Are the after dinner munchies sabotaging your healthy nutrition efforts? Healthy Food Guide nutritionist and Lose Weight for Life author Claire Turnbull offers some advice to help you fight the cravings.
Let’s set the scene. You have finished your dinner – and let’s be honest – you have probably eaten an ample amount and feel full, but then you get that uncontrollable feeling that you just need something extra, maybe a little sweet treat to finish?
It might not be straight away, maybe even an hour or so after dinner, you kind of ‘feel’ like eating something else? You maybe start off with a yoghurt or some fruit, but that can lead to a biscuit or three, some chocolate or maybe just mindless snacking on whatever you can lay your hands on. I know I am not the only one who has gone through this – it must feel like I am reading your mind right now or in your house with you at night…
For most people I have met, and certainly myself, nine times out of ten, this is not because you are genuinely hungry, but really just a habit and being used to having something sweet in the evening. It is nothing more than a big mind game really.
The reality is that for some people, the little extras that you may eat at this time can really add up. Grazing on biscuits can end up being more calories and fat than a full meal. Even if you have a yoghurt, a handful of cereal and a piece of fruit, and you aren’t genuinely hungry, it will be more food than you need in a day and it will not do you any favours. Eating mindlessly or when you aren’t really enjoying it is wasteful and frustrating and takes you away from being the happiest healthiest you.
Panic not, there are things you can do and that is what I am here for, to help you sort this stuff out.
To read the rest of this article and for hints and tips see Claire’s blog.
Image / Claire Turnbull