Find yourself snacking at night, right after you’ve eaten it? Yep, snacking at night is a common habit that’s hard to break. One of the reasons it’s so hard to break is most of the time we don’t even think about what were doing, until it’s done.
We’re going to take a look at how to stop snacking at night in this post. Whether it’s from stress, boredom, or who really knows, it’s not healthy. It can affect your weight, sleep, and health. Let’s take a look at some tips to help beat this habit and get control of night time cravings.
How To Stop Snacking At Night?
1. Eat Regular Meals
Eating your meals at regular times helps to regulate and control your hunger. Eating at the same times each day teaches your body and brain when to expect food. This is the first step in preventing unconscious late night cravings and snacks and stopping a diet without gaining weight.
Don’t be afraid to include healthy snacks during the day, BEFORE dinner, or whatever you call the last meal of the day. Eat fruits, nuts, and grains for daytime snacks instead of sugary snacks will help stop snacking at night.
2. Healthy Snacks
If you just can’t get away form snacking at night, at least make them healthy. Reaching for something like fruits, nuts, or even yogurt is a much better option. And they’re much more satisfying and nutritious.
I find that planning my nighttime snacks during the day and laying them out before my last meal makes me aware of what I’m eating. Now, when the cravings hit, I already have good options available. This also ensures I have healthy choices on hand at all times.
3. Stay Hydrated
Did you know that thirst is often mistaken for hunger. Don’t believe it? No matter what time of the day you next feel hungry, drinking a glass of water and see for yourself. Ok, back to the subject.
Drinking plenty of water during the day keeps you hydrated and satisfies cravings. If you drink bottled water, keep a bottle with you at all times. Taking sips regularly helps change your habit of snacking to taking sips of water. Staying hydrated at all times will increase your energy, is better for your health, and helps with cravings.
4. Avoid Temptation
Make sweet treats hard to get to and out of sight. Out of sight, out of mind. If you can keep them out of your house, staying healthy and beating the urge to eat at night is much easier.
It’s much healthier for everyone in your home to stock up with healthy options instead of sweets. Instead of grazing through the supermarket, try making a list and sticking to it. So, just avoid buying junk foods, make healthier choices, and it’s much easier to stop snacking at night.
5. Manage Stress
When you’re stressed, emotional eating is much easier. So, finding ways to reduce your stress can help you avoid those late night snacks.
Exercise, meditation, mindful eating practices, and deep breathing exercises are all ways to de-stress. Any of those will help you relax and get your mind off eating. No matter what it is for you, taking steps to reduce and manage your stress levels is a big step in how to stop snacking at night.
6. Create a Bedtime Routine
When it comes to stopping those snacks at night, personal patterns are key. Having a regular bedtime routine might help you avoid late-night snacking. A pattern of going to bed at a prescribed time is a step towards teaching your brain what to expect.
If you have a hard time going to sleep, try turning off everything and relaxing for 30 minutes before you go to bed. Read, meditate, take a bath, or just sit for a few minutes to calm yourself. When you’re relaxed and rested before bed, you’re not as likely to crave snacks at night.
7. Distract Yourself
What about doing something distracting to get your mind off food. When the urge to snack strikes, do something else. Anything you can think of to distract your mind from eating.
Get a book, go for a walk, pet the dog, anything at all. If you’ve got a hobby, do that. It’s about shifting your focus. If you practice this distracting yourself routine for a few times, your habit of snacking at night will begin to change to something healthier.
8. Plan Meals
Ok, we’re back to planning what you’re going to eat ahead of time. This planning gives you an opportunity to make better choices. By knowing what you’ll eat ahead of time, your mind isn’t pre-occupied with sugary snacks and last minute cravings.
Plan your meals around nutrients like proteins, vegetables, healthy fats, and fruits. When you’re last meal of the day is healthy, you’re much less likely to reach for snacks at night. Planning meals ahead of time, makes life easier and it’s a proactive step for controlling your cravings later on.
9. Get Support
Some people find it much easier to change habits when they discuss their plans and goals with friends or family. If that’s you, go for it.
Talking it out can make you more accountable and increase your motivation. Support comes in a lot of different forms, and can help you stick to your goals.
The Pitfalls of Snacking at Night
There are several pitfalls that come from snacking at night, and they affect your health and well being as well as your waist size.
One of those pitfalls is definitely weight gain. Most people addicted to snacking during the night reach for high calorie, sugary, or fatty foods. These disrupt your sleep and cause indigestion while you’re gaining weight.
Late night snacking messes with your metabolism, too. Your body always prefers food during the day, when you’re active. When you eat at night, it confuses your body. It can lead to lead to higher blood sugar levels and insulin resistance, which increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Late night snacking is a terrible habit that’s hard to break. The habit can easily carry on to the daytime as a way to deal with stress, anger, or any other emotional eating. Emotional eating invariably leads to unhealthy food choices and overeating, which leads to long term health problems.
Snacking at night seems like a harmless activity, but it’s not. It leads to weight gain, poor sleep, metabolism issues that cause problems with losing weight, and just a lot of unhealthy eating habits. It’s best to find other ways to amuse yourself, and learn how to stop snacking at night.