By: Ayana Bryant-Weekes
I’ve
heard from fitness experts, friends and family that a great way to lose weight
is to not eat after a certain time. But if you’re a food lover like me, then
this sounds like sheer torture! I LOVE a good bedtime snack and I’ve tried (and
failed) to resist my urge to binge at bedtime many times. Trying not to eat
AGAIN after dinner probably means you do one of these 3 things:
1.
SNACK SEARCH!
You leave no cabinet unturned searching for the perfect snack especially for something
sweet or salty, which can be satisfying to the pallet but let’s face it; we
usually go for the unhealthy choices like cakes, cookies and chips.
2.
HANGRY! You let yourself get
so hungry that you’re angry and become irritated with not getting to eat more.
You just give up on finding something to eat and just go to sleep with a loud,
angry tummy.
3.
MORNING MUNCHIES!
You wake up starving with no energy start your day let alone to exercise – or
worse, you wake up to a rumbling stomach at 3am that wont let you rest until
you feed it!
I
definitely have gone through each of these Nighttime No No’s and if we’re all
on the same page, then we must agree that it’s plain crazy to deprive yourself
of food just to avoid eating anything at night! If you’re hungry, EAT! But you
must feed your body smart foods that wont counteract your fitness goals.
It’s easy to
feel guilty eating a late snack feeling like you’re about to cancel out all
your good food choices for the day or that every bite is going to be stored as
fat and end up in the wrong place. As long as you eat the right things, snacks
before bed wont do any harm (but don’t get carried away).
·
If you’re trying to
lose weight, avoid eating carbs at night.
Since you won’t be burning off any carbs while you’re sleeping, your body is
more likely to store these as fat.
·
If you’re working out
first thing in the morning, some carbs will help give you energy for your
workout. Carbs give you energy, but since you’re
not working out until the morning, you have to give them to your body the night
before rather than the morning of.
·
Eating healthy fats
at night is a great way to feel satisfied. You won’t wake up in the middle of the night
starving.
·
Protein of any sort
is always a good late night snack choice. Gentlemen, this
is great if you’re trying to buff up or slim down and keep the build.
Remember, food
is fuel! Acts 27:34a “Therefore I urge you
to take some food. For it will give you strength…”
Now that you have all your info, here are some quick
and easy bedtime snack that are good for you and good to you.
I’m usually sweet snacker, but if you
like more savory snacks, then an egg is a great last minute mini meal. They
have both protein and fat to keep you full through the night.
If you like to crunch and munch, try whole-grain crackers instead. They’re high in carbs, but they are also believed to help prevent insomnia. Pair them with something high in protein or calcium like a serving of string cheese.
Popcorn
is actually not that bad for you! The whole grain kind is pretty satisfying and
since popcorn is a snack that takes a while to eat you’ll feel fuller over time.
It’s as simple as bread and butter. A slice of whole-grain bread topped with a
tablespoon of almond butter since almonds which promote muscle relaxation. To
add a twist to this classic treat, substitute bread for an English muffin and
butter for yogurt cheese spread or peanut butter and fruit.
Top Greek yogurt with some fruit, a crumbled
nut (of your
choice) and cinnamon and it’s your own personal parfait. Or spread it
over cucumber rounds or Rice Crackers to cool you off for the night.
Trade yogurt or cool whip for cottage
cheese topped with a fruit of your choice. Cottage cheese will keep you full and
rebuild your muscles through the night.
Milkshake! More like a protein shake but you can dress it up real nice
and pretend it’s a milkshake if you want! You can add toppings like cocoa
powder or nut butter to give it that milkshake vibe.
Who doesn’t love breakfast for dinner?
Especially a bowl of cereal! A bowl of whole grain cereal and chilled milk will
ease you right into a good night’s sleep with no guilt.
Cherries have the good carbohydrates and they're one of the only natural
sources of melatonin. Each cup is just 100 calories (for all the calorie
counters out there).
Last, but not
least; STAY AWAY from these foods at night:
- Caffeine products (coffee, tea, cola, chocolate)
- Sugary products
- Nicotine
- Alcohol
- Food high in fat or too much protein (anything hard for the body to digest)
- Spicy
Food or Big portions (to avoid heartburn)
To make the most of your Bedtime treat, snack 45 minutes to
1 hour before bedtime and keep the snack small! Don’t try to sneak in a
whole meal, just a snack to tackle that midnight munchie feeling. Give your
body enough time for the food to settle and don’t over feed it. If you make healthy food choices at night,
you’ll get better sleep, which adds to being in good health!
-Ayana
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