Losing Weight - Take Control of Late Night Snacking

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Article Title:

Losing Weight - Take Control of Late Night Snacking

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Article Description:

When it's late at night it's all too easy for that snack

to be something calorie-laden, like a big bowl of ice cream.

Unfortunately this is a decision that sets many people back.

Yet like every other behavior we've discussed, we can

control late night snacking through the formation of

healthy, specific habits. It can be as easy as 1-2-3, as

we've outlined below.

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900 Words; formatted to 65 Characters per Line

Distribution Date and Time: 2010-02-03 11:30:00

Written By: Larry Tobin

Copyright: 2010

Contact Email: mailto:larry.tobin@...

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Losing Weight - Take Control of Late Night Snacking

Copyright © 2010 Larry Tobin

Habit Changer

http://www.HabitChanger.com/

First of all let's get something straight: We have all been

there. It gets late at night, we've had a long day and we feel

those hunger pangs hit us. We don't want to make a big meal, so

we reach for that snack instead.

Of course when it's late at night it's all too easy for that

snack to be something calorie-laden, like a big bowl of ice

cream. Unfortunately this is a decision that sets many people

back. It sneaks in extra calories that undo our hard work earlier

in the day, messes with brain chemistry and can throw our sleep

schedule for a loop as we try to go to bed with full stomachs.

Yet like every other behavior we've discussed, we can control

late night snacking through the formation of healthy, specific

habits. It can be as easy as 1-2-3, as we've outlined below.

Habit One - Preemptive Snacking

The preemptive strike is an idea borrowed from the military; if

you know trouble is coming, take control by moving first instead

of waiting it out. One of the most common admissions among late

night snackers is that we know it's a habit. We go for the same

snacks night after night, in our little bedtime ritual, because

we often get hungry at the same time every evening. Instead of

just letting the problem keep coming up right when we're at our

most tired and weakest, why don't we find a way to stop it while

we're at our peak?

In other articles, we've discussed the power of controlled

snacking throughout the day to manage pangs and cravings. Late

night cravings aren't a special case, and can be managed much

the same way. Earlier in the day we can choose a healthy snack

for ourselves instead. A tasty peppers-and-avocado sandwich, a

few slices of apple, a handful of nuts; the variety of healthy

choices is endless, so find your taste and make it up in advance.

Perhaps include making the snack while you're making lunch or

breakfast, and set it aside to wait.

Once a healthy alternative is chosen and reserved specifically

for our evening enjoyment, it is important to pick the time that

we have our snack. Since going to sleep on a full belly can cause

all sorts of trouble for our sleep patterns and brain chemistry,

ideally our last meal should be three hours before bed. But be

sure not to wait too long between snack and bed because new

cravings can cause our resolve to weaken.

Shifting the habit: To ease into your new routine, start out by

having your snack about 1.5 to 2 hours before your bedtime. This

is a narrow enough window that your body can have a chance to

settle its meal and let you rest properly without disrupting your

rest cycle too much. After a day or two to get used to this

schedule, begin moving the time back by five minutes each night.

Each step gives you more time between meal and bed, and in 30-60

days you'll be regularly enjoying your nightly snack 3 hours

before bedtime without fail.

Habit Two - Closing the Kitchen

Controlling our environment is an important step in controlling

our diet. Smokers trying to quit often report that it's hardest

to do when others around them are smoking, or when they put

themselves in an environment where smoking is an option. The same

holds true for snacking; when we see the option readily

available, it gets harder to say no. So one important step once

we've had our healthy pre-bed snack is to close the kitchen for

the night.

Shifting the habit: The trick here is to use mnemonic devices and

environmental clues to help take control. Don't go to the

kitchen for your last snack absently, head there while saying,

" This is my last trip to the kitchen tonight. " Mark the time,

have your snack, and then say " closing time " aloud. Make a sign

in big letters saying 'CLOSED' and hang it on the door to the

kitchen, or over the refrigerator handle. Put up clues to remind

yourself that you've made the commitment and you are going to

stick to it!

Habit Three - Setting the Scene

Once the kitchen is officially " closed, " help redirect your

mind from snacking mode to bedtime mode. With a few subtle

changes, you can psychologically prepare yourself for rest,

relaxation and, eventually, sleep - an equation that doesn't

have room for snacking.

Shifting the habit: Floss and brush your teeth immediately after

your snack instead of waiting until you go to bed, so you have a

sense of being done for the day. Also, light a scented candle or

incense to replace the scent of food aromas that may linger and

distract you from your commitment.

Again, late night snacking is nothing to feel ashamed of. Our

bodies get hungry, and sometimes we actually do need to eat a bit

more food. The key is understanding that if we take in more

calories than we burn, we're not going to lose the weight and

maintain healthy eating habits. But it is also important to

understand that it only takes small steps and habits that we can

build with only 30 to 60 days of work to take back control of our

snacking tendencies, and make them work for us instead of against

us.

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Larry Tobin is the co-creator of

http://www.HabitChanger.com/ offering effective

and empowering solutions for losing weight.

Try our 42-day weight loss program at:

http://www.habitchanger.com/losingweight