Are You a Night Time TV Eater?

Do you ever sit in front of the TV at night and have this nagging thought, “I need something.”

This is the story of one of our CBT Members.

Jessica, aged 38, is married with 2 children, aged 6 and 10. She also works full time as a high school teacher.

Jessica has recently started week of the Food & Fitness Connection Course. She has done really well and lost weight and has changed a lot of her eating habits. However, over Thanksgiving she has begun getting off track in the evenings. She decided to reach out for some extra help. During our phone session, she told me this past week, she has been snacking too much after dinner while watching TV.

I asked Jessica what thoughts come into her mind at that time and she said, “It’s was as if my brain was screaming like my children, saying… I need something.’” Jessica said she wasn’t hungry at that time, but it was her mind that was feeling unsatisfied.

Jessica and I looked at what that “something” might be for her. We explored how she feels at the time when she has the thought “I need something”. Jessica and I decided that next time when she has the thought “I need something“, to ask herself, “what will the food do for me? Am I bored? Am I tired? What is it that I am feeling right NOW as I am thinking “I want something.”

Jessica discovered that she feels tired in the evening when the kids have gone to bed and she unwinds in front of the TV. We discussed the fact that a lot of people who want to lose weight get off track in the evening because they are tired. What they really need is SLEEP. The body is saying, “If you want me to stay awake, I need some energy.” Your brain interprets that as, “I’m hungry and I need food.”

Jessica told me that she often puts off going to bed because she plans on finishing some of her “To-Do-List.” We discussed how she might manage her time differently using the Activity /Priority Sheet (This is in the 4 Week Food & Fitness Connection Course).

Jessica decided that if she goes to bed earlier, she might then get up earlier and get some of her “To-Do List” done in the morning. I also advised her to do a “brain dump” before she goes to bed of the things she would like to get done in the morning, which will put her mind at ease. Plus she doesn’t have to worry about forgetting.

She wrote her plan on a response card, which she will be reading every day. T his is to ensure that she will remember what her plan is the next time she thinks “I need something”.

Did Jessica’s case study help you to see how CBT can help with negative thoughts such as “I need something?” If you are ready to learn a bite more, make sure to download our FREE STOP NEGATIVE THOUGHTS E-Book!