Want to know how to stop snacking at night? It starts with one simple question.
Dinner’s done. Dishes are away. You’re on the couch.
And that little voice pops up. “Ooh, maybe a cracker smeared with butter.” Or “I wonder what’s in the pantry.” Or “Just a taste of that salted caramel ice cream.”
You know the slippery slope.
By the end of this post you’ll have the one question that stops most after-dinner snacking before it even starts. No willpower. No banning anything. And you’ll know why it works so well, even when you’re tired at the end of a long day.
A Client’s Win
One of my clients posted this in our group. I loved it so much I read it out on the podcast.
“After dinner last night, I had a tiny scoop of ice cream and a biscuit, all eaten slowly and savored. Even though I’m trying not to eat after dinner, it was not the end of the world. Then I thought about having a cracker smeared with butter. The slippery slope.
But I managed to coach myself away from that thought by thinking about the beautiful dinner I’d had not that long ago and the two extra treats. I reminded myself of my goals for October and how I’d been enjoying seeing the weight go down.
The urge to snack melted away, and I continued reading for the rest of the evening, not thinking about snacking. A whole world away from pre Naturally Healthy me.”
That’s the power of pausing and asking yourself a question.
Why Evenings Are the Danger Zone
By the end of the day, your prefrontal cortex is tired.
That’s the most advanced part of your brain. It makes the best decisions. It can weigh up the future consequences of what you do.
But it’s been online all day. Physically and mentally.
So a different part of your brain starts to take over. The amygdala.
The amygdala is your more prehistoric, survival brain. It doesn’t understand future consequences. It just goes “Oh, we’re feeling a bit flat. I know. Ice cream would be great right now.”
That’s why you can have a completely amazing dinner and then find yourself going back for more and more afterwards.
And most of these after-dinner urges have nothing to do with hunger. We’re tired. Or bored. Or it’s just a habit. We’re wanting a little reward.
The One Question: “Do I Really Need This?”
It’s really simple.
When you have the urge to eat something after dinner, pause. Then ask yourself:
“Do I really need this?”
You can even do it after the food is already in your mouth. Sometimes I haven’t really thought about it, and all of a sudden there’s food there. And I go “Hang on.”
It helps to add your why. Do I really need this, given I want the scale to go down tomorrow? Given I want to feel good in my clothes?
Sometimes the answer will be yes. Great. Give yourself permission. Serve it out. Slow down. Savor it, like my client did with her ice cream and her biscuit.
But nine times out of 10, when you ask that question, your rational brain comes back into the room. And it says “Actually, no. I’ve just had a beautiful dinner. I don’t need this right now.”
Don’t underestimate the power of one question. That urge to snack can just melt away.
The Follow Up: What Do I Actually Need?
Once I’ve checked in and the answer is “No, I don’t need this,” I like to ask one more question.
Sometimes I put my hand on my heart. And I ask, “What do I actually need right now?”
What’s below this urge?
- Often it’s “I’m tired. I just need to go to bed.”
- Sometimes it’s boredom.
- Sometimes I’m a bit lonely and need some comfort.
No right or wrong here.
When you acknowledge what’s going on, you can give yourself what you really need. Maybe that’s a hug. Go find someone to hug. Or hug a teddy.
Your Action Plank
- Write “Do I really need this?” on a Post-it. Stick it on the fridge or the pantry, wherever you normally go for your after-dinner foraging.
- When the urge hits, or you notice food already in your mouth, pause and ask the question.
- Answer it honestly. Then act accordingly.
- If it’s a no, ask “What do I actually need right now?”
Bonus tip 1: Celebrate the pause. Even if you still eat the whole tub of ice cream afterwards, the fact that you paused is evidence you’re changing. The more you notice it and celebrate it, the more you’ll want to do it.
Bonus tip 2: You can choose again in any moment. You might be halfway through the tub before you think to ask. That’s just as valuable as pausing before. You don’t have to wait until tomorrow. Or Monday.
Want Become a Naturally Healthy Person?
Who doesn’t struggle with the weight thing.
In case we haven’t met, I’m Jules Clancy. I’m an Australian food scientist turned certified health coach. My life’s work is helping food lovers like you and me learn to listen to our bodies, so we can lose weight with ease and joy. Without giving up any of the food we love. And without anything weird like counting calories.
If you’d love to become one of those naturally healthy unicorns who eats what you want, feels great in your clothes and has a beautiful relationship with food… check out my free class.
The Secret to Eating What You Want and Feeling Good in Your Clothes
In the class you’ll discover:
- The number one essential skill for a naturally healthy relationship with food
- The four sneaky reasons your past attempts to change haven’t worked, so you know what to do differently
- The three phases of healthy eating, so you know where you are now and where you want to get to
- My counterintuitive, simple approach to nutrition that cuts through all the conflicting information and helps you feel in control
My Best Bite
I love blue cheese.
One of my little weekly rituals is a very cheese-focused lunch on Saturday. A couple of nice pieces of cheese. Usually some protein too, like a boiled egg or a bit of tofu. But it’s really all about the cheese.
I’d forgotten I’d bought some Saint Agur. It’s a French blue cheese. Really creamy, with the nicest blue flavor.
Then I found it in the fridge. Right, great.
It was a little past its use by date. But that intense flavor. So creamy. Melt in the mouth. So delicious.
I’m Excited About
I’ve got a new habit. Reading physical books.
I listen to heaps of audiobooks and podcasts. But I very rarely read an actual book.
I’ve joined a cookbook club, and we’re reading Patience Gray’s Honey From a Weed. It’s part cookbook, part memoir. And there’s no audiobook version.
It’s a lovely wind-down ritual. It’s good for sleep. And I want to model being someone who reads books for my boys.
I’m keeping it really tiny. I just have to read one page. And every time I do, lying on the floor in the lounge room with my book… it’s so nice.
Have a beautiful week.
In your corner,
Jules from Stonesoup xx
(Your favourite Australian Food Scientist)
See my bio