15kg goal, and why the hours between tea and bed often decide the week
On the way to a 15kg goal, about 2 stone 5lb, the hours between tea and bed are often where the week is won or lost. Many people eat sensibly all day, then pick at food from 8pm onwards without really noticing. Taking back those hours matters as much as any meal plan.
A coach at the club looks closely at where you stand and offers the best guidance.
Book your free assessmentIn this article
Why evenings are the weak spot
By evening you are tired, the day is done and food becomes the reward. The television is on, the cupboard is close and nobody is watching. If you also ate too little during the day, real hunger arrives on top of habit. That mix is hard to fight with willpower alone.
Feed the day properly
The NHS page of self help tips to fight tiredness suggests eating regular meals and healthy snacks every 3 to 4 hours rather than a large meal less often. Spreading food across the day takes the edge off that evening hunger. A filling breakfast and a proper lunch are the first evening habit, even though they happen hours earlier.
A routine for after tea
- Close the kitchen. Wash up, wipe down and switch the light off. It sounds small but it marks the end of eating.
- Brush your teeth early. Many people find they do not want to eat once they have done it.
- Keep your hands busy. A puzzle, a walk round the block or a call to a friend.
- Plan any treat in advance. Decide what and how much before you sit down, and put it in a bowl.
Watch the cheese and biscuits
Late night favourites are often high in saturated fat. The NHS guide on how to eat less saturated fat lists easy swaps, like a lower fat cheese or a handful of unsalted nuts instead of crisps. For more ideas see how to feel fuller for longer.
A longer road needs a plan for after
15kg usually takes many months, so the habits you build now are the ones you will keep. Our section on keeping 15kg off covers that stage, and stress and a busy life looks at the emotional side of evening eating.
A better evening starts with sleep
Late nights in front of a screen give the snacking more time and leave you hungrier the next day. Try switching off the television 30 minutes earlier and reading instead. Our article on sleep and appetite explains the link, and many people find the evening snacking fades once they go to bed at a regular time.
What members say
Willerby Nutrition holds a rating of 5 out of 5 on Google from 7 reviews. Members start the day with breakfast at the club and a daily check-in with a coach trained in nutrition, which makes a better evening much more likely. A free assessment is the first step.
This article is general guidance only. If you feel you cannot control your eating, talk to your GP.
Your own weight loss curve
Type in your profile and the line redraws immediately.
At the middle pace, 8 kg comes off in about 11 weeks. At the gentlest pace you are looking at about 4 months.
The usual guide for weight loss that lasts is between 500 g and 1 kg per week, which forms the best band on the chart. Keep exceeding 1 kg per week and the body burns muscle nearly as much as fat. That is the striped band.
A rough projection only. Everyone follows their own path and results differ. Your device does the sums and nothing is stored or sent. At 65 or older, see your doctor first.
The way this curve is worked out
The zone tops out at 500 g every week, the gentlest pace, and bottoms out at 1 kg every week, the level where the risk starts.
Early weeks go quicker, largely because of water, and then things level off. After 40, the typical curve flattens gradually as metabolism slows. For similar effort, men tend to shed weight slightly sooner than women.
The journey curve includes flat spells lasting several days and slight regains, just like everyday life. It cannot tell you how yours will go.
These tips are general ones. They do not stand in for medical advice.
Further reading
For help from day to day, take a look at the healthy eating programme.