Most of us are creatures of habit. Your lives revolve around a daily routine, and you are all fine with that until you notice that your pants won’t button anymore. One possible reason that you are gaining weight even after eating pretty healthy might be your weird nighttime habits. We all love eating some snacks after dinner while watching television, right? Or some chocolates, maybe? Yeah! And somehow, these nighttime habits are because of what you are gaining weight. So, let’s look at these 7 nighttime habits that can make you gain weight and let’s try to avoid doing it.
You overeat at dinner
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We, Nepalis, tend to eat their largest meal of the day at dinner, but that could be a one-way ticket to gain extra pounds. You eat too much or too heavy food, and as a result, your digestion slows, especially at night time. Instead, try making your largest meal at breakfast or lunch time. You will feel more energized throughout the day and give your body the time it needs to effectively use the calories, instead of storing them while you sleep. To avoid this nighttime habit, choose a light dinner that mainly consists of proteins and vegetables.
You eat spicy or fried food at dinner
Avoid spicy and fried food. Image Source: THE RYUGAKU
Spicy and fried food have too many calories that you won’t have time to burn off at nighttime. You might gain more fat cells and have poor digestion. At night, as you spend many hours without consuming anything, spicy food can provoke heartburn. Spicy foods are actually good for speeding up your metabolism. Eat it if you like it, but just not at the nighttime. It is better if you have baked, grilled or steamed food at night.
You go to bed right after dinner
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Having your dinner and going to bed right after that, makes you gather more fat cells in your body. You will also have digestion problems because of this nighttime habit. You should have your last meal approximately 1 to 2 hours before bedtime for better digestion.
You don’t brush your teeth after dinner
Brush your teeth after dinner. Image Source: AlexJones.pl
Do you tend to consume snacks at night just because you were bored or because it has become a habit to snack while watching television? Boredom eating can easily pack in the number of calories in an entire meal. Brushing your teeth right after dinner is a great way to escape the extra snacks at nighttime. If you find yourself munching mindlessly night after night, try brushing and flossing your teeth right after you finish your dinner. This nighttime habit will control the weight gain.
You check your tech before bed
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Blue light emitted by your phone, laptop or television affects your health and also your sleep. Sleeping with the TV on is definitely a big no-no because the light and sound can disturb you all night long. You might want to turn off those devices at least an hour before bed. Read a book or listen to relaxing music instead.
You don’t get enough sleep
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Not getting enough sleep will make you feel hungry. You might not know but sleep deprivation has more consequences than you think. It can lead to serious health problems like high blood pressure, cognitive disorder, heart disease, and of course weight gain. Studies show that people who don’t get enough sleep on a consistent basis tend to eat extra calories the next day. Those extra calories on a daily basis can easily add up to unwanted pounds. You must sleep for at least 8 hours a night in order to get a decent sleep.
You tend to skip dinner
Skipping dinner. Image Source: Verywell
One of the worst nighttime habits is to skip your dinner. Skipping dinner doesn’t help you to lose weight because skipping meals slows down your metabolism. It will only make you feel hungrier at your next meal. You might end up eating more than usual after skipping your dinner for one night. Skipping your dinner can also cause anxiety. Therefore, even if you don’t have time for a decent lunch or dinner, at least try to eat a piece of fruit. It will help you in keeping up with the metabolism.
There you go, 7 nighttime habits that can make you gain weight in no time. You might want to banish these bedtime habits and see if the pounds start coming off.
Do you have any nighttime habits that you would like to share with us? Let us know through the comments section below.