Is it possible to eat at night and what specifically will not harm your figure and health?

2000

The question of how many hours before bedtime you can eat to lose weight is of interest to many people trying to lose weight. The role of nutrition in this process should not be underestimated. If you have the opportunity, it is advisable to contact an experienced nutritionist who will not only select an individual diet, but also draw up a clear meal schedule. Most people who lose weight try to deal with this problem on their own.

Sometimes, to lose weight, it is enough to halve your daily portion of food, but increase the total number of meals. This way you will not overeat and feel hungry. For many years, there have been fierce debates between fans of various weight loss programs regarding dinner on a diet. Some argue that 4-6 hours before bedtime you should already give up food. Others believe that dinner is mandatory.

When forming a dietary diet, it is necessary to use the principles of common sense. Starving yourself before bed just because it says so in a fashion magazine is impractical and even dangerous. Listen to the recommendations of real nutritionists or at least professional trainers. They unanimously say that there will be dinner. Another question is what it should be. The list of permitted products is strictly limited, as are the methods of preparing dishes.

The effectiveness of weight loss and your overall health depend 90% on nutrition. You can exercise for years, exhaust yourself in the gym, but there will be no results if you prefer fast food and other unhealthy foods. A similar effect will occur if you don't eat at all. As strange as it may sound, prolonged fasting leads to significant weight gain in the future. It is generally not recommended to take long breaks between meals.

Eating after 18:00

Nutritionists do not recommend eating after six o'clock in the evening, arguing that a person's metabolism slows down in the evening. Food is digested slowly and therefore fat has the opportunity to accumulate. It has been proven that the human biological clock is associated with the rhythms of day and night. Each person has an individual organism that can change its biological clock depending, for example, on working hours. If a person works at night and sleeps for a long time during the day, his personal biological clock changes its mode. There is no specific moment when an individual's metabolism slows down. Therefore, you should try to adhere to general recommendations about eating in the evening so as not to gain extra pounds. This means that your last meal should be several hours before bedtime. But at the same time, everyone sets the time of the last meal.

What is metabolism and how does metabolism work?

Metabolism is all metabolic processes in the body associated with the expenditure of energy. Some people have a very fast metabolism. They instantly waste all the energy that enters the body. Such people are naturally thin. It is extremely difficult for them to gain weight. If the metabolism is slow, then it takes much longer to expend energy.

You can accelerate metabolic processes with simple but systematic actions:

• Reducing food portions;
• Reducing the interval between meals;
• Physical activity.

If we imagine human metabolism as a huge furnace, then food is the coals that we periodically throw into the firebox. In order for the flame to burn properly, it is necessary to constantly add fuel and fan the heat. If you don't add coals, the flame will die out. If you add too much fuel at once, the fire will also not be able to burn.

When you clearly understand what processes are taking place inside, it is easier to draw up a further algorithm of actions for losing weight.

Be sure to read: The correct ratio of height and weight in men

What can you eat in the evening?

For dinner, it is best to eat food that does not require a lot of energy to digest, i.e. light food. You can eat a salad of fresh vegetables or stewed vegetables, a piece of white meat, or baked fish. It is best to exclude fats from dinner and include proteins and carbohydrates. If you are trying to lose weight, then before bed you can eat a couple of apples or drink a glass of low-fat kefir. This type of meal will remove the feeling of hunger and make it possible to go to sleep well.

More on the topic: How to restore sleep and wakefulness

Please note that by not overloading the body before bed, we give it the opportunity to have a full, healthy rest. This way we will feel well rested throughout the day. I think everyone has noticed that if you eat too much before going to bed, you often have nightmares and feel exhausted the whole next day.

Common Mistakes

People who are losing weight make many common mistakes when creating their daily diet:

• Refusal to eat after 15-16 hours of the day. Long breaks between meals slow down metabolic processes. In the morning you experience a strong feeling of hunger, there is a risk of eating more than the established norm.
• Fruit for dinner. You can often hear among those losing weight that they do not have dinner, but only eat an apple or orange before bed. Fruits contain a high amount of acid; its excess provokes diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. A large amount of fructose and glucose entering the body provokes the release of insulin into the blood. This is fraught with the development of type 2 diabetes.
• Porridge before bed. It is not advisable to eat carbohydrates in the evening. The exception is easily digestible foods rich in fiber. A vegetable salad before bed is not prohibited, especially if you eat it with a piece of chicken breast, hard low-fat cheese or cottage cheese.

Be sure to read: Fighting such a problem as fatty pubis

• Eating fatty meats in the evening. Everyone knows that meat products are rich in protein, but fatty pork or old beef are not the best choices for dinner. Such foods are difficult to digest. The body is forced to work at a time when it should be resting. You may have trouble sleeping. It is better to give preference to chicken or turkey.
• Sweet yoghurts, curd desserts. Cottage cheese in its pure form is recommended as a dinner, but it is better to avoid sweet yoghurts and fermented milk desserts altogether. There is no benefit to them, and excess sugar will certainly end up as fat reserves.

Knowing common mistakes will make it easier for you to avoid them. Consult a personal trainer regarding the formation of your daily diet. Make a list of allowed dishes and products. It is much easier to maintain a diet if you create a menu for the week. Every day the question of what to cook does not arise. You know for sure that you maintain a balance of carbohydrates, fats and proteins and do not consume extra calories.

When you notice the first results, you will understand that the chosen approach is appropriate. This becomes the best motivation for further weight loss.

Fermented milk products as a light dinner

Kefir, yogurt, and milk can perfectly replace dinner. But here you should definitely take into account that you should only take fermented milk products with low fat content. And of course, you will not get satiation from one glass of kefir if the break in nutrition during the day was too long. It is recommended to eat every 2-2.5 hours so that your body does not feel hungry and is not overloaded with an excessive portion of food. Those who have an intolerance should treat fermented milk products with caution. In this case, it is better to drink a cup of green or black tea without sugar.

More on the topic: Neck hurts while sleeping

Let us remind you that drinking coffee or alcohol is not recommended, as it can cause nervousness and make it difficult for you to fall asleep.

Healthy eating before bed: general recommendations

Why can't you eat before bed? Our biosystem is capable of doing only one important thing for health well, and not several at once. Sleep and food are equal natural human needs. By loading the stomach with work at night, we limit the “sphere of activity” of the body. “I don’t have a hundred hands,” he would answer us if he could.

The time of night rest is “working” for the gray matter. While a person is having fun until the morning, looking through 4-5 dreams, his brain filters information, normalizes the central nervous system, and processes daytime stress. But hunger is not an issue, and you still have to eat. A compromise between the “head” and the “belly” has been found. His secret is a competent approach to dinner.

How many hours before bedtime can you eat? For many years, the most popular advice for a thin waist has been: “don’t eat after 6 p.m.” Reality dictated completely different parameters. Today, the time often shifts closer to 21.00, or even later. An active lifestyle means that an energetic person cannot limit himself to dinner at six in the evening.

It is important to know! Nutritionists decided to intervene and express a competent opinion: the optimal time to eat without consequences is two hours before bedtime.

The stomach should not be overloaded with large meals at night. What then can you eat before bed so that you don’t want it anymore? It’s not difficult to choose an evening menu; the food should be easily digestible and low in calories. Dinner in huge plates helps to achieve the fastest saturation effect. It’s not for nothing that large-scale dishes are widely used in restaurants.

What should you put on this biggest plate to satisfy your hunger and not get insomnia? There is variability here. The following factors are taken into account:

• age category;
• presence of diseases;
• specifics of work (physical or mental labor);
• psychological characteristics.

Advice! What is good to eat before bed? Tryptophan. It is found in vegetable protein. This is an amino acid that affects appetite and sleep.

There is especially a lot of it in legumes and cereals. The best combination of such products is with milk. For example, for a child, the ideal dinner would be any cereal porridge with milk or cottage cheese with nuts. Not only sleep is normalized, but also the growth of the musculoskeletal system.

During the period of bearing a child, many women experience sudden changes in food preferences. A “brutal” appetite can overcome suddenly, at any time of the day. What is better to give preference to, useful or desirable? Experts confirm that it is impossible to prohibit the “source of joy”. The positive emotional state of a pregnant woman is more important than a destroyed cake.

There is a list of “harmful” foods that should not be consumed at night:

• Caffeinated drinks include not only espresso or cappuccino, but also chocolate, energy drinks and even tea.
• Alcohol. Red wine in small doses promotes rapid relaxation. Alcohol in excess is undoubtedly poisonous.
• Fatty food. Fried potatoes and ice cream are not the best dishes for a late dinner. During rest, the human body will not be able to quickly absorb large amounts of carbohydrates that occupy your cells as a result of the breakdown of fatty acids.
• Tomatoes and zucchini are undesirable foods at night and are considered “heavy” vegetables.

It should be remembered that thirst is often hidden under the feeling of hunger. So before you dive into that delicious ham, try drinking a glass of water.

Late dinner can be replaced with a light snack if desired. There are several “sets” of foods that will fill your stomach and improve your sleep quality. Here is a sample list of them:

• a glass of low-fat milk, a few dry powders;
• piece of bread peanut butter;
• unsweetened banana yogurt;
• plain popcorn (its volume should correspond to the size of your palms folded together);
• low-fat kefir and a couple of crackers;
• small roll of lavash and cheese;
• a small bar of dark chocolate half an orange;
• boiled egg small apple.

Cherries are not only a beautiful, sweet and sour berry, but also a natural storehouse of melatonin. You still need to try hard to eat such a tasty treat, but it’s easy to ensure a good night’s sleep with a couple of handfuls.

How long is it better not to eat before bed, and can mistakes in evening meals cause insomnia? If you turn this question to reliable medical reference books, you will find out that the general requirements have not changed for decades - it is not recommended to eat food three hours before going to bed.

Another question that arises is what is healthy to eat and is it right that we eat dishes that look tempting but have an adverse effect on sleep? Doctors warn that not all foods have a beneficial effect on dreams, and after an evening snack you will only be left wondering where insomnia came from. To avoid trouble, it is better to understand in advance what you can and cannot eat.

Basic rules to remember:

• distribute the diet correctly - during the daytime portions should be larger than at dinner;
• in the evening, give preference to dishes rich in carbohydrates;
• do not eat food later than 2-3 hours before going to bed;
• Do not injure the body by completely refusing to eat - this causes stress, health problems, digestive disorders, and deterioration in overall well-being.

Another rule is not to forget that some drinks are also harmful and have a negative effect on sleep, and their choice must be taken carefully.

Cottage cheese is a product obtained by heating curdled milk and removing the whey from it. It is very useful for humans, as it contains calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium.

There are 3 types of product:

• fat – 18%;
• medium fat content - 9%;
• low fat - from 6% and below.

The last option is allowed to eat at night 50 minutes before bedtime. The calorie content in 100 grams of the product is 110 Kcal, it is rich in protein, casein and contains no carbohydrates at all. The nightly portion should not exceed more than 150 grams.

To improve the taste of the dish, it is allowed to add fresh berries or any permitted fruit.

Those who are on a diet can drink warm milk with a small amount of honey and spices before going to bed. It not only satisfies hunger, but also promotes good sleep. Vegetable milk substitutes are also suitable: from soy, nuts or other crops (buckwheat, oats), but without adding refined sugar.

It is beneficial to drink herbal teas at night. Decoctions of medicinal plants, especially chamomile, mint, lemon balm or lavender, have a calming effect. They also add a teaspoon of honey. Ginger-lemon tea is also beneficial.

Among juices in the evening, you should give preference to cherry. It contains a compound close to melatonin, which regulates sleep and wakefulness. It is good to add spices to the juice.

Is it possible to drink water

Very often the feeling of hunger is actually thirst. Therefore, you can drink a glass of water (cool or slightly warm) before bed. Lemon slices or juice are added to it for taste and to activate fat burning processes.

The key to weight loss is split meals. You need to eat small portions throughout the day, without fasting, so that the body does not go into saving mode. An evening snack made from the right foods only contributes to good sleep and weight loss.

Healthy snack with porridge

Israeli researchers recently proved that if a person suffers from the so-called “night watch”, he should include porridge in his evening diet. The studies were carried out on a group of people who were divided into two subgroups. Some people received protein and carbohydrate food for dinner, while others received only carbohydrate food. After about six months, scientists noticed significant weight loss in the subgroup that ate the carbohydrate dinner. Note that both groups received a diet of 1500 kcal, but in the effective group the amount of carbohydrates was evenly distributed throughout the day. As a result, their body was not provoked to overeat due to a decrease in insulin in the blood. It turns out that consuming a certain constant amount of calories daily for a long time, smoothly distributing them throughout the day, promotes weight loss. Excessive pauses between meals, as well as dinner consisting only of protein foods, can contribute to an increase in the hormones cortisol and insulin in the body, which provokes a person to overeat.

We can conclude that you can eat porridge during the day at any time, as long as you do not overuse this high-calorie product in your diet.

The role of nutrition in the process of losing weight

It is from food that we get energy for everyday existence and nutrients for health. Food is our fuel. Nature has endowed humans with developed taste buds. Unlike most animals, we are able to enjoy food. For many this becomes a real problem.

Our entire diet consists of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. A common mistake some people make when trying to lose weight is that they completely eliminate fat from their diet in an attempt to lose weight. Such people are sure that it is the fat that comes from outside that is deposited on the sides. This is partly true. Saturated fats of animal origin have this ability, but their volume entering the body is negligible. All lipids in the body affect metabolic processes, and their deficiency leads to problems with the skin and blood vessels.

Be sure to read: Simple and effective recommendations for rapid weight loss

Carbohydrates are converted into strategic reserves on the hips and abdomen. They give the body energy, but if there is too much of it, the excess is stored for the future. Proteins perform a “construction function” in the body. They are responsible for building muscle mass.

It is the abuse of carbohydrates that leads to weight gain. If you also lead an inactive lifestyle, then your body volume is constantly growing, and cellulite appears on your hips, buttocks, and abdomen.

As soon as food intake decreases, weight gain stops, but this is not enough for weight loss. In order for the body to begin to spend strategic reserves, it is necessary that the energy consumed be less than what a person needs. By creating a calorie deficit, we achieve weight loss. But here, too, not everything is as simple as we would like.

When a person begins to go hungry, severely restrict himself in nutrition, and take significant gaps between meals, the body perceives this as a signal of distress. The brain gives a signal to all organs and systems to reduce calorie consumption as much as possible. Metabolic processes slow down, weight comes off extremely slowly or does not go away at all.

It is extremely difficult to stay on a strict diet for a long time. When a person returns to his usual diet, the body, remembering the stress it has experienced, begins to accumulate even more reserves, preparing for the next “hunger period.” That is why, after completing strict diets, most people who lose weight quickly regain the lost kilograms, even with excess.

What does this have to do with evening meals, you ask? If you refuse dinner and follow the fashionable rule “not to eat after six,” you will only slow down your metabolism. This approach prevents effective weight loss.

Last meal

As we have already mentioned, everyone’s body is individual, as is their lifestyle. Therefore, each person should listen to himself and create a unique diet for himself. If it is still difficult for you to listen to yourself, then follow the general recommendations that read:

1. Do not overload your body with “heavy” food.
2. Don't eat until your stomach is full.
3. Have dinner a few hours before going to bed.

Perhaps over time, you will feel that you should eat a little later or earlier, so you can gradually improve your sleep and lose excess weight.

More on the topic: How much time does a person need to sleep?

Salo

Few people know that it is impossible to gain weight from lard - unless, of course, you eat kilograms of it. There are no carbohydrates in lard, which can cause excess weight. A small piece the size of half your index finger, eaten at night, will even be beneficial. “Lard contains a lot of “good” cholesterol, which is necessary for the lubrication of joints and the elasticity of blood vessels,” the expert clarifies.

By the way, the healthiest lard for humans is salted lard. Eat it with garlic or onions, and then you will get good prevention against colds. But you should categorically refuse fried or smoked products. There is nothing useful in it, but there are more than enough toxins.

What can you do before bed?

You should always go to bed in a calm state. To do this, you should try to make the body’s work easier in the evening - without overeating, and also rid your head of negative thoughts - so that the body relaxes. It's best if you exercise a few hours before bed - this will significantly improve the quality of your rest. Yoga an hour before bed is a great way to relax, especially if you follow it with a warm shower.

Listening to calm music before bed, as well as aromatherapy from mint and vanilla oils, not only promotes relaxation, but also removes the feeling of hunger.

Consequences of eating at night

Food eaten at night does not leave its mark on the body.

Regular snacking before bed may cause the following problems and diseases:

• premature aging;
• atherosclerosis;
• diabetes;
• obesity;
• osteochondrosis;
• diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• nervous disorders - apathy, depression, irritability;
• gallstones;
• digestive system dysfunction;
• sleep disorders.

What can you do to prevent your child from waking up to eat at night?

For many mothers, the pressing problem is how to wean their baby from feeding at night. This should not be done until the age of 6 months, and then, when feeding at night is no longer the norm, but a bad habit, you will have to take action. Before you wean your child from eating at night, you should watch him. If during the day he eats well, gains weight, is healthy, but at night he wakes up at equal intervals, then it’s time to think about how to wean your child off this:

1. Feed your baby at set times during the day, but increase the portions.
2. Adjust the temperature in the nursery to 18-200. Humidify the air.
3. Tire your baby out with a long walk in the air, outdoor games, and a bath before bed.
4. Don't feed him if he wakes up during the night. There is no need to give substitutes - juice or compote, they are sweet, and it is not a fact that children will not want to enjoy them every night instead of milk. Let the milk first be replaced with water, which is better for the digestive tract, and it won’t cause any special desire to wake up at night to take it.

What can a pregnant woman eat at night?

Scientific background

In order for the food eaten at night to bring exceptional benefits to the body, you need to know which of them can be used to satisfy hunger before bed.

Products:

• walnuts no more than 50 g;
• pear, apple (if there are no problems with the digestive system);
• vegetables - white cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes, beets, carrots;
• low-fat yogurt or kefir (room temperature);
• steamed omelette;
• herbal infusion with honey;
• pure water;
• berries.

The calorie content of food eaten at night should not exceed more than 500 Kcal; in addition, you are allowed to eat 2 fruits or a small handful of prunes (dried apricots). To satisfy your hunger in the evening, it is better to use protein foods.

Nutrition during pregnancy should be balanced and correct. This is required for the normal development of the child.

Experts recommend that the expectant mother adhere to a diet so as not to gain excess weight. To do this, women stop eating food after 18:00.

What to do if a feeling of hunger prevents a pregnant woman from sleeping? Late-night snacks are permitted. Let's consider what foods a woman in an “interesting position” can eat at night.

2.5 hours before bedtime, it is recommended to eat easily digestible foods high in protein:

• dietary white meat - chicken, turkey fillet;
• starch-free vegetables and greens - cucumbers, radishes, eggplants, cauliflower, asparagus, parsley, carrots, kohlrabi;
• dairy ingredients - cottage cheese, kefir, milk;
• boiled cereal in small quantities;
• chamomile tea or milk with a little honey will help relax the nervous system, calm down and prepare for bed;
• bananas;
• toffee cheese;
• sesame seeds;
• dried apricots

The above components allow you to satisfy your hunger by eating a small portion. For snacking, it is prohibited to use ingredients that stimulate the production of gastric juice and cause appetite.

These include:

• sweet confectionery and flour products;
• salt, sugar and other spices;
• fruits and berries with a high acid content.

Let's consider a basic list of products for each type.

Elimination of fat deposits:

• Boiled poultry fillet (chicken or turkey), seafood (you need to watch the calorie content), low-fat fish.
• The vegetables you are allowed to eat are legumes, vegetables without starch;
• Steamed egg white omelette;
• Low-fat cottage cheese and kefir;
• Herbal tea, plain water, freshly squeezed juice from vegetables and fruits.

To build muscle mass:

• Raw quail eggs;
• Meat products - pork, beef or veal;
• Cereals - rice, buckwheat;
• Dairy products - cheese, cottage cheese, kefir;
• Drinks: Protein shake 30 minutes after an intense workout.

Prohibited foods for people actively involved in sports:

• pasta;
• sausages;
• alcoholic and carbonated drinks;
• black and green tea, coffee, cold drinks, cocoa;
• dried fruits;
• sweets;
• fruits.

Having finished training, the body is in an excited state, therefore, additional toning will harm:

• will increase blood pressure;
• will have a destructive effect on muscle tissue;
• worsen the psycho-emotional state.

For a person who regularly visits the gym at least 3 times every 7 days, the calorie content of dinner should not exceed 500 Kcal, when building muscle mass - 800 Kcal, and for weight loss - 300 Kcal.

Recommendations from experts! For an effective workout and without harm to health, it is recommended to eat food high in carbohydrates - muesli, oatmeal, natural yogurt, unsweetened fruits - half an hour before class.

You shouldn’t put too much strain on your digestive system, the main thing is to have a little snack.

In order not to be tormented by the question: “What to eat at night to lose weight?”, it is important to monitor your lifestyle, quality and diet, move more and walk in the fresh air more often. And if you feel a little hungry, use approved foods. In this case, there will be no harm to the body if the portion of food is small.

Why is it so important not to eat 2 hours before bedtime, and what processes in the body are disrupted due to mistakes made? Bright daylight affects the level of glucose in the blood, the activity of the production of the sleep hormone and other processes, so at night the work of the digestive organs slows down significantly.

It is quite difficult to determine when the activity of the digestive organs decreases; this happens at different times for each person, which is why it is so important to maintain proper nutrition, this will help prevent insomnia. Consumption of fast carbohydrates will not be beneficial - the menu must be balanced. High-calorie food will be dangerous here - it will not have time to be absorbed before bedtime and will affect the sides and abdomen in the form of fatty deposits.

But the ban on eating immediately before bed is not only associated with fat accumulation. The fact is that a full stomach will interfere with falling asleep, and food will not be able to be digested normally while asleep. This will lead to morning sickness, constipation (especially if you eat heavily), and indigestion. It is also possible that you feel tired, because having eaten before going to bed, we force the digestive system to work all night.

Foods and their effect on sleep

Knowing that eating before bed is harmful, sometimes you really want to drink a cup of cocoa. There is no point in resisting the desire. A drink containing flavanols can prevent obesity during sleep, which is important when losing weight. The quality of cocoa also affects how many calories are burned. Sweet, instant drinks will only do harm.

To lose weight, it is useful to drink water before dinner. Drinking water before bed will allow you to eat smaller portions.