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Nighttime Munchies
The Solutions: 1. Avoid TV
Don't watch television. Simple cues make me voraciously hungry. Just last night, driving past a pizza delivery car made me yearn for pizza. I had to work hard not to order one the minute I got home. Don't let food commercials talk you into eating junk! 2. Fill up during the day
Have filling foods for your meals. Make sure that you're eating at least six small meals a day that contain one carb, one protein and one vegetable or fruit.
I think the munchies are your body's way of telling you that you aren't getting enough fat -- or perhaps protein -- during the day. What I suggest is having a cup of yogurt, or maybe reduced-fat cottage cheese. If that doesn't hit the spot, then eat more often during the day (but reduce your meal size) so you won't be as hungry later.
Eat high-protein foods during the day and never let yourself feel hungry. Always keep high-protein/low-carb snack bars at your desk. You'll actually burn more calories because it gives your body an internal workout breaking down the high-protein fuel. 3. Hydrate
Grab something to drink at night -- like water or tea -- instead of a snack.
Drink water when you want to snack at night. Your body may be telling you that it's dehydrated. I keep a glass of cold water with me in the evening -- it's filling and helps wash your body out. When I finish one glass of water, I move on to the next.
Always have a bottle of water with you for whenever you feel the urge to put something in your mouth. Water makes you feel full, which will in turn stop you from running to the fridge for that late-night snack!
Once you've finished dinner, brush and floss your teeth very thoroughly. Then pour yourself a glass of water to sip while you watch TV, etc. Keep filling the glass -- you won't be as tempted to eat. If it's a cold evening, a pot of herbal (or decaf) tea works well.
Set a time after which you won't snack. At that time each night, floss and brush your teeth. 5. Healthy snack suggestions
Try low-fat snacks such as air-popped popcorn or rice cakes. You can also have a stick of gum. It worked for me!
One low-cal nighttime snack I enjoy is fat-free chocolate pudding topped with fat-free Cool Whip. It's yummy!
I think Popsicles or frozen fruit bars can be great treats. I buy the ones with around 60 calories and no fat. I eat them slowly to savor my treat, and brush my teeth as soon as I'm done.
Try cutting up different fruits and munching on them rather than ice cream and M&Ms. It's hard, but it's worth it.
If you feel like you want to snack at night, try going for a grapefruit. It'll satisfy your hunger and keep you healthy.
Eat fruit instead of high-fat and high-carb snacks like chips. 6. Think about it
A cup of hot tea or caffeine-free cocoa helps, but the urge for "sweets" is more than I can bear sometimes. When those times get too tough, I think of how the calories will look on me later. That really works!
I'd try having a piece of fruit or a glass of milk to settle your stomach and help stop your cravings. Every time you start to feel like having something fatty, just think of how you'll look in a few months if you eat fruit instead of unhealthy foods!
I always ask myself: How badly do I want this food, on a scale of one to ten? Usually just thinking about it, I realize that I'm looking to food for energy when what my body really needs is sleep. I also plan in advance what I can snack on at night and have it available.
Don't let yourself get bored at night. The day isn't over at 5pm. Stay busy. Remind yourself that your day really begins after you get off work. That's time to spend in a bath, at the gym, walking your dog, writing in a journal, surfing the Net, playing with your kids or reading a good book. Don't just sit on the couch and look for something in the pantry.
My trick is to pick a chore that needs to be done on my way home from work. Once I've finished dinner and my daughter is ready for bed, I concentrate on the chore. If I find that I'm hungry, I have a glass of water, or a glass of milk for a more filling effect. If I finish fast, I pop in a quick workout or yoga tape and then it's time for bed.
I find that I snack in the evening when I'm not doing something with my hands. Now I work on puzzles, cross-stitch or work on some other craft while I'm watching TV. Or I clean the house. If I do snack, I try to make it fruit. I'm usually craving a crunchy snack, so an apple satisfies that craving and is healthy.
I know this sounds crazy, but paint your nails! It keeps your hands busy and you can't eat with wet nails, right?
If you're craving food early in the evening, take a walk, work in your garden or indulge in some other pleasurable activity that will take your mind off food. Perhaps tea with a friend, writing a long overdue letter or email, or simply reading an interesting book would divert your attention from those annoying cravings. I find that saving a little housework or paperwork for the evening keeps my mind and my hands busy and away from food. 8. Get your ZZZs
If you don't want to snack at night, then you must go to bed early. Keep busy with housework and chores and the next thing you know it's time for bed. You won't think about food while you're asleep!
Sometimes when I want to munch like crazy, I just go to bed a little early. 9. Think ahead
Prepare your nighttime snacks ahead of time. I work late hours and am too tired to prepare healthy foods when I get home at night. I find I snack badly if there's nothing ready to eat.
I chew gum instead of eating. I pick a few yummy flavors and whenever I feel like having something to eat, I pop a piece into my mouth. 11. Don't tempt yourself
Move away from the food source(s) in your home (and eat only in the kitchen or dining room). Set up your books, hobbies, pot of hot tea or bottle of water far away from the food and get interested in other diversions. Go for a walk and remind yourself that 15 minutes of waiting can stop many food cravings.
I moved my computer upstairs and put a TV and VCR in the room as well. Now I have to choose to go downstairs to get a snack and come back up. This seems to have cut down on my snacking.
I try to never buy anything that I'm going to be unable to resist later. If you only have good stuff like fruit, then that's all you'll be able to eat. And believe me -- you'll be smiling about it come morning!
To calm those nighttime cravings, I suggest shutting down the kitchen after dinner. Clean up and stay as far away as possible. Be sure to wrap up the leftovers so they're less tempting. Share your dieting ideas on the Diet & Fitness message boards.
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