Stop Late Night Snacking For Good
By Tony Bianchino, Out Run Your Fork Personal Training and Nutritionists in Westfield, NJ
These are some of my favorite, easy, simple tips to help change your life and stop late night snacking for good! Whether you get super hungry at night or just can’t avoid sitting in your favorite chair and eating chips or cookies this video will help you stop those bad habits immediately and create better ones.
Here’s What’s Going On
There are 2 general reasons why you can’t stop snacking at night:
- Lack of food during the day: Oftentimes nighttime hunger is caused by not eating enough calories during the day or the food you ate wasn’t nourishing enough.
- Habit: If you find yourself following the same routine every night and that routine includes eating, then it’s called a habit.
Lack Of Food During The Day
There are many people who eat little during the day and then turn into ravaging calorie consuming beasts at night. If you’re one of those people who skip breakfast, eat a light lunch and then comes home and eats the entire house, then you’re probably not eating enough during the day. Your body is simply looking to make up the missed calories before the day is done.
Others go late night snacking because, while they are eating enough during the day, it’s not wholesome, nutrient dense food. Our bodies are still craving nourishment: the vitamins and minerals that keep us healthy. When this happens, your body kicks into overdrive and starts looking for more nourishment. The problem is we don’t look for nourishing foods when we’re super hungry. Instead we grab at the calorie dense foods and quick sugars like ice cream, potato chips and cookies. Plenty of calories, but no good nutrition there, so we are left full, but way over on our calories and still lacking in nutrition.
Hate calorie counting? You’re in luck! THere’s a very popular, free app called MyFitnessPal that will help you track calories and nutrition. Simply input your food and MyFitnessPal will do the rest.
Bad Habits
Most of us are creatures of habit. If you find yourself sitting down on the couch to watch TV at night so you can “relax” then you’ve probably created a habit. This might be the time when you find yourself snacking. The two are inexorably tied together. Not convinced? Just think of watching your favorite nighttime TV show and try not to think about eating your favorite snack while doing so… I bet they are tied together even in your memories!
Here’s How To Stop It
If you’re not getting enough nutrition, then you need an overhaul of what you’re eating. Start by adding a cup of green vegetables or even a side salad to both lunch and dinner. You can also choose to add some kind of vegetable as a snack. Just watch out for that calorie laden salad dressing or high fat dips!
Change your nighttime routine. Sit down to read a book, sit in a different chair, drink a full glass of water when the urge too snack hits you, brush your teeth… there are many ways to break the habit.
The Final Word – Sleep It Off
Lack of sleep is a BIG hinderance to weight loss and can really screw things up. If you’re not getting enough sleep, then THIS ARTICLE ON SLEEP will help shed some light on why it’s so important and how to improve your sleep.
So, whether it’s bad habits or lack of nutrition that is causing you to smack late at night, then follow these simple tips and get on your way to living your most healthy, vibrant life yet!
About Tony and Out Run Your Fork:
As a personal trainer and nutritionist near me in Westfield, NJ, we create better health for people over 40 who are looking to lose weight, build strength, increase energy without sacrificing time or risking injury.
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