Do you struggle with late night munching? Right now it’s 2:44 AM (I know, I should be sleeping, but I’m getting so much work done I just don’t want to stop) – definitely late night and I just got the urge to eat.
I know a lot of people who have a habit of snacking late at night, and it’s not really helpful for staying in shape (unless you’re really trying to bulk up and eat as much as you can).
So what do I do about it? Here are 4 simple ways I stop myself from indulging late at night:
- Wait – Wait 15 minutes or so and see if the feeling passes. I’ve found that often when I just procrastinate eating (procrastination can be good sometimes!) the feeling passes and I don’t have to worry about it.
- Drink Water – Sometimes just drinking water will cause the feeling to go away, especially if you don’t normally drink enough water.
- Get Busy – Ever noticed that when you’re totally focused on something you don’t get hungry? If you’re getting hungry, occupy yourself with work, playing a game, cleaning or anything really to keep your mind occupied. Pretty soon the feeling should pass.
- Brush Teeth – I don’t know about you, but I HATE eating right after I brush my teeth. It’s the last thing I want to do at that time. Not only because it makes the food taste bad, but because I just cleaned my teeth and I’d really rather not have to go clean them again.
Using these strategies I can pretty much always stop myself from eating late at night without driving myself crazy.
If you’re still hungry after trying the 4 tips above, eat some fruit or vegetables. Don’t binge on sugar or junk food. Keep it healthy and you should be fine.
Shawn Horwood
P.S. Got any tips for stopping late night cravings? Feel free to share them in the comments below!
Omg, this is perfect for me. Everyone tells me not to eat past 9pm but I can never help it! Sometimes I will just try to go to bed early to avoid the craving haha. My other idea was to not have junk food around the house period, then if I fall victim to the cravings I’m forced to eat something healthy!
I agree whole heartedly that eating late at night is NOT good for your metabolism or a healthy lifestyle. I also had to beat the cravings when I was getting into shape after college, I was doing the whole partying thing and late night Taco Bell runs, so it can be a challenge if your stuck in a habit.