This is how you say no to that late night snack

There is not a day that goes by in our editorial office without a cake, chocolate bar, pack of cookies, bag of eggs or jar of candy being placed on the table. And I am really a pro at resisting those temptations. But where I am less good is saying no to the late-night snack. The main reason you crave a snack in the evening is usually because you haven't eaten enough during the day. Yet there is more going on. We women can simply blame our hormones .

At the moment your stomach is empty, your stomach wall secretes the hormone ghrelin. Your stomach has a high blood circulation which means the hormone quickly reaches your brain. Immediately a feeling of hunger is activated which stimulates you to eat. Unfortunately, some people naturally produce more of the hormone than others. But ultimately, it causes a constant feeling of hunger and cravings for sweet and fat food for everyone.

All well and good, but how do we get rid of the misery?

• Make sure you get enough proteins, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, and vegetables throughout the day. This keeps your ghrelin levels low, your blood sugar levels peak less quickly, and you won't suffer from binge eating later in the day.
• Avoid fruit in the evening. Fruit sugars increase the ghrelin in the stomach wall.
• Brush your teeth after eating.
• Clean the countertop immediately after cooking, store leftovers, and turn off the light.
• Make sure you relax. The more stressed you are, the higher your ghrelin levels. Unfortunately. So put your phone in airplane mode and read a book. Or do a yoga session.
• Habits are hard to break. Change your evening routine and try to avoid places and situations where you tend to reach for that snack. Take a walk after eating, read a book, or run an errand.
• Crawl into bed early tonight. When you don't get enough sleep, it can cause your body to send hunger signals faster under the influence of the increased hunger hormone. Moreover, with sleep deprivation, leptin, the hormone that sends the signal that you are full, decreases. Getting enough sleep ensures that the production of both hormones remains balanced, so you will be less likely to start snacking unhealthily.