19.11.2025.

Why Do We Overeat Sometimes and How Can We Finally Stop?

Training, Nutrition & Daily Routines

If there is one pattern that repeats itself in almost every woman after the age of 35, it is overeating—most often in the evening.

During the day, everything seems fine. You’re mindful of what you eat, although you may actually be eating too little…

And then, in the evening—everything unravels.

Suddenly you’re hungry, craving something sweet, maybe even a warm comfort meal, and in the end it all finishes with guilt.
The next day you start again, but by evening it happens all over again—a vicious cycle.
You’re aware of it and often think you’re weak or lacking willpower.
But very often, this has nothing to do with willpower.
It has everything to do with metabolic processes, hormones, energy levels, and emotions.

1. THE PHYSIOLOGICAL REASON: Your Body Is Trying to Compensate

Women over 35 most commonly:

  • eat too little protein

  • eat too few quality carbohydrates earlier in the day

  • consume too little fibre

  • drink too little water

  • have long gaps between meals

The result?
In the evening, energy levels drop—the brain looks for a quick source of fuel—and strong food cravings appear.
That is not a lack of willpower.
It is a biological alarm.

What can reduce evening overeating?

  • Including enough protein throughout the day—in every meal

  • Eating quality carbohydrate sources at the right times

  • Adding fibre to meals for volume and satiety

  • Drinking enough water, since dehydration can increase hunger and cravings

2. THE PSYCHOLOGICAL REASON: Food Is a Message, Not the Problem

When you reach for food in the evening, the question is not:
“Why do I want to eat?”
but rather:
“What is this signal trying to tell me, and what do I need to hear?”

Very often, the type and amount of food you crave is a signal that:

  • you are exhausted

  • you are frustrated

  • you’ve been running on autopilot all day

  • you haven’t received the support you need

  • you’re carrying too much responsibility

  • you only feel the emotional burden once the day slows down

Evening overeating is most often:

  • the accumulation of the day

  • built-up stress

  • suppressed emotions

  • a lack of rest and recovery

  • your body’s attempt to self-soothe.

What Can Help?

An emotion journal.

Keep a simple journal for 7 days.
Whenever you feel the urge to eat (and you know it’s not physical hunger), write down the following:

  1. What happened during the last 30–60 minutes—or even earlier in the day?
    (Work demands, conflict with your partner or children, expectations from friends, doing something you didn’t really want to do.)

  2. What emotion came up?
    (Fatigue, frustration, sadness, loneliness, tension, feeling misunderstood, guilt.)

  3. What do I actually need?
    (Rest, conversation, support, a break, silence, 30 minutes just for myself.)

After 5–7 days, you’ll begin to see a pattern.
And once you understand what is driving your eating behaviour, you can start changing it.

PRACTICAL STEPS—No Dieting, No Guilt

1. Add protein to every meal

Protein helps keep you full, supports hormonal balance, and when your body gets what it genuinely needs, it becomes less likely to crave sweets and quick fixes.

2. Don’t skip meals

When there are long gaps between meals—or when you only eat once or twice a day—your body struggles to get the nutrients it needs. Eventually, it hits the “panic button”, which often shows up as intense evening hunger.

3. Include small daily recovery rituals

When you feel the urge to eat something you know is unnecessary, try doing something that creates a sense of calm and recovery:

  • go for a short walk

  • take a warm bath or a hot shower

  • practice 5 minutes of mindful breathing

  • meditate

  • drink a warm herbal tea

  • read a few pages of a book

  • dim the lights and prepare your body for sleep

  • have a protein-rich snack (skyr, chocolate protein pudding, or a spoonful of peanut butter)

4. Eat without distractions:

  • without your phone

  • without your laptop

  • without multitasking

  • without the TV on

When you eat while distracted, your brain doesn’t properly register the meal, making you feel hungry even when you aren’t.
When you eat mindfully and enjoy each bite, your brain finally receives the satiety signal, and those hunger attacks begin to fade.

5. Prepare your portion in advance—and eat only that

It can take 20–30 minutes for your body to send your brain the message that you’re full. If you don’t decide in advance how much you’re going to eat, you’ll almost certainly consume more than you need because the satiety signal arrives too late.
That false feeling of hunger will pass—you just need to give it time.
So:

  • put your portion on a plate before you start eating

  • eat only that portion

  • after finishing, wait 10 minutes before reaching for more food, bread, or dessert

  • allow your brain enough time to recognise fullness

Evening overeating is not a character flaw.
It is a response from your body and emotions to a life that is too fast, too demanding, and lacking enough pauses.

When you add:

  • a balanced meal structure

  • enough water

  • emotional awareness

  • mindful eating

  • meal planning

you’ll have more energy throughout the day, cravings will decrease, your body will feel more stable, and you’ll finally regain control.