For the last couple of weeks I seem to be dealing with individuals that have been struggling with one thing since the nights have started drawing in.... LATE NIGHT SNACKING. Whether it's a piece of fruit, biscuits or toast, it seems to be something many find hard to stop or for some, don't even realise they are doing it! I am a sucker for having a little something not long after dinner and it usually involves chocolate.
I currently have a client who claims she isn't even hungry when she takes a wonder into the fridge anytime after 8pm, another client has claimed she will get up at 2am most mornings and will eat whatever is in the fridge! I know I am not hungry as I have just had dinner - it's perhaps habit, greediness, boredem or maybe you still are hungry.
Does any of this sound like you?... Have you ever thought whether this may have an affect on your health or whether this can lead to obesity? Whether it can affect weight has long been debated by dieters and doctors. Many studies have shown that when we are tired we tend to opt for unhealthy choices which are high in calories and this will usually lead to weight gain hence why late night eating can be a factor to obesity. We also then get into habit - lets face it, not many of us like change and once we are set in our ways its very hard to change!
A new study on time-restricted diets hypothesizes that our bodies actually need a large break from eating between dinner and breakfast to achieve optimal weight and health. Try giving your body a break from dinner until breakfast and see how it makes you feel. You should also be getting a good 6-8 hours sleep a night to help avoid over eating throughout the day. Reckon you will find this hard? Below are some other solutions you can try to help kick the late night snacking....
Solutions:
Distract yourself -- take the dog for a walk, curl up with a good book, or relax in a hot bath.
Satisfy your cravings with a low calorie alternative like herbal tea, a handful of veggies, or a piece of fruit
Increase the fiber in your diet, especially at dinner. Try adding beans or whole grains to keep you feeling fuller for longer.
Increase the protein in your dinner. Recent research suggests that protein has the greatest staying power to keep hunger at bay.
Limit all eating to the kitchen or dining room, and always eat while sitting down at the table. This helps curb "eating amnesia," that mindless munching in front of the television (This can be a huge factor to weight gain as we are unaware of what we are consuming if we are distracted by the tele food adverts etc)
Eat slowly and savor the taste of your food. Give yourself 15 to 20 minutes for your brain to get the signal that you have had enough.
Start your day with breakfast. People who skip breakfast are more likely to snack impulsively on calorie-laden foods.
Let your journal be your friend. Use your diet journal to help you track your meals and keep you on target with your eating plan.
Drink plenty of water. Not only will it help you stay hydrated, it will give you something to do with your hands and mouth (It also contain 0 calories and fills you up, what more could you want?!)
For those of you who MUST snack and find it hard to cut it out all together then why not opt for healthier options that are under 300 calories - anything more is a meal and eat an hour before hitting the sack so it has time to digest. Cut out your crisps, biscuits, sausages rolls, milk chocolate and toast and swap for:
Handful of pretzels or popcorn if you are craving crisps
Frozen blueberries - a cup provides you with vitamins, fibre and antioxidants - add to no fat yoghurt for a richer snack
Crackers are good (better than bread) wholemeal crackers with low fat soft cheese
Crumpets - contain no fat - but make sure you put low fat spread on top.
For chocolate lovers... go for dark chocolate - team it with fruit for a bit more sweetness. Lovely!
Give these a go and see how you get on.... these are just a start, if you struggle still then go to the contact us page and fill out the relevant boxes to get you booked in for a consultation with me
Good Luck Late Night Snackers
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