‘Starving’ after dinner??!

Night eating, or after dinner eating (when we’re not at all ‘hungry’) seems to be a very common problem. I admit that I would eat the entire pantry after tea if the consequences weren’t so dire! I know I’m not actually hungry, I have a gut full of food, but the temptation to keep eating anyway is almost always there.

Generally, we’ve eaten our fair share of calories during the day, so for most of us there’s no need to continue eating. And unfortunately for some, night eating has become such an ingrained habit that it can be very hard to break.

Thankfully, there are a few strategies and thoughts that can help you avoid the after-dinner massacre.

If you’re eating mindlessly at night, it may be because you’ve not eaten enough total calories during the day, or, not nourishing your body properly which has you searching for extra calories at night. So the best way to turn this around is to track your eating habits during the day to make sure you’re not lacking in calories or nutrients. Always make sure you’re eating sufficient protein, especially at dinner, which helps you keep you feeling full and less likely to go searching for extra food.

Make sure you’re drinking enough water throughout the day – often we think we’re hungry, but our bodies are dehydrated and just crying out for water. Aim for 2-3 litres daily.

Another reason could be that you’re feeling tired at that time of night. And I know for me, when I’m getting tired I don’t eat as mindfully as when I’m on the ball. So, best way around this is to make sure you’re getting enough sleep every night – aim for 7-9 hours.

Social pressure can be another factor – you may have very good intentions to stop after dinner, but if you’re with family members or friends who like to continue to eat, it’s often easy to join them. There’s also the pressure to eat dessert (whether you’re full or not) if someone has taken the time to make it for you. I understand the pressure to be polite, but remember, if they are special people in your life they will understand that you’re trying to eat well and improve your eating habits. Don’t just go with the flow and keep eating because everyone else is – let them get fat – you be strong!

You may feel you deserve an emotional reward after dinner. Say you’ve had a rough day, and you feel like you’ve earned yourself some ice-cream or chocolate. Remember this is a very short-term strategy to improve your mood, and you need to establish alternative emotional rewards. Often over-eating can result in you feeling worse than before you began, both emotionally and physically. Establishing non-food rewards is a really important aspect of successfully losing or managing your weight. So, think about what you could do after tea to reduce the want to eat. Knitting maybe??!

My top tip for you is to brush your teeth straight after you’ve eaten dinner. There’s something about having clean teeth that makes it easier to declare the kitchen closed! Oh and my last tip is to be a forward-thinker. So, think ahead to how you’re going to feel following an after-dinner binge, or even the next morning (you know, that pig-out hangover?)!! Knowing I’m going to wake up the next day wishing I’d been stronger the night before, that’s a powerful deterrent for me.

And let’s not forget – you’ve just eaten dinner – YOU’RE NOT HUNGRY!!!! I know his doesn’t always remove the want to eat, but there’s certainly no need to eat.

If you’re a night-eater, you’re not alone, but make a deal with yourself to try and break the habit.

Again – you’re not hungry!!

Have a great sunny day!

Paula