"What do I do about my late-night eating?"

I was asked this the other day, and I actually did a whole Facebook Live on cravings, click HERE to watch!

The long and short of it is that changing your actions in the evening when you have cravings is never going to work long-term. Taking a walk or a bubble bath when your brain tells you Netflix and ice cream my work right then, but the craving will still be there....and it will still come back night after night.

Nighttime cravings are caused by the emotion you are feeling at the time; perhaps you're stressing over your day, feeling bored, resenting your pile of laundry. Whatever it is, you must solve for that emotion before you can solve for the cravings.

Eating past the point of fullness is extremely common in today's world. Here are 3 tips to help break the habit of overeating:

1. Check in with your emotions before you eat: Do you feel anxious, rushed, pressured, stressed? These emotions lead to overeating, so slow down and find a more relaxing thought. : )

2. Get rid of distractions: Turn off the TV, put down your phone and truly be present for your meals. This helps you to pay attention to how you're feeling while you eat, rather than zoning out and mindlessly taking bite after bite. You'll notice when your full and therefore will stop eating before you're overfull!

3. Slow down: Take the time to slow down when eating. Chew your food 15-20 times before you swallow it, that's how long it takes to get the nutrients out of the food. When you slow down you'll start to notice the amazing flavors and textures of the meal as well! Your appreciation for the food will increase and you'll...

"What do I do about my late-night eating?"

Late-night eating is a problem for many! It isn't just you.
Nighttime eating urges are caused by the emotion you are experiencing during that time. Sometimes its anxiety or stress, but pinpointing what you are feeling will help you solve for nighttime eating!

That emotion is caused by a thought. Perhaps you always dwell on the day's failings in the evening, making you feel anxious and so you end up eating. How can you change the thought that is causing anxiety to one that causes more neutrality? If you can work on your thoughts to create more neutral emotions, then you have just taken the biggest step toward eliminating nighttime eating. 

What most people will tell you need to do is work on the actions you are taking; eat something else, go for a walk, take a bath, call a friend.....but you will still always have that negative emotion, and thus nighttime eating, if you don't solve for the thought causing the negative emotion.

Going into this new year, I was up to a weight I hadn't seen on my scale for a long time!

A month of travel followed by the holidays, and I was ready to get back to it. I set a goal to lose 10lbs in the new year, and I am amazed that I am almost half-way there already! In just one week I went down 4.2lbs!!

So far, I have been eating Basically It Meals twice a day, along with a green smoothie or juice. It has honestly been the easiest thing I've ever done!  

If you're in St. Louis, you can do the 10# challenge with me! Click here to get your meal plan and let's do this thing together! 

The little changes you make every day end up creating a big impact on your health! For instance, try eating a sweet potato instead of a white potato and you're already getting a ton more nutrients just by making that one simple choice.

Check out the nutritional differences between the two potatoes!

If you're weighing in today and wondering why the scale seems off, here are a few reasons why:

When we consume a lot of carbs, sugar, salt or alcohol our bodies can hold onto water weight for DAYS! Even though you may feel like it's been a while since New Year's Eve, your body may not have released its water weight yet.

You may feel like you've been on track for a while, but remember that you just got through two months of holiday celebrations, and all those extra treats can really add up. Take it slow, you're on the right path!

Weight can fluctuate from day to day depending on your hydration status, internal swelling (hello, leg day!) etc., don't let the numbers throw you. Stay on track!

PS. These are the types of topics we discuss in No-Diet Diet Club! Learn more and get on the wait list here!

"What is the best way to prevent weight gain during the holidays?"

Most of us have a lot of social gatherings from Halloween to the New Year. However, not each of these events is worth a high-calorie count meal. Take a look at your calendar; which events are worth the splurge? Now, choose the exact foods and beverages you plan to splurge on during those events.

Not every event has foods you love or is worth the extra calorie consumption, but not having a plan ahead of time usually means you're going to overdo it. Planning ahead of time like this allows you to make wise choices, to be present in the moment with your splurge, and to really enjoy it!! Not to mention, going through this process is huge in helping you avoid the typical holiday weight gain.

Ask the Nutritionist is our weekly segment where we take your nutrition questions and also answer them. Feel free to ask away in the comments section on Instagram, @basically_it_ and look out for our answer!

1. Frozen yogurt: While this can be a slightly healthier alternative to ice cream, that is what makes it dangerous! We tend to eat more when we know its "healthy-er". Keep your portion small and limit your toppings to one favorite!

2. Popcorn: I too am a fan of all the delicious popcorn flavors you can find everywhere nowadays, and while popcorn is far better than chips or pretzels, it can still be overdone. While popcorn's nutritional stats are decent, it goes down easy and by the handful. Topped with some artificial butter or cheese powder, it can pack a punch of calories without you even realizing it.

3. Peanut butter: Yes, a wonderfully healthy source of fats, fiber and protein, it is also very calorically dense and the serving size can disappear alongside crackers or veggie sticks with two bites. Portion it out ahead of time to be sure you know how much you are eating.

You know you are getting the most out of your workout when...

You are working up a sweat. No, not every "workout" needs to include an intense sweat, and certain activities it may seem like you're not sweating (swimming or a run on a cold day), but a good sweat is a great sign that you are pushing yourself.

Your muscles are burning!! This is a sign that you are breaking down muscle tissue that will be repaired bigger and stronger!

You sleep like a baby....this is a great sign that you pushed your body and now you are getting great rest and repair sleep.