The Worst Weight Loss Bad Habit

author avatar Dr. Eric Berg 08/31/2023

The Worst Weight Loss 'Bad Habit'

Dr. Eric Berg DC

Today, we’re going to talk about the worst habit you can have that will prevent you from losing weight. I wonder if you can guess what this is.

Eating at night—especially when you’re not hungry.

Woman eating crackers in fridge

If you’re doing my intermittent fasting program to lose weight and you’re trying to avoid spiking Fat Storing Hormone, why would you want to jump it up before going to bed, since when you sleep is when you experience your highest burning of fat?

Eating at night when not hungry is just a habit perpetuated by TV characters and commercials of all kinds. When you were a teen with the metabolism of a 12 to 14-year-old, you could do this, but not now.

What happens is people get home at night from work and they start watching TV, mindlessly putting all kinds of Fat Storing Hormone-spiking, calorie-laden foods into their mouth, and then it’s time for bed.

My father used to do this. I used to work at a movie theater and I’d bring him home this garbage bag- like sacks of popcorn, just covered in those unhealthy trans-fat butter substitutes, and he would literally work his way through that bag until bed time.

Here’s the problem, these kinds of food create a massive spike of Fat Storing Hormone. And you’re not even hungry. Most of all, you’re sabotaging your efforts to lose weight completely.

What to Do If You Are Really Hungry

If you are hungry, add more fat to your dinner so that you can go longer without eating. Typically, most people aren’t truly hungry when they snack or eat at night.

It’s just a bad habit.

Eating can be a very emotional habit, but it’s a bad habit because you’ll spike Fat Storing Hormone from the time you sit down until you go to bed.

I think some people like the texture of pistachios, or salty potato chips, or maybe sweet things, and they just have to have that sensation when they watch TV, and one reason why it’s so dangerous is you go on 'automatic pilot' and you might not be aware of what you’re eating.

Maybe you like ice cream at night and the texture and cold of these kinds of buttery, creamy things.

So, just be aware of what you’re doing and what you’re eating is doing in terms of its bad effects on your weight and on your Fat Storing Hormone. If you’re hungry, simply add more fat during dinner, so you can go longer without eating yet again and spiking that Fat Storing Hormone.

If you’re craving certain foods, however, that’s another thing entirely. That means you need to correct your breakfast. So watch some of my videos on what to eat for breakfast. I talk a lot about what to eat to eliminate cravings and to give you a lasting feeling of being satiated.

Here’s one of them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv3g9Pjfweo

If you find that you’re often in this kind of automatic pilot state, putting things in your mouth for pleasure, try to get your mind off of it with a healthier habit, a hobby, or at least healthy snacks. (These, too, will cause an Fat Storing Hormone spike, so if you can, try other things on the list below instead!)
 

Protein


Things to do to keep you from mindless snacking eating at night:
 

  • Chew gum.

  • Knit, paint, cross stitch, build model cars, make a ship in a bottle, work on puzzles.

  • If you must eat/snack, eat something healthy like celery sticks. (Organic— These are on the Dirty Dozen list as you know.) And give yourself as many of these as you want.


Overall, just try to find something to do that would keep you busy and active.

Most of all, make yourself extremely aware of every time the hand comes to mouth. Ask yourself, “What am I eating?”, “Why am I eating it?”, and “Can’t I wait until breakfast?”

Eating at night is a BIG, BAD problem and you need to get rid of it—like now.

I’d love to hear any comments or questions you have about what I’ve said today. Let me hear from you below!

Thank you,

Dr. Eric Berg

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