From Kelleigh Whaley, MS, RDN/LD, OU Health Services
Clients often ask me, “What time should I stop eating each day?” It’s important to remember it’s not the time of day we eat that negatively affects our weight and health. In fact, in many cultures it’s not customary to even sit down to dinner until 8 or 9 p.m. Our weight is a combination of the overall calories we consume and burn on average throughout the day and week, regardless of what time they are consumed or burned. Most often, the issue with night snacking is the mindless and overconsumption of empty calories.
We all know the scenario too well: when we finally get to relax at the end of the day with our book or favorite show, we often crave a snack, especially for those things that are sweet or salty, and take little to no preparation, like the bag of chips or pint of ice cream. When we consume calories straight from the package while doing something else, it is very easy to eat more than intended. If reducing your overall calorie intake is your goal, and overeating at night is turning into your routine, it’s important to have an action plan and healthy alternatives in place to give yourself the best chance for a long-lasting behavior change.
First, try doing something else for 30 minutes. Clean a room in your house, take a shower or go for a walk around the block. Often when we think we are hungry, we are really bored, and a short activity is enough to curb the craving. Choose something that will engage your mind and your hands! Perhaps you can take up a new hobby, like knitting or learning to play the guitar. If you are still hungry after your activity, listen to your body. You may, in fact, need more calories for energy!
Second, make nutritious snacks just as convenient as packaged, empty-calorie snacks. Wash and chop fruits or veggies (make a fun yogurt dip to keep it interesting), keep air-popped or low- fat/low-salt popcorn in the pantry instead of chips, or freeze grapes or banana slices to replace popsicles or ice cream. Instead of having a bowl of sugar-laden cereal, switch to a small mug of whole grain cereal with bananas or berries. Try to keep your snack under 250 calories, which should be just enough to help you not go to bed hungry, but not so much that it interferes with sleep or digestion.
Another idea is to chew a piece of gum or brush your teeth. This can help curb the urge to eat something else when your mouth feels fresh. Others have found they feel satisfied if they sit down with a hot cup of herbal tea.
Lastly, don’t punish yourself if you do over-consume one evening. Over-exercising or under-eating the next day is not healthy for your body or mind. Remember that it is our choices over time that make the biggest difference in our health. Try to identify any emotional or busy part of your day that makes it hard to make healthful choices and see if you can make a plan to change that. Ridding your pantry of empty calorie foods and filling it with healthful snacks you enjoy is one first step.
Happy snacking!