Let’s face it—life can be hectic for women.
If you are juggling a family, career, and other obligations, taking care of yourself may be on the bottom of your list. Quite often, the only time you have to sit and unwind is late in the evening. After you have corralled all the kids to bed and you have folded the last piece of laundry, the munchies hit.
Does this sound familiar?
The Late Night Dilemma
Health experts tell us that late night eating is not the best for us. This is usually the time that we are zonked from the day and do not make the best food choices. Why cut up carrot sticks when you can just pull out a pint of gourmet ice-cream—right?
Evenings are also prime time for certain cravings such as sugar and carbohydrates. The first thing we grab is our comfort foods.
Unfortunately, most people do not exercise at night. So, the high-calorie foods you consume in front of late-night television will not get a chance to burn off with exercise. They get stored in fat cells and you see an increase on the scales. Your weight depresses you, so you turn to what may comfort you the most: food. It is a crushing cycle that threatens your health and happiness.
How can you regain your life without starving?
A lot of women get hungry late at night. Whether it is from hormone fluctuations, stress, or sheer boredom, we often head to the refrigerator for a late-night snack. While this is not the optimal eating time, you just need to know what to eat at night to lose weight. You do not have to feel like you are sabotaging your diet.
Journaling
Keeping a food journal is quite helpful in determining your peak craving times during the day. You can crave food without even being hungry.
Also, try to jot down your moods at the time.
You will probably notice a pattern in your eating habits. If you work outside of the home and care for your family in the evenings, it is common to crave snacks at night. The key is eating the right kind of food.
Prepare to Win
Preparation is the key to your success. Planning your meals and evening snacks in advance keeps you on track when you get cravings. Make a list of some healthy snacks to eat at night that you would enjoy.
When you go to the grocery store, stock up on these items. Steer clear of the processed, high-calorie junk food. If it is not in the house, you cannot eat it.
These are some healthy and delicious alternatives:
- Baby carrots/celery sticks with a ¼ cup hummus or mild salsa. It will give you the crunchy kick you crave instead of fat-laden chips.
- Low-fat snack packs like Bhuja Snacks. They have the perfect blend of nuts, dried fruits, and spices for a yummy evening snack. You can also choose scrumptious chips from their line of nutritious snacks.
- Fresh berries mixed with a half a cup of low-fat yogurt. You may even consider buying frozen low-fat yogurt as a better alternative to your ice-cream cravings.
- 2 cups of air-popped popcorn. When you are watching one of your favorite shows on television, it is great to enjoy it with popcorn. You can have 2 cups for 100 calories. Be creative with spices to jazz up your popcorn so you will not miss the extra salt and butter.
If you know how to snack right, you can still lose weight and eat in the evenings. Don’t kick yourself because you ate past 7pm. We all have different schedules and have to plan our meals accordingly. Enjoy healthy snacks, get some exercise, and watch the pounds go.