late night snacking??

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  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
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    It is not true; just an old wives' tale.

    I'll tell you what, i just came home from a 2.5 hour dance rehearsal and I was hungry! Had 241 cals left, and ate 200 of them in ice cream.

    The only reason you might need to avoid a food at night is if it may cause you indigestion or otherwise interfere with your sleep.

    blessings.
  • adross3
    adross3 Posts: 606 Member
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    Ya, what they said.
  • fromaquasar
    fromaquasar Posts: 811 Member
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    I am currently eating my dinner. In bed.
  • killagb
    killagb Posts: 3,280 Member
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    I am currently eating my dinner. In bed.
    I hope there's naughty white carbs involved.
  • LiveEnjoyEndure
    LiveEnjoyEndure Posts: 98 Member
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    The main point for anyone is a balanced and sustainable lifestyle. Most people fail to live a healthy lifestyle cos they do not enjoy it, or they feel guilty for eating food at times or of types they feel are wrong. Eating a diet that makes you feel sated and satisfied is really important (and supplies all nutrients your body needs of course). We often feel pressured to do the 'right' thing, learn from your own body, listen to your body, how your metabolism works, we are all different. Some people like early mornings other people like late nights. You can also reprogram your metabolism too, it is a dynamic and cyclic thing and it will adjust to your habits. In the main it takes around 28 days for the cycles in our bodies to change (as a general rule) and our metabolism works on a 20-24 hours cycles through-out the day. So work with your body on a daily basis and if you want to change something then plan for it to take about a month-or-so for your body to catch-up with you.

    When studying or doing most desk work we often eat because we are bored or not engaged with what we are doing. Try to work in 20 min periods with a 5 min gap for no more than 2-3 hours at a time, this will help with boredom and improve memory. In the five minute gap you don't want to switch on the TV, or visit Facebook (or other social media sites), but do something that stops your mind working. Juggling was great for me when I was studying, this was repetitive I stopped thinking about study but it did not become a distraction. I would do 5 mins juggling then stop and go back to studying. You could equally rope jump, stationary cycle, jog round-the-block, knit, sew, play Soduko or anything else as a short break that allows you mind time to rest.

    Cravings are a learnt behaviour, you can reprogram yourself not to snack when you are studying, if you want to. You could eat a high protein meal/snack before you start studying which will mean you will not feel hungry so quickly. Sweet hot drinks can work well, there is only 15 calories in a spoonful of granulated sugar and 15 calories in a portion of milk. Which is much better than a 150-300 calorie processed snack! For me personally carrot sticks or celery do not cut-the-mustard, but it seems to work for some people. Try to avoid caffeine in high doses as it messes with your metabolism and sleep.

    I have changed to eating 6 meals a day, this means I feel sated most of the time, if I do feel hungry it is not too long to wait till the next time I eat which means I am less tempted to do things that would make me feel guilty or break personal boundaries. I limit myself to 200-500 calories in each meal, which gives me around 2000 calories in a day. I have a net 1200 calorie goal so I plan in 800 calories of cardio a day. I usually do this early morning as this gives me a dopamine/adrenaline boost which affects my mood for the rest of the day and means I am less likely to feel low or depressed which is a real trigger for me to eat poorly.

    All the best with your study ... feel free to add me as a friend if you want :)

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