You finish dinner, sit down on the sofa, and pop on your favorite show. Instantly, the ice cream is shouting at you from the freezer, making it hard to concentrate on what you are watching. You resist for a moment, but eventually, you give in. This is how I lived for years – a constant push and pull between demands from the kitchen and trying to convince myself I didn’t need it.

I thought I was the problem; I blamed my lack of willpower or believed I didn’t want it badly enough, so I set bigger goals. Little did I know, my relationship with food had nothing to do with willpower. I just hadn’t been introduced to tangible strategies to transform my cravings from demands into suggestions.

Today, I want to share what I’ve implemented in hopes that it will transform how you experience those late-night cravings too!

Tip #1: Front-load Your Day

Breakfast is the least eaten meal among those who binge eat. The most common pattern is skipping breakfast, having a low-calorie lunch, and consuming thousands of calories at night. You need to flip the script and commit to eating breakfast within an hour of waking. By nourishing your body soon after waking, you support appetite control and your ability to regulate emotions throughout the day by balancing blood sugar.

Tip #2: Three Balanced Meals Per Day (+2/3 Snacks)

Following on from tip number one, plan for three satisfying meals per day, including all the macronutrients – protein, carbohydrates, fats, and plenty of micronutrients too. Leaving too long between meals is a huge trigger for binge eating, as is being undernourished. Overeating is only appealing when you are underfed.

Tip #3: Include ‘Evening Foods’ in the Day

We place the foods we ban or perceive as bad on a pedestal. Research clearly shows that creating a hierarchy around food increases our chances of overconsuming them. Neutralize these foods by including them throughout the day. For example, have some chocolate with your morning coffee or a slice of cake with your lunch.

Tip #4: Omega-3 Rich Diet

A high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids in our diet may be linked to an increased risk of binge eating. This is an ongoing study, so we do not fully understand the reasons yet. However, it is assumed that the imbalance of these fatty acids could potentially impact brain processes related to appetite regulation and impulse control. Oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel, tuna steaks, sardines, and herring, are great sources of omega-3. If fish is not your thing, you can always supplement!

Tip #5: Eat a Source of L-glutamine at Least Three Times Per Day

The amino acid L-glutamine supports our gut health and the good microbes that live there. The gut and brain work together, known as the gut-brain axis, which in turn supports the production of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin. These play a role in supporting our mood and decreasing our impulsivity. Foods rich in L-glutamine include eggs, tofu, milk, fish, yogurt, poultry, beef, beans, nuts, legumes, and cheese.

Tip #6: Avoid Revenge Bedtime Procrastination

If the moments before you go to bed are the only time you get to yourself, it seems logical to try to extend this period as much as possible to reclaim the day. This often means staying up late, eating food, scrolling social media, and watching Netflix. There are plenty of strategies you can implement to avoid this. The first thing you need to do is carve out time for yourself throughout the day – even if it’s just a matter of minutes.

Tip #7: Identify the Emotion You Are Trying to Soothe

If your late-night cravings are emotionally driven, you need to get to the root cause. Any other strategy will simply be putting a band-aid over an open wound. I’ve had clients who eat out of boredom – then signing up for an online course or learning a new skill has been super successful. I’ve had clients who eat because they feel lonely – then reconnecting with old friends or joining social clubs has worked the best. Different problems require different solutions.

And of course, craving something sweet is not a crime and not something you should give yourself a hard time about. However, if you feel like it is overpowering your life, then it’s worth dealing with.