4 Ways To Stop Nighttime Binge Eating Before It Starts
It’s 9pm and you’ve just settled down onto the couch ready to relax after another hectic day. You’ve fed your family, you’ve fed your dog, and you’ve fed yourself, but now that the dust from the day has settled down, you start to think maybe you need another quick snack before calling it a night. One small scoop of ice cream turns into three, then you realize a handful of chocolate chips would pair well with your glass of red wine and impromptu sundae, before you know it your “hunger” has kicked in. But is this real physical hunger your body is signaling to you or it this something different?
There is nothing wrong with you if you crave a nighttime snack, you can’t predict your hunger levels or how much food your body needs on any given day. Nighttime eating only becomes a problem when you feel it is a problem for you. Ask yourself this: does eating late at night leave you feeling satisfied or sinful?
You might be dealing with nighttime binge eating if you can relate to these common complaints:
“I feel out of control and even though I want to stop I can’t”
“I’m not even hungry.”
“I end up feeling too full and can’t sleep because of my stomach aches or I get heartburn”
“I’m up way too late at night snacking away. I really need those hours for sleeping!”
Binging might look like being unable to stop yourself from eating even though part of you wants to. You could also suffer from physical discomfort in the form of stomach aches or heartburn that makes sleeping a challenge and takes away from your down time. Once you bring your awareness to your situation, you can start to take steps to stop this endless eating cycle.
Here are my tips on how to take back your nights and give your body what it truly needs:
1. Nourish Your Body All Day Long
When you’re stuck in this cycle, the last thing you think you should do is sit down to a well-rounded breakfast the next day. Guilt can sneak in and make you second guess your choice to nourish your body, but this could be exactly what it’s been asking for. When you consistently restrict your food during the day, your body is going to fight back eventually. If you feed yourself a salad when you really want a sandwich, chances are you’ll go back for more food in hopes of satisfying that craving. Instead of eating everything BUT the food you want, why not try to allow yourself to enjoy the meals you actually want?
2. Get Real About Your Emotions
Tuning out your emotions with an evening snack can be a slippery slope. You might be suppressing intense emotions you encountered earlier in the day by eating. Rather than cover them up, explore those emotions. Have you felt stressed, bored, lonely or angry all day? It is not uncommon to turn to food to soothe yourself at the end of a draining day. This is called “emotional eating” and the good news is there is a 5-step process you can use to overcome it! You can learn more about how to overcome emotional eating by watching this webinar I created here: https://kayleedmurphy.clickfunnels.com/webinar-registrationd4wjrp5t
3. Create a Comforting Nightly Routine
Instead of being strict with yourself tonight and putting an immediate end to your nighttime eating, try replacing it with a new routine that you will really enjoy and feel good about. First, figure out what parts of your nighttime routine you pair with eating that are not working for you. Is the glass of wine at night causing you to start grazing? Are you spaced out in front of Netflix and can’t resist having snacks after snack? Find out what you can do for yourself that will set you up for a successful and relaxing night free from overeating.
Here are some ideas from my clients:
Bubble bath with candles
Listen to soft music and cuddle with your pet
Keep your hands busy: knit, craft, journal
Read an engaging book
4. Remove Food Triggers (Temporarily)
If you notice you tend to overeat the same kinds of foods at night, give yourself permission to temporarily remove the triggering foods from your home. This isn’t about punishing or restricting, this is an act of self-care. This break will give you a chance to build new, nourishing nighttime routines without the ice cream calling your name from the freezer.
As a former nighttime eater myself, I removed chocolate from my house in those first few weeks. It was so much easier for me to create a new routine without my most tempting food sitting in the house. Eventually, I was able to bring the chocolate back and now I don’t even remember it’s there most of the time.
Start by making these small changes to your evenings and eventually you’ll get to a place of freedom. This process might require some trial and error, you might make a few mistakes, maybe you’ll want to give up at times, but the more energy you put into changing, the more likely you are to see results.
Keep me posted on your progress! Send me a message on Instagram or Facebook letting me know how you’re doing with nighttime eating.