it has lead to binges the next day. BUT I wasn’t for sure for sure hitting macros. That’s is probably why.
I second @mtncntrykid’s solution of OMAD. Does the trick for me as well. Go for a large meal in the evening, if you tend to snack at night, rather than during the day. And don’t hesitate to really feast when having your meal. But: feasting doesn’t mean devouring it mindlessly. Be aware of your food, by thankful for eating healthily, close your eyes and really taste it. Eat slowly and really enjoy it, the way it’s going to fuel you and that you’re giving your body what you took from it through your activities throughout the day. But be aware that digestion and health begins with eating slowly and chewing and tasting the ingredients. It’s all about the mind-body connection for me. I feel much more satisfied that way afterwards!
What helped my quite a lot is this: after your meal, think about the great nutrients you just gave to your organism, and how much good it’s doing for your body. Think about the nourishment and the health energy you get by eating keto. Additionally, question why you crave snacks after eating. Tell yourself that you don’t want to spike insulin again after eating your OMAD, because that diminishes some of your work.
If all else fails, make a plan what you’re having tomorrow and think about the time until your next meal in hours, rather a whole day. So my advice boils down to mindfulness pretty much.
I like this approach. I’ll definitely give it a shot. Most of the snacking is boredom or feeling like i have to be doing something while watching TV. But if I’m full full that shouldn’t come up as much.
If you’re like me, the couch and TV is a trigger, having nothing to do with your satiety or nutrients.
The trick is to recognize the trigger, and have a game plan. I suggest you adopt a conscious “if then” approach – if I am tempted to snack, then I will drink a glass of water. Maybe sit down at the TV with a big pitcher of water in front of you.
Or, you could get drunk.
Ha! Alcohol isn’t my drug of choice. 
actually helps my MS. I don’t use it super regularly even though I have my card here in IL. Perks of diseases! Lol.
I have some disordered eating history (binging mostly, which I’m sure I’m not the first on here) and it’s trying to outsmart myself or trusting new ideas without self sabotaging. I want to get better at fasting bc I feel so AMAZING when I do it. It feels like I’ve never had MS. No spasticity no numbness or odd weaknesses.
I think this is the biggest part. Especially for someone that’s been doing this for a while. For newbies, snacking is just part of the adjustment proces, but after three years, hunger between meals suggests either you’re not eating enough at meals; remember the goal is to eat to satiety, or you’re eating something that is sparking your appetite and/or screwing with your satiety signal. Artificial sweeteners can do that.
Based on what you said above, I’m guessing you’re just not eating enough. Since it’s nighttime snacking that seems to be the issue, I wouldn’t worry about skipping lunch yet, but just focus on having a real meal at dinner. Like you said, if you’re mostly picking at leftovers for dinner, you’re probably not getting enough food, so you’re hungry pretty soon after.
You’re question earlier made me actually stop and think about what I’ve been doing. I don’t track much any more bc it can sometimes be a trigger. Not so much these days. But just going oh, what did I have for dinner? Never had an actual dinner is a facepalm moment.
The other issue is my food allergies/intolerances are dairy, gluten, soy, corn, certain egg brands and probably nuts or the molds that grow on nuts. So feeling restricted can still happen. Even after eating this way for so long.
OMG I had already suspected this. And I amped up my lunch fats and salts and I don’t even need dinner.
Hopefully gonna try this for a bit. Thank you!
I have the exact same issue and I really think this is the answer. I can eat massive meals but I still have those triggers that make me want to eat at night. It’s hard but need to find something else to do at night.
Quit fasting! I suffered the fasting and felt hungry.
I used an app telling me that 1100 calories were the max I could ingest despite keto. I was hungry, I no longer care about gaining weight, I brought it on myself!
My health is good so I need to do me, not worry about starving for a good reason.
P. S.
The best snack is pork rinds and dip of your choice.
Don’t bother with keto sweets, they are a social nightmare.
My concern with the weight is to counteract my estrogen dominance. Fat secretes estrogen. I have 40lb to loose that used to only be 20-25lb.
The fasting also makes my multiple sclerosis symptoms go away. It sets it back to when I didn’t know I had it before my first major flare when I stopped walking.
The night eating is out of boredom, habit, and craving. It’s not actually hunger. Like I almost made it today with OMAD but I was giving someone a ride home and they wanted to grab Wendy’s. I wasn’t physically hungry but when I got home I ate. Bc the smell of their food made me crave a meal. Again, wasn’t hungry. Still ate.
It’s like I can’t trust my body fully. Even though I know it’s not dumb. It knows better.
But I mean, keto didn’t stop it for you.
I am a total noob compared to you so I hesitate saying anything. But for a while I was drawn to snacking in the evening, before I realized I didn’t fill the protein macro. I would try to up your proteins and see if something changes. Maybe since the beginning your body has always needed more proteins than the calculations would indicate, every body is different so it’s not impossible.