The Midnight Snack Hack That Zaps Fat (Part 2 of 2)
It is hard to fall asleep with an empty and growling stomach.
But we’ve been told that middle of the night snacking may put us at higher risk for obesity and binge eating problems…
That’s why I was shocked when my doctor told me that “late night snacking” was going to help me lose weight.
But after doing some research, I discovered that he’s not the only doctor recommending this.
Take a look at what world-renowned nutritionist Dr. Janet Brill said:
“Trying to catch shuteye when your stomach is making scary growling sounds isn’t a smart idea.. Your sleep quality will suffer, and you’ll feel tired and famished in the morning—both of which can lead you to overdo it and mess up your healthy-eating plans. The solution: Reach for one of these low-calorie, sleep-inducing snacks that won’t have you wake up feeling bloated.”
Registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator Lori Zanini says:
“Still, even if it’s late at night, if an individual is hungry, he or she should eat. It’s important to listen to our body’s hunger cues at all times.”
Carla Wolper, R.D., a nutritionist and professor at the Center for Eating Disorders at Columbia University Medical Center says:
“Your body doesn’t care what time you eat the food,”
But what my doctor told me next really changed everything for me…
He said that a calorie is a calorie, no matter when you consume it.
Eating the right late night snack will help you curb those crazy cravings.
Going hungry will set you up for low blood sugar levels, intense cravings and binging once you finally do eat.
Working out too much can lead to the same effects.
But no matter what you do, remember that…
“A calorie is a calorie.”
It’s how someone can lose weight while spending half a year eating nothing but Mcdonald’s 3x a day.
I’m not advising that you eat Mcdonald’s every day…
That would be… umm… nasty to say the least.
Besides, my doctor said the first step to getting over being a Diet Abuser was to make a Lifestyle Change.
In order to make this lifestyle change I had to stop jumping from diet to diet and weight-loss plan to weight-loss plan…
Instead, I had to do the opposite…
That was to develop a sustainable strategy that could work with my busy schedule.
To help me with this he gave me a 31 page health report and also a Late-Night Snacking Protocol…
I won’t make you read the entire report or protocol but here are some of the key points:
- There are plenty of good snacks that help curb your hunger before bed without packing on extra pounds
- The key is selecting a snack that is low in calories and high in volume so that you feel full without pushing you over your daily calorie limit
- Aim for snacks that are 100 to 200 calories or less.
My top 3 go-to late night foods recommended from the protocol are:
Dark Chocolate (so good)
Peanut Butter and Toast
Butterless Popcorn
But here’s another important factor in the protocol…
The only time that WHEN you eat matters, is in the timing of your late night snack.
I’ll explain why in a second, but first take a look below:
You want your snack to be right between dinner and bedtime.
For example, if you eat dinner at 7:00 p.m. and usually go to bed at 11:00 p.m. then you’ll want to consume your snack at around 9:00 p.m.
Again, Dr. Zanini seems to agree with this, as well:
“I usually recommend individuals stop eating approximately 1.5 to 2 hours before going to bed to allow for digestion. Since we digest our food better when we are upright, this allows our body to truly rest and repair while we are sleeping in preparation for the next day.”
When timed perfectly, your sleep quality doesn’t suffer.
I mean it’s hard to sleep when your stomach is growling or when you feel like you’re so full that you’re about to pop.
This is why timing is key for the late night snack.
It will help you sleep better and more sleep will stimulate weight loss.
That’s because increased sleep times help your body get into a healthy pattern that will extend to the food you eat. (crucial lifestyle change the doctor was talking about)
Once I began to really focus on late night snacking with the recommended protocol, it made making healthy choices easier everyday.
I started to lose about two pounds a week without having to starve myself on a miserable diet or spend hours doing crazy workout regimens.
Not only did I start to lose weight but I began to sleep better and feel better.
But this was just the beginning…
Because a few days later, Vanessa introduced me to the secret snack that would change my life.
A snack the doctor didn’t even know about.
It wasn’t in the 31 page health report or Late Night Snacking Protocol…
But it should definitely be added.
That’s because it was the catalyst to helping me lose 12 pounds in just 2 weeks… almost a pound a day.
Let me show you my FAVORITE late night snack because it’s a game changer.