This blog was written by Anna Hiple. Meet our blogging fitness specialists at the NIFS website.
Snacking before bedtime has long been a hotly debated subject. Although we’ve learned that weight control is largely dependent on the balance between calorie consumption and calorie expenditure, late-night eating must be done with care. Otherwise it may damage your weight loss or maintenance efforts. Follow these simple tips for nighttime eating.
Nighttime eating is a DON’T if…
- You eat out of boredom or habit; not because you are hungry.
- It leads to mindless consumption of excessive calories, especially of foods void of nutritional value such as potato chips, candy, cookies, ice cream, etc.
- You tend to suffer from nighttime heartburn, indigestion, or acid reflux.
- You tend to reach for foods that contain caffeine, such as chocolate.
- You wake up feeling too full in the morning to eat breakfast.
Nighttime eating can be a DO if…
- Heavy, greasy foods with a high fat content are avoided.
- It has been several hours since your last meal.
- The snack is light and nutritious and contains a mix of carbs and protein (examples: whole-grain cereal and milk, a piece of fruit with cottage cheese, low- or non-fat dairy, popcorn, a small turkey sandwich, whole-grain crackers and cheese or hummus, etc.).