LATE-NIGHTSnack
For some it’s a handful of chips, for others it’s a few cookies, ice cream, or popcorn. At the very worst, it can be the caloric equivalent of an entire dinner or more.
No matter how committed you are to your meal plan during the daytime hours, a late-night snacking habit can result in unwanted weight gain due to a hiked-up calorie count. Since most of us are winding down from a long day, the evening is often the most vulnerable time we want to reward or entertain ourselves with mindless snacking.
Understandably, giving up late-night snacking is not as simple as pledging to stay away from the pantry. Increase your willpower and create healthier eating habits when you follow Dr. Kim’s suggested “5 D’s”.
1Delay
Set a timer! Try and wait 15-20 minutes before giving into temptations so that you don’t make any rash decisions. Typical food cravings will only last for this amount of time, so give your body a chance to let the urge pass naturally.
2 Distract
Get in a new mindset. You can’t spontaneously eat if you’re busy doing something else. If you’re feeling hungry late at night try to read a book, take a bath, listen to music, draw a picture, answer emails, or whatever else is necessary to divert your attention. You may find that after some distraction, you aren’t even hungry anymore.
3 Distance
Step away from the kitchen! Sometimes, it’s the convenience of food that makes us want it so badly. Instead of mentally torturing yourself by staring at the food you’re trying not to eat, get up and go somewhere. Whether you drive around the neighborhood or even walk to another room, increasing your distance from your desires is a sure-fire way to help get it off of your mind.
4 Determine
Is giving in worth it? Weigh the advantages and disadvantages of succumbing to your late-night cravings and decide how you would like to respond to your temptations. How will your goals be affected?
5 Decide
Make your final verdict. If all of the above skills have been utilized thoroughly and you still feel inclined to indulge, decide how much you will allow yourself to eat, where you will eat it, and how. Be mindful of how quickly you are eating, how you are portioning, and even which hand you will feed yourself with. This way, you ensure mindfulness and hopefully reduce the risk of over-indulging or binging.
Remember, practice makes perfect! Your tolerance for cravings will continue to strengthen over time if you continue to practice these valuable skills. By being strategic about what you’re doing, you will better control your weight and establish a lifetime habit of healthy eating.
Dr. Kim Feinstein, Clinical Psychologist Red Mountain Weight Loss® Behavioral Weight Loss Specialist