That’s me to the right, desperately struggling, so self-conscious, I was wearing a scarf in summer when it was so hot. I was working out every week, and eating well during the day, but when I got home and got onto the couch, I’d eat a few packets of crisps, and biscuits. My reward at the end of a long day. It took me a long time to break this habit.
Sugar is so addictive, the feelings it gives you instantly are amazing. The pull for sugar is so strong after a crappy day.
But you gain weight so quickly when you late night snack or drink alcohol mid-week, especially mostly around your stomach and your face. And there’s no point kidding yourself that you’re so good during the day, as if that’s supposed to make you better than someone who happens to do their bad eating, during the day.
That’s the lure of late-night snacking. You’ve had the healthy breakfast and salads, and workouts, and it doesn’t feel as damaging. But if that was the case, why wouldn’t you pull out that same amount of bad food during the day and eat it then? I’d say the thought disgusts you!
You only need a few sugary snacks to eat an extra 500 calories a day. So let’s say you’ve two small packets of crisps and a miniature bar. OK, that’s an extra 500 calories. So let’s say you do that 4 days a week, but one or two of the weekend evenings, you really indulge. The usual, wine, meal out etc. So that’s 3,500 calories extra per week. That is the exact pound of fat you gain, or for some, you don’t lose.
If you want to lose weight, you’ve got to be really straight with yourself.
If you don’t, you’ll feel like you’re ‘struggling to get results’. But you’re not struggling to get results, you’re struggling to make the right food choices, and there’s a massive difference.
Late night snacking makes you feel like you’re failing. You’re doing all this super work during the day, and sabotaging it all at night. Here’s a few things that work for me when I’m desperate:
- Manhattan Popcorn:
- Going to bed:
- Saying NO to myself:
- Having a few mandarins:
- Going to bed (this really works a charm :-))
- Having a cup of hot water (try it, it’s actually really soothing, no lemon though)
But that’s the list! I don’t recommend having a healthy snack apart from a little fruit because that’s called over-eating, and you’ll only get frustrated. So you’ve got to work so hard at giving up the lat night snacking and sticking to your guns,
Jessica X
Very good article, Jessica. Thanks.
I have an exactly same problem. In fact, I never struggle with common unhealthy habits such a alcohol, fast food or salt products – except sugar. From my younghood, there was some inclination to sweets, bars and cakes and although I significantly reduced sugar products over time, I still have sometime (especially during holidays) overeating periods. Unfortunately, I eat sugar no matter what time a day. So it is not a problem of night only.
Can you give me some advice, how to fight with my sugar addiction?
I am 30 years guy, doing a workout for many years, slightly overweight.