Eating late at night or snacking on midnight meals is one of the biggest causes of weight gain and obesity in the world today and those people who indulge in either eating large meals late at night or enjoying midnight snacks are more prone to becoming overweight or even obese.

The human body is controlled by certain fluctuations in hormone levels and specific routines which are known as the circadian rhythm. This circadian rhythm makes sure that you take care of your specific biological needs at particular times of the day and thus ensures that you end up consuming food at specific times throughout the day. Following the natural circadian rhythm and eating at the right times thus makes sure that you meet your daily caloric requirement necessary to provide you with the requisite amount of energy to perform your everyday activities.

Thus if you disrupt this everyday routine by eating at odd times particularly late at night, things will go awry. Doing so causes an imbalance in hormone levels leading to production of excessive amounts of ghrelin and minimal amounts of leptin. This is serious as ghrelin is the hormone which tells you that you are hungry and leptin is the one that tells you that you are full. Hence, these hormones are directly responsible for managing your appetite and levels of satisfaction and if they become unsynchronized, as they do when you eat at odd times, your metabolism is negatively impacted.

Another factor to keep in mind is that the prime factor leading to weight gain is the type of foods that you consume and generally, favorite foods late at night include such sugary savories as chocolate, dessert, potato chips and ice cream. Your body, due to the natural circadian rhythm, is also at its most sedentary late at night and thus has minimal caloric needs. Hence, eating the wrong kind of foods coupled with a depressed metabolism, leads to excessive weight gain due to late night eating.

The best solution to overcome this problem is to ensure that you eat three satisfying meals every day and do not succumb to snacking between meals. The following tips will help you in overcome any late night eating problems:

1. Try to keep yourself occupied late at night. Read a book you’re interested in, take a hot bath, or find other ways of keeping yourself distracted.

2. Take a personal oath of not eating late at night or after dinner.

3. Satisfy your cravings with healthy alternatives like vegetables, fruits and tea.

4. Increase the fiber content in your diet, particularly of the meal you consume at dinner. Do so by eating beans and whole grains. This has the utility of making you feel full.

5. Also increase the protein content of your dinner. Research has shown that protein is most successful in keeping hunger away.

6. Consume your meals slowly thus allowing the brain the 20 minutes it needs to figure out that your stomach is full.

7. Limit all your consumption to the dining room or kitchen. Avoid eating in front of the television.

8. Drink a lot of water. You will stay hydrated and feel less hungry.

Late night eating is one of the prime causes of obesity and following some of the methods listed above you should be able to kick this harmful habit and put yourself on the road to a healthier body.

Author Bio: If you would like to book a boot camp session, or for a free Sydney Personal Training consultation, visit Personal Training in Sydney.

Category: Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Keywords: Boot Camp