I want to lose weight and stop late-night snacking. A dietitian said to eat more, including a bigger dinner.

• A 49-year-old woman submitted an average day of eating to be reviewed for Insider's Nutrition Clinic.
• A dietitian advised her to eat larger, balanced meals and have an afternoon snack.

Cara, 49, submitted her eating routine to Insider's Nutrition Clinic, where qualified dietitians and registered nutritionists offer advice on readers' eating habits.

She told Insider her goals are to "lose weight, get fit, be healthy, and have energy." She's hoping to lose 84 pounds, she said.

"I have been overweight for three years now and am trying to address sugar consumption/addiction as I have been snacking at night a lot on junk food," Cara said.

Cara has just started doing light exercise, including brisk walking for 30 minutes a day and some strength training, both bodyweight and with free weights. She works full-time in a sedentary job.

Dietitian Alix Turoff told Insider that not eating enough throughout the day can lead to people overeating at night. However, it's also important to rule out an eating disorder.

"While many people eat emotionally or out of habit, some people are suffering from binge eating disorder and may not even realize it," Turoff said. "Binge eating disorder is the most common eating disorder in the US and it's characterized by episodes of excessive food consumption over short periods."

To find out more about Binge Eating Disorder and seek help, call The National Eating Disorder Association hotline at (800) 931-2237.

Greek yogurt with fruits and seeds is a balanced breakfast

For breakfast, Cara has about one cup of vanilla Greek yogurt with mixed fruit, sunflower seeds, ground flax, and cinnamon, she said.

Turoff said this is a well-balanced breakfast: "She's getting protein from the Greek yogurt, carbs from the fruit, and fat from the sunflower seeds and ground flax. She's also getting fiber from the fruit, sunflower seeds, and ground flax."

However, trying to eat only "perfect" meals all the time and denying yourself the foods you really want can actually backfire.

"When you have a lot of rules around what foods are 'good' or 'bad' or what you're 'allowed' to have, it can often lead to binging on those exact foods that you're placing on a pedestal," Turoff said. "By incorporating some of these foods that you're overeating into your day, you can help to normalize them, making it less likely that you'll go overboard."

Add protein to salads at lunch

For lunch, Cara has a Greek salad with a tortilla.

Turoff said it's important to ensure her salad contains a protein source like chicken, shrimp, tofu, or beans. Protein is important for overall health and is also useful for fat loss as it keeps you feeling full and helps you maintain muscle.

"When trying to lose weight, you need to create a caloric deficit, which means restricting calories," Turoff said. "While some people can safely do that, others find that their body and mind will fight them by increasing hunger hormones and increasing sugar and/or fat cravings."

She recommends Cara figure out a reasonable calorie goal based on her height, weight, age, and activity level), and then make sure she's getting enough protein at each meal.

Eat a bigger dinner to reduce late-night snacking

Cara said her dinners vary a lot and she mostly eats "whatever is easy, often a repeat of breakfast."

Turoff said dinner shouldn't be an after-thought.

"If she's eating the same thing that she has for breakfast, she's missing out on variety which can feel boring (which can lead to wanting to eat more 'fun foods' for comfort), but it may also mean that she's not getting enough calories at dinner," Turoff said.

While eating a bigger breakfast and smaller dinner can work for some people, if you struggle with late night snacking, eating more at dinner may help.

"I would try for a balanced plate with a protein of her choice (chicken, fish, beef, tofu etc), a carbohydrate serving (rice, pasta, quinoa, potato etc), and veggies for micronutrients, fiber, and volume. She can then add fat through olive oil, nuts, avocado, cheese, or higher fat meats," Turoff said.

An afternoon snack could also reduce the late-night urge to overeat

Cara is an emotional eater, she said, and thinks she consumes about 300-500 calories from snacks like candy, licorice, and ice cream, in the evenings.

It may sound counterintuitive, but Turoff recommends having an afternoon snack to stop the hunger catching up with her after dinner, which she sees in clients regularly.

It could also be that Cara is simply in the habit of mindlessly eating at night, especially if it's always around the same time in the same place.

"Our brains crave routine and just the act of sitting on the couch or walking by the kitchen can trigger a habit to start," Turoff said. "Try replacing the habit with a new one. In this case, I would plan to have a snack after dinner rather than replacing the habit with a non-food related habit (such as taking a bath or going for a walk, though those are great options as well)."

She advises planning one or two portioned out snacks for after dinner. "Just by knowing you're 'allowed' to have those foods, you might find that you're less likely to overdo it," she said.

It's also important to check you're drinking enough water and sleeping enough.

"Both of these things can lead to emotional eating because when we're thirsty or tired, our bodies are looking for a quick burst of energy," Turoff said. "What food gives us the quickest burst of energy? Foods that are high in carbs and sugar."