5 Tips to Curb Late Night Food Cravings

Why is it that when you are on a diet that the night time is where it all seems to fall apart?  If you are like millions of American dieters, you are not alone.  Night time food cravings have been problematic for decades and with many brands and different flavored foods in the market, it is becoming easier to binge on your favorite treat.  Food cravings consist of extra snacks, large meals, or fourth meal and if you are like the millions of Americans who have night time cravings, consider changing your lifestyle and mentality a little to help make your diet program more effective.

Think back to the last time you had a night time food craving.  What was the food?  Was it dessert following a large dinner?  In order to find out what your diet is like, you may already know that keeping a food journal can help determine exactly what you are eating.  Using your journal, you are able to find trends in the kinds of foods and what time of the night you choose to eat.  The following section describes helpful tips on how you can cut out those pesky late night food cravings so that your diet can flourish and get you the results you desire.

5 Tips to Curb Late Night Food Cravings

1. Distract your Mind. It is described that many food cravings are psychological, meaning that you are probably not as hungry as you seem [1].  If you crave ice cream or potato chips, consider distracting your mind with house chores or chew some gum instead.  The chewing motion will send information to your mind which stimulates the eating process.  Some research has demonstrated that menthol can decrease appetite so if you struggle with late night cravings, consider menthol scented steam or Vaporub compounds.  Giving this tip a try may be the little lifestyle change you need to help you move to the next part of your diet program.
2. Quit the Ice Cream. Rather than quitting your diet by eating late night ice cream, consider a new way on how to curb the late night craving.  One way to quit the ice cream food craving is to find a substitute food, also known as a look-alike food [2].  Ice cream options are becoming better and healthier, but they still contain calories and fat.  If you are pinned against a wall and cannot fight the ice cream craving, consider eating slow churned ice cream or coconut based ice cream.  Both of these options will have fewer calories and far less fat.
3. Eat More Fiber. Fiber is that type of food that is hard to eat in large quantities.  It is found in vegetables, fruit, and beans/lentils.  In addition, fiber is a great way to curb your hunger for hours after the meal and fibrous foods are notorious for being lower in calories [3].  When you eat dinner, try eating more fiber so that you are getting at least 10 grams on your plate.  Adding more fiber to your meal may be a quick fix to your late night food cravings.
4. Be Fruitful. If you feel a late night food craving is necessary, which is something you should stray from, consider eating a piece of fruit.  Eating a full banana, half an apple or a full orange will fill you up and will provide nutrient dense foods.  If you cannot eat the entire fruit servings, then you know you were actually not hungry and your mind was just craving something sweet.  Remember to eat the fruit raw and avoid adding dipping sauces or peanut butter.
5. Early Bedtime. Sleep quality is one of the most important elements in appetite and food cravings.  If you crave food late at night, chances are you may be tired.  If you chronically get six hours of sleep, consider skipping that final episode on TV at night and instead head to bed.  That little extra sleep will not only help your body control its hormones, but it will also get you into bed before you even think about the craving.

Want to know more about cravings? Check out this infographic on the causes, cures, and what they mean.

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