Will Bright Lights Cure Your Midnight Snack Addiction?
By: Bean Jones
If you're addicted to snacking at midnight, then you better turn on all the lights. This will help curb your urge to binge.
Joseph Kasof, Ph.D., a research associate at the University of California at Irvine, says that people easily give in to food cravings in dimly-lit surroundings because they feel uninhibited. "An intervention that has never been attempted is simply to use brighter lights when eating," he states.
Based on the findings of his survey--which had 401 college students as respondents--bright lights help midnight munchers come to their senses.
Still, I don't think illumination is a quick fix to midnight snack addiction. Ultimately, it's all up to you if you're going to quit eating cold cuts in your darkened kitchen. (In my case, I used to love wolfing down leftovers by the refrigerator light.)
Nevertheless, I'll turn on all the lights when I snack at night--so I'll be able to see everything that I'm eating. This way, I'll also be more aware of the portions I'm consuming. Plus, of course, I'll stick to Simpleology 103.
Comments
Uh, I'm a bit confused here now. I mean which is it, are you snacking out at the witching hour by the bulb in the fridge, or are you eating salmon with oranges and green leafy nutrients at the supper table?
Iago, I "used to" snack at midnight by the ref light. Now, I snack on healthier stuff with the lights on. I still indulge on leftovers once in a while, but never in the dark.
thats interesting - i need all the help i can get losing weight because of my challenge and how tight the time is getting!
when the snack gremlins give you late night cravings eat some protein...piece of cheese, beef jerky, or a scoop of whey protein in water will usually curb any binge like feelings....
I say go for the ice cream and hot fudge--life is short.
We will miss you dearly Tim Russert!
Kristin
I was just recently told that a small potato with the skin at night will help curve cravings and help you to sleep better too. Watch out for the toppings. Low fat sour cream might just do the trick instead of butter or margarine.
Every fall I succomb to sweet (and specifically chocolate) cravings as the days grow shorter. I think it has something to do with the lack of daylight and I started taking Vitamin D supplements to help curb the cravings and I truly believe it works.
That seems to be right, unless you have a stress problem wich makes you can't sleep at night and all you do after a small period of sleep is eat so you could try to sleep again.I believe you should find out the reason wy people snack at night before thinking on a real fix for nidnight food adiction.
Try Tatziki on that potato - it's a yoghurt dip with cucumber available in supermarkets. And remember if you stay up into the early hours, you WILL get hungry again! I do, but then I'm not around to eat breakfast... or even lunch sometimes....
interesting research. I don't have a problem eating at midnight.
My wife loves to eat at night but is a slender girl, nevertheless. Her secret is in having a little food at a time . It's me who needs to turn on the lights ANY time I am about to arrange a meal, I am afraid, :-)because the food gremlins turn off my sense of moderation.
Hmmm. A banana split is good in daylight too!
I am of the opinion that the bottom line is a simple "will power". Whatever happened to good old "self control"? If you think (or know) that it's bad for you - DON'T DO IT.
If you HAVE to indulge, then indulge and enjoy it.
Don't indulge and then repent - that way you're killing yourself twice over!!
In reference to the suggestion of using a protein snack, I would suggest NOT eating cheese. Cobbling together multiple study results shows that it's likely that approximately 25% of all strokes and heart attacks are caused by the long term consumption of cheese (with its artery clogging saturated fats). A better choice, if you want protein would be Walnuts, which are rich in not only protein, but also Omega 3 fatty acids, which are the healthy oils that are the reason that many doctors say to eat fish. They also have the advantage of not having any mercury, as most fish do nowadays.