Darn Those P.M. Cravings: Not Easy to Eat Healthy At Night

photo by bookjunkie

Why is it easier to eat healthy in the early part of the day, but when the evening rolls around I always give in to temptation. I become cookie monster at night! (took that photo of a cookie monster kiddies coin operated ride at Hougang Mall) It’s so frustrating. Usually when I do something like that, like indulge in an unhealthy snack like a slice of cake, I feel like I have ‘spoilt’ the day and then it’s no use anymore and I’ll have to start all over again tomorrow. That’s when I give myself licence to indulge even further. Writing it here, it all sounds so silly. Is anyone out there as nutty as me? Please share so that I don’t feel so alone in my weird ‘perfection or everything is ruined’ tendencies.

Also I find it so much easier to be positive during the day. I think it’s got something to do with the sunlight and the hope that comes with daylight. Once the night falls and especially when you’re alone in the dark, and feelings of failure overwhelm you, snacks can be the best comfort. Ok I admit, sometimes it’s just the munchies and with none of the psychological stuff attached. It’s just plain loving food. It’s just so hard to resist.

They say it’s good to visualize your success and I think that actually works, but in moments of weakness I forget I am on a diet. Secretly also I don’t think it is possible for me to be successful and I am internally sabotaging myself. I tell myself ‘why bother’. After I have made a ‘mistake’, I feel so frustrated and berate myself mentally. Then I ‘comfort’ myself by indulging further. I think men don’t have this hangup. They just cut down on what they normally have and exercise more. It seems so much easier for them to lose weight as they have more muscle mass and none of the hormonal cravings for ice cream and cookies! It’s so unfair.

Other strategies include distracting yourself (I find that I don’t eat when I am typing on the computer and TV is the utmost trigger for snacking so I avoid TV like the plague) and pre-planning your indulgences and keeping them within the caloric limits for the day. I find the Livestrong website an amazing tool for tracking and nutritional analysis of your meals.

I also find myself caving in and eating more in social situations, even when I am not hungry or not particularly fond of something. I eat to please people which I should not be doing. I really need to be stronger on this front, and I am crossing my fingers that I succeed this time.

About bookjunkie

Blogging about life in Singapore & recently cancer too.
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2 Responses to Darn Those P.M. Cravings: Not Easy to Eat Healthy At Night

  1. 365days2play says:

    I saw this really nifty Habit paper pads sold by Kikki K. They have a space for you to write your proposed habit to adopt, plus mondays to sundays boxes for u to check off each day that you fulfill the proposed habit. Cost $8 so I thought I’d make some myself instead. Try it! Maybe writing it down in print will force you to adhere to it!

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