Many people have a hard time understanding the concept of metabolism and how it works the same whether you’re trying to lose fat or pack on some muscle. Calories in > Calories out = Weight Gain; Calories in < Calories out = Weight Loss. If this simple formula can be learned by everyone, people would start to look better instantly. A big setback in your fitness goals may be due to the excess of calories that you may ingest right before bedtime. Eating too many calories, especially empty sugar calories before bed is horrible because not only does your metabolism almost completely shut off during sleep, the excess calories are messing up your hormone production and secretion. I will help you learn what not to have a few hours before your 7-10 hour fast and offer some healthy alternatives. 5 Foods To Avoid Before Bed PASTA Now everyone in the fitness world has heard carbohydrates at night can ruin your fat loss dreams. Think of the extra things (FAT!) added to pastas that also are not the best things to eat: high amounts of cheese, bacon bits, lots of oil, creamy sauces, and the list goes on. These carbs at night will cause an increase in your insulin production. Pasta is a calorie dense source of carbohydrates that are good during the day like after a workout when you need to replenish your muscles but not in the hours before you sleep. Instead you can try to eat spaghetti squash. Now before you toss this idea out the window pay close attention. This is a vegetable that is in long strands similar to the texture of spaghetti. A benefit of this is that it contains one-third of the calories found in pasta and it only has about 12g of carbs per serving and some of the protein you want before bed. You can cook it with vegetables and a low-fat cheese and sliced deli turkey, containing a sleep promoting amino acid called tryptophan. Try this great recipe CHOCOLATE Chocolate is one of the worst foods you can have at night. It contains a lot of sugar, fat, and also caffeine. The caffeine is already an indicator why it is bad for you at night, it will keep you awake and you need your sleep for your body to recover. The less sleep you get each night, the higher your cortisol levels will be. Cortisol is a catabolic (muscle breaking) hormone that will be counterproductive to your goals. Instead try this recipe to satisfy your chocolate cravings: Protein chocolate brownies Get 1 Scoop of Rocky Road Flavored Whey Isolate and mix it in a bowl with 1 egg white, and 1tbsp of pure ground cinnamon and put it in your microwave for 1:30 seconds. This will give you your protein and the chocolate flavor you want without the excess fat calories and caffeine so you can have a good night’s sleep. Chinese Food Besides the fact that Chinese food contains high amounts of a flavor enhancer called monosodium glutamate (MSG), it contains a lot of rancid oil. MSG also has an effect similar to caffeine that will keep you awake for a little longer. The food also contains a sickening amount of carbohydrates and bad fats. Instead if you really have nothing to eat and the Chinese restaurant is around the corner get a small serving of let’s say garlic chicken, with very little sauce and steamed vegetables. This will reduce your MSG intake and carbs. Your belly will be so much happier in the long run. Fruit Juice Smoothies Even though smoothies can be so delicious any very healthy for you early in the day, having one at night is very detrimental to your body. They contain high amounts of simple sugars, sometimes whipped creams, and little fiber or protein. Instead try a ½ of low-fat cottage cheese mixed with ¼ cup of fresh blueberries and strawberries and ½ packet of Splenda™ (for additional sweetness). This tastes great and the cottage cheese contains a slow digesting protein called casein that is great for bedtime because the amino acids are broken down and released slowly during your sleep. The berries contain antioxidants which help against free radical damage. Your muscles won’t be starving overnight and you will actually sleep better. Large Amounts of Steak Yes, I love steak and it is my favorite food. You probably think that this is a great nighttime meal because it is very high in protein, but truth be told, you really don’t need this much protein before bed. Your body just cannot absorb this high amount while you sleep. Besides this fact, protein requires high amounts of energy to digest and this will keep you lying in bed wondering why you can’t fall asleep. My tip is to try to have a maximum of 40g of protein before bed, preferably casein protein. Instead of steak try eating turkey which tastes great and has about 25g of protein per serving and contains tryptophan which helps you sleep much better. Conclusion: Many of these foods are not bad for you and they all have their own place in the diet, but the nighttime is not the optimal time to have these foods and drinks. Try using these tips that I have provided above and you will achieve many of your fitness goals and give you the physique you’ve always wanted. About RomyRome Major in Biology and Exercise Science,Research Scientist, Natural Bodybuilder, Certified Personal Trainer, Chef, and Future Orthopaedic Surgeon. I can help you meet all your goals!
Learn to read! Pure Science. These are good tips if you aren't on a bulking phase and are trying to keep bf% low.
