Weight loss experts tell you that you must not eat anything after 7 pm in order to improve your chances of losing weight. However, that is a myth that has been debunked a while ago. But what is it that they say about myths? There is always a grain of truth to each myth. That particular one is no exception. That is because if you eat a simple carb or a sugary snack before bed, then that won’t help you. You can always eat one cookie and keep it at that, and not worry about gaining weight. You still burn calories as you sleep and that one cookie you eat will be burned.
The problem however is if you eat even simple carbs in moderation, you will quickly become hungry again. And when you get hungry again, then you will eat more unhealthy foods that will cause you to gain weight in the end. If you can manage your hunger after eating one cookie before bed, then you will be fine. But you will wake up desperately hungry, and you may have a craving for a middle-of-the-night snack. However, why torture yourself with going to bed hungry when you can eat something at nighttime that can actually support your weight loss goals?
It all is a matter of choosing the right food to eat that will keep you full. That is why you want to stick to eating protein before bed. As a matter of fact, there is one way on how to do it.
Eating A Protein One Half-Hour Before Bed Is Great For Your Metabolism
The best way to burn fat when you sleep is to eat a protein snack 30 minutes before going to bed. If you normally go to bed at 11 pm, then you will want to eat your snack at 10:30 pm. This way, you will not only fall asleep quickly as your stomach will be comfortably full, but you will not awaken desperately hungry either. You will also be satisfied to the point that you will stay asleep, or not wake up hungry if you have to go to the bathroom at 3 am like many people do.
If you normally eat a carby snack and you are not completely satisfied after eating it, now you know why. It is now a matter of changing what you eat at night in order to fix that issue.
What Protein-Based Foods Are The Recommended Ones To Eat At Night?
Any type of protein-based food is good for you whether it is cottage cheese, string cheese, or a slice of cheese, a serving of nuts, eggs, tofu, slices of a small apple with peanut butter, or a turkey slice. A tall glass of milk can also work as it contains melatonin which is what will help you sleep as it is.
If you eat the cheese slice or string cheese, you can have a serving of whole-grain crackers. Yes, that is a carb, but it is a complete carb and whole-grains contain a lot of fiber which will keep you full. That is the same reason that the recommendation of the apple was listed. Even though those foods contain carbs, they are complex and are full of fiber.
If you are not lactose intolerant or don’t have an aversion to dairy, dairy foods such as cheeses, cottage cheese, or milk are highly recommended to eat before bed. They contain melatonin as well as other essential nutrients that will help you get a good night’s sleep. However, the other recommendations listed are good as well as they are protein-packed snacks that will keep you full.
However, just remember one thing. In order to maintain or lose weight, you need to stick to a healthy caloric reduction if you want to lose weight or only stick to the calories needed to be in maintenance mode. Eating a protein-packed snack at night will only help support your weight loss further by kicking your metabolism into high gear as you sleep. That will defeat the purpose if you go about your day eating high caloric foods. Sure it is better than gaining weight in your sleep, but you have to stick to a healthy lifestyle if you want to attain the health results you want.
