Things that go bump in the night

It’s not just boogie monsters that rear their ugly heads when the lights go off. Eating at night is a surprisingly high occurrence, particularly in those on restrictive diets. Common sense suggests that eating late at night is not a good idea if you want to lose or maintain weight. In this post, the Good Life Dietitians give advice on how to control eating at night.

Eat enough throughout the day

One of the biggest causes of night time eating is starving oneself during the day. It is understandable that those who don’t eat enough during the day become ravenous and overeat at night, so put the brakes on night-time eating by ensuring you eat enough in the day time. Small and frequent meals eaten between main meals will keep your energy levels stable and prevent overeating, whilst revving up your metabolism to prevent weight gain.


Dinner

Just to clarify, by night time eating we mean eating after your dinner meal. Snacking at night makes it very easy to overeat, and a wholesome and nutritious dinner meal may just prevent you from snacking in the first place. One part of night-time eating is actual hunger. If your dinner leaves you feeling hungry, you may want to reconsider your evening meal. Choose low GI foods that keep blood sugar levels stable and therefore prevent the sugar spikes and dips that leave you feeling hungry. Fill half of your plate with low-calorie vegetables like carrots, broccoli, cauliflower or a colorful green salad, one quarter with a lean protein like chicken breast, grilled fish or plant protein (beans, peas and lentils), and the rest with a low GI carbohydrate like whole-grain pasta, wild rice or couscous.


Keep to a regular schedule

As far as possible try to eat at similar times each day, and continue doing so over weekends and holidays, too. The longer the gap between lunch and dinner, for example, the more likely you are to overeat. Eat a more substantial snack in the early afternoon. You’re more likely to have cravings if you don’t eat regularly. If a craving hits, drink a glass of water and wait 15 minutes or so. If you’re still hungry reach for a sweet yet low calorie food to kill the craving, like fresh fruit or a baked apple with cinnamon.


Identify your trigger and occupy yourself nightly

Sometimes night-time eating is less about eating at night and more about a specific trigger and habit that you have unknowingly formed at night. Food can be used as a distraction, as entertainment or to relax, and so eating may become associated with a certain behavior. For example, climbing into bed with a good book comes with a cuppa hot chocolate and some choc chip biscuits. Knowing that reading in bed is a trigger, squash the habit by changing scenery and read on the couch instead.


However you may need to cut out that particular habit entirely in some cases. In order to prevent overeating keep yourself busy in the evenings as an alternative to lazing on the couch and mindlessly eating away at a packet of Nik Naks. While moonlighting as a super hero may not be for all, here are some ideas to keep you occupied in the evenings:

• Evening aerobics or yoga classes at the gym.

• Grab your best girls for Nu Metro’s monthly Girls’ Night Out.

• Pick up a new hobby such as painting, scrapbooking or sewing.

• Make a list of books you’ve always wanted to read and catch up on your reading at night.



Brush your teeth after eating

Start a routine of brushing your teeth after dinner. You’ll be less inclined to eat with a freshly cleaned mouth. Teach yourself to think that the kitchen, like a restaurant, is closed after a certain time.