5 Tips to Stop Late-Night Snacking
You made it through your long and hectic day. You followed your plan and worked hard to stay on track! You feel successful, accomplished, and proud of yourself. Now it’s time to unwind and relax…
You flick on the TV and put your feet up, the next thing you know, you are
halfway through a pack of TimTams!
Fast forward through a few minutes of mindless snacking and suddenly
frustration kicks in because this snacking detour was not planned. You may start to feel your efforts for the day are wasted.
Never fear. I have some suggestions to help you finish your day strong!
1. Plan Your Late-Night Snack Ahead of Time
Sound too simple? Simple is the lowest hanging fruit so don’t underestimate it!
If you know you are going to want a late-night treat, plan it in advance and incorporate it into your day.
For example, if you want a higher fat treat after dinner, keep your fats lower throughout the morning and afternoon.
You’ll never be disappointed that you took an extra five minutes to plan ahead!
2. Make it an Experience
Who doesn’t love a creamy, thick protein smoothie for dessert?
Sometimes, the best part of making a healthy treat is not only having it but the experience of making it and enjoying it!
“What protein flavour do I want tonight?”
“Should I toss in some strawberries or stick to my favourite - banana and PB?”
“What toppings do I want to add? A few sprinkles? 10-15g of granola? 5g of chocolate chips?
Once you have your treat in hand, make sure to eat it slowly and savour the moment. Put down your phone and do your best to limit distractions so you can fully enjoy your special treat. When we eat while distracted it can be tough for our bodies to register being satiated!
3. Avoid Associating Relaxing with Late-Night Snacking
Think about this question for a few minutes… is your late-night snacking on autopilot?
If so, try to incorporate other relaxing things in your nightly routine that better align with your goals and are not food-related like...
Stretching instead of sitting on the couch
Going for a night walk after dinner
Reading a book
Meditating
Journaling
Establishing a new habit that replaces snacking could be the key to removing the trigger that is causing you to reach for food. This new habit could be the answer to help you stop late-night snacking for good.
4. Say Goodbye to Tempting Food - but just once
If you have food in the house you have trouble saying no to, don’t buy that food anymore! It really is that simple.
The truth is, you only have so much willpower.
Think about these foods as “not right now” foods instead of “never” foods!
Depending on where you are in your journey (are you cutting weight, gaining weight, or maintaining?), what your goals are (fat loss or muscle gain?) and what life is throwing your way (are you on your cycle or feeling particularly stressed?) you may be able to reintroduce some of those foods in the future.
...But, when you’re trying to create a healthy habit like stopping late-night snacking, keeping the healthy choice not the easy choice is key to your success.
Having to say “no” every time you open your pantry is going to be hard - more like torture!
It will be a lot easier to say “no” at the store one time, than saying it one hundred times at home.
Set up an environment that facilitates the choices you want to make!
5. Think About The Future You
When you notice a craving or that urge to snack at night, pause for a moment and take a few deep breaths. Ask yourself…
“Am I actually hungry? Or is this just a habit - built up over time?”
Visualize what you will feel like when you get into bed tonight and when you get up in the morning if you resist the temptation to snack vs. if you give in.
Ask yourself, “How do I want to FEEL when I get out of bed tomorrow?”
What decision will you feel proud of?
Sometimes a small pause and considering how you want to feel can help
re-frame your thinking and mindset. Turn nutrition into something you GET to do vs. something you HAVE to do.
We all give in to late-night snack temptations every now and then. Moving on from this and doing your best to not feel bad or guilty is an important and necessary part of a successful nutrition journey and lifestyle.
If you feel as though you may need help creating a supportive environment or are lacking accountability, it may be time to consider a coach. We highly recommend In-situ Collective coaches ;)
