If there is one piece of advice I could give you to get healthier or lose weight it would be to give up eating at night. It’s also one of the hardest things to do! If I did it, anyone can do it. So I’ve gathered up some tips to help you kick that nighttime eating habit….
Kicking that habit is essential for a few reasons. You may read things out there that a nighttime snack is beneficial for some people. That might be true, in some cases, and with some snacks. But chances are your nighttime eating problem isn’t with a high protein snack before bed. When was the last time you reached for a nice hard-boiled egg while watching TV?
People also say it’s more about overall calories in, calories out. But again, I’m thinking the “calories in” at night aren’t nutrient dense calories from superfoods. So, I’m sticking with it that overall, for most people, we’d be better off not eating at night. It’s healthier and it will help you lose weight.
I also know this is one of the hardest things for people to do. It’s nice to pick on something while you watch TV. And dessert is delicious. It feels like a treat after a long day, part of the unwinding and relaxing process. It’s enjoyable and I get that.
I used to eat a pint of Haagen-Dazs ice cream at night. (Their Rocky Road is amazing; I don’t know how the marshmallow swirl stays so magically melty!) A whole pint, all by myself. Or candy. Or cookies and milk. (I was definitely more of a sweets kind of girl.) And I resisted giving that nightly ritual up because I really liked it.
If it’s important to you, though, you can do it. And after a while, you won’t even think about it. This was the first healthy habit I adopted, and it’s been so long that it doesn’t even occur to me to eat at night. It’s not like you’ll miss it always, even if it seems really hard to do at first.
So here are some simple ideas to kick that habit. Some are going to sound more painful than others, but you never know- one might work for you! You can do it in phases, too, so it doesn’t feel like deprivation and make you just want to have an even bigger and badder snack.
Tips to Kick That Nighttime Eating Habit:
- Start by switching to a healthier nighttime snack. When I first tried to give up eating at night in front of the TV, I switched to a healthier snack. Instead of junk, I might have an apple with peanut butter or a grapefruit. Peeling a grapefruit is great- it keeps your hands busy and it takes a long time to eat.
- Then move to eating your dessert or snack right after dinner. Maybe keep the treat for a while, but eat it right after dinner, immediately. At the dinner table. Before you clean up. It will still give you the satisfaction dessert brings, but 1- you’ll probably eat less than you would if you ate it later and 2- you won’t be eating as late in the day!
Here are some more tips to keep from going for a snack after dinner is over:
- Drink a cup of tea at night. A nice cup of tea will be something to hold. Make it a treat. Try a different flavor. I’m not a huge tea drinker, but there are some tasty ones out there. It might be just enough to satisfy your snacking want.
- Brush your teeth after dinner. Make this part of your routine. Food will be less appealing with that fresh, minty mouth.
- Chew gum. Gum isn’t exactly a superfood, but if it keeps you from eating crap I say go for it.
- Do something while you watch TV to keep your mind off snacking. Crochet, knit, make Rainbow Loom bracelets, pet your dog, flip through a magazine. I don’t know what it might be for you, but keep busy so you’re less likely to miss eating.
And, finally, here are two tips that I think are so good for you, but I know will make people think I’m crazy:
- Go to bed earlier. Most people stay up too late and don’t get enough sleep anyway. Sleep is so important and chances are you need more of it. Plus, if you’re sleeping you’re not eating! Another plus, you’ll reap all the benefits of getting more sleep. Which will lead to even more improved health 🙂
- Don’t watch TV. Gasp. I know it sounds crazy. And I don’t really think a lot of people are willing to give up watching TV so it might seem unrealistic. But I also think it can bring about a lot of other really good changes. I watch TV and I love it, but I don’t watch a lot of it during the week. And I don’t miss it. Listen to music, read a book, flip through a magazine, find something else to do and then go to bed earlier. Binge watch those shows on the weekends!
I know the TV thing is tough to take. I’ll get more into that in another post….but I just have to throw this in here. I remember reading a study that found that people watching sitcoms were mildly depressed while watching those shows. Isn’t that crazy?! You think it’s relaxing, you think it’s entertaining. But it’s definitely not good for you! Of course, everything in moderation. I love Game of Thrones. I think Breaking Bad might be the best show ever. I love Fixer Upper! But for day-to-day life, the only TV I watch is maybe a show with my kids after dinner. Which is a habit I’d like to tackle soon!
Of course, you can still eat at night sometimes. I love popcorn when we watch movies on Saturday nights. We eat it at the beginning of the movie, though, again keeping it close to dinner. There are days I have ice cream with the kids. There have maybe been some days where I shovel handfuls of chocolate chips in my mouth while I’m getting the kids ready for bed. (And sometimes I get caught!) But overall if I am going to have some kind of nighttime treat I eat it pretty early.
Your body needs a break from eating. Giving up nighttime eating will increase the break time your body gets, and give you more health benefits. You’ll also avoid the less than ideal calories that usually make up our TV snack foods or desserts. Once you get used to it, you won’t miss it!
Do you eat after dinner? What do you go for- sweet desserts or salty snacks?
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