How to Stop Binge Eating at Night

I have struggled with binge eating at night for most of my life. As with a lot of others, the hardest period of time to avoid binge eating is at night. Over the last year, I started getting serious about finding a solution to my binge eating addiction. In this article, I will share with you what I have learned throughout this journey of learning how to stop binge eating at night.

Why Binge Eating at Night Is a Problem for Me

It's hard to say exactly, but my best guess is that binge eating at night is hardest because that's the time of day where I'm most stressed and hungry (Night Eating Syndrome). Typically, at work, I don't have many opportunities to eat, much less binge eat. Once I get home, not only am I starving, but I am worn down from the day. 

There are times where I have struggled with binge eating on weekends, but still, it's typically binge eating at night that hits me hardest. 

How I Overcame Binge Eating at Night

There are a few things I have done to help subside this urge to eat everything in sight as soon as I get home. While I still have my bad days, most days I succeed in refraining from binge eating at night. 

Be Prepared

One thing I noticed is that the reason I ate so much when I got home was that I was extremely hungry, but had no food prepared. Instead of having a healthy snack or early dinner, I would grab all of the snacks in the pantry. Creating go-to snacks and easy meals on my days off have been a lifesaver.

Drink Water First

You may know this already, but sometimes we feel hungry because we are dehydrated. Not only is water going to hydrate you, but it will give you a second to transition into "eating mode" before you just jump in and start grabbing things out of the fridge. While you drink your water, tell yourself you are strong and will not succumb to binge eating at night.

Take a Deep Breath

In my opinion, stopping to breathe solves a lot of issues and binge eating is one of them. When we binge eat, it is a quick, impulsive response. By forcing yourself to stop, breathe, and think you will have time to make a better decision that you won't regret later.

Savor Your Food

Have you ever eaten so fast that you barely even tasted your food? Eating quickly will not ease your hunger faster. Instead, it will hit you all at once and you will be overly full. Take time to fully chew each bite. If this is your first time taking action, say the ABC's while you chew and take a sip of water in between bites. When your stomach is full, you will have consumed the perfect amount of food rather than way too much of it. 

While these tips may not work for everyone, they have been a life-saver for me. Binge eating and stress eating can be hard to overcome, but taking small steps will help you get there. Before you know it, you will have a healthy relationship with food and feel amazing.

For tips on reducing extreme food cravings that lead to binge eating, watch the video below.