Hi, I’m Lisa. I’m a registered dietitian nutritionist at Tahoe Forest Hospital, and I have a question for everyone today. Do you regularly find yourself grabbing snacks and treats in the evening, mindlessly eating? We all know you can’t eat just one.
I regularly have people ask me what they can do about it, and I have a few tips for you. A couple questions I want you to think about. I want you to get really curious about what’s going on.
The first question is, did you eat enough during the day? Often we find ourselves running out of the house and skipping breakfast. Work’s too important during the day to stop for lunch. We get home at night, maybe eat a healthy dinner, but by 9:00 again we’re hungry, because we really haven’t fueled enough during the day. At 9:00 at night though, I don’t have the energy to make a salad.
The next question I want to ask is, are you actually hungry? Maybe you are feeling well during the day and something else is going on. So checking in with yourself when you find yourself wandering into the pantry, opening that freezer drawer. Am I really hungry, or maybe I’m feeling tired, stressed, bored, anxious, like I need a reward because I survived my day?
One thing that helps me determine if I’m hungry or not is if someone was going to take away that bag of chips from me and replace it with, say, a plate of chicken and rice and broccoli, would I still eat it? If the answer is yes, I want you to feed yourself some healthy food. I love the idea of a protein-carb combo snack at night, like Greek yogurt and fruit.
If the answer is no, then maybe we need to dig a little bit deeper about what’s going on. Maybe we’re feeling anxious, and going for a walk, or calling a friend, or taking some deep breaths will actually help. Food can temporarily make us feel good, but in the long run, most of us can relate to how it actually makes us feel worse.
Maybe you’re actually feeling really tired and exhausted from the day. What would it feel like to go to bed early and get a good night’s sleep? That would actually make a difference.
If you want to get curious about your relationship with food, I really encourage you to reach out to our registered dietitians at Tahoe Forest Hospital so that we can support you.
Are you often reaching for snacks late at night without even realizing it? Lisa Fligor, Wellness Dietitian at Tahoe Forest Health System, dives into the common habit of mindless evening snacking and what may be driving it. Lisa shares key questions to help you determine whether you’re actually hungry or just seeking comfort from stress, boredom, or fatigue. She suggests practical ways to tune into your hunger cues, like asking yourself if a balanced meal, such as chicken and rice, would be just as appealing as that bag of chips. If not, it might be time to address underlying feelings with healthier actions, like a quick walk or a chat with a friend.
Lisa’s tips also include nutritious snack ideas and the benefits of a good night’s sleep to curb the desire for empty calories. Want more personalized support? Reach out to our registered dietitians at Tahoe Forest Health System to start building healthier habits.
