Late night Carbs!

xEVYx
xEVYx Posts: 4
edited October 5 in Food and Nutrition
Okay, so i have been reading that eating too many carbs late at night is not good for you. It is suggested to have a high protein, low fat, low carb snack instead. And I understand why that is. I don't always crave a snack at night but when i do, I am always stumped on what to snack on because every snack seems to contain carbs as well. For example, when i get my cravings at night, i usually eat a Greek yogurt which contains 14g of protein and 19g of carbs. So now my question is, what is considered as "too much carbs" for a late night snack? I just want to make sure i'm not ruining my diet =/ Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Replies

  • deathstarclock
    deathstarclock Posts: 512 Member
    Never heard of too much carbs at night. Sounds like a job for

    myth.jpg
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Late night carbs are fine and dandy. What matters is your overall calorie count and your macros. Time of day or night that you eat carbs doesn't matter. Now, if you eat so many carbs that you can't hit your protein goal without going over calories, that's a different matter. If you're within calories and getting adequate protein and fat, then feel free to carb it up.
  • sarahemily72
    sarahemily72 Posts: 106
    I just try to avoid carbs as much as possible.....It seems to me the more carbs I eat the more I want! Vicious cycle!!!
  • stroutman81
    stroutman81 Posts: 2,474 Member
    Carbs sound icky and fattening. I tell ya what though, I just scarfed down a few handfuls of peanut butter M&Ms. Now those things are to die for!
  • bdette73
    bdette73 Posts: 18 Member
    I like to eat carbs late at night too. I actually save quite a few calories for night eating because that is just who I am. As long as I make it healthy, like fruits, yogurt, cereal I feel fine. I realize it isn't the most supported way of eating but it has been working for me. Staying around my calorie intake for me seems to be most important for me. Good luck! B
  • Salpica
    Salpica Posts: 205 Member
    Carbs kill kittens. Therefor I don't even look at them.
  • killagb
    killagb Posts: 3,280 Member
    I just try to avoid carbs as much as possible.....It seems to me the more carbs I eat the more I want! Vicious cycle!!!
    One problems with carbs, is they don't fill you up like protein does(and of course simple carbs also digest faster), so if you go heavy on protein in your diet (1g per lb of body weight), any carbs you're able to fit in after that won't hurt you and you'll feel plenty satisfied. Protein is your friend! :bigsmile: But also, carbs are not the enemy by definition. Enjoy them where you can fit them in is my advice.

    eta: Meal timing doesn't matter as long as you're at or below your net calorie goal for the day.
  • xEVYx
    xEVYx Posts: 4
    Well thats comforting =) I only ask because every health article i read says consuming too many carbs late at night will just convert into fat and ruin a diet. That's why I was concern as to how much carbs were too much for the night. Overall I never really go over my MFP recommended carb amount, but just wanted to make sure I wasn't ruining my diet by eating a snack with about 20g of carbs late at night
  • PonyTailedLoser
    PonyTailedLoser Posts: 315 Member
    i avoid late night carbs solely because i tend to want them salty andgiantly portioned. i usually nibble on something with a fair amount of protein like almonds or sunflower seeds. it doesnt completely destroy my lust for tortilla chips but it helps me to not dream of them.
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    Carbs sound icky and fattening. I tell ya what though, I just scarfed down a few handfuls of peanut butter M&Ms. Now those things are to die for!

    They are my favourite!
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
    Please do not be afraid of carbs in the dark. Or carbs in the daylight either. Carbs are ok and you can lose weight while eating them. Just ask any athlete.

    blessings.
  • stroutman81
    stroutman81 Posts: 2,474 Member
    Internet articles dealing with fat loss almost always suck. Seriously. They like to look at things in a vacuum, and by doing so, they typically entirely miss the big picture.

    You might consider checking out this article. I'm biased of course, but I'm pretty sure that it's one of the internet articles that doesn't suck.

    www.body-improvements.com/resources/eat
  • snaptate
    snaptate Posts: 22 Member
    Carbs break down and turn into sugar...stay away...but there are good carbs and bad carbs. Greek yogurt is a good choice..protein content is higher then most. Popcorn is a GREAT choice, high in fiber, carbs..yes...but because of the fiber it takes your body all night to break it down, so your bodies metabolism is kicking in and working all night to digest it. Great for caloric burn while you sleep and to help your craving. Protein takes longer to digest and carbs less time and turn to sugars and that's why you you start to crave more. Learn to eat what you want in moderation.
    replace a protein for a carb when you crave carbs ans soon your body will not crave them!
  • MissMaryMac33
    MissMaryMac33 Posts: 1,433 Member
    I try to avoid carbs late at night only because they tend to be salty and I have a huge issue with bloating. My favorite late night snack WAS popcorn :)

    Since you mentioned greek yogurt though -- if you buy Fage 0% plain greek yogurt it has only 7g carbs and about 20g protein.
    Just add your own sweetener (whatever you like, I use truvia/stevia) and then I stir in some pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice, flax seeds or even walnuts...it's a great protein snack. Stir in flavored sugar-free pudding mix works too -- i love pistacchio and cheesecake.
  • xEVYx
    xEVYx Posts: 4
    I try to avoid carbs late at night only because they tend to be salty and I have a huge issue with bloating. My favorite late night snack WAS popcorn :)

    Since you mentioned greek yogurt though -- if you buy Fage 0% plain greek yogurt it has only 7g carbs and about 20g protein.
    Just add your own sweetener (whatever you like, I use truvia/stevia) and then I stir in some pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice, flax seeds or even walnuts...it's a great protein snack. Stir in flavored sugar-free pudding mix works too -- i love pistacchio and cheesecake.


    That actually sounds really tasty! Thank you for that.. Will be trying that very soon =)
  • snaptate
    snaptate Posts: 22 Member
    I try to avoid carbs late at night only because they tend to be salty and I have a huge issue with bloating. My favorite late night snack WAS popcorn :)

    Since you mentioned greek yogurt though -- if you buy Fage 0% plain greek yogurt it has only 7g carbs and about 20g protein.
    Just add your own sweetener (whatever you like, I use truvia/stevia) and then I stir in some pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice, flax seeds or even walnuts...it's a great protein snack. Stir in flavored sugar-free pudding mix works too -- i love pistacchio and cheesecake.

    Great job on the weight loss this far...keep up the good work!:wink:
  • stroutman81
    stroutman81 Posts: 2,474 Member
    Carbs break down and turn into sugar...stay away...but there are good carbs and bad carbs. Greek yogurt is a good choice..protein content is higher then most. Popcorn is a GREAT choice, high in fiber, carbs..yes...but because of the fiber it takes your body all night to break it down, so your bodies metabolism is kicking in and working all night to digest it. Great for caloric burn while you sleep and to help your craving. Protein takes longer to digest and carbs less time and turn to sugars and that's why you you start to crave more. Learn to eat what you want in moderation.
    replace a protein for a carb when you crave carbs ans soon your body will not crave them!

    So sugar is always bad irrespective of calories, individual tolerances, etc?
  • futiledevices
    futiledevices Posts: 309 Member
    Late night carbs are fine and dandy. What matters is your overall calorie count and your macros. Time of day or night that you eat carbs doesn't matter. Now, if you eat so many carbs that you can't hit your protein goal without going over calories, that's a different matter. If you're within calories and getting adequate protein and fat, then feel free to carb it up.

    This is my exact problem. I NEVER get enough protein.. I honestly don't really know what to eat to get a ton of protein. I was thinking of buying some whey.. :embarassed:
  • stroutman81
    stroutman81 Posts: 2,474 Member
    Late night carbs are fine and dandy. What matters is your overall calorie count and your macros. Time of day or night that you eat carbs doesn't matter. Now, if you eat so many carbs that you can't hit your protein goal without going over calories, that's a different matter. If you're within calories and getting adequate protein and fat, then feel free to carb it up.

    This is my exact problem. I NEVER get enough protein.. I honestly don't really know what to eat to get a ton of protein. I was thinking of buying some whey.. :embarassed:

    A lot of people resort to protein supplements. I know I do. But still, the vast majority of my protein consumption comes from whole foods. It's not difficult once you learn to center your diet around protein. Each time I eat, I make sure I'm getting a shot of protein. It helps that I tend to prepare most of my meals in advance. So I'll bulk cook my meats once or twice per week so that they're a grab away in baggies in the fridge. Stuff like that certainly helps.
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