Americans tend to eat more than one-third of their calories in the evening. The reasons range from true hunger to boredom to a medical problem called night eating syndrome.

To combat nighttime noshing, start with a good breakfast.

Smart Eating | Best Chips | Best Ice Cream

"In order to change (your habit), eat breakfast," said Vicki Saunders, a registered dietitian at the St. Helena, Calif., Center for Health. "If you do, you're not as likely to be as hungry late in the day. What ends up being the vicious cycle is that when you eat all evening until bedtime, then you wake up in the morning and you're not that hungry."

She said you can break the cycle by eating breakfast whether you're hungry or not. Saunders likes to recommend blending protein and fiber sources to jump-start you metabolism and help you feel fuller longer. Choose egg-white omelets with barley toast or yogurt and high-fiber cereal, she suggests.

Once your metabolism is purring along, small frequent meals help keep it running at a regular pace. So you help stop that midnight binge at 10 a.m. with an apple or a handful of almonds.

"The more frequently you eat, the more often you'll give your metabolism a boost," Oprah's personal trainer Bob Greene writes in "Get with the Program: Guide to Good Eating". "You might think that you're doing yourself a favor by skipping meals. You might even feel as though you're doing yourself a favor by not eating until dinner. But physiology dictates that eating -- and eating often -- is actually a better strategy."

"Don't fast for so long," said Kaiti Roeder, a registered dietitian and the director of nutrition and education at the Nebraska Beef Council. "Sometime we get into the habit of eating at noon and then not eating again until 8. Of course, you're going to come home and eat everything in sight. Small, frequent meals is something I suggest. I would recommend eating every three to four hours."

When You Get Home

Nutritionists said the best way to keep from consuming those high-calorie chips, cookies and crackers -- outside of leaving them in the grocery store in the first place -- is to put them on a high shelf, then stay away.

Once you are home for the evening, eat a healthy balanced meal, then walk away from the kitchen and go do something else.

"TV ads are very suggestive in the evening and might have a commercial on that triggers a craving," Roeder said. "Keep busy -- do a crossword puzzle, paint your nails, read a magazine to get your mind off of it."

She also suggested brushing your teeth after dinner. That minty-fresh feeling may keep you out of the kitchen.

Cravings and hunger pangs may actually be thirst masquerading as a reason to eat. Roeder said if you feel your stomach grumble, drink a glass of water and wait 20 minutes to see if you're still hungry.

Nibble, Don't Nosh

If you really are hungry after dinner, nibble -- don't nosh. Reach for a low-calorie, high-fiber snack to fill the void. It is a myth that calories consumed late automatically make you gain weight. Roeder said weight gain is caused by eating more than you burn off -- no matter when you eat.

For a smart, quick evening snack, a sugar-free chocolate ice pop has 45 calories. Roeder likes 94-percent fat-free microwave popcorn, fresh fruits and vegetables, or a little sugar-free cocoa mix warmed up in a cup of skim milk.

Saunders said night eating is often a response to boredom or stress. All kinds of emotional issues can send you to the kitchen to fill the void. Saunders said people with these kinds of issues can start with distraction and better management of their daytime eating, but ultimately they may need counseling.

Night Eating Syndrome

Night eating syndrome also requires a professional.

Sometimes called nocturnal eating syndrome, it is estimated that 4 million Americans suffer from it. Stanford University reported that "it is a rare type of sleepwalking … People with this disorder experience recurrent episodes of eating during sleep, without being aware of what they are doing. Sleep-related eating might occur often enough to result in significant weight gain," and is in fact usually found in the medical community under the heading of obesity-related problems.

"I had a patient with a sleeping disorder, and she'd wake up to find dirty dishes in the sink and have no memory of that," Saunders said, noting that many sleep-eaters have experienced physical or emotional trauma in the past.

Assuming your occasional evening binges are just the result of bad habits, give yourself about three weeks to start breaking them and creating new habits, the experts said.

Finally, to truly break the cycle, a good night's sleep is of the utmost importance. Limit caffeine in the afternoon and evening, don't overdo it on alcohol before bed and try to give yourself the time to get eight hours of sleep. Feeling tired is one of the first things that sends people to the vending machine to find a snack to wake them up. Other Links:

Lose Weight, Save

Supermarket Tips

Lose 5 Pounds Fast

Fat Fighting Foods

More Diet, Fitness Information

Is Alcohol Healthy?

10 Weight-Loss Industry Secrets

Low-Carb For Less

How Much Does Your Diet Cost?

5 Ways To Slim Down For Less

Sneaky Restaurant Tricks

Other Diet Features:

Which 'Big Burger' Worth Fat Bomb?

Are Fresh Veggies Better Than Frozen?

Choosing Right Meat Makes Diet Difference

What Salad Dressing Is Right For You?

Choose Foods To Stop Gas