Effective weight loss, in principle, is impossible without proper nutrition and regular physical activity - there is nothing to deceive yourself. However, you do both during the day. There are also evenings and nights that you can also use when trying to shed those extra pounds. These are small changes that, however, can lead to weight loss success. Here are 10 evening (and overnight) weight loss tips.
1. Try not to get bored in the evenings
Sometimes we just eat out of boredom. If that's what you are doing, do something before bed. You can take a walk, write a blog, chat with a friend, or read to help distract yourself from eating. Watching TV in the evening is not a good idea, then it is easier to lose your guard and start snacking. Or maybe you will find yourself some completely new hobby? You can start drawing, playing a musical instrument, or learning to knit - these are great ways to distract yourself from eating.
2. Don't waste the night away
Getting enough sleep is essential. Believe it or not, getting the right amount of sleep really helps you lose weight. Set a specific sleep time and just go to bed. Besides, when you sleep, you cannot … have a snack.
3. Exercise (but not just before bed!)
Exercising in the early evening hours can help you lose weight and is more effective than morning workouts. However, don't train too late - finish at least an hour before bed. Also, make sure you don't exercise too much, because such workouts (such as interval training) can not only make it difficult to fall asleep, but also impair the quality of sleep.
4. Don't eat before bed
Eating dinner or even having a snack before bed can overwhelm your efforts during the day. It’s not the timing that really matters, but the fact that we tend to eat high-calorie foods late at night, leading to weight gain. Eating late can also make it difficult to fall asleep.
5. Prepare your own food the next day
Instead of buying or ordering something to eat, make yourself a soup or light lunch the night before (you will also save money). Food bought in the city usually contains more fat and salt. When preparing food, choose protein such as almonds, turkey and whole grains, low-fat dairy products, fruits and vegetables.
6. Eat regularly
Lunch at night can be caused by not eating enough during the day. So make sure you eat regularly - it's best to have a specific hourly schedule and eat at a specific time. This way, your body will know that it will get fuel when it needs it. Then even snacks between lunch and dinner are fine - as long as they are not too large.
7. Don't watch TV while eating
Just have dinner, relax and exercise, or at least take a walk (see point 3). Even if you enjoy watching movies while eating, don't do it - screen time distracts you from what and how much you eat. Then it's easy to accidentally overdo it on calories.
8. Brush your teeth right after dinner
This is a very valuable habit. After brushing your teeth, you will probably think twice before you eat anything. Remember to wait about an hour before brushing your teeth after eating something sour, like an orange, grapefruit.
9. Try to relieve stress
Stress can cause weight gain, so it's good to relax before bed - we still underestimate this factor, which has a huge impact on body weight. Deep breathing techniques and mindfulness meditation are very helpful in calming down. Relieving stress can also help improve sleep quality.
10. Make the bedroom dark
Shading your bedroom windows will not only help you fall asleep faster, but it will also help you lose weight - remember that sleep quality also matters (see point 2). Blocking light from outside, for example from street lamps, also prevents you from waking up at night. If you use a phone alarm and keep it in the bedroom, it will set the camera to night mode. Also, remember to stop using your phone and laptop at least 30 minutes before bed (blue light makes it difficult to fall asleep).