Everyone knows that losing weight is not an easy task. There are many different suggestions that you should observe if you want to get on the track to a slimmer body. Some are pretty obvious, like avoiding those fast food places that are so tempting. Other weight loss ideas are a bit more complicated and have a ton of scientific research behind them.
Giving your stomach plenty of time to digest your food before going to sleep is one of the rules that people should follow when trying to lose those extra pounds. This means that late night snacking and binging is absolutely out of the question, and you should have your final meal of the day at least three to four hours before you go to bed.
If you fail to do this, the energy that you get out of your last meal isn’t spent by your body fast enough since you aren’t moving and go into a rest state. The outcome is energy that is being deposited into storage, or as we know it, fat.
The easiest way to get around reducing this fat storing mechanism is to avoid eating too late. But for some people, this might prove itself to be somewhat of a challenge. Luckily, there is an alternative. You can always choose to have a light snack late at night to get you over that hungry feeling.
The trick is to eat something that is filling yet very low on calories, this way the amount of energy you are depositing into your body is just enough for you to meet the cravings and yet not enough to turn into collective pounds of fat overtime.
Another benefit of late, light, pre-bedtime snacking is that you can keep your metabolism going at a steady rate, which will result in continued calorie use even after you fall asleep. This is good because your body doesn’t get the opportunity to go into fat storing and energy conservation mode at night.
Lastly, your quality of sleep can be impacted in a negative way if you go to bed feeling hungry. Yes, you will reduce the amount of calories that get stored as fat, but you can do more harm than good by slowing down your metabolism and impacting your quality of sleep in a negative way. Furthermore, waking up in the morning hungry can become a major challenge that can end with you derailing your dietary plans.
Can you imagine waking up in the morning and feeling like you can eat a whole cow, overloading on food early in the morning and then heading to work? Sounds like a recipe for a bad day. While breakfast is the most important meal of the day, by no means should it be the unhealthiest. You should be levelheaded and decide what to eat in the morning with rational thought and composure, not while under the influence of a nightlong hunger.
So, snacking close to bed time isn’t as bad as some of us thought, but you have to face it with a huge level of control. Half a pie of pizza at 10 o’clock at night isn’t a snack, it’s a cardiovascular nightmare. When we say “snack” we mean something light and full of healthy calories, not a candy bar or a bag of chips.
We need to focus on healthy food that is both fulfilling and easily digestible with an acceptable number of calories. Let’s take a look at some categories of foods we should consider when we snack late in the evening:
Salads
This will certainly hit the spot while reducing the amount of fat and calories you put into your body. With a little bit of creativity, any salad can become an exciting snack to curb that hungry feeling late at night without overindulging yourself. Stick to all natural ingredients that are considered healthy. If you absolutely must, you can have a salad that incorporates your favorite meat, but try to stay away from anything fried or fatty.
Tuna salad is an acceptable option, but keep it light on the mayo and add more of those delicious veggies rather than the calorie filled fish. The same should be applied to all other meats. Refrain from using too many croutons and choose the light dressing, like fresh virgin olive oil. Remember, the objective is to curb your hunger with as few calories as possible.
Whole Grains
Ok, you really have to be careful with whole grains. Try not to overdue the quantity of grains when you opt to use this option to meet your cravings. A little bit of while grain cereal is perfectly acceptable, but a party-sized bowl of frosted whatever you call-ems with half a gallon of milk is not the best choice.
The same goes for brown rice or oatmeal. While both are very filling and provide plenty of nutrients and fibers to keep you satiated for a long time without overdoing it on the calorie counter, if you eat too much then you might as well throw everything out the window. Whole grains contain plenty of fiber and can be an excellent choice for your digestive system, but you have to pay close attention to the quantity if you wish for your snack to remain healthy.
Vegetables
We know this is kind of like saying SALADS! But it really isn’t. There are so many different vegetables out there that contain a ridiculous amount of fiber that can fill you up quickly with the right nutrients and low calories. The best part is that you don’t have to do anything to some of those vegetables.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking a tomato or a cucumber, cutting it in half, adding some salt for flavor and munching down on it till your belly isn’t screaming for more food. It’s really a no brainer – the amount of vitamins, nutrients, and minerals that you can get out of vegetables is irreplaceable, so why not use them as the perfect solution for your late night snack session?
Nuts
As long as you don’t have any allergies and aren’t sensitive to them, nuts can be the perfect solution for those late-night cravings. They are full of fiber, good fats, and proteins that will keep you full all night without doing major damage to your weight loss goals. The only issue with nuts is that it’s easy to get carried away when you are snacking on them.
Do yourself a favor and stick to just plain nuts, maybe lightly salted, and stay away from those crazy mixed treats designed to make you crave even more. Better yet, roast some on your own. This way you will be one hundred percent sure there aren’t any harmful ingredients added in to ruin your health.
Fruits
Here is where your self-control comes into play. Fruits are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and many other nutrients. The only issue that you will run into with fruits is that they also usually contain a lot of sucrose, which is fruit’s natural form of sugar. Sucrose isn’t nearly as bad for your body as refined sugar, but it can introduce a high number of calories into your body.
At the same time, the sucrose found in fruits can be extremely filling. So as long as you don’t overdo it, snacking on some fruit can be a good choice to curb that hunger. Try to choose less sugary fruits if you can. Some fruits like bananas and apples have a lot of fiber in them, so they are a better choice than some of the other options out there.
You can even go as far as pairing a little bit of peanut butter with your favorite fruit to totally overcome those cravings. Just remember to control yourself!
Nighttime Weight Loss Foods Summary
You have plenty of options when it comes to curbing your appetite in the evening after your last meal. All you have to worry about is the quantity of the chosen snack. Overindulgence is the biggest issue when it comes to late night snacking and weight loss overall. Giving yourself enough time to register that you aren’t hungry anymore can be problematic sometimes. We often eat far too much before realizing we are full.
Eating in smaller amounts and taking a small break after you have snacked on something is the best way to give your body and brain enough time to register that you have plenty of nutrition in you to survive the night. Pair this knowledge with what you have gathered above and we are one hundred percent certain you will succeed in your weight loss endevours!
