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Hold the chocolate and chips: 1 tip for curbing nighttime eating

young woman eating popcorn watching a video on her laptop nighttime / curbing nighttime eating
People tend to eat junk food at night, especially things salty or sweet.

You’ve had a long day and now it’s time to sit down and relax. Chips or a chocolate bar can become an easy add-on.

Treats like these may seem like a good idea at the time, but making a habit out of nighttime eating can hurt your nutritional needs for the day. For many reasons, we crave late night snacks more than during the day.

You can avoid late night crunches and munches one simple way – by applying some structure.

Why may you likely eat more at night?

Samantha Bulgrin, a Marshfield Clinic Health System registered dietitian, says one reason is because nighttime is less structured.

“People typically wake up and eat the same breakfast, go to work, have a scheduled lunch time and come home and eat dinner with their family,” Bulgrin said. “By the time night-time rolls around, that structure has disappeared and it takes some effort to remain truly conscious of what you’re eating.”

People tend to eat junk food at night, especially things that are salty or sweet. Bulgrin says it’s common for people to eat for reasons other than hunger.

Emotional eating is prevalent,” she said. “We eat because we’re bored, we’re happy, we’re sad, we’re tired. It’s important to recognize what we are feeling, and to try to avoid eating when we’re not actually hungry.”

How can you curb the craving to snack?

Bulgrin says the best way to curb nighttime eating is by following a well-balanced diet during the day.

“You want to incorporate all of the food groups,” she said. “Especially protein and fiber because if you are lacking that early on in the day and not meeting your energy needs, that’s when you look for quick and easy food at night.”

There is an ongoing debate about whether there’s a certain time you should stop eating at night. Bulgrin says there is no set time, but if you eat later, your body has less time to burn and utilize calories.

“What works for people is usually schedule-based,” Bulgrin said. “Some people may set a goal where they do not eat past 8 p.m. If they work a different shift, they might not eat past 10 or 11 p.m. There is no magic rule for everyone.”

Also, keep in mind that it’s more difficult to digest a large volume of food if you lay down right after eating. This may cause some physical symptoms. Make sure to stay sitting upright so digestion has time to happen as it should.

If you have questions about what time you should eat or about other nutrition needs, ask your primary care provider to refer you to a dietitian.

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7 responses to “Hold the chocolate and chips: 1 tip for curbing nighttime eating”

  1. darleen jarocki

    I noticed the ad on the pkg dressings. I make our own. for several years now, I have used my blender, and made our dressings, for pasta salads, bean salads,potato salads,french dressing, and blue cheese dressings. That way I can use the sugar free, and olive oils, . I use a lot of canola oil for most of the recipes. Some are also salt free., so that helps to.

    1. Kirsten Shakal, Shine365 Editor

      Thank you for sharing, Darleen. You may find these Shine365 posts interesting. One is a "Tangy Dressing Recipe." The other, a marinade.

      https://shine365.marshfieldclinic.org/cancer-care/low-sodium/
      https://shine365.marshfieldclinic.org/wellness/grilling-with-fresh-marinade-recipe/

      -Kirstie

  2. darleen jarocki

    my biggest weakness, is when the candy is setting out!,its much to easy to grab one or two, and ingest at the wrong time of the evening. Is there a right time to eat chocalates! I need to keep them out of reach, and actually, Not have them so available!

  3. Marilynn Kranig

    easy way to curb nite eating, just do not have the things you crave in the house. you will settle for a piece of fruit or some raw veggies

    1. Ginna Glass

      Not me, I will eat everything in sight and still not be satisfied because I didn't get the sweet I wanted. I would be better off just eating the sweet in the first place so not having them in the house is bad for me. Peanut butter and jelly toast helps if I don't have chocolates or candy in the house.

  4. DB

    I eat more when my pain is worse, day or night.

  5. Ginna

    I eat because I adore food and most snacks. I'm retired and am finding that I have gotten lazy. I don't know how many years I have left so is it so bad to eat treats when tomorrow I may be gone? Just kidding, I do try to limit my snacks. An apple and about an ounce of cheese every evening when I read.

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