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Weight Loss: The Middle of the Night Snack Problem
12:30 A.M. You look at the clock and decide to head to the fridge for a little snack. Satisfied, you return to bed until morning. Sound familiar? If so, then you're one of millions who are guilty of this simple indulgence.
Breaking yourself of the habit of midnight snacking can be difficult to do, but it CAN be done. It'll take some persistence and patience to achieve your goal. Depending on how severe your cravings are, it can take as little as two weeks, or up to two months to control them.
This longing for food in the wee hours of the night may be brought on by hunger, not habit. If hunger is your problem, you may not be eating enough during the day. Either you're eating too few meals during the day or you're not eating enough calories to sustain your body through the night.
One method to keep yourself from getting up and pigging out in the middle of the night is to try to eat more during the day; get more calories into your body. It's much better for you, health wise, to eat many small meals during the day instead of three big meals.
For best results, it is best to not eat a huge meal before bed time because this will slow down your digestion and will keep you from falling asleep quickly. However, if you eat something high in carbohydrates this will help you sleep better and will prevent you from waking up for midnight snacks.
You might think having a glass of wine or a shot of whiskey before bed will help you relax, but the fact is alcohol will make you hungrier and put added calories into your system that you don't need. A glass of warm milk is much better because it is relaxing and makes your stomach feel full.
Caffeinated drinks are not your best bet to have before you go to bed; they will make you restless and not allow you to have a good night's sleep. If you wake up and are thirsty, drink a glass of cold water; this will give your stomach a fuller feeling plus water is an essential part of your diet.
If water or the warm milk doesn't help you to fall back to sleep, you might try an optional solution such as reading or listening to music. You should also not lay in bed awake; wait until you feel like you can fall asleep quickly before you lay down. It will take some practice and patience, but eventually you will be sleeping soundly all night long.
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