I often hear people talk about how eating before bed will make you fat. So is this true or just a myth?
Well it depends… read on…
Eating before bed won’t make you fat, but it also depends on how your eating has been for the day.
At the end of the day it is going to come down to calories in vs calories out. It doesn’t matter if they come late at night or early in the morning – if you eat more calories than you are burning you are going to gain unwanted fat.
If you are keeping things light during the day eating before bed won’t be a problem. But if you have already consumed enough calories throughout the day, you are going to want to cut out a late meal (or keep it very low calorie).
It really is just a myth that eating before bed makes you fat, but make sure you have eaten well leading up to night time if you are looking to make a snack before bed.
Personally I can’t fall asleep when I’m hungry so I plan my day out that allows me to have my last (usually 6th) small meal about an hour or so before bed. The idea is really to look at how many calories you can consume in a given day and if you want to eat before bed just plan it out so you have some calories left to eat.
Generally I would recommend cutting out starchy carbohydrates at night, but this will depend on what time you workout at. Starchy carbs are needed a few hours before and right after a workout.
If you are working out at night time you are going to need to eat these types of carbohydrates before bed and don’t really have a choice (avoiding carbs after a workout isn’t healthy – even if you are looking to lose weight). My best advice for people working out at night is to eat your carbs as soon as possible after your workout, giving you some time before you hit the hay.
If you are like me and workout in the morning or mid afternoon I would advise trying to stop your starchy carb intake after your workout. Your pre-bedtime meal should include healthy proteins and healthy fats. Something like greek yogurt and some mixed nuts can be a good snack. I’m weird and sometimes like to eat eggs at night before bed, but I will cut out my normal breakfast potatoes that I have in the morning to help avoid gaining any fat.
In conclusion eating before bed doesn’t make you fat, unless you have eating too many calories leading up to bed time. Plan ahead and you will be fine having a small meal or snack before you head to bed.
Add Comment