Tips For Preventing Late-Night Snacking

by POPSUGAR Fitness 2

Whether it's because you spend the days counting calories or because an evening out extends into the wee hours, sometimes you find yourself heading to the kitchen for a late-night fridge pit stop. And while the long-believed rule that eating in the evening will lead to weight gain is a myth, a day of depriving can lead to decisions that compromise your healthy living plans if you're not careful.

If you find your stomach grumbling long after you've wound down for the night, here are some daytime eating habits to adopt.

• Eat every three to four hours. Keeping your calorie count down too much during the day will lead to overindulging later on and a higher probability that you'll reach for the wrong snacks later on. Keep yourself energized and on the right track by eating every four hours (breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with a few snacks in between).
• Indulge a little. Have a sweet tooth? Allow yourself small treats during the day so you don't go crazy with your cravings during the night.

Check out the rest of my tips after the break.

• Eat healthy after an evening workout. If you're an evening exerciser, you may not eat dinner until far into the night. Make sure you have a fridge stocked with healthy options like whole foods and plenty of veggies, and prep the meals as much as you can beforehand so you won't be tempted to order greasy takeout instead.
• Plan your late-night snack. Knowing what you have in store for your postdinner can also prevent unhealthy snacking, and can also help stop you from overeating at dinner since you know you can have a small snack later on.
• Fill up on hydrating options. Sometimes, you just need a glass of water or a warm cup of decaffeinated tea to stop hunger pains without undoing all your work from the day. Instead of rifling through the pantry, make a cup of tea with milk and a little bit of honey for a treat that can be filling and can satisfy cravings before bedtime.