So you’re “good” all day. You don’t eat a donut for breakfast. You do drink your H20. Your dinner is a portrait of macrobiotic perfection. Dessert? No thanks. But then it’s 10 p.m. and you’re in your fluffy slippers and elastic-waisted PJ pants and all of the sudden, unthinkable things are flying into your mouth—potato chips, ice cream, cold pizza. Sound familiar? If not, that’s probably because I just described my day yesterday and not yours. But if it does, maybe we both need a little help—from our little friend, the pine nut.
Pine nuts were just the star of my favorite health TV talk show because of their purported ability to curb late night cravings. They contain an omega-6 fatty acid that may help keep the late-night munchies at bay. If you snack on them raw, toss them in your dinner salad or roast them and use them to top your grilled chicken, that cold, creamy pint might not have the same power over you later in the evening. If you don’t adore pine nuts, you can get omega 6 in supplement form.
Some other ways I (usually) keep myself out of the kitchen at night:
-Don’t under-eat during the day. Your resolve to stick to a 1000-calorie-a-day diet may not be so strong when your stomach is growling in bed, and that’s when a dangerous idea hits you: I might as well have some peanut butter because I really ate nothing all day!
-Don’t skimp on healthy fats or protein. “Fat-free” should be renamed “amp up your appetite!”
-Think before you eat. Are you sad, stressed, angry, bored? Maybe you don’t need to eat. Maybe you need to journal, do yoga or call a good friend instead.
-Brush your teeth as soon as you’re finished dinner, and do a really thorough job with the floss. You won’t want to undo all of your hard work with a few bites of something you really don’t need!
What are your tips for keeping late-night food cravings under control? Comment below or tweet me at @AnitasJourney!