It’s past your usual bedtime, and you’re on the prowl in the pantry. “If it’s four hours since dinner, you’re going to be hungry,” Lichten says. “Your body is looking for a quick energy boost.” Here come the midnight munchies!
SUNDAY: Big Blowout Brunch
During the week, breakfast is typically fast, healthy, and 300 calories, tops. But a leisurely weekend brunch is filled with decadent menu options. “Just a bagel and cream cheese can pack a whopping 600 calories,” says Lisa Young, PhD, RD, author of The Portion Teller Plan. “And that’s without the lox.”
Think of it as lunch. You can still have midday eggs. Just don’t let them be your first bite of the day. “If you wait until late morning to eat, you up the chance of overdoing it because you’ll be so hungry,” Lippert says. To prevent a blood sugar dip, rise and reach for a slow-to-digest, lighter pre-brunch meal, like nonfat Greek yogurt sprinkled with berries and sliced almonds.
Share the special stuff. If you’ve been waiting all week for those golden chocolate chip pancakes, don’t deny yourself. “Order a plate for the table and something more satisfying for yourself, like an omelet with vegetables and a bit of cheese,” Lippert suggests. “A few indulgent bites will take care of your craving.”
Don’t linger. Part of the reason you eat more with a group is that you’re sitting at the table longer, Wansink says. When you finish, have your plate removed. If the gang isn’t ready to break up after everyone has stopped eating, suggest moving outside to a nearby bench or going for a walk. Whatever you do, don’t order more coffee. That’s when you start grazing.
Sunday Night Scramble
Where did the weekend go? You’ve still got chores to do, e-mails to write, maybe work to catch up on. Usually around now, after all your diet lapses, you feel like throwing in the towel. “You may think you’ll eat what you want and start fresh tomorrow,” Young says. Don’t.
Seek heat. You can’t scarf down something piping hot, so go slow with a steamy snack, like a chopped-up apple microwaved and sprinkled with cinnamon, Young recommends. Or drink some sugar-free hot cocoa or a cup of tea.
Surrender sweetly. Is that pint of Ben & Jerry’s in the freezer calling your name? Now is not the time to see if you can eat only two spoonfuls of New York Super Fudge Chunk. To make it more likely that you’ll keep things under control, reach for an individually wrapped treat, such as a piece of dark chocolate or a low-fat ice cream sandwich.
Hit the sack. Sometimes people eat in response to exhaustion, turning to brownies when what they really need is rest, Tribole explains. Consider calling it a night and waking up early Monday morning to finish whatever you have left to do. Tomorrow, after all, is a new day.
Originally published in FITNESS magazine, May 2010.