If you’re on a weight loss diet plan, chances are, you’ve heard of a very common notion that you should avoid eating beyond 8pm (or 7pm depending on your source!).
The idea here is that since you are resting and sleeping during the night time hours, you just don’t need calories. Anything you eat will quickly get converted to body fat stores.
How accurate is this? Is this really the case?
What To Know About Night Time Eating
First, realize that your metabolism doesn’t just shut down because the clock strikes 8pm. It’s going to be running all night log. While you may not be as active, you are still burning calories.
What really matters here is your calorie balance at the end of the day. If you are taking in the proper amount of calories each day to reach your bodyweight goals, that is going to dictate success or failure far more than when those calories come into the picture.
Eating At Night Wisely
The biggest reason why most people gain weight when they eat food at night is because of the type of food they are eating. They’re feasting on ice cream, chips, soda, and candy – all foods that contribute a high number of calories and aren’t that healthy at all.
These foods are putting them over their total calorie recommendation for that day, thus they are gaining weight.
If you instead eat a healthy snack before bed that’s within your calorie allotment, you can definitely avoid unwanted weight gain.
So think ahead. Figure out a healthy pre-bed snack that contains around 200-300 calories, some protein, healthy fats, and just a small dose of carbs if you want them. That shouldn’t cause any issues with you continuing to see results on your weight loss diet plan.
