It’s late and you’re watching your favorite show or a new movie. Right away you start to crave something sweet, salty, or crunchy.

Once there’s a commercial, you’re instant reaction is to go to the kitchen and grab the snack you want. By the time the commercials are done you’ve almost finished your snack and regret eating it.

It is known that it’s not always your late night binging that’s making you gain any extra weight; but, instead it the amount of calories you intake as a whole and how much you burn throughout the day.

Many times people go for the bag of chips, candy, or any other high calorie snack when night time snacking. Which means that your body is intaking more calories than needed.

As a result, those extra calories you eat tend to add up quickly and lead to weight gain over time. No worries though, there are ways to help fix your night-time binge:

1. Stay hydrated

Many times people’s bodies mix up thirst with hunger. Health authorities mostly recommend eight 8-ounce glasses of water. Which is equivalent to about 2 liters or half a gallon. If you start to feel hungry at night, go for a cup or two of water to help relieve the cravings a bit.

       2. Don’t skip meals

Binge eating at night is linked to irregular eating patterns throughout the day. All meals —  breakfast, lunch, and dinner — are all important. Eating your regular meals will prevent you from getting too hungry as well as manage your craving impulses.

       3. Include protein in your meals:

Protein is known to keep you fuller for longer. Some high protein foods are eggs, almonds, oats, broccoli, peanuts, etc. 

       4. Get some sleep:

 One is supposed to get between 7 to 9 hours of sleep. We often confuse hunger and tiredness, especially at night.  If you are craving snacks even after dinner, it may just be your body telling you to rest. 

      5. Turn off any screens before you eat:

It is known that screen time has been linked to carefree eating and increased food intake. While eating in front of the TV, playing video games, or just on your phone it can distract attention from what and how much you’ve eaten. Instead, sit down at a table to eat so you can focus on just the food you are eating.

Next time you go to grab a midnight snack, think of these helpful ways to avoid late night snacking.