Do you eat well throughout the day only to overdo it at night? Do you find yourself eating the majority of your daily intake between the hours of 6pm – 11pm? Do you feel like you can’t control your eating habits in the evenings? 

Snacking after dinner is super common. Most people do it — and most regret it later. After all, it’s the end of the day. And maybe it’s the only time of day that you don’t have to deal with any other responsibilities… so snacking seems like a good idea.

To clarify, snacking at night is not the issue — it’s the overeating of snacks at night that can harm your goals, body, or health. So, how do you manage this tricky time of day without overdoing it? Read on for my top tips. 

Tip #1: Make sure you are eating enough throughout the day. 

One reason why you might be eating a lot at night is because you’re genuinely hungry. I see this a lot in clients who skip meals during the day and then eat the majority of their food intake at night. The problem with this is that you don’t want to eat the majority of your daily intake during a 3-4 hour window at night. Eat during the day lets our bodies, including digestion, rest at night. So, make sure you are eating enough during the day without skipping meals. This will help ensure your nighttime cravings aren’t due to hunger.

Tip #2: Switch up your nighttime routine. 

If you want to change your habits, you need to change your actions. It is very hard to suddenly stop a habit — it’s much easier to switch up what you are doing.

For instance… if every evening you sit on the coach, grab a snack and watch a show, you might need to switch things up. Maybe after dinner, you go to another room in your house to read a book, watch a show, or do something creative. Maybe you take a bath or draw or work on a puzzle. Whatever it is, make it different from what you are doing now. Something as simple as moving locations or changing your activity may help to break the eating habit. 

Tip #3: Pre-plan your snack.

Like I mentioned earlier, a snack at night is not the problem. Overeating at night is. So pre-planning your nighttime snack can help prevent overeating. In general, you are less likely to mindlessly eat if your food is planned ahead of time. 

Instead of trying to forego eating altogether or attempting to limit your intake, try pre-planning your snack instead. Pick what you’re going to eat at night earlier in the day — and stick to it. It might also be helpful to plan a window of time you plan to eat your snack. For instance, you can plan to eat your snack between 8-9pm but stop eating for the night at 9pm. 

Tip #4: Focus on your needs. 

Most people snack at night for emotional reasons. You may be tired, stressed, overwhelmed, anxious… the list goes on (especially these days). Food is a form of comfort, distraction, enjoyment, nourishment, and a way to disconnect from the day. Eating makes you feel better. At least initially, until you feel guilty about overdoing it later.

Instead of focusing on not eating, try focusing on meeting your needs with things other than food.

If you are tired, allow yourself to rest. If you are stressed, try a guided meditation, yoga, or chatting on the phone with a good friend. If you are anxious, try journaling or work with a healthcare professional to address your mental health. What I’m getting at is when you are eating to feel better, it only lasts for that moment. And you deserve to feel better. But, overeating isn’t the right long-term solution. Step back and take a few minutes to examine what you really need in that moment. 

Sound familiar? It might help to check out my recent blog post on emotional eating. 

Tip #5: Commit to a plan. 

If this is truly a habit you want to change, it’s time to create a plan and stick to it. This is the most important tip because without commitment? Nothing will change. 

Think about what would be most helpful for you, such as eating more throughout the day or switching up your nighttime routine. Then, commit to following through with your plan to turn it around. Don’t just try something for one night or one week. Try to stick to a new habit for at least 2-3 weeks and see if it makes a difference. And, also importantly, don’t sweat it if you fall back into your old habits on some days. The goal is progress not perfection!