Stop Eating After 7p.m.! Diet Tips for the Unadventurous

One of the things that weight-loss gurus seem to agree on is that you need to stop eating after a certain time at night - usually 2 or 3 hours before you go to bed. Sounds easy, right? Until you sit in front of the television and the ice cream or chips start calling your name from the kitchen...

Here are a few ways to help curb those night-time cravings! The key is to take your mind off food, because we all know that the more you think about something, the bigger it gets in your head until you find yourself head-first in a bag of tortilla chips.

First, brush your teeth or use some type of mouthwash right after your evening meal. This will make you more likely not to eat something again. I personally use the strong, almost medicine-y type that commercials tout as being "too intense a taste for more than 30 seconds". This helps clean my whole mouth, and it doesn't just seem like a cover-up. An added bonus is that it's good for my teeth and gums.

Make sure you're drinking a lot of water. As many specialists point out, sometimes you think you're hungry when you're really just thirsty. If you really, truly, honestly can't stop going in the kitchen, make yourself drink a glass of water and step out of the kitchen for at least 5 minutes.

Get away from the television. If you often eat in front of the t.v., sitting there watching evening shows could be a trigger for you. If you watch t.v. from your dining room table (where you usually eat dinner), this could also be a trigger. Get away from the t.v., or make it something that is on in the background only.

Try a new handcraft - there are literally dozens of crafting books that could teach you knitting, crocheting, hand quilting, or counted cross-stitch. Keeping your hands busy (even in front of the television!) can keep your mind off eating and also make it so you don't want to get food on your hard work!

Go for a walk. This has a double whammy for weight loss - you're out moving around more! Make sure you have appropriate clothing if it's dark out, and always wear the right shoes so you don't get injured.

Make yourself a deal - no eating anything in a certain chair or area of the house. Still enjoy a movie, but sit in the "no eating" chair. I know it sounds silly, but it actually works if you are willing to stick with it!

Give yourself a small non-food treat - a self-pedicure, time alone to read a good book, or a relaxing bath - for going a certain number of days without eating past 7:00.

Find something that interests you to take your mind off food. Try something new, but not too crazy for nighttime relaxation time. I tend to read, write, or sew in the evenings to relax and keep my mind off eating.

Try meditation to relax. This doesn't have to be weird, New Age-y stuff - just find a quiet spot, close out the kids and spouse, turn off the phone, Internet and television...just for a few minutes. You deserve a little time to yourself, right? Find a comfortable position, whether that's laying down, sitting cross-legged, or upright in a chair. Close your eyes, and just concentrate on your breathing. Your mind will wander, and when you notice that it is, just bring it back to your breathing. Let things go - just for 5 minutes at first (you can add more later when you see how cool it is!).

If all else fails, and you can't stop thinking about the cheese curls in the pantry or the fudge bars in the freezer...have some. But - and here's the biggest part - only have a little bit. Don't have a bowl of chips, have a handful. Don't have three scoops of ice cream, have a half of a scoop. You'll feel better because you didn't overeat or binge, and you also won't feel deprived. Just make it a last resort!