How to Beat Late Night Snacking

Late night snacking has been described as one of the biggest problems faced by people struggling with their weight. Most of these people take pride in eating healthy and scheduled meals all through the day but then succumb to those unavoidable late night hunger cravings. When hunger strikes, it becomes extremely difficult to go back to sleep; and once you give in to any kind of night time snacking, it soon becomes a pattern that can ultimately ruin all weight control plans. If you’ve faced these uncalled hunger pangs at night, here are some ways to beat it.
Distract yourself
Thinking about food alone can induce hunger pangs. To beat this unhealthy late night snacking habit, you will have to begin by replacing your food thoughts with other thoughts. Distract yourself by reading a book or playing some video games until you fall asleep. You could also try calling a friend or taking a warm bath, which will help you sleep better.

Delay dinner
Late night snacking happens when there is quite a long gap between dinner and sleep. Early dinner often causes you to feel hungry by the time it is bedtime. If you sleep too late you can delay dinner so that the gap between dinner and bed are not too far off. But make sure there is at least a gap of an hour or so or else your digestion will suffer.

Brush your teeth
Brushing your teeth after dinner will not only help protect your teeth but will also ward off any unwanted hunger cravings later in the night. It is the “clean mouth” feeling that will convince you to skip any snacking after brushing.

Low calorie food alternative
If you realise that the hunger pangs are not just a craving and that you are genuinely hungry, opt for some low calorie food alternatives instead of snacking on easily available comfort foods. Raw foods like carrots, pears or apples are a healthy option if you need to eat something. Also, try foods like warm milk, cherries or almonds as these are foods that will help you sleep better.

Add fibre and protein to your dinner
If you often face these late night hunger cravings, make sure you include fibre and protein rich foods in your diet as they will keep you satiated for a longer time. Wholegrains, beans, lean meat etc can help you stay full and prevent late night snacking.
www.rishihospital.com