133. Why We Snack At Night & What It Means for PCOS

I hear it all the time: "I'm really good with my eating all day, then things fall apart at night!".

If you're feeling frustrated and defeated by your inability to resist nighttime eating despite your efforts to manage your PCOS, then you are not alone!

You may have tried strict diets, portion control, or even staying busy to distract yourself, yet the urge to indulge in unhealthy snacks persists, leaving you feeling powerless and guilty.

Instead of achieving the improved control over nighttime eating habits and mindset that you desire, you find yourself trapped in a cycle of self-sabotage that continues to impact your PCOS symptoms.

In this episode of The Down To Earth PCOS Nutrition Podcast, I dive into the topic of nighttime eating and provide strategies to help you stop engaging in this behavior.

Join me as I tackle the issue of nighttime eating and offer strategies to help you break free from this habit. I understand how challenging it can be to feel in control during the day, only to lose control when the sun sets.

Together, we'll explore the reasons behind nighttime eating and discuss practical solutions that you can implement in your daily life. Don't let nighttime eating hold you back from achieving your health and weight goals. 

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Discover the main reasons nighttime eating happens and what are some common habits that contribute to it.
• Explore the physiological aspects of late-night snacking, gaining insights into its influence on your metabolism and weight.
• Shed light on various triggers of nighttime munching including true hunger, emotional turmoil, and irregular daily routines.
• Learn how to curb nighttime eating using mindful eating practices and effective habit change strategies.

Timestamped summary of this episode:

00:00:40 - The Challenge of Nighttime Eating, Many women struggle with nighttime eating, feeling in control during the day but losing control at night. This can lead to negative emotions, self-doubt, and a lack of confidence in achieving goals.

00:03:49 - The Psychological Impact of Nighttime Eating, Nighttime eating can perpetuate negative self-talk and beliefs, leading to feelings of failure and a lack of control. This mindset can spill into other areas of life and hinder progress.

00:07:37 - The Physiological Impact of Nighttime Eating, Eating at night can lead to weight gain, health problems, and specifically weight gain in the midsection. The body metabolizes nighttime calories differently, storing them as fat instead of using them for energy.

00:12:35 - Reasons for Nighttime Eating, Nighttime eating can stem from true hunger, skipped meals during the day, emotional reasons, habit, or even physiological imbalances. Identifying the underlying reasons can help address and change the behavior.

00:13:57 - Reasons for Eating at Night, People may eat at night because they skip meals during the day or because the composition of their meals is incorrect, leading to poor blood sugar control and cravings. Another common reason for nighttime eating is for emotional comfort and short-term gratification.

00:16:34 - Strategies for Managing Nighttime Eating, Three strategies for managing nighttime eating are meal mapping, where you plan your meals for the next day and stick to the plan; having some of the crave food earlier in the day to reduce the forbidden food halo; and having a fat or protein-based snack when you get home to prevent excessive hunger.

00:18:00 - Breaking the Cycle of Emotional Nighttime Eating, Emotional nighttime eating can be challenging to break because it is often deeply ingrained. However, with the right strategies and commitment, it is possible to change this habit and regain control over nighttime eating.

00:19:40 - The Power of Meal Mapping, Meal mapping is a powerful strategy where you plan your meals for one day in advance and stick to the plan. This helps to regain confidence and trust in yourself while making intentional choices about the foods you eat.

00:22:28 - Including Crave Foods Earlier in the Day, Giving yourself permission to include craved foods in your plan, but having them earlier in the day when you have more control and can eat mindfully, can help reduce the urge to overeat at night.

00:27:49 - Introduction to Breath Work and Mindful Eating, Dafna introduces the concept of breath work as a tool for relaxation and destressing. She emphasizes that anyone can practice breath work and that it can help with emotional eating by allowing the brain to catch up and make better decisions.

00:28:44 - The Importance of Pausing and Asking Better Questions, Dafna discusses the importance of taking a pause before impulsively eating and recommends asking empowering questions to redirect thoughts away from food. She encourages journaling as a way to explore these questions and create positive affirmations.

00:30:28 - Flipping Your Flaws and Aligning Actions with Goals, Dafna suggests dividing a journal page into negative and positive sides to flip negative thoughts into positive affirmations. She emphasizes the importance of aligning actions with goals and acting in ways that support desired outcomes.

00:31:46 - Language and Self-Compassion, Dafna discusses the power of language and self-compassion in overcoming emotional eating. She encourages reframing statements from a victim mentality to taking ownership and making choices based on personal goals.

00:33:00 - Practicing Powerful Language and Owning Decisions, Dafna emphasizes the importance of practicing powerful language, such as "I choose" or "I've decided," to shift from feeling deprived to empowered. She highlights the need to take responsibility for food choices and make decisions that align with long-term goals.

Helpful Links:

• Work and connect with Dafna: Apply for my coaching program www.dafnachazin.com/apply
• Connect with me on Instagram www.instagram.com/pcos.nutritionist.dafna