It’s the middle of the night and you just scarfed down half a pizza and a coke. You may feel a little shameful afterward but don’t worry, yo...
It’s the middle of the night and you just scarfed down half a pizza and a coke. You may feel a little shameful afterward but don’t worry, you’re not the only late night binger. Research shows that a large number of people hit their refrigerators for late night snacks, many of which will throw even the best weight loss plans off.
Fortunately, there are some strategies that can help keep these late-night cravings at bay. Try some of the tips below that were shared with us by one of the top medical weight loss centers in the country.
Get on a regular routine that starts off right. Eat breakfast within an hour of waking up—preferably a half hour, if possible, to jump start your metabolism. Then make sure you eat something within every five hours. This will help regulate both your metabolic rate and your blood sugar levels, which helps prevent overeating at night and makes it easier to stay on track with your weight loss plans. Eat dinner later. If you find yourself snacking into the later hours, try pushing dinner back an hour or a half hour. This leaves less time to snack before going to bed.
Pack some fiber into dinner. Strive to have both soluble fiber, which stabilized blood sugar, and insoluble fiber, which makes you feel fuller longer and helps you resist and urge to snack.
Avoid temptation. Even those of us with the best willpower and determination may not be able to resist those baked goods, potato chips and other empty calories. Make it easy on yourself and keep tempting, fat and sugar-laden treats out of the house.
Pre-Plan Your Snacks. Research by medical weight loss centers shows that individuals tend to crave the snacks they plan for. So plan to eat some apple with almond butter for a snack, and chances are that you’ll crave it.
image: bioendurance.com
