Overview
Late-night eating can add unwanted calories to your diet plan. Consuming enough calories throughout the day can help curb hunger later in the evening. Occasional late-night eating is fine as long as you choose healthy foods. Nutrition expert Dr. Georgianna Donadio points out that often when people eat late at night, they eat more calories than they would normally eat during the day. Consuming those extra calories can lead to weight gain.
Losing Weight
Eating late at night does not necessarily lead to weight gain, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. To lose weight, you must reduce the number of calories you consume each day and increase your level of physical activity. How much you eat and how many calories you burn in a day are what determine whether you gain or lose weight. Your body stores extra calories as fat no matter what time of the day or evening you eat. Avoid skipping meals, as this can make you feel hungrier later in the day. It can also cause you to eat more than you normally would.
If you have a tendency to feel hungry late at night, try drinking a glass or two of water. Many times when you resist the urge to eat late at night, your hunger will disappear once you go to bed. Watching TV can make you want to snack. TV food commercials might subconsciously stimulate your hunger. Try exercising instead of watching TV before you go to bed. Dr. Gabe Mirkin, a fitness and nutrition expert, says exercising before going to bed does not interfere with sleep. In fact, it might help you sleep better. For those times when you feel you just have to have something to eat, suck on a piece of hard candy. This might be enough to satisfy your hunger, allowing you to consume only a few calories.
Eating Throughout Day
Late-night snacks add extra calories to your daily diet. Taking in more calories than you burn in a day is what causes you to put on extra pounds. Eat at least three well-balanced meals throughout the day. Include healthy snacks between meals to get in most of your calories for the day two to three hours before going to bed. If you don't consume enough calories during the day, you might be more tempted to snack after dinner. When you feel full, you are less likely to get hunger pangs later in the evening. Eating five or six smaller meals throughout the day might be more satisfying and might help you control your appetite.
Late-Night Snacking for Diabetics
Diabetics who snack on foods containing carbs after the evening meal can see an increase in blood sugar the following morning. While late-night snacks aren't entirely off-limits, you need to be selective about the foods you eat. Dr. Maria Collazo-Clavell, a consultant in the division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism and Nutrition at the Mayo Clinic recommends snacking on a couple of saltine crackers, sugar wafers, a serving of sugar-free gelatin or four or five baby carrots to satisfy feelings of hunger after dinner. These foods have few carbs and calories, preventing weight gain or a rise in blood sugar. Even if you aren't a diabetic, snacking on processed foods after dinner can cause your blood sugar level to spike or plummet, which can lead to insulin spikes and resistance to burning fat.
source : livestronge.com
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