I’ve been trying to diet lately, but at night I always reach for snacks. I literally sneak and munch on them, and then I’m filled with regret. Do you think this is normal or is there something wrong with me? I’m really curious how those who succeed manage to do it.
Nighttime snacking was really challenging for me as well. Waking up in the morning and feeling that heaviness in my stomach while thinking about what I’d eaten the night before would ruin my day. Before I set restrictions for myself, I swapped out junk food for healthier alternatives. For example, I add dark chocolate or a spoonful of honey to yogurt; it feels like I’m indulging, and it reduces my guilt.
I experienced the same thing back in the day, it was triggered by stress for me too. If I went a long time without eating during the day, especially if I had a light dinner, I would go a bit crazy at night. I intentionally added snacks to my routine, and if I crave something at night, I consume something simple but protein-rich. Could you have a similar deficiency?
But it seems like you’re putting all the blame on the night. What do you eat throughout the day, what are you avoiding? Sometimes when people impose too many restrictions, the body stubbornly sabotages itself. Why not try something balanced without forcing it a bit? There could be an issue not just at night, but during the day as well.
This situation is actually quite common. Stress or emotional deficiency can sometimes make you feel like you’re losing control late at night. But if it happens frequently, it might be helpful to consult a specialist. Because it’s important to distinguish between emotional eating and physical hunger. Maybe your body is truly trying to meet a basic need.
Thank you all, I learned a lot. Let me add a couple of things: During the day, I normally eat well, but I guess work stress and a bit of loneliness make it difficult at night. I liked the idea of dark chocolate, and maybe I can pay a little more attention to dinner.
To be honest, we didn’t have this much junk food in our time. If we didn’t eat dinner at night, no one would get up and ask ‘what happened.’ Now everything has become so easily accessible. One needs to strengthen their willpower a bit; after all, these are matters related to respect. If you don’t show respect to yourself, in time, others won’t show it either.
there could be more to me than just “I’m craving at night.” For example, are you unhappy, are you having issues with someone, and so on? Junk food can sometimes be a way to cover things up. You might need to sit down and explore your feelings 
I also stay in the dorm and at night we make a lot of noise with chips and fruits in the room. But I’ve set a limit for myself; I only stick to tea and nuts. Plus, when I watch a show or scroll on my phone at night, I don’t pay attention, so staying busy is a good tactic. You should also check where your hand is wandering, consider trying mindfulness.