You have to learn how to stop binge eating at night before it can cause more dangerous issues. If you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight. You also increase your risk for cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes.
If you find yourself eating more food at night, you have to solve the problem before it blows out of proportion. Here are some helpful tips to follow:
Determine the Cause of the Eating Pattern
Some people make it a conscious choice to eat only at night for intermittent fasting purposes. However, if you ate your dinner and still look for more food to munch on, something must be triggering the habit.
You may have night eating syndrome or a binge eating disorder. These disorders affect your eating patterns and have some ill effects on your health.
Binge eaters often lose control of their appetite when they start to eat. They eat large portions of food in one sitting and tend to go for desserts after a heavy meal.
People who suffer from night eating syndrome tend to wake up at night and look for food to eat. They usually eat as much as 25% more of their required caloric intake.
Emotional problems such as stress, anxiety, depression, and brokenheartedness can trigger these eating patterns. Inconsistent sleep patterns may also be a trigger.
Track Your Eating Behavior
If you want to stop binge eating at night, you must identify the cause to gain control. You can do this by keeping a food and mood diary. Write down your eating and exercise schedules throughout the day and note your feelings as well.
Journaling your eating patterns alongside your moods during the day can help you identify the root cause of binge eating behavior. It will also facilitate breaking the cycle of unhealthy emotional eating.
If you are having issues with anxiety, depression, or stress, seek professional help. Visit a psychiatrist or talk to a support group to battle emotional and psychological concerns.
Get Consistent Sleep
Your mood can easily be affected by lack of sleep or random sleep patterns. You should get at least six to eight hours of sleep per night. You should also maintain a consistent sleep schedule.
Disrupting your circadian rhythm can cause sleep problems. Consequently, your inconsistent sleep patterns will also affect your eating behavior.
To ensure that you get enough sleep at night, avoid caffeinated drinks after noon time. Caffeine in your system before bedtime can cause insomnia. Remember that being restless during the night will cause you to look for food to eat.
Get Enough Physical Exercise During the Day
Your body has to move around during the day to stay fit. When you live a sedentary life, you get bored and start binge eating, especially at night.
If you do not get enough physical activity, you feel less tired at night as well. Hence, you do not feel the urge to sleep early. That means that you are more likely to get out of bed to look for some midnight snack.
Get Your Eating Habits in Order
You have to plan your meals and add as many protein, fat, and fiber-rich food options. Protein and fiber help you get satiated without overeating. Make sure you eat your meals on time.
Eating your lunch and dinner is crucial. You have to eat as much protein and fiber to stop binge eating at night. You can skip breakfast if you want to fast longer but never skip lunch and dinner.
Do Not Keep Unhealthy Snacks in Your Home
Processed foods, junk foods, and high-carb snacks are tempting. Remove them from your home. Do not keep any of these foods in the fridge or anywhere else.
Instead, replace them with healthy snacks like berries, nuts, seeds, cheese, and yogurt. If you want to eat healthily, store healthy food options instead of junk food.
Stop Binge Eating at Night
If you want to stop binge eating at night, take care of the root cause at once. Identify if any emotional or psychological issue is causing you to eat unhealthily. Seek professional help as much as possible.
If the cause is not emotional or psychological, then it must be physical. Make sure you get enough sleep. Also, add as much protein and fiber to your meals. Lastly, get rid of unhealthy foods that can trigger binge eating.
When you correct your binge eating problem, you can get rid of belly fat and unwanted weight. You will regain control of your health. Much more, you improve the quality of your life.