This is the first time I’ve heard anyone advocate eating at night, but I’ve always done it anyway. my lifelong quest has always been to gain weight since I have a very high metabolic rate. At age 48 this is no different and I’ve gained some weight only because of musclebulding. I agree with you 100%, everyone has different needs.
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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I recently started having 1/2 cup of low fat cottage cheese with a handful of almonds about three hours after dinner and it definitely curbs my desire to eat junk food and seems to help my recovery as well.
I always have some cottage cheese w/natural peanut butter mixed in. Slow digesting carbs and healthy fats…the perfect nighttime snack!!
Glad to see that I”m not the only one starving late at night. When I’m hungry..I eat. Usually, I have a scoop of Dymatize 12 hour Elite Protein, with a spoonful of natural peanut butter though. that usually holds me over till morning.
Hi Joel, Thanks for the post! I, too, have been eating small snacks of protein and veges at night – and still have been losing weight.
I VERY MUCH LIKED YOUR ARTICLE, BECAUSE I DO GET VERY HUNGRY AT NIGHT AND I ALWAYS FEELGUILTY EATING BECAUSE I THINK YOUR NOT SUPPOSE TO EAT AFTER 7:00
I’ve pretty much broken the habit of eating after dinner but if I do get hungry I usually grab a 100 calorie bag of popcorn – who knew that’s what I shouldn’t do?! I’ll sub with cottage cheese and veggies from now on. Thanks for the info Joel!
Thank you! My children and I have struggled with this, and I am glad to know how to deal with this for them and for me.
I love to snack on nuts – is this ok at night?
I like knowing that I can admit to eating late at night without having to appologize.
Thanks Joel! I’m a tae-kwon-do teacher that doesn’t get home until 9 pm most days. I’ve always felt guilty when i chose to eat something because I was starving. I do usually try to eat healthy anyway. Like peanut butter, yogurt or carrots. Thanks for the info!
How about a protein shake with lowfat milk?
Seems to me that metabolism falling off, and insulin sensitivity dropping, in he evening, is really related more to one’s habitual bedtime rather than evening hours per se. It would be different for a person in bed by 10 pm, as compared to someone like me who generally makes it to bed only by midnight or so. I thought finishing the evening meal about 2 hrs before bedtime would be a better guideline. Am I wrong?
But it’s still important to keep total calories in mind, right?
Hey Joel! Good word man-a late nite snack works most effectively when you keep the food quantity small and it’s a high quality whole, all natural food. In other words, not a bag of chips, or a bowl of ice cream. Remember also, eating the right foods increases your metabolism. I’ve heard many competing body builders actually get up in the middle of the night to eat.
I like to snack on what I’m making for lunch for the next day. Say sauteed spinach with garlic and lamb shoulder chops. It usually smells so good I can’t help trying a little before I put it away in the fridge for the next day.
great. keep em coming.
I couldn’t agree more….quite often I will have a snack just minutes before hitting the sack. Great advice…as always!!!!!
Finally somebody confirms, what I know all my life (at least about my body), but have always been discouraged by professionals. SInce I was a little girl, I HAD to eat late, otherwise I could not fall asleep, or sleep without waking up during night. It sounds very appealing to be able to have a nibble at 10 or 11 pm before going to bed without feeling terribly guilty, that a day of dieting is ruined. For me it gives perfect sense.
Thank you very much for the explanation how body works and what type of late night snack is the best. That is really helpful. AND thank you for being brave. Elena :o)
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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...