Are you aware that going to bed with a rumbling tummy can affect your weight loss goals? An empty stomach means not getting sleep, waking up starved, and pigging out at breakfast the next day.
In addition, sleeping is an important factor for weight loss. Studies have shown that improper sleep patterns can increase the chances of putting on weight! To make things worse, lack of sleep can lead to hormonal stimulation that regulate hunger.
Hence, it is best to get into bed with a satisfied stomach. So check out our list of bedtime snacks for falling asleep faster, building lean protein, and to prevent morning hunger pangs.
How to Lose Weight:
There are methods to aid in weight loss but one common factor is calories. To know what to eat at night, you may need to create a zero calorie balance in order to ensure that your body is burning extra calories.
Snacking at night may increase your calorie intake. When it comes to the question of losing weight, it’s essential to know the limit of your food habits while still adjusting with your bedtime snack.
The weight loss calorie can differ upon age, height, weight, and work level. For instance, if your body intake limit is 2,300 calories a day, the you should cut off 1,800 calories daily for losing weight.
Bedtime Snacks for Losing Weight:
There is nothing wrong about snacking before bedtime, but then again there is a lot of problem about late night snacking as it leads to extra calorie intake. But if snacking is a part of your weight loss plan, then eating a snack before bedtime may actually help you lose weight as it prevents overeating during breakfast.
A balanced before bedtime snack should consist of 200 calories or lesser. It should be packed with a mix combination of fiber and protein. Both these mixtures works together for curbing hunger levels. While the fiber decreases digestion and gives a feeling of fullness, it’s not fully understandable how protein curbs hunger levels.
Best Snack Options:
One of the best snack before bed is a six ounce container of nonfat Greek yogurt sprinkled with four chopped walnuts and half cup halved strawberries. Each of these ingredients totals to 180 calories, 2 grams fiber, and 18 grams protein.
Another good nighttime snack is one tsp of peanut butter spread in five whole grain crackers.
If you like dips, then use one cup of carrot sticks with half a cup of hummus.
Other breakfast options like hard boiled eggs with toast, whole grain cereal with nonfat milk are rich sources or protein and fiber.
Other Weight Loss Plan:
Losing weight cannot be attained with healthy snacks alone. You should also develop other habits, as well. Good sleep, for example for helping in losing weight. Not getting proper sleep often affects appetite hormones, which makes one extra famished at oddly hours. And it can in turn lead to overeating and erratic sleeping hours.
Best foods to aid in weight loss:
Complete avoidance of food right before bedtime can prove to be a hindrance to your weight loss routines. Firstly, going off to bed with a hungry stomach affects sleep. Secondly, waking up hungry will make you pig out during breakfast.
So it is best to reach out to healthy food choices. Here are our list of best foods to eat at night.
1. Peanut Butter:
Eating Peanut butter before bed is a good option as it has the right amount of fiber. You may dip a slice of apple into one tsp of peanut butter. Apples contain fiber while Peanut Butter contains healthy fat.
2. Greek Yogurt with Chia Seeds:
Greek yogurt is a rich source of fiber and protein. Use Chia seeds as toppings as they are enriched with iron and fiber needed to make your healthy night time snack an effective option.
5. Pistachios:
Pistachios offer a rich pack of fiber, protein, and healthy fat. They are found packed in shells and therefore takes longer to eat. In addition, it reduces the risk to munch away mindlessly. Best option is to opt for a pistachio pack which comes in different flavors.
6. Carrots:
Carrots are low in calories and high in fiber. They give you a feeling of fullness while controlling your desire to munch on something.
7. Wheat Crackers:
The protein present in whole wheat cereals are healthy. And they give you a sense of fullness while providing your body with protein. All the more, they are beneficial for your heart.
8. Hummus:
A cup of hummus contains a rich amount of fiber and protein. It has 180 calories and 11 gram per serving. You can have it with dippers too using grape tomatoes. The tomatoes contain melatonin which is said to induce sleep.
9. Popcorn:
Popcorn is a healthy night snack. A serving of popcorn contain 62 calories, 1 gram fat, 12 gram card, 0 gram sugar, 2 mg sodium, 2 gram protein, and 2.4 gram fiber. It is best to air pop own kernels and sprinkle it with cinnamon or yeast for added protein intake. Make sure not to use the microwave popcorn packs as they contain unnecessary ingredients.
10. Pear:
Do you know that fruits and dairy products combined together make a good nutritional pack? Likewise, the combination of pears with cheese offers our body with the right amount of fiber and protein. Pear offers fiber and Vitamin C, while cheese is high in calcium. The best choice of cheese to compliment pears are goat or Stilton ones.
11. Oatmeal Cookie:
Oatmeal cookies are filled with antioxidants, potassium, and fiber. They also make a good breakfast option. You can combine the oatmeal cookies with half a banana, one tsp cacao nibs, and rolled oats. Make two small mounds using the mixture. Flatten the mounds on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes. One serving of this scrumptious combo contain 3 gram fat, 152 calories, 2 gram sugar, 0 mg sodium, and 2 gram protein.
12. Hard Boiled Eggs:
Hard boiled eggs is a rich source of protein but has less calories. Two egg slices can make for a healthy late night snack. Sprinkle the eggs using a seasoning variety of your choice to elevate the taste.
13. Greek Yogurt with Berries:
Do you know that Greek yogurt topped with berries or Chia Seeds makes for a healthy late night snack? Frozen berries make for a better option as it tastes better than plain yogurt.
The blend of berries are packed with Vitamin C and antioxidants. One serving of yogurt with berries is said to contain 135 calories, 0 g fat, 24 gram carbs, 12 grams sugar, 1.5 gram fiber, and 12 gram protein.
[sc:mediad]
14. Apples:
Apples are the best fruit to have before bed for losing weight? Having it before bed is a great idea to avoid cravings. All the more, it aids in losing weight. Snack it on it at night daily to experience reductions in waist area.
15. Chocolate Pudding cup:
When you want to indulge in dessert at night, go for a single serving of pudding. One cup of chocolate pudding is said to contain 140 calories, 2 gram fat, 24 gram carbs, 19 g sugar, 140 mg sodium, and 3 gram protein per serving.
16. Almonds:
Almonds are packed with protein, fiber, magnesium, and selenium. The presence of protein and fiber gives you a feeling of fullness while the magnesium induces sleep. You can go for a rich flavor like wasabi. One serving of wasabi almonds contain about 170 calories, 15 get fat, 115 mg sodium, 2 g sugar, 3 g fiber, and 6 g protein.
17. Dried Cherries:
Tart cherries contain melatonin which is said to regulate your internal clock and improve sleep patterns. Snacking on a cup of dried cherries before bedtime is a good option. One serving of dried cherries contain 100 calories, 0 g fat, 24 g carbs, 10 mg sodium, 19 g sugar, 1 g fiber, and 1 g protein.
18. Whole grain Toast:
For a healthy dose of fat, toast a slice of whole-grain bread, and two tsp of guacamole. One serving of whole grain toast contain 105 calories, 5 g fat, 15 g carbs, 3 g sugar, 5 g fiber, and 4 g protein.
19. Banana:
One of the best fruits to eat at night are bananas. Do you know having banana with two tsp of dry roasted sunflower seeds provide a rich amount of fiber? The two ingredients is packed with healthy fats, and tryptophan, an amino acid for helping your body generate melatonin. One serving of banana with sunflower seeds contain 150 calories, 29 g carbs, 4.5 g fat, 15 g sugar, 0 mg sodium, 3 g protein, and 4 g fiber.
20. Pepper:
Studies has shown that the most effective method to burn fat is to consume peppers. Our body is said to burn fat while we sleep because of including peppers in your meals. You may also sprinkle pepper with your cottage cheese snack.
21. Cottage Cheese:
Have small slices of cottage cheese before bedtime as a healthy snack choice. It contains a rich pack of casein protein which can help in repairing muscles while getting your beauty sleep and sleep inducing amino acid tryptophan.
22. Protein Shake:
If you hit the gym mostly in the evening, then you should have protein shake to recover your muscles before bed. Studies has proven that eating protein can improve your muscles and build lean muscle to remove excess fat. You may add one scoop of casein protein powder for making the protein shake.
These are our favorite Indian food to eat at night to lose weight that are not only healthy but delicious as well. Are you trying any one of these? Write in to us in the comment box below.
