We can all use a late night snack from time to time. However, if this happens more and more often, it’s time to think about the reasons, and most importantly, how to get rid of the habit. Everything can be fixed – we give advice on how.
- The consequences of snacking at night
- 1. Feeling of hunger
- 2. Habit
- 3. Emotional connection
- How else to reduce the craving for late-night snacking
< li>Causes of night snacking and how to get rid of them
From time to time, we all find ourselves heading to the kitchen for a late-night snack. Whether it's a pie while watching a TV series or pizza with a friend on the weekend, sometimes there's nothing wrong with it. But if this happens more and more often, it may be a habit that is worth getting rid of.
For those who are faced with this problem, we are talking about the best ways to get rid of this habit.
The consequences of snacking at night
Random dessert a or just a very late dinner will not have a significant impact on health. However, regularly eating more food than you need at night has its downsides.
- Leads to an increase in fat deposits. Our bodies require a certain amount of calories every day to maintain a healthy weight. If you consume too many calories too often, you will gain weight.
- Impacts productivity and mental health. Overeating at night can cause symptoms such as headaches, diarrhea and stomach pain the next day. And high-calorie foods at night can also make you feel guilty, depressed, or ashamed, which can affect your ability to function and succeed in all areas of your life.
- Increases your risk of chronic disease. Eating at night has been linked to a variety of health problems, including obesity and heart disease.
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Reasons for night snacking and how to get rid of them
When thinking about your late-night snacking habits, it's important to start by focusing on the reasons behind your late-night eating habits.
What drives you to eat late at night? You are hungry? Craving something sweet? Do you go to the refrigerator just out of habit? Is there a particular emotion associated with eating, such as stress or boredom?
By asking yourself these questions and identifying your “why,” you can move more easily toward changing this habit.
1. Feeling of hunger
If you find that hunger or food cravings are causing you to snack late at night, it may be helpful to think about what your eating habits look like throughout the day.
Here's what to focus on if that's the case. :
- Keep a regular diet – try to eat three times a day with one or two snacks.
- Eat enough protein – Protein helps you feel fuller longer and helps control food cravings. Aim for 30g of protein per main meal and 10-15g per snack.
- Drink enough water throughout the day – about 2 liters per day.
- Make sure you're getting enough sufficient amount of fiber. Like protein, fiber helps keep you full. Fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, peas and lentils are all great options to help you reach your fiber goals.
- Make your meals more filling, but less caloric. Choose foods that are high in water and fiber and lower in fat and sugars, such as non-starchy vegetables such as leafy greens, carrots, celery, capsicums and zucchini.
Focus on these moments will help you feel fuller longer during the day and night and cope with food cravings at night.
2. Habit
If you feel If you go to the fridge late at night just out of habit, identifying what those habits are means you can start forming new ones.
Habit formation is based on the idea that no behavior occurs in isolation and that each of our actions serves as a signal for the next behavior.
For example, we already want popcorn when we go to the movies.
< p>When it comes to creating good habits, you can take advantage of the interconnectedness of behavior. A great way to do this is to identify an existing habit and complement it with the new behavior you want to achieve. For example: “After (current habit) I will do (new habit).”
To put this into practice with late-night snacking, identify what your pre-snack habit is. For many people, this might be finishing dinner or watching their favorite show. Then replace it with a new habit.
For example, “After I finish dinner, I will brush my teeth and make herbal tea (new habit) before sitting down to watch my show.”
Forming a habit or breaking it can take an average of 20 to 60 days, so sticking to it is very important!
3. Emotional connection
If you think there may be some special emotion behind your late eating, think about what that emotion is. Then you can try to find an activity not related to food that brings you the same feeling of comfort.
For example, stress can not only be eaten. Find an alternative activity that will help you achieve the same sense of calm, such as breathing practices or meditation.
How to further reduce the craving for late-night snacking
- Avoid an all-or-nothing attitude – remember that all or something is better.
- Use trial and error – it will take some time to put these new habits into action and find what works for you, and that's okay.
- Take it one step at a time – set smaller but achievable goals . This will keep you motivated.
- Seek social support – tell family and friends about your goals so they can support you too.
- Have a backup plan – have a backup plan for everyone possible scenarios may be helpful to avoid relapse.
- Identify non-food rewards for yourself—find new ways to celebrate each victory along the way! This could be getting a massage, going to a new place, or even watching a new movie.
- Overall, remember to be kind to yourself throughout this process, as it may take some time. The very understanding that something needs to change is a big step in the right direction, which you should be proud of.
- One small mistake will not negate all your progress, what matters is what you do most of the time .