No eating 3 hours before bedtime when trying to lose weight

If your trying to lose weight by eating right and exercising, you probably know that timing is everything when it comes to the eating part.Especially when it comes to late at night.

Over the years I have tried to not eat anything 2-3 hours before bedtime. Why? Well, eating at the end of the day was having a big impact on my results. I wanted a lean body and found that eating before bed was not helping me wake up feeling lean. I know that the body still digests food while I sleep, but I don’t think calories get burned as much even though I may be dreaming of doing plyometrics in my sleep!

Now, I have worked hard to stop my eating at least two to three hours before bed, but sometimes I just want a snack or need something to munch on. That’s the time I need to step back and ask myself, “am I really hungry, or just bored (or stressed) and need to mindlessly munch.” Most times it’s the latter. At any rate, I still find myself going to the fridge for something. But, when I am truly in the mode to lean out or lose weight, I discontinue late night eating.

You see, when you’re trying to lose weight (and you’ve eaten all the calories your body needs for the day), going to bed feeling slightly hungry (not starving) is actually a good thing. You’re on your way to losing body fat.

You don’t want the activity of eating late at night to negatively impact your calorie-burning the next day. Your body wants to wake up ready for the day’s fuel and break away from the mini fast you just had over night. Hence the word Breakfast. [And don’t skip breakfast! I never do this. A great Shakeology blend starts my day and then I’m fueled and igniting my calorie-burning metabolism!]

So, here are a few things that I have learned over the years when it comes to eating late at night:

• Stop eating 2-3 hours before going to bed – you’ll have some time to burn off calories but you probably won’t get too hungry before going to sleep. Eating too much food, especially carbohydrates, late at night increases those body fat stores.
• Eat often throughout the day! I love this! Consume small, healthy meals and snacks spaced about 3 hours apart. This helps reduce those late night binges.
• Drink water intentionally and consistently throughout the day. There’s all sorts of benefits to this and your cravings will be diminished.
• Make your last meal mostly lean protein (like chicken breast) along with good carbs (veggies and fruits). Once again, avoid starchy foods (breads, pastas, rice, potatoes).
• If you’re like me and get a late night carb craving, then choose the high-fiber, low-glycemic types like: apples, berries, peaches, plums, fresh vegetables, etc. My goto carbs are a small bowl of fresh or frozen strawberries. They hit the spot and are low cal. Better yet. Skip the carbs and go for a protein shake!

I look forward to hearing about any tips that work for you on your health journey!

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