Most of us find that we can eat perfectly fine for most of the day, but late at night comes a diet catastrophe. Alcohol can certainly do it’s part to contribute (cause most of us eat while we drink), but even sans the booze, night time is when most people struggle with resisting the urge to snack… and snack and snack and snack. This is the very worst time to be loading up on calories, because you are getting ready to lie dormant for 7-9 hours (if you are getting adequate sleep). Even the most conditioned athletes, the people that I call “fat-burning machines,” would not be able to prevent weight gain if they eat a lot before going to sleep for the night. If you are a late night snacker, and the thought of cutting off food 3 hours before bedtime sounds impossible for you, begin with small steps. Start by restricting food 1-hour before bed. Try to sustain that for three weeks. Then up that to 2-hours before bed. Try to sustain that for three weeks. Finally, up it to 3-weeks and sustain that indefinitely. There will be nights where you slip up, and once in a while is okay. Just try to stick with fasting a few hours before bedtime most nights of the week, then if you slip here and there, fahgitaboutit! Cut yourself some slack, but get right back on track the next night.
