Thanks for the info, Joel. I often find myself really hungry in the later evening, so it’s nice to know I don’t have to sit there and deprive myself as my stomach growls!
Thanks again,
Sidney
As I sit here and type this, the time reads 11:06 PM. And you know what? I’m eating.
*Gasp*
What?? Eating after 7 PM?! Yes, I know, I’m breaking the rules.
But frankly, that’s what I do.
When rules don’t make sense to me, I simply choose not to follow them (unless, of course, those “rules” are “laws”…not really into the whole illegal activity thing).
But as far as the whole “no eating after 7” nonsense goes, I break that one just about every day.
And so should you.
Here’s why:
Well, first, let me just say that most general rules of thumb in the fitness world are oversimplifications, and the whole “Don’t eat after X o’clock” is no exception.
The recommendation is based on the idea that metabolism slows in the evening hours as you prepare for bed, and eating during this time should be avoided so as not to have those calories stored as fat.
A good premise, but again, oversimplified.
What we really want to avoid in the evening are foods that give rise to insulin, specifically carbohydrates, and for several reasons.
First, when blood insulin levels rise, fat burning takes a dive and a “storage” environment is created within the body. This is a good thing after exercise or after an overnight fast to allow the body to “refuel”, but not so good when metabolism is falling off in the evening hours.
Secondly, something called insulin sensitivity drops drastically in the evening, which simply means that your body is not as responsive to insulin at night as it is during the day. When insulin sensitivity is low, carbohydrates are easily stored as fat.
Needless to say, we can see why eating carbohydrates late at night isn’t a smart move, but that doesn’t mean we can’t or shouldn’t eat anything.
So, what should you eat to curb late-night cravings and support muscle tissue maintenance as you sleep? Simple: a small meal consisting of mostly slow digesting protein and fibrous green veggies within a couple hours of bed works best.
Animal protein (chicken, fish, beef, etc) are great choices for a late night meal, as is something like cottage cheese. Both digest slowly over time, providing a mild, but steady influx of nutrients to muscle throughout the night, all while not interfering with your insulin levels.
Or maybe I’m just a rebel who doesn’t know what the heck he’s talking about? ;-)
Got a favorite late night meal or snack? Agree? Disagree?
Drop the comments below!
Joel
P.S. Want to up your nutrition IQ even more? Watch this video from my good friend Isabel where she reveals 4 other “healthly” foods that you should NEVER eat, along with her TOP 5 foods for a flat belly:
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It makes sense actually!!!
cottage cheese and natural peanut butter is one of my favorite pre-bedtime snacks for sure.
Nuts and some turkey as a late time snack, that’s an favorite!
Intressting post
Hey Joel, I have always tried not to eat after dinner but sometimes I do feel hungry and reach for something quick (probably full of carbs) but I will keep your advice in mind and if I need to eat something will reach for protein and veges.
Thanks Bernadette
HA! I love this! :D Now I know WHAT to put into my body at night, instead of ending up cheating! I’m so happy Holly told me about you! You are such a resource! Thanks Joel! :*
Hi Joel,
thanks for the advice – it makes sense to me! Looking forward to hearing more.
Linda
Low fat chocolate milk’s great. Especially when cold. Chocolate makes people happy and milk has plenty of protein. Low fat just completes the whole equation. Works for me.
That’s a really great sound advice. Now I know I don’t have to endure growling stomach at night anymore. So, do you think baked chicken breasts are okay? What about nuts like almonds? And what about the amount? About 300 calories or less than that?
~Foong~
Hi Joel
I like the idea of late night snacking. Just one question, what about the diet where one has to fast for 24 hours? The writer claims you will not lose muscle. I love that diet, what is your view on that?
O I forgot to say that I like to nibble on a green pepper late at night and a glass of water with lemon
Bonjour Joel, Thank you for your great insight as the “late night ” problem is probably my biggest due to my lack of sleep and lack of sufficient calories during the day. I will NOW become more savvy in my pm choices because yours make much more sense than mine! ; )
OOdles of Cheer,
Me : )
What about extremely-late night eating, i.e. drinking a gallon of water before bed so you wake up for a protein shake? Is it worth the sleep interruption? Maybe you can set an alarm to wake you up between REM cycles?
Great post…but I have two related questions:
1) How will exercise in the evening change post-workout carb intake?
2) If I’m supposed to eat carbs at night after a late-hour workout…what are my best food choices?
How about raisins and nuts for late night snacking? DOes it have to be animal proteins and green veggies?
hi joel
thanks for the gr8 post – this is really valuable info!
i do have a question though. I am a vegetarian (i do eat cheese&eggs).
you mention cottage cheese as a non-meat protein option.
what other options would you recommend? (how about tofu and or lentils??)
also, when u say no carbs….do you mean NO carbs eg. wholewheat toast with lentil soup?
thanks
nicky (from byron bay – australia)
a low carb protein shake? Cottage cheese?
I did the wake and shake at 1 am on you first iteration of the Cheaters diet and it worked out really well.
I like to have a half of cup of plain yogurt mixed with 1 scoop of vanilla Metabolic Drive protein and some blueberries for my evening snack. It’s goooood!
Any further suggestions for filling snacks for vegetarians? thanks!
hey Joel… i was just wondering…is it good to have a heavy breakfast before bed ?
I don’t have a favourite snack/meal before bed but I do try to limit what I eat to Meats and Cheeses late on. My problem i s I still find I wake up hungry several times in the early hours and start rummaging through the fridge and cupboards for any quick fix snack. Is this a really bad thing?
Cottage cheese is m favorite late night snack.
I usually like to eat some nuts with yogurt or a slice of cheese.
Thanks Joel,
I knew that someone would find a reason why that “rule” was a dumb one. After reading about feed the muscle, I have wondered about not eating for hours on end in the evening.
I usually have dinner at around 6 and then a last meal at 8:30 or so. Apple and almond butter is one option or Greek Yogurt (16g protein) + walnuts and some sf chocolate syrup is another. Yum!
Although the apple/almond butter combo does not meet the protein+veggie rule, it works for me. My BF is ~14% and I have good muscle definition.
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Hey, it’s Joel! So you want to know a little more about me, huh? Well, I’d be happy to oblige :-)
I guess it all started back in 2001 (my freshman year of college) when I was just a “skinny fat” 19-year old kid. At the time, I was spending close to 2 hours a day in the gym (now my workouts last about 30 minutes), and despite my efforts, you’d probably never guess I worked out a day in my life by looking at me...