According to a dietitian, there are five things you should never do after 5 p.m. if you're trying to lose weight.

While a moderate, consistent calorie deficit is required for weight reduction, new research on circadian rhythms, meal timing, and intermittent fasting suggests that when you eat may be as important as what you consume.

According to nutritionists, there are five things you should never do after 5 p.m. if you're attempting to lose weight, ranging from mindless eating to staying up too late.

1. Binge watching towards the end of the day

Do you have an insatiable appetite in the evenings that causes you to devour everything in sight? Perhaps it's a cheese platter during happy hour or a pint of ice cream before night. First and foremost, you are not alone. Second, breaking this behavior is simpler than you would believe. Dieting has conditioned you to "eat less." As a result, you're probably not eating enough throughout the day, which causes you to overeat at night.

"Make sure you're making the time to eat enough to fulfill your needs during the day," advises Nicole Stefanow, M.S., RDN, a gourmet nutritionist in the greater New York City region, to avoid nighttime bingeing. "This way, when it's time to leave, you won't be starving. When we allow ourselves to become very hungry, we are more prone to overeat before our bodies tell us we are full "she claims.

It may seem paradoxical to eat more during the day while attempting to lose weight, but eating balanced meals with protein, fiber, and fat every three to four hours can help you avoid nighttime overeating and end the day in a calorie deficit rather than a calorie surplus. Also, include a fiber and protein-rich midafternoon snack, such as an apple with peanut butter, so you don't arrive to the kitchen ravenous at 5 p.m. and overeat on snacks before dinner.

2. Eating directly from the bag

"Don't nibble right out of the bag or box," advises Ruth Houston, author of the soon-to-be-released Eat Smart and Lose Weight: Scientifically Proven Ways to Lose Weight Without Diets or Exercise. "You run the danger of losing track of how much you've consumed. Take one piece for yourself (maybe two). And then put the box or bag away and leave it at that."

Munching chips directly from the bag leads to mindless eating, especially if you're reading on your phone or watching TV at the same time. Before you realize it, you've consumed the equivalent of a meal's worth of calories. "Instead of aimlessly nibbling, establish a plan for your evening snack (think veggies and protein to keep you full and content) and appreciate it. Turn off the TV and phone and focus solely on eating "Julia Stevens, M.P.H., RDN, CPT, a registered dietitian, advises

3. Excessive lateness

Late-night eating was connected to reduced weight reduction attempts and higher triglycerides in a 2021 research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The later you stay awake, the more hours you have to eat. Furthermore, most people do not go for the healthiest foods late at night. Of course, you should eat if you are hungry. Setting a bedtime, on the other hand, can assist reduce midnight snacking, which may be stopping the scale from moving. "When you don't have a structured nighttime routine or stay up too late at night, you have more time to snack—whether out of boredom or habit. Set a timer every night to remind yourself to unwind, and limit your Netflix bingeing "Melissa Mitri, M.S., RDN, owner of Melissa Mitri Nutrition LLC and registered dietitian, agrees.

According to a new study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, not getting enough sleep might also contribute to eating more the next day. Researchers discovered that persons who slept for fewer than seven hours each night ate more snacks the next day than those who slept for more than seven hours. Furthermore, the snacks were greater in calories but lower in nutrients (think: chips, cookies and soft drinks). This is due in part to an increase in the hormones cortisol and ghrelin, which rise the following day when you don't get enough sleep.

"Aim to put your phone away an hour before night," advises Julie Andrews, M.S., RDN, CD, FAND, a chef and registered dietitian. "It's tempting to check social media or respond to emails before bed, but the blue light might make falling asleep harder." Try a little meditation or drink some decaf tea to help settle down for a good night's rest."

4. Dinner carbohydrate abstinence

It's tempting to forgo carbs (or other food categories) during supper, but if your entrée doesn't fill you up, you'll find yourself digging through the cupboards a couple of hours later. "If you don't have a balanced meal, you'll definitely wind up ingesting a lot more calories (and not the healthful kind!) once hunger sets in," Mitri explains.

"Carbohydrates feed our brain and central nervous system, whereas fats aid in the absorption of specific nutrients, lessen glycemic effect, and contribute to satiety and fullness. Proteins are the building blocks of muscles, and they may boost metabolism and keep us feeling full and satiated for extended periods of time. Eliminating an entire food category may cause emotions of deprivation, which may lead to late-night bingeing "Mariana Dineen, M.S., RD, a dietitian and mother of three who specializes in sustainable weight loss.

Make your meal satisfying as well, advises registered dietitian Judy Barbe, M.S., RD, author of Your 6-week Guide to LiveBest. Dinner may be nutritious without tasting nice, but "if you feed your soul and eat properly, you'll be less prone to mindlessly nibble afterwards," adds Barbe.

5. Using the refrigerator without a plan

We eat for reasons other than physical hunger. Eating is joyful and comfortable, which is why we eat when we are anxious, bored, or have a particular urge. None of these reasons for eating are incorrect, but having a strategy in place for each case will help you stay on track toward your weight-loss objectives.

To begin, prepare for success by removing any tempting highly processed items (such as potato chips, sweets, and refined snack foods) from your home and stocking your fridge, freezer, and cabinets with more healthy options such as nuts, fruit, whole grains, and lean proteins. Second, devise a strategy.

"Plan your desserts so you don't always grab for high-calorie sweets with little nutrients," says Andrew Akhaphong, M.S., RD, LD, registered dietitian at Mackenthun's Fine Foods. "Consider keeping fruit, granola, and nonfat plain Greek yogurt in the fridge to prepare a parfait instead of reaching for a dish of high-sugar ice cream. You could also dip fruit in dessert hummus, which is high in protein and has a tinge of sweetness."

If things don't go as planned, there's no reason to feel guilty or ashamed. What you do most of the time is more important than what you do occasionally, but having a flexible strategy in place might assist.

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