Curbing Late-Night Cravings

Does this sound familiar?

You wake up in the morning motivated to stick to your diet and exercise. You make it to the gym and have a great workout. You prepare and enjoy low-calorie, high-fiber, tasty meals. After dinner, you relax in your living room.

An hour or two later, your mind wanders off to the kitchen. You're drawn to the goodies therein. You imagine how wonderful a snack would be right about now... and why not? You were good all day, and just a little won't hurt...

Before you know it, you've gone way overboard.

I think we've all done it. But over time, those extra indulgences can really add up. Not to mention, it can do a number on your dignity and self-respect, which is never good for your emotional well-being.

The best defense against behavior we later regret is to prevent that behavior in the first place. Here are some ways to curb those late-night cravings.

- Try to imagine how you will feel after giving in. If you can remember the sense of regret from former lapses clearly enough, it might be enough to motivate you to steer clear. If you do lapse, write down your feelings right afterward to serve as a detractor in the future.

- Try to imagine how you will feel in the morning, knowing that you didn't overeat the night before. When you do succeed, write down how it feels to have made the right decision, and keep your journal handy. This, along with the tip above, are powerful motivators.

- When you're teetering between "cheating" and "being good," try to visualize yourself being successful.

How do you define success?

- Ask yourself: Is the pleasure I will derive from going off my diet greater than the reward I would feel if I didn't? What are the benefits of sticking to your plan? What would the consequences be for not sticking to it?

- Set up a reward system. For example, for each evening that you stick to your intended eating plan, schedule yourself a massage or buy a new workout top.

- Distract yourself with an enjoyable and/or productive activity. Read a novel. Plan your meals and workouts for next week. Take up scrapbooking. Scour the sink. Go for a walk. Call a friend. Organize those photos. Clean out your email.

- Otherwise engage your tastebuds. Chew sugar-free gum. Brush your teeth. Drink a tall glass of water or cup of herbal tea. If you truly are hungry, eat a piece of fruit or something similar.

I portion my calories in such a way that I can afford to eat a treat every night if I like, which is 150 calories or less. This way I don't feel deprived and end up binging. No one needs to eat perfectly 100% of the time, after all. I don't eat the treat every night though, only if I have a craving. However, if I don't have a treat one night, I do not bank those calories for later. I just let them go.