Human habits, including food habits, play a crucial role in shaping his behavior, perception of himself and the world around him. Often people who are trying to lose weight can not understand why the appetite is rapidly increasing in the evening and ends with nighttime “breakdowns”? What is the basis of this behavior? After all, the fact that eating late at night is a bad habit is no secret to anyone.
What is the basis of the habit of untimely eating?
What is the basis of the habit of eating at night and makes you raid the refrigerator again and again? Psychologists and nutritionists claim that the following reasons are at the heart of the formation of this habit of people:
Human physiology
It should be noted that there are many people with disorders of the production of certain hormones responsible for the accuracy of biorhythms. These failures lead to the fact that a person may experience a feeling of drowsiness and, accordingly, a decrease in appetite throughout the day. And in the evening hours to be cheerful and acutely feel hungry. Also, physiological reasons include high secretion of gastric juice, which can cause a desire to have a snack at night.
Human psychology
In case of sudden emergence of a new habit, it is recommended to consult a psychologist. It is possible that the passion for night food is a consequence of excessive nervous tension or one of the symptoms of latent depression. Many people do not realize that the evening consumption of sweet and other (not the most useful) food is just an attempt to relieve emotional stress or a way to cheer up.
Violation of the daily routine
The habit of going to bed late and having dinner late leads to a shift in the secretion of gastric juice in time, which usually occurs in a person immediately before the intended meal. After restoring the correct daily routine, hunger attacks due to the old daily routine are possible for some time.
Lack of normal nutrition throughout the day
This is the most common cause of night hunger. The modern rhythm of life leads to haste, which adversely affects the ability to eat properly and in a timely manner. The lack of time for breakfast, a quick snack at lunchtime and the desire to compensate for everything uneaten in the evening or at night is a typical example of a city dweller’s diet. Another option for a half-starved existence is adherence to strict diets and the desire to lose excess weight as soon as possible. The lack of proper nutrition throughout the day can push to nighttime “breakdowns” and new rounds of self-restraint the next day. It is possible to break this “vicious circle” by following a healthy and balanced diet.
How to deal with the bad habit of night snacking?
In order to overcome bad habits, which include night raids on the refrigerator, it is necessary to answer the following questions: does a feeling of sadness, resentment, boredom or joy arise in front of them? If these pronounced emotions take place, then night food has nothing to do with physical hunger and it is necessary to fight this habit of people with the following methods:
Maintaining a healthy balance between hunger and overeating
Strict self-restrictions in food lead to the fact that the body does not receive enough nutrients and a person feels constant dissatisfaction. Also, irregular nutrition leads to the fact that the body is more actively sending hunger signals to make sure that they are heard. Maintaining a healthy balance in nutrition consists in eating fewer meals and snacks throughout the day and observing the diet. If you feel hungry in the evening, you need to allow yourself to eat some healthy food — this is the easiest way to refrain from night snacks.
Teaching relaxation techniques
Often, the habit of snacking in the evening is a way to pass your free time and get positive emotions. However, there are many other, more useful ways to occupy your mind and distract yourself from eating: yoga, meditation, deep breathing or doing any kind of art. Any of these activities will reduce the craving for snacks, make you calmer, allow you to feel and control your body better.
Excluding stress factors
Bad habits are very often the result of prolonged stress and a person’s inability to deal with them constructively. Sometimes, to cope with the wave of emotions and relax late at night, people resort to food as a quick and effective way to calm down. Identifying the causes that contribute to the disturbance of emotional balance is the first step to getting rid of night gluttony. It is necessary to concentrate on the positive aspects of life, relax more, communicate with friends and family, and start a new hobby. In some cases, it is recommended to seek qualified help from a psychologist.
How does the habit of people eating at night affect weight loss?
Such habits of people as a hearty dinner and night trips to the refrigerator are not regarded by many as violations of the organization of nutrition, and therefore the inability to lose weight causes sincere bewilderment. Eating at an untimely time is regarded as a certain feature of eating behavior that does not have any negative consequences for the body. However, this is a fundamentally wrong misconception.
At night, the body waits for rest and the opportunity to recover, and it is forced to work intensively, digesting food. As a result, the next day a person experiences a lack of full sleep, heaviness in the stomach, skips breakfast, and possibly lunch. The meal shifts in time again — all this forms a vicious circle leading to a set of extra pounds. So what attracts people to the refrigerator and prevents weight loss? After all, understanding the root causes underlying this habit will help to take control of the situation and lose weight.
Nutritionists advise “night eaters” to pay attention to such rules of food organization:
- Don’t skip breakfast. The optimal time for the first meal comes 30-40 minutes after lifting.
- Carry out snacks during the day. Preference should be given to dried fruits, nuts, low-fat dairy products.
- Do not go to bed on an empty stomach, because there is a high probability that hunger will push you to night snacks. For dinner, it is recommended to eat low-fat cottage cheese, meat with vegetables, kefir, ryazhenka.
- Do not eat immediately before going to bed. The last meal should be no later than 2 hours before it. Such a late dinner leads to the release of a large amount of insulin by the pancreas, which in some cases can lead to weight gain.
- Allow only healthy snacks in the evening. Late arrival from work and the need to cook dinner can push you to harmful and high-calorie food, but nuts, dried fruits and fermented dairy products will give you a feeling of satiety and will allow you not to eat too much for dinner.
- Give up fruit for the night. Many of them help to increase appetite, in addition, they increase blood sugar levels.
- Drink soothing herbal teas before going to bed (chamomile, melissa).
- Take a warm shower or a bath with aromatic oils.
