Greek Yogurt Before Bed

daynaxxanne
daynaxxanne Posts: 77 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I heard somewhere that eating greek yogurt before bed boosts your metabolism and helps you burn fat and lose weight while you sleep.. Does anyone know if this is true? If so, how long before bed should I be eating greek yogurt

Replies

  • farfromthetree
    farfromthetree Posts: 982 Member
    I have heard something like this. I heard eating protein before bed allows you to burn more than if you have a carb. I'll see if I can find an article. Also, as for how much...as long as it fits into your daily calorie goals. Don't eat a huge amount thinking it will help you lose weight.
  • farfromthetree
    farfromthetree Posts: 982 Member
    http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/eating-protein-before-bed-boost-metabolism-11258.html
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,328 Member
    I note in the article that the amount of "boost" is not mentioned. I am guessing it is not hugely significant unless an extra 20-50 calories in a day is something you consider significant. Generally a boosted metabolism is not needed, and biologically it is usually a sign of stress or illness. If you enjoy Greek Yogurt or Protein as a snack before bed and it fits into your calories, by all means enjoy it. It will not, however, make a significant change in your progress beyond what sticking to your calorie goal and measuring your portions carefully logging everything you eat and drink will do. Tiny things like this are far less important than making sure you are in a moderate calorie deficit.
  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
    I never heard that. I eat Greek yogurt with chia seeds every night before bed because it keeps me full all night and I find that I sleep better with it.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    rileysowner wrote: »
    I note in the article that the amount of "boost" is not mentioned. I am guessing it is not hugely significant unless an extra 20-50 calories in a day is something you consider significant. Generally a boosted metabolism is not needed, and biologically it is usually a sign of stress or illness. If you enjoy Greek Yogurt or Protein as a snack before bed and it fits into your calories, by all means enjoy it. It will not, however, make a significant change in your progress beyond what sticking to your calorie goal and measuring your portions carefully logging everything you eat and drink will do. Tiny things like this are far less important than making sure you are in a moderate calorie deficit.

    This. Meal timing in general doesn't matter with regards to weight loss, and metabolism is not something that can be influenced with types of food eaten. Focusing on protein intake to help preserve lean body mass while losing weight is important, but there is no magical solution with regards to what you eat at certain times of the day which will have a measurable impact.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    It only works if you eat it precisely 17 minutes before falling asleep
  • CrabNebula
    CrabNebula Posts: 1,119 Member
    I eat non-fat Greek yogurt most every night for dessert because it tastes good, low cal, filling, and lots of protein. I don't think I need more reasons. :p
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    Anytime you eat protein, your metabolism increases because of the thermic effect of food. As @stevencloser has thrown around a few times, the difference between minimum grams (~42) and maximum proven muscle building grams (~160) will increase calorie burn something like 7 calories a day.
  • Montepulciano
    Montepulciano Posts: 845 Member
    Not sure I would do this to increase my calorie burn, but if it satisfies your need to eat at that time and helps you to sleep better (you don't wake up in the middle of the night hungry) and of course you keep it within your calorie goals, then is there a down side to it? I believe in doing what works for you and makes the process sustainable for a life time. My two pennies.
  • lisawinning4losing
    lisawinning4losing Posts: 726 Member
    edited March 2016
    Yogurt is one of my favorite bedtime snacks, though I'd never heard of there being anything special about it. I kind of believe in keeping my blood sugar and insulin levels stable, which is why I believe in bedtime snacks, plus I like to have something yummy after dinner, but other than that I wouldn't know of any particular benefit aside from any probiotics that might be in there which some people think contribute to weight loss? Or the fact that it has whey protein in it, as a dairy product? Dunno.

    For the most part, I don't really believe in any magical foods that make you lose weight. Some studies suggest that green tea, grapefruit, and whey protein contribute to weigh loss, because of certain enzymes or other properties they have, but things like that still have to be combined with a healthy diet or else they don't really work, or you might only lose a few pounds over a period of time, and even then you'll only keep the few pounds off if you continue to drinking or eating that certain thing every day.

    Anyway, yogurt is yummy. :)
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    lisawinning4losing wrote: »
    Yogurt is one of my favorite bedtime snacks, though I'd never heard of there being anything special about it. I kind of believe in keeping my blood sugar and insulin levels stable, which is why I believe in bedtime snacks, plus I like to have something yummy after dinner, but other than that I wouldn't know of any particular benefit aside from any probiotics that might be in there which some people think contributes to weight loss? Dunno.

    For the most part, I don't really believe in any magical foods that make you lose weight. Some studies suggest that green tea and grapefruit contribute to weigh loss, because of certain enzymes or other properties they have, but things like that still have to be combined with a healthy diet or else they don't really work, or you might only lose a few pounds over a period of time, and even then you'll only keep the few pounds off if you continue to drinking or eating that certain thing every day.

    Anyway, yogurt is yummy. :)

    Yogurt is a rather processed food.
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    senecarr wrote: »
    Anytime you eat protein, your metabolism increases because of the thermic effect of food. As @stevencloser has thrown around a few times, the difference between minimum grams (~42) and maximum proven muscle building grams (~160) will increase calorie burn something like 7 calories a day.

    The calculation in the study was for each 1000 kcal ingested, each 10% of protein instead of fat or carbs of those calories will have ~7 kcal extra TEF.

    So at 1500 kcal eaten, the difference between a 15% (56 g) and 35% (131 g) protein diet would be 1.5* 2* 7 kcal = 21 kcal.

    http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/79/5/899S.full
  • lisawinning4losing
    lisawinning4losing Posts: 726 Member
    Meh, we have different definitions of processed, and it depends on whether or not other things have been added to the yogurt. But, I'm not really in the mood for arguing today. Maybe tomorrow. ;)
  • lisawinning4losing
    lisawinning4losing Posts: 726 Member
    If my grandmomma could make it in a butter churn, then it's probably not too bad. ;)
  • vingogly
    vingogly Posts: 1,785 Member
    senecarr wrote: »
    Yogurt is a rather processed food.

    And that makes it Evil, of course.
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    lisawinning4losing wrote: »
    Meh, we have different definitions of processed, and it depends on whether or not other things have been added to the yogurt. But, I'm not really in the mood for arguing today. Maybe tomorrow. ;)

    I'm not opposed to yogurt or processed food. Both are involved to a fair extent in my protein intake.
  • lisawinning4losing
    lisawinning4losing Posts: 726 Member
    Actually, until now, I had no idea how to make yogurt. I just know people have been making since forever. But it looks interesting! I might try it!

    http://www.makeyourownyogurt.com/
  • brb_2013
    brb_2013 Posts: 1,197 Member
    rybo wrote: »
    It only works if you eat it precisely 17 minutes before falling asleep

    It definitely won't work if you don't sleep at least 8 hours too. Best if you drink vinegar when you wake up too.

    Aka: this information is woo and not supported by science. There is no way greek yogurt is doing anything at all to your metabolism.
  • paulandrachelk
    paulandrachelk Posts: 280 Member
    My trainer suggested cottage cheese as is easily digestible and keeps you from waking up hungry in the middle of the night.
  • positivepowers
    positivepowers Posts: 902 Member
    The article states that if you've met your caloric goals for the day eating protein, or anything, just before bed will hinder, not help, the weight control process.
  • powered85
    powered85 Posts: 297 Member
    lisawinning4losing wrote: »
    Actually, until now, I had no idea how to make yogurt. I just know people have been making since forever. But it looks interesting! I might try it!

    http://www.makeyourownyogurt.com/

    I make it all the time and it's a go to bedtime snack with frozen Berries.

    Very simple to make. Took me a while to tweak the recipie to get it nice and thick with little whey leftover.
  • dpwellman
    dpwellman Posts: 3,271 Member
    It's an over simplification of the effect sleep has on the body. During deep sleep, body attempts to enter an anabolic state (various hormones, let's just go with HGH since everyone knows what that is) for repair and recovery. Complete proteins before bed over and above what's required do nothing to increase or enhance; however, sugars before bed can hinder the process. Healthy muscles contributes to healthy metabolism.

    So, if you hadn't been getting enough protein, then the eating plain or sugar free Greek yogurt before bed can help, a little. Or chicken, fish, any lean complete protein.

    Carbs and cardio in the morning. Strength and protein in the evening.

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