Many people love to eat late at night even when they are not hungry. This can evidently cause a person to eat more calories, which can eventually lead to weight gain.
In order to lose or maintain a healthy weight, your late night eating should stop. Here are some useful tips on how to stop late night eating.
Know the why
The very first thing to do is knowing the why. Identifying the cause of your late night eating can help you change any unhealthy habit.
Late night eating may be caused by too much food restriction during daytime, which can cause hunger. It may also be caused by boredom.
Late night eating has also been linked to some eating disorders, including binge eating disorder (BED). BED has been linked to trouble sleeping, depression, and obesity.
This is because people with binge eating disorder tend to uncontrollably eat a lot of food in just one sitting to curb emotions such as sadness and anger.
Take heed of the events that set off your eating behavior
If you find yourself rummaging for food in the fridge late at night even if you’re not hungry, pause for a while and think about what triggered you to go there.
Keeping a “food and mood” diary is an effective strategy to determine the cause of your late night eating and the factors that trigger it. This helps you identify patterns, which will eventually enable you to break cycles of emotional eating.
Get yourself into a routine
If the cause of your late night eating is too little food intake during the day, establishing a healthy routine may be helpful. You can start following a regular eating and sleeping schedule.
Good sleep quality is beneficial for weight management and overall health.
Sleep deprivation has been found in a 2015 review of studies to cause higher calorie intake and poor-quality diets. It can also increase the risk of developing obesity and other related chronic diseases over time.
Following a regular schedule for sleeping and eating is a great way to separate the two activities, especially if you are prone to late night eating.
Use a meal plan
Using a meal plan helps you eat the right food in the right amount. It reduces your chances of making poor food choices and eating on impulse.
A 2013 study found that a mere sight of food can trigger people with overweight or obesity who had a binge eating disorder to eat.
Meal planning can help you spread your food throughout the day, thereby helping you manage your food intake. It can also lessen any anxiety about how much you are eating.
Protein is a must-have
Including protein in every meal can help suppress hunger and promote satiety. This can stop you from thinking about food and prevent late night eating.
Eating high-protein meals has been shown in a 2011 study to reduce cravings by 60% and cut the desire for late night eating by half.
Create an emotional support network
You may need to speak with a doctor or a mental health professional if you have binge eating disorder. They can help you identify the triggers and even recommend a treatment plan, which often uses cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT has been shown to help with several eating conditions.
With emotional support, you are more likely to manage negative emotions better.
Learn to manage stress
Some people use food to curb stress, anxiety, and other negative emotions. If you find yourself eating when you are stressed or anxious, try to relax and think of ways to let go of your negative emotion.
Relaxation techniques have been shown in research to help manage eating disorders such as binge eating and nighttime eating syndrome.
Stretching, gentle exercise, yoga, hot baths, meditation and breathing exercises are some relaxation techniques that may be useful.
Always eat regularly
Eating regularly in line with normal eating patterns can help you manage blood sugar levels and prevent you from feeling famished, tired, or irritable, which may cause a binge.
Extreme hunger will only leave you making poor food choices and eating high-sugar, high-fat, and processed foods. This can eventually cause weight gain.
Eating 3 or more times per day has been shown in studies to result in better appetite control and lower weight. It may be difficult for you to manage your appetite and make healthy food choices if you eat less than 3 times per day.
Keep your mind occupied
Some people think about food when they are bored. If you are that person, then look for any activity that you enjoy doing in the evening.
You can go for a walk, read or research articles about “how to fall asleep fast”, or call a friend. Just any activity that can keep your mind occupied and makes you forget about food.
Having enjoyable evening activities can help you stop eating late at night.
The Takeaway
Late night eating may result in excess calorie intake, which can eventually lead to obesity and poor health.
If you are struggling with late night eating, consider trying at least some of the strategies identified in this article. They may help you improve your eating patterns and control your weight.
