Night Eating Treatment
In this Article:
Here are some options for Night Eating Treatment:
1. Eat breakfast. Most people with Night Eating Disorder aren’t hungry in the morning. But if they can learn to stomach a morning meal, it can help stop their nighttime overeating, says psychologist Marci Gluck at the New York Obesity Research Center at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital.
2. Control portions. If you find yourself succumbing to the urge for evening noshing, have some food. Just measure out portions and stop when that portion is finished.
3. Keep trigger foods out of the house. You know best what food is likely to call to you at your weakest moment. So load up on low-calorie, filling fare (raw veggies, fruit, soup) that can be consumed if the urge to eat surfaces. And there’s no need to avoid favorite foods altogether: Just buy a single serving that can be eaten once or twice a week.
4. Find alternatives to eating. Gluck advises her patients to make a list of nonfood-related activities that they can do when the urge for nighttime eating hits. Take a walk. Knit. Call a friend. Work on a photo album. Do a few push-ups or sit-ups.
5. Brush your teeth immediately after dinner. It’s one way to signal your brain that the meal — and eating for the day — is over.
EatingDisorders.com does not make recommendations for night eating disorder nor dispense medical advice; only a physician is qualified to determine the proper treatment for any patient. We present the following information for general education purposes only.
Eating Disorder Self Test. Take the EAT-26 self test to see if you might have eating disorder symptoms that might require professional evaluation. All answers are confidential.