It’s the end of the day, that time after dinner and before bed. You’ve taken care of everything and everyone. That’s when it starts.
You’re not even hungry. In fact, you could still be full from dinner. But the cravings are loud. The fridge and pantry are calling your name. And before you know it… you’re eating.
A little here, a little there. Maybe it’s some extra bites of dinner as you’re doing the dishes. Or a piece of chocolate or a cookie. Something creamy. Something salty or crunchy. Something sweet. It might even be “healthy” stuff.
It doesn’t really matter what it is… you just keep eating. And picking. And nibbling.
Most of the time, this happens in secret. No one sees you do it. If they did, you’d probably be mortified.
Then comes the guilt and shame. And that familiar voice in your head: “What is wrong with me? I wasn’t even hungry.”
Can You Relate?
I know I certainly can! It made no sense at all. I wasn’t even hungry. But I couldn’t wait for everyone to leave the kitchen or go to bed so I could start on the Fritos, cookies, popcorn and chocolate. As a weight loss dietitian, I certainly knew better. But I just couldn’t stop.
If this sounds familiar, please know this…
You’re not broken. You’re not weak. And this is not a lack of discipline or willpower. This is your brain, and your nervous system, doing exactly what they were designed to do.
Your Brain Is Trying to Protect You and Calm Your Nervous System
By the time you’ve reached your 60s (and beyond), you’ve lived a lot of life! You’ve likely shouldered a ton of responsibility, been a caregiver in one way or another, and dealt with decades of stress and pressure.
And, if you’re like many women I know, you spent decades putting others first, being strong, and pushing through – even when you were physically, mentally, and emotionally depleted.
So, when the day ends and your body finally starts to slow down, your brain starts looking for relief!
Your brain remembers it can find relief with food.
Food has a very powerful effect on our brain chemistry and at the end of the day your brain remembers…
- The hit of serotonin that calms you.
- That pleasurable rush of dopamine.
- The feelings of comfort and soothing.
- That little bit of peace you’re looking for.
This after-dinner grazing, wandering through the kitchen just looking for “something,” is your brain saying: “I need calm. I need comfort. I need joy. I need to unwind.”
And the fastest, most available solution is food.
The problem isn’t that your brain is trying to help you feel better. The problem is that it’s using a tool that ends up making you feel worse.
As I’m sure you’re aware, nighttime eating often leads to weight gain, inflammation, and poor sleep. It also fills us with guilt and shame and we end up feeling like a failure.
You wake up the next morning feeling heavy in your body and heavy in your heart.
But here’s the good news. You can teach your brain and your body new ways to feel safe, secure, and relaxed – without using food!
You Can Rewire Your Brain for Peace
This isn’t about trying to have more self-control or willpower. It’s not about tracking your carbs, starting another diet, or joining another challenge. It’s about understanding that your nervous system is overworked. That your emotional needs have been ignored for too long. That your brain has been programmed to turn to food to feel better.
The good news is that you can fix this!
Once I realized what was really causing my nighttime eating, I started learning everything I could about how to calm my nervous system, heal my emotions, and reprogram my brain for success instead of failure.
Energy Healing and Mindset Techniques Can Help
I use a variety of energy healing tools and mindset techniques to help me and my clients stop their nighttime eating so they can lose the weight and keep it off. Some of my favorites include:
- EFT tapping to calm the nervous system and stop cravings.
- The Emotion Code to release the emotional baggage that triggers our overeating in the first place.
- Mental and emotional rehearsal to rewire the brain and create a mindset for weight loss success.
The best part about these techniques? They work! In addition to stopping my nighttime eating, I also conquered the other cravings I was having throughout the day. I lost the weight and kept if off. And my clients are doing the same.
If you want to learn more about how to make this happen for YOU, my free masterclass can help.
It explains why we eat emotionally and how you can finally break this cycle.
If you struggle with…
- Nighttime eating
- Eating when you’re not hungry
- Secret eating
- Losing the weight and keeping it off…
Please watch this FREE on-demand class. You’re not alone and you’re not a failure. Your brain is just trying to protect you, but there’s a better way.
Let’s Have a Conversation:
Have you been struggling with nighttime eating? What have you gained by eating after dinner? What have you lost? Do you need help to stop your cravings?
