We’ve all been there. Your old (and incredibly tactless) friend, Jenny, visits you on a random day to update you about her recent life happenings, and then suddenly, she utters those four fateful words: “Have you gained weight?”

Frustrating, isn’t it? She probably doesn’t know about the daily calorie tracker you’re keeping or the fact that your doctor told you specifically that you needed to lose a bit of weight to help with your hypertension and high cholesterol. Even when she’s gone, those four words keep on repeating themselves inside your head. What is going on?

Well, aside from paying attention to WHAT you are eating, did you know that it also matters WHEN you are eating?

According to a recent survey commissioned by a UK supplement company, there are three dangerous times when it comes to eating, or rather, OVEReating.

The times that have the highest risks specifically are the times around 11:01 AM, 3:14 PM, and 9:31 PM wherein we have the tendency to consume a complete calorie overload.

The survey found that we consume roughly an extra 750 calories per day during these high-risk periods, which were associated with activities such as a morning trip to (or take-out from) the coffee shop, the afternoon tea run, and the after-dinner binge.

So if you have the tendency to engage in these activities, here are some tips on how to take control of your calorie intake during these times!

The Pre-Lunch Hunger

By 11 AM, chances are, it may have already been several hours since you consumed breakfast yet still an hour or so before lunch. Because of this, despite us knowing that lunch is just around the corner, we tend to do what we love doing the most: SNACKING!

The problem is, the hunger you feel around this time of day is probably the result of under-eating during breakfast. You may have felt virtuous for eating a little bit less than normal but it usually ends up being counterproductive given the in-between snacking that leads to MORE calories overall.

To avoid this, make sure to also plan a small snack between your breakfast and lunch that ideally contains around 100-200 calories and 5-10 grams of protein to keep your hunger at bay until lunchtime.


Ideal options would include a small coffee, a small amount of Greek yoghurt (about 100 grams), and berries or some whole-grain crackers and cheese. Snacking on veggies like carrots and celery with a hummus dip is also a good option.

Post-Lunch, Pre-Dinner Snacking

Two to three hours after a meal, it’s natural for us to feel hungry and this is usually associated with a blood-glucose drop.

Unfortunately, during this time of day, the types of food we usually associate with snacking are treats or junk food: biscuits, chocolate, and snack bars, which leave us feeling unsatisfied and only craving more.

The key step to controlling these urges is incorporating a protein-rich snack into your diet three or four hours after lunch.


Good options are portion-controlled, nutrient-filled, nut-based snack bars, crackers with savory toppings, and, as per above, vegetables with cottage cheese or hummus.

Embrace your inner-snacker with healthy alternatives!

The After-Dinner Crave

You know how it works. You’re relaxing in front of the TV, catching up on your favourite show, and then suddenly, you think that a cup of tea and a few biscuits aren’t going to hurt. It’s been a long day, after all. You deserve it.

Well as much as you think so, YOUR BODY DOESN’T! We all know that the reason your mind is craving these is that you’ve seen all those biscuit and chocolate ads on the TV. The manufacturers know how it works and they also know that this is the best time to advertise these treats.




Eating sweet foods in front of the television becomes a habit and it can be difficult to break out of, especially after you’ve been doing so for the past few years.
As mentioned earlier, the key to conquering this is always eating in a PORTION-BASED manner. Pick your poison. It might be a small portion of ice cream (though sorbet would be better), a few squares of dark chocolate, or a biscuit or two and a cup of tea. Not 3 packets of Tim-Tams back to back (ahem… we don’t want to talk about it).

Having a “cut-off” where you intentionally deprive yourself after a certain time of day can also help break out of this bad habit. You can also choose to keep only a small amount of treats in your house. You can’t eat what isn’t there!

How about you? Do you have any bad eating habits? Do you think these tips help you break them? Let us know in the comments below!

While you’re at it, check out these healthy snacks that could help you lose weight!