How to reduce night snacking

Many of us who are trying to diet might face this problem of snacking at night. There are a wide variety of food available in Singapore, with many eating places opened till the wee hours of the morning. This causes many of us to indulge in having supper. However by eating the bulk of your food in the evening or at night, when your activity level is low, causes the body to store more fats. Your body also does the bulk of its maintenance, healing, and repair work while you sleep, so the quality of the food you eat close to bedtime is also important.

Research shows that our internal clock, the circadian system, prompts us to reach for sweet, starchy, and salty foods in the evenings, especially around 8:00 pm. Throughout history, this built-in need to feed may have helped our ancestors store fat to survive when food was scarce, but today, it can take a hefty toll on your health and your waistline. So, how do you fight the craving?

Firstly, change your schedule slightly. For example, instead of meeting your friends for supper, meet them for lunch or dinner instead. When you are at home, try to avoid the kitchen to prevent you from reaching out to the snacks when you are feeling peckish. In the day, have more meals but in small portions to reduce the hunger pangs. Remember to have breakfast, preferbly within the first hour of waking. If you really need a bite at night, munch on fruits instead. Setting up new routines may seem strange and awkward at first, but gradually it will become your daily routine.

Many of us will be worn out after a long day at work. Thinking about what to prepare for dinner can feel like a burden, or at the very least a chore. The easier option would be to order take out, or to prepare fuss free meal using not so healthy snacks, or munch on comfort foods. Actually, preparing a healthy nutritional meal is not that difficult and can be whipped up in a jiffy. Keep some vegetables in the fridge which you can use to prepare a bowl of salad easily in minutes!

Keeping a journal about what you ate might seem cliche but it is one of those tried and true tools that just works. One recent study found that women who kept food diaries lost about six more pounds than those who did not. It might also help to double weight loss results. Keeping a journal is effective especially if you have been overestimating your body’s needs, or underestimating how much you eat, and engaging in a lot of mindless eating. Writing it down will keep you aware and allow you to identify unhealthy eating patterns, which is the first step to changing them.

Staying up late increases the odds of overeating at night. Numerous studies conducted over the past few years have proved a connection between the lack of adequate sleep to weight gain. In today’s hectic society, one might have problems getting ample rest. It is really important to get sufficient sleep, at least 8 hours. There is a time for everything, so set an alarm to go to bed early, preferbly before 10pm.

It is very important to have the right mindset, to believe in yourself that you will be able to change that bad habit of snacking at night. Studies have shown that those who believed they have the ability to change their lives through their own actions tended to eat healthier, exercise more, smoke less, and avoid binge drinking. If your thinking is “I’ll never be able to change”, try to recall situations or incidents they managed to change or achieve which they felt doubtful about, but ultimately accomplished. 

Reminding yourself of your past successes can help you feel more confident about your ability to transform your lifestyle. You are not alone while fighting those cravings. If you need support, reach out to your friends, family members, co-workers, or even an online community to connect to can help immensely, especially during those moments when you just want to fall back into your unhealthy eating habits.