Healthy Living
The Worst Time of Day to Snack
Photo by: CN Digital Studio
Eat more, earlier. One of the biggest reasons I find that people end up eating a lot in the evenings is that they are not eating enough earlier in the day. If you skip breakfast or eat a tiny one, have a light salad for lunch, and no afternoon snack, you will probably be famished in the evenings. This is a recipe for poor choices and overeating. To prevent this, spread your calories out more evenly throughout the day --aim for at least 400 calories for both breakfast and lunch, and include a source of protein, healthy fat, carbohydrate, and fruits and vegetables. Also, you may need an afternoon snack of about 200 calories if you have more than 4 hours between your lunch and dinner. More from SELF:
20 Superfoods for Weight Loss
Yoga Moves for Flat Abs
38 Antiaging Foods
By Sarah-Jane Bedwell, SELF magazine
"I make healthy choices until after dinner, and it's all downhill from there. And I know that's the worst time I could be eating." As a dietitian, I hear this lament from people again and again. While it's a myth that anything you eat after a certain time at night will turn straight to fat, it is true that many times we make poor snack choices in the evening and eat them mindlessly in front of the TV or computer. The good news is that there are several strategies for preventing this mindless evening munching!
