Have you been told that nighttime eating is out of the
question or that every calorie consumed after a certain hour mysteriously turns
to fat? Our metabolism does slow down at night — but not completely.
There is nothing wrong with eating after dinner if you’re
actually hungry. The question you need to ask yourself is— Am I certainly
hungry?
Late-night cravings are common in people who don’t eat
enough during the day. If you are
someone who restricts during the day and saves most of your calories for the
evening meal, then you will have a difficult time not eating after dinner. If
you make sure your breakfast and lunch are rich in protein and fiber and low in
sugar, and you may not want late-night snacks.
Consider the following tactics when your tummy is
dissatisfied:
Examine Your Hunger
Does your stomach really need
something, or is your appetite all in your head? Often the transgressor is an emotional
trigger, boredom, or pattern. Ask yourself these questions to determine your
trigger:
·
What kind of mood was I in?
·
Was I bored?
·
Was I stressed?
·
Was I sad about something?
Diversion often helps. Create a list
of tasks that don’t involve food — organizing your desk, emailing a friend, doing a load of laundry. When a
craving attacks, do something from the list.
Reflect on Your Cravings
Before you grab a snack, take a few
moments to center yourself. If you focus your attention on each area of your body,
observing and accepting feelings and sensations, it should keep your cravings
from escalating. Meditation can reduce binge eating.
Drink Some Tea
Tension often triggers late-night
snacking. Instead, pour a cup of decaf herbal tea. It’s soothing and it fills
your stomach. Pick a flavor you enjoy that you’ll look forward to drinking.
Some may even help you sleep.
Eat Dessert
If you tend to desire dessert at
night, finish your dinner with a low-calorie sweet treat. This will help deter
you from indulging later on a search for sweetness. Try eating a handful of frozen grapes or strawberries.
Eat More Protein
Sometimes you really are justifiably
hungry in the P.M. because you didn’t eat enough earlier in the day or you
trained hard enough for your muscles to need more fuel for recovery. A
high-calorie nighttime meal isn’t the answer, but a prescribed amount of
protein is. Just keep the snack below 150 calories.
By using these tactics, I have been able to cure my late-night cravings. I hope the same for YOU!
~ J. Lynn
