We're coming up on Halloween and the

holiday season right afterward, and food

will be everywhere. While I certainly believe

in loosening the reins and enjoying yourself

this time of year, I don't want to start 2026

10 pounds flabbier, and neither do you.

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If you're currently following a diet and

find that you're still hungry a lot,

or you get attacks of cravings

out of the blue that you know are

contributing to you eating more than

you should, there are some ways to fight

back—and I'm NOT talking about "manning up,"

having more willpower, or denying yourself.

In fact, the solution may actually be to eat

more food!

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Let me explain.

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3 Things To Do When

You're Still Hungry

1. Eat more protein.

A lot of people don't realize this but high-protein

foods—and I mean nearly pure-protein meals—

are very unlikely to contribute to weight gain.

Yes, I'm saying you can eat them without getting

fatter.

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Let's say you went out to a nice sushi dinner.

If you know you have a tendency to get really

hungry right before bed, you could plan ahead

and order some sashimi (just fish, no rice) and

take it home. That can be your late-night snack.

(Soy sauce or wasabi on top is OK too.)

Assuming you're eating a lean cut of tuna or another

low-fat fish, you're probably not going to undo

your diet. Protein makes your body burn quite

a few calories during digestion, and it's satiating,

so if you're going to overeat anything, let it be that.

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Another option is to make yourself a protein pudding.

Supplement companies sell these but you can make

your own with any protein powder. Pour a scoop

or two into a bowl, add enough water to make it

mushy, and put it in the freezer until it hardens

up a bit but isn't frozen through (10–15 minutes).

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Giving protein powder a more pudding-like

consistency makes it a bit more satisfying and—

I would argue, filling—than just drinking the stuff.

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​Yet another option is egg whites. I buy liquid egg

whites (so I don't have to waste good yolks from

whole eggs I buy) and often cook a half-cup

shortly before bed if I'm hungry. I season with

salt and pepper and I'm good to go.

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Adding more protein to your day, even after you've

hit your calorie allotment, will not derail your progress.

But keep these protein sources pure. Fatty meats like

beef and whole eggs won't work.

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2. Eat more fiber.

When you're hungry at 10 p.m.,

I realize you're not craving spinach or broccoli.

But simple kid snacks like carrot and celery sticks

with a little salt on top can be pretty enjoyable,

and they can prevent you from tearing open a

bag of processed, sugary [insert your favorite

junk food here].

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Yes, there are a few carbs in here, but the fiber

will offset them. A vegetable like celery also packs

a lot of water, contributing to fullness.

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3. Distract Yourself

Sometimes you do just have to stop eating,

but rather than sit still and suffer with the thought,

you can use little tricks to take your mind off your

stomach.

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Leave the room and work on some project or

chore. Call a friend and have a conversation.

Take a walk. Play some music. If you're going to

watch TV, let it be a show or movie that really

engages your brain—like a murder mystery or

something you're extremely interested in—not

something you can watch passively without paying

attention. This will only result in boredom and finding

your way back to food in an effort to ease it.

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So much of overeating is simply MINDLESS eating.

We eat because we're anxious and our minds are

racing in different directions and cravings give us

something for comfort. Shaking that feeling off,

getting out of that headspace, can really be as

easy as just taking a walk down the block.

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Try it.

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Hope that helps,

– Sean

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