Midnight snacks & night eating: how to curb them

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Eating food at night is dependent on the timing of when it was consumed. Calories are not "just calories no matter what time you consume them."

An article published by the Washington Post suggested that consuming food at night or during midnight may wreak havoc on one's waistline and weight as a new study have shown that the timing of eating a meal at night may have an impact.

"For years, we said a calorie is a calorie no matter when you consume it," said Joy Dubost, dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.  "I don't know if we can say that anymore, based on the emerging research. The timing of a meal may potentially have an impact."

According to Kelly Allison of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Center, determining the time of consuming food at night is as important as to what kind or how much food is eaten. She added that not much research has been spent on it.

Allison added that midnight snackers have a tendency to go for sweet and salty foods to eat at night when they have been come home from work. As for night-shift workers, they overestimate how much food they eat just so they can stay awake at work.

As to why people eat at midnight, the article suggests that it may be because of the hurried way workers eat their breakfast and lunch daily. Another factor may be circadian rhythms; a study revealed that being in the dark makes the subject crave for snacks in the evening.

Here are some tips to help reduce or stop snacking after dark:

1.) Three-Hour Rule

Pop Sugar recommends eating every three hours so as not to be too deprived of food when we're relaxing at home. According to the website, there shall be five meals a day: breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks in between to help avoid going to the kitchen after dinner.

2.) Plan ahead

In order to prevent eating more food after dinner, Kayla Itsines recommends planning an activity after dinner as a distraction or having a cup of tea instead. Activities such as reading, talking with family members or going outside for a walk could help distract you from going to the kitchen. If you're going to have to go to the kitchen, reach for herbal tea instead. It will hydrate you and if you drink chamomile or peppermint, chances are, you'll be having a good night's sleep.

3.) Time for self-care

Instead of eating unhealthy food after dinner, it is better to allot time to care for yourself instead. According to Experience Life, you can pamper yourself with a good relaxing bath, a manicure and pedicure and brushing and flossing, to name a few.