We’ve all been there. You’ve eaten well all day, maybe even got a workout in, so you decide to sit down and chill out. Suddenly you find yourself rooting around in the cupboards for a ‘treat’, even though you’re not even hungry. I have no shame in admitting this, I’ve been in this situation more than once. Its also something I hear on a regular basis from majority of my clients who struggle with overeating at night for no apparent reason. It’s so easy to ‘undo’ all our hard work in what feels like a matter of seconds. Then you wake up the next morning feeling bloated, sluggish, and a bit disappointed in yourself.
I’m more than familiar with that scenario, so I’ve tried lots of tricks over the years to help myself reduce night-time eating. One thing I do is follow intermittent fasting Monday through Friday, and I eat between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. On the weekends, though, I’m not strict about my eating window, which means I enjoy food at night. However, this leaves me vulnerable to overeating if I’m at home on a Saturday or Sunday night.
This sounds a bit silly, but it’s worked wonders for me and some clients in the past. If I know I don’t want to eat anymore at night, I just go to the bathroom and brush my teeth. It’s that simple. Having that minty fresh flavour in my mouth prevents me from reaching for snacks, and my body recognises that taste as a sign that it’s ready for bed, so this sort of curbs my want for food as well.
I’ll admit this is a hack, but it’s one that does the job, so maybe it will help you out as well! Ever since I started doing this, I’ve had a lot less incidents where I reach for food I know my body doesn’t need. However, that doesn’t mean I deprive myself of what I want to eat. If I want to have dessert or a salty snack, I portion out a sensible amount, enjoy it, and put the dishes away. Then I go brush my teeth. The point isn’t to totally restrict yourself — rather, it’s just finding smart ways to enjoy yourself without going overboard.
If you feel you are FINALLY ready to make the right changes in your health and fitness, please get in touch to book your free consultation.
To your health and fitness,
Ciarán
