There are many avid dieters who swear by the logic that not eating after dinner or after seven or eight in the evening can help them to maintain a svelte figure and contribute to the weight that is lost through a diet program. Is there any truth to these acts or are these dieters avoiding a bedtime snack for nothing?
Unfortunately, for me anyway, after dinner and before bed is snacking time. I go to the kitchen to see what I can find and come back with fruit most of the time. However, there are many times when I have come back with popcorn, chips or even a few sweet treats – or my favorite, sour candy! Could I be losing more weight if I avoided these pre-bedtime snacks?
First, it is important to determine the logic behind avoiding these foods in the evening. Many snack foods are filled with calories and contain high levels of sugar. Not only this, but these foods are often refined and contain chemicals that can sit within the stomach during the night. As we are sedentary in the evening and are getting ready for bed, it can be hard for our body to burn these calories that have been consumed – as we are just getting ready to go to bed!
There have been dieters that have seen high levels of weight loss by just making small changes to their eating habits. One of these small habits is to avoid snacking during the evening after dinner has been completed.
There are many ways that we can decrease the instances of snacking during the evening, these are:
- Drink water. Drinking a glass of water can help to fill you up and help you ignore the hunger until breakfast hits. Be sure to drink the full glass of water and then assess your hunger, if you are still hungry than consider having a piece of fruit.
- Know that the first few days are the hardest. The first few days are going to become a period of adjustment when you are transitioning into the new eating habits. Use fat free snacks and smaller portions while making the transition to help you reduce the cravings that will come with stopping your pre-bedtime snacks.
- If you must snack, snack right. Having a serving of fruit or an apple can reduce the chances that you will be hungry and will be surprisingly satisfying. Fruit is not refined and has natural sugars and vitamins that the body can process into energy. Be sure to take advantage of these foods when you are choosing snacks.
Using these tips, you can reduce the amount of food that is eaten in the evening and lose up to twelve pounds per year – by making this one small change. Imagine how many pounds could be lost by making other healthy changes?
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