Tips for Curbing Late-Night Snacking

Whether it’s due to stress, boredom, or tiredness, snacking after dinner and before bedtime can lead to consuming more calories than necessary. Use these tips to limit nightly snacking and pick more nutritious options if you do need a snack.

End Mealtime Madness

Planning and grocery shopping for nutritious meals and snacks for the week can help you avoid grabbing quick, unsatisfying foods. Eating a variety of balanced meals and snacks throughout the day can provide you with steady energy and limit nighttime hunger.

Increase Protein and Fiber

Both protein and fiber can help keep you feeling fuller longer. Many people get too much of their protein at dinner time due to large portions.  Instead, try to spread out your protein among meals and snacks while decreasing dinner portions.  Foods high in protein make good snacks and parts of meals, these include: tuna, black beans, and nut butter.  Other foods are high in fiber, such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and seeds, and can easily fit into your diet.

Get Sleep

Try to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Lack of sleep has been shown to disrupt glucose metabolism and hormones that control hunger and appetite. Also, lacking sleep can make it harder to distinguish between true hunger and tiredness. 

Avoid Eating in Front of a Screen    

Watching TV, surfing the Internet, or playing video games while eating can distract you from noticing when you are starting to feel full and should stop eating. It can also cause you to feel less satisfied by your meal.

If you’re still hungry...

If you are still hungry after eating a balanced dinner and you are not just sad, bored, or hungry, try having a light snack and sticking with sources of protein and/or fiber. Some good options may be yogurt, nuts, or veggies with hummus. If you are really craving dessert, make sure to keep your portions small and eat slowly to savor the flavor.

For the full article, go to: http://www.eatright.org/resource/health/weight-loss/tips-for-weight-loss/5-tips-to-curb-your-late-night-snacking .