Night Munchies: 5 Ways To Stop Eating In The Evenings

We’ve all heard that nighttime snacking isn’t good for us – it slows down digestion, can disrupt our sleep and add extra pounds – but why is it so hard to stop?

Like any other habit, learning to stop eating in the evenings takes practice and perhaps a change of mindset. Use the following strategies to keep your p.m. snacking under control.

Keep food out of sight.

Research from Cornell’s Food Brand & Lab suggests that the mere proximity of food will make us eat it. So when dinner is over, put away all leftovers, do the dishes, and make sure no food is left out on your kitchen counters.

You can take this a step further by storing temptation foods in high, out-of-reach cabinets or stashing it in the back of the fridge or freezer.

The less you see food, the less likely you are to eat it.

Get out of the house.

Changing your nighttime habits might also help to prevent eating. Instead of sitting down in front of the TV with your favorite snack, start getting in the habit of taking a walk, going to a class, or even running your errands during this time.

Try to make sure these activities aren’t centered around food.

Develop a stress-reduction routine.

Overeating at night is often a response to stress. we eat because it feels good and it’s relaxing.

In order to nurture yourself in other ways, start making a list of activities you can do that don’t involve food but that are nourishing and calming.

This might include taking a bubble bath, reading a stack of magazines, having a cup of tea, journaling, or listening to music.

Drink broth.

Warm broth, like chicken or beef broth, can satisfy cravings while also making you full. If you find yourself tempted to eat, sip on some broth until the urge to eat goes away.

Eat a moderate-protein, high-fat dinner.

What you eat at dinner can have a huge impact on your appetite later on. Healthy fat, like that found in olive oil, avocados, or nuts is one of the best ways to curb hunger. Pair this with some protein for dinner, like lean turkey or chicken, and you’ll probably find that your cravings will minimize. Starchy dinners (pasta, rice, potatoes), on the other hand, tend to raise your blood sugar and leave you wanting to eat more.

Source: GreenLite Medicine