Here’s a question that pops up time and time again from people getting in touch with me – “how can I resist a snack attack in the evenings?” So with that in mind here are some simple little tips to avoid late night snacking.
1: Set a time frame in place.
Tell yourself going forward there’s no eating after a certain time (eg. 8pm). The only way this can be deviated from is if you are having a late dinner. Never ever skip dinner! But let dinner be your last meal. Fill up on proteins and veg. Feel satisfied with clean food.
2: Choose a clean snack
If you really are feeling hungry – as opposed to feeling bored or doing it out of habit – choose options that won’t undo your clean eating day. I like to have a couple of tablespoons of Greek Yoghurt with a little Whey Protein and some chopped nuts mixed in for flavour as a “dessert” (it tastes as good as Angel Delight!!). You could try some scrambled egg whites or cottage cheese too. Or some vegetable sticks with humus. Don’t go reaching for the cereal box. Cereal is often full of sugars (check the sugar content in the nutritional information) and not a good choice for a late night snack.
3: Don’t keep temptation in the house
One of the simplest things you can do – is don’t keep temptations in the house. If there is chocolate in the fridge – you will eat it! It’s far too difficult to resist dipping into goodies if they are easy to hand.
4: Keep your food diary beside you
By having your food log sitting there with you, you will probably be less likely to take trips to the fridge. Writing down what you eat each day makes it real and you’ll probably opt for the cup of tea and leave the handful of biscuits where they are.
5: Distract yourself
Watching TV in the evenings can be the main cause of a snack attack. Distract yourself in other ways. Take a walk with the dog, read a book or run a bath. If you do choose to watch TV there are ways you can “break the habit” by keeping yourself busy whilst doing so. Get to work on the foam roller to roll out any knots from your days workout, paint your nails, do some ironing! You may laugh but it works!
6: Brush your teeth
Once dinner is well and truly done, brush your teeth! It sounds simple but how often have you passed on something because you’ve just brushed your teeth and it would taste funny. I know I have! Make brushing a habit after your evening meal.
7: Make a homemade sweet treat
This is my saving grace! I have gotten into the habit of making a clean sweet treat – usually one of the Boutique Bake goodies or my own Clean Brownies but a little piece with a cuppa after my dinner is the best way to have a little something sweet. Yes I am one of those people who needs a little “dessert” after dinner and this hits the spot.
If you are hungry you need to eat. Simple as. But more often than not it is merely habit that keeps us picking at foods in the evenings. We are far too used to sitting in front of the telly with a snack. The main thing we have to establish is to know the difference between hunger and habit. If snacking is your major downfall, then putting some of these tips into action might just be the very thing you need to break the cycle. Give them a go!
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