Weight Maintenance: Simple Solution for Late Night Snacks
Whether you’re looking to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, one of the main ways people sabotage your efforts is by late-night snacking after dinner. We’ve all done it: you’re sitting watching TV or sitting in front of your computer and grab something to snack on, usually something that’s unhealthy and fattening, right? Here are two simple tricks to help you keep up with your weight loss or weight maintenance…
Add some protein after dinner
Snacking usually means a lot of carbs, and carbs digest quickly and briefly spike blood sugar levels. When they go back down, you’ll feel hungry, which leads you to eat more, and the cycle continues over and over again, only leaving you satiated (feeling full) for brief periods.
Protein, on the other hand, takes longer to digest and has much less of an effect on blood sugar levels; however, one gram of protein has the same number of calories as one gram of carbohydrates. Plus, since your digestive system stays busy longer, your body burns more calories in the process. This added benefit is known as protein being more “thermogenic” than carbs, since it “burns” more fuel (calories) to digest food.
The simple solution is to have some protein when you start to feel hungry after a meal. For a great choice, put 8 ounces (250 ml) of 2% milk in your blender and pour in 3/4 cup (about 188 ml) of runny egg whites. Add a no-calorie flavoring like Walden Farms Cranberry Syrup to taste and blend for 30 seconds.
The result? A delicious blueberry smoothie with 30 grams of protein, 12 grams of carbs, and 5 grams of fat (carbs and fat are just what’s in the cup of milk). A few minutes later he’ll notice that he’s not hungry anymore, but he doesn’t feel too full at all…
Keep a big glass of water by your side.
After that, the second tip is to have a big glass of water next to you to drink as the night goes on. Many times when you’re hungry, your body isn’t looking for food, it’s looking for better hydration. By having your water by your side and taking a few sips from time to time, you help keep your stomach full, make it easier for your system to digest protein, and get rid of “hunger” pains.
By combining these two tips, you avoid high-calorie snacks and only add about 200 total calories after dinner, plus you feel satisfied and comfortable all night long. And if you’re tracking your macros, you’ve been able to add 30 grams of quality protein with high bioavailability with almost negligible carbs and fat.
And for anyone trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy diet, that’s a huge win!