Ditching the Sugar Cravings
Should you eat late at night?
One of the very frequently asked question that occurs around my office is, “Should I eat late at night?” That is a great question, that has a few different answers.
Firstly, when we eat right before bed, our bodies are busy digesting instead of resting. There are many Americans that struggle with eating breakfast in the morning because they “just aren’t hungry”. This is our biggest contributor to why many of us do not eat breakfast.
Secondly, research on eating late has shown to be significantly linked to obesity. In the article Timing of food intake and obesity, in the US National Library of Medicine National Institute for Health, shows that eating a higher caloric breakfast actually increase calories burned more than eating higher caloric dinner. [1] Another article from the US National Library of Medicine National Institute for Health demonstrates that the timing of meals is associated with overall energy intake.[2]
Try allowing yourself 10-12 hours of fast between supper and breakfast. By doing so, you are allowing your gut to have the proper time for digesting without taking that energy from your much needed hours of rest. If you are an early riser and need to start your day at 5 am, that means you should stop eating by 7 pm the night before. Now, saying this I realize that life keeps us busy way later than 7 pm most evenings. This is where you make a plan for those kinds of days. Maybe those are the nights that you make a healthy crock pot meal for the family. You might be interested in creating “Go Boxes”, literally a grab and go meal that you can take on the run.
True Hunger
Experiencing true hunger right before bed is normal, especially if you are accustomed to eating closer to your bedtime. You might have had a late night at the office or chasing your kiddos around a ball game for school. Sometimes eating late can’t be avoided. Try eating these types of foods to curb the hunger until breakfast the next morning. Enjoy a cup of herbal tea, or a handful of your favorite nuts and seeds, or both if you are really trying to stave off hunger pains. If you are diabetic and have taken insulin, please eat according to planned along side your dietitians suggestions .
Footnotes:
[1] Timing of food intake and obesity, Physiology and Behavior Journal
[2] Meal timing influences daily caloric intake in healthy adults, Nutrition Research Journal
[3] The time of day and the proportions of macronutrients eaten are related to total daily food intake, British Journal of Nutrition
Related posts
