Well, may be not to avoid but to limit or make healthier choices if you have to have something at night. Late night snacking is my biggest vice, I’ve ruined a lot of good going diets that way. But now I’m not on a diet so I need to find a way to control my actions.
To get something to eat late in the evening or at night is basically the same as any other time of the day(say some experts), but for me it ruins everything. I’m often alone, everyone else in the house has gone off to bed. I tend to stuff myself more when no one’s watching. I know it’s immature, but hey, I didn’t say late night snacking was rational. My conscience is killing me after an evening binge. Sometimes the high food intake causes nightmares, yes it’s true. The Numbers on the scale in the morning can also be devastatingly horrible.
What do I have to do to break the vicious circle?
I have begun to ask myself: Am I really hungry tonight? Usually the answer is no. I just want something to eat, my brain tells me to do it on an unconscious level I think. Maybe I’m bored I don’t know. So here are my 10 tips to avoid this fucked up behaviour:
1 ) Stop right there, put down what ever you’ve just taken out of the freezer. Brush your teeth and go to bed. You probably need the extra sleep anyway, I know I do. Sleeping is good for weight loss you know.
2 ) It’s what you eat and how much that matters. A little piece of fruit and some low fat cheese is often enough for the body to feel full. So if you absolutely have to, keep it small and healthy. For what it’s worth, it doesn’t matter when you eat, so long as you maintain a deficit.
3 ) Drink water. Often when you feel hungry your just thirsty. Your body confuses you being thirsty with hunger pains and water is always good for ya.
4 ) Be sure to get at least 5, preferably 6, meals during the day. This is harder than it sounds, but it doesn’t have to be a three course meal every time. This way you stay satisfied longer, and the body keeps the calorie burning going.
5 ) Do something else, run, walk or cycle. Just get away from the damn food. If you can burn off some fat while doing it, hell, that’s just a bonus!
6 ) Get new agey on yo ass. Star doing that visualization exercise. Think away those cravings. It sounds hokey, but sometimes this is what works. Think about what you will look like. Or do that opposite thing where you think about how long you have to work out to get rid of that bowl of chips. Whatever works for you. I do that positive route, I look forward to what I will become.
7 ) For me carbs create cravings so I get my carbohydrates as early in the day as possible. The Rest of the day I try to eat pure meat, maybe some egg, fish and vegetables. You see what I’m saying, carbs early, protein later. This has helped a lot on my late night hunger.
8 ) Eat a small sugar free yogurt. The calcium is great and it helps your stomach settle down. I also find that it helps me sleep in a bit faster.
9 ) Sort out your shit. What I mean is that all that emotional baggage makes some of us to eat more. Especially when there’s no one around to see us. My mother always says that you shouldn’t go to bed angry, be friends when you go to bed. Well for me it also means that I shouldn’t stay up alone, angry and hungry. Then I just don’t care, and I eat whatever I want. No one loves me anyway. Seriously, sort it out.
10) Go have some sex instead. It burns calories and it’s fun.
Start breaking that late night cycle tonight!
