Gain control over night time snacking
Imagine it’s 8 p.m., and you find yourself in the kitchen looking for something salty or sweet. You grab a handful of chips or M&Ms and eat them on your way back to the couch, where you plop down and finish the rest of your snack. But you’re not feeling satisfied, and you go back for more. This may continue a few more times. Maybe you even tell yourself to stop or that you don’t need more, but this doesn’t seem to help then OR the next time.
Sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone!
“How do I stop snacking at night?” is a common question I’m asked, and today, I’m providing some answers so you can feel more in control of your eating behaviors at night.
Some common reasons why people snack at night are:
They’re not eating enough throughout the day
They are eating or drinking in relation to emotions and/or stress
They’re not hydrated
They have the munchies
Ways to gain control and avoid mindless snacking:
Eat more meals throughout the day. Ideally, these meals will be nutrient-dense and include protein, complex carbohydrates, and fats. If someone is underfed throughout the day, hunger will rule them at night, and willpower and what they know won’t necessarily matter- they’ll eat whatever is easiest as fast as possible and keep going (mindlessly) until they finally recognize that now they're overly full and don’t feel good. If this resonates, aim to eat a balanced meal every 3-5 hours throughout your day. (Check out the Balanced Meal Making Guide to help you with this!)
Address your hunger. Is it hunger or appetite? If unsure, ask yourself if you would eat protein or vegetables. If the answer is yes, then it's likely true hunger. Make yourself a nutrient-dense meal that prioritizes protein and fiber so you can feel satiated. If it’s appetite, ask yourself what else you may need (this may go into the following).
Address emotions and stress. Many people lean into food or drink for comfort, distraction, a dopamine hit, and/or because they believe it helps them relax. The thing is, the food and the drink create something that feels good temporarily but doesn’t feel good later. If you think this may be part of the reason you snack or drink at night, start to tune into your mood when this usually happens. Identifying what emotions you’re feeling or what patterns have been happening allows you to make changes. Identify truly supportive habits that can help you now AND help the future you feel good- things like taking 5 deep breaths, going for a walk, journaling, getting a hug, talking to your partner/friend/family member, drinking water, or even making a meal or getting a snack while eating it slowly and mindfully.
HYDRATE. Sometimes, people are not hungry; they’re actually thirsty. Start paying attention to how much water you’re drinking throughout your day. Audit yourself with your water intake along with your food intake. If you’re unsure, drink a glass of water or decaf tea first, and then you can reassess. If you’re still hungry, make something nutrient-dense, including protein and/or fiber.
Pre-plan and be intentional. Maybe you're someone who likes to enjoy something tasty at night as part of winding down, or perhaps you use cannabis (hopefully with CBD so it truly supports sleep and doesn’t disrupt it) to help you wind down and aid sleep… if you do either of these things, that’s OK! No judgment at all. Let’s plan for them. Pre-plan what you want and build it into your day. I encourage this to be something that you sit down and enjoy mindfully, which helps align with your overall goals and how you want to feel later.
Feel like it's time to take control of your late-night snacking habits and reclaim your evenings? By addressing the root causes of your cravings and implementing these practical strategies, you can break free from the mindless snacking that is causing you to feel like crap. Remember, change takes practice and time. Small changes can lead to significant results over time- what small step will you take today to support this change?
Subscribe to the WIS Weekly Newsletter to get cool shit like this sent directly to your inbox