The Battle of the Bulge - Willpower vs. Binging

Has anyone ever really found an over-night method to your weight loss problem? By now you realize promises of quick fixes don't really work. Hopefully, your weight problem is something you are ready to take serious. The useful techniques in this article will help you to start living a healthier life in no time.

For many of us dieters that battle with the constant cravings that hit us at night know, that that we give in to temptation night after night. Understandably this bad habit has got to go if you are going to reach your weight loss goals on your diet. When you begin binging during a part of the day when you're not really doing anything to burn off those calories, you will gain weight. It is not necessarily the time of day you eat that leads to weight gain, but the type of foods you over indulge yourself in late at night combined with physical inactivity. You know what your favorite junk foods are to eat after everyone else has gone to bed; cookies, ice creams, chips, and whatever else your mind says will just hit the spot at the time. Eating late at night will not allow your heart the rest it needs because it has to work overtime to help digest all the food you just ate.

Below are 8 Ways that will help you be more successful in your diet, and will help you put an end to any bad eating habits that could derail your weight loss progress.

1. Be sure to eat three well balanced meals during the day but don't forget to have two or three low fat snacks between meals. Many people try to eat too few calories during the day and then start binging late at night. Always first eat a healthy breakfast and try eating most of your calories before 7pm.

2. When your mind tells you it's time to eat late at night, stop and instead drink 1 to 2 cups of water or a warm cup of tea. You will usually still have the urge to eat after this but remind yourself that you feel hungry late at night due to your habit of eating late or it is because your mind thinks it needs to eat again. Breaking this habit is like learning to quit smoking and takes commitment and support. Put a sticky note on your pantry, refrigerator or wherever else needed; include your desired new weight goal and in large letters write something like: I WILL lose weight and I WiLL NOT eat late at night!

3. Don't buy your favorite junk food items and avoid late night binging by getting rid of all high calorie foods. Instead of eating junk food, have a piece of sugar-free hard candy or get a scoop of sugar-free ice cream.

4. Drop the late night TV habit quickly! If your favorite TV serious is aired too late at night, try recording it so you can watch it earlier in the evening. It is easier to start eating at night when you are sitting down watching the television. Keep physically active by working on a favorite hobby and giving in to your old habits of inactivity. Ads that focus on food can unknowingly trigger the impulse to eat and being bored can be one of the biggest dangers to late night eating.

5. Journal Daily! Have a written copy of your diet plan nearby, so it can help you keep your weight loss goals always fresh on your mind. This will allow you to see your progress, as you begin to see your late night eating routine begin to improve and progress you make each week.

6. Keep Yourself Busy! Mix up your daily routine and get active! You've already decided to lose weight and improve your overall health; now it's totally up to you to be proactive about your late night eating habits. Have you heard that on average it takes 6 weeks to break a habit and exchange it for a new one? Begin creating a good healthy lifestyle and stick to it until your new plan becomes routine. Once you see and feel the difference it makes in your health and fitness, you will be so excited and well pleased, it will be like an extra burst of energy that will help you reach your weight loss goals even faster!

7. Having a lite snack is okay, but check the nutritional value on what you eat or you may regret it later. Try not to snack while in a car, but rather take the time to be aware of what you are eating and enjoy it. I was relieved to find out that; occasional snacks that are low in fat are okay. I enjoy eating 1-2 scoops of sugar free butter pecan ice-cream on Sundays. Choose a favorite snack and see if you can find a low calorie or sugar free version of it. Just remember though that even if the snacks are low fat, they may be loaded full of salt! Just because the nutrition guide on back says it is low fat or is low in carbohydrates doesn't mean you can eat three times as much. It's okay to enjoy it but Do Not over do it!

8. Get psyched up for the challenge! Become unwavering in your commitment to weight loss; you can reach your goal! Since you know what your weak areas are, find ways to counter act those temptations. When you feel tempted to eat late at night, remember it is your old habit speaking and don't listen to it. The next morning you can wake up and enjoy a healthy breakfast to feel encouraged and you will be all the more closer to becoming a happier, healthier you!

Unrestrained eating late at night is a constant struggle for many of dieters. Final thought: If you are on a diet, you WILL HAVE to put an end to any late night munchies. Many people wanting to lose weight will eat right during the day only to blow it late at night; but if you apply the information in this article, you will not be one of them.