1ST MAY 2018
Should you eat before bed?
Is eating before bed really bad for you?
People often assume that eating before bed is bad for them, tales of slowing metabolisms turning calories into fat overnight are common, but are they right?
It seems logical that your metabolism would slow down while you are sleeping and that calories consumed before sleeping would be stored as fat not burned off. The truth is that your metabolism operates at the same rate day or night, while you are sleeping your body is very busy repairing muscle tissue and hundreds of other functions of which you are blissfully unaware.
Research shows that people who eat before bed are also more likely to consume more calories during the day and this total calorie consumption is what leads to the weight gained, not the time of day the calories were consumed.
‘Eating before bed will disturb your sleep’ is another nutrition myth we hear all the time. It is true that spicy, rich or heavy foods may cause you to toss and turn during the night, however if you stick to easily digested foods you may find the quality of your sleep actually improves. This is great for general health and specifically weight loss as sleep deprived people release more hunger hormones which ultimately leads to weight gain!
So can you eat before bed without gaining weight?
The answer is yes, but there are rules, consider how many calories you have had during the course of the day, if the count is high you do not need more food. Stick to easily digested foods, ideally a protein snack to help with muscle protein synthesis and unless you want nightmares stay away from the cheese!
