One of the biggest battles I’ve had over the years has been fighting my pesky midnight cravings. I try to be somewhat careful all day, but just when I am only an hour away from going to bed, my brain gets hijacked by these crazy cravings to the point of controlling my legs and moving me to the fridge. Before I know it, my hands are full of treats!
Over the years, I have learned a few simple things to minimize my cravings. I’ve read some ideas out there like doing jumping jacks if you get bored or while watching TV but I really don’t these are realistic at all. Imagine you are spending time with your wife or husband and telling them you have to do push-ups for a few minutes! (Yeah, right.) These tips are more down to earth and easier to follow.
1) Try not to skip meals. Cravings + hunger = big midnight snacks.
2) Stop and think why you need to eat. Most of the time, it is not due to hunger, but boredom or because your feel the need to reward yourself. After a stressful day of work, kids, etc., your brain is ready to relax and decompress, and one way it likes to do this is by treating yourself to sweets, chips, or other things you love eating, so the best thing to do is stay busy. Do something fun, like playing board games or reading a book. Even video games will do the trick, and if you still have some cravings left, drink water to fill yourself up.
3) If you can go for a walk or go out, do it! Try yoga, spinning classes, or hitting the gym two or three times a week. Try to keep it on the healthy side. Maybe going out with your buddies at a bar is not exactly the type of distraction that will prevent overeating at night. Personally,
I run if I have the time. Even if is only for 15 minutes, it always gets me back on track and focused, and the craving usually go away after a while.
4) Move your dinner to a later time. Something as simple as eating later helps. Always have healthy snacks on hand in case you can’t control the cravings, like pickles or a turkey sandwich and don’t forget to drink water.
5) After dinner, brush your teeth and use your mouthwash. This tells your brain that the time to eat is over.
I know fighting your cravings is sometimes a lifetime battle. Make little changes everyday and take baby steps towards a healthier lifestyle, never start anything “cold turkey”. You will loose a few battles but if you keep it up, you will win the war (how about that, for being dramatic!).
What do you do to keep yourself away from the fridge and snacks at night?
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