Always Eat After 7 PM

Now we come to the part of the plan I know you’ve been waiting for: your pre-bedtime, fat-burning snacks. Almost every other diet plan would tell you that after dinner, the kitchen is closed until the next day. Well, not this plan. The no-snacks rule is one you should definitely break if you want to bust cravings and keep burning fat overnight.

Before we continue, let me clarify something: this means neither that you should binge eat at night nor that you have a license to eat whatever you want. What it does mean is that when the right foods are chosen in the right amounts, eating at night will not inherently lead to fat gain for most people. In fact, choosing certain foods can positively affect body composition and fat loss.

Before delving into some of the best food choices and recipes for the ultimate pre-bedtime meal, I’d like to share some helpful tips that may be useful in guiding your late-night eating habits.

FOUR KEYS TO EATING BEFORE BEDTIME FOR FASTER FAT LOSS

1. Focus on protein, particularly sources that are slow-digesting.

Protein should be the centerpiece of your pre-bedtime meal. As I mentioned in the last chapter, protein plays a tremendous role in improving body composition, promoting overall health, and supporting a healthy metabolism. What’s more, high-protein meals boost satiety, which means that protein-dense foods are much more likely to make you feel full and satisfied—a real plus when those late-night hunger pangs hit.

Scientists have established that consuming at least 20 grams of protein stimulates muscle protein synthesis for two to five hours after eating a meal. However, recent research also shows that protein synthesis drops to unexpectedly low levels during sleep, even if you eat ample protein during and after evening exercise. This has led researchers to speculate that this process may fall off during sleep if you don’t eat protein prior to bedtime.

You can counter this problem by eating 20 grams of slow-digesting protein prior to sleep. That’s the amount found in three eggs, ¾ cup of cottage cheese, a cup of Greek yogurt, or a scoop of protein powder. This amount has been shown to significantly increase muscle building at night and improve overnight recovery from exercise.

One of the best nighttime proteins is casein, a slow-digesting protein that is a constituent of milk, cottage cheese, and many protein powders. It delivers amino acids into your system more slowly and for longer periods of time.

Supplementing with casein prior to bedtime has been shown to stimulate overnight muscle growth in older men, who are prone to muscle loss, according to a study from the Journal of Nutrition. Many other studies of casein taken prior to bedtime have shown similar results, especially in people who work out with weights.

2. Choose Portion Volumizing foods.

It’s tough going to bed on an empty stomach. And it’s not rocket science that when you feel full and satisfied, you no longer want to eat. With that in mind, it’s important to select Portion Volumizing foods as part of your late-night meal. Nearly all non-starchy vegetables and many fruits count as Portion Volumizing foods. In the next section, I’ll provide several examples of the best Portion Volumizing foods for bedtime.

3. Include late-night Super Carbs.

We’ve talked about why you need Super Carbs at dinner—to reduce fat-storing cortisol, support thyroid hormone production, and improve sleep—but what about your late-night meal? Should you include Super Carbs then?

The answer is yes—especially when the Super Carbs are combined with protein and friendly fats, in order to slow digestion, regulate blood sugar, and promote satiety.

As I mentioned earlier, Super Carbs promote the release of serotonin, a sleep-inducing neurotransmitter, and along those lines, research also suggests that consuming Super Carbs improves sleep quality, helps you fall asleep faster, and stabilizes morning blood sugar levels.

4. Add a few friendly fats.

Friendly fats—like those found in avocados, nuts, certain oils, and fatty fish—are also good additions to your pre-bedtime meal. On one hand, fats can help slow the rate of gastric emptying, and when combined with carbohydrates, fat may help reduce the glycemic response of the meal (that is, how quickly carbohydrates appear in the bloodstream).

In general, healthy fats can also help increase feelings of fullness and satisfaction because they regulate appetite through a number of mechanisms, including the release of appetite hormones. What’s more, combining fat with fiber has been shown to further increase the satiating potential of fat. The satiating power of fats is often one explanation offered to describe why some weight loss trials have shown that low-carbohydrate (and higher-fat) diets tend to lead to greater weight loss than low-fat diets.

THE TOP 12 PRE-BEDTIME FAT-BURNING FOODS

In general, many of the choices in the Portion Volumization Food Lists (pages 40–42) are suitable for any time, including before bed. That said, there are certain foods that are especially beneficial as bedtime snacks because they keep burning fat even as you sleep. These 12 are my go-to pre-bedtime choices. (And you’ll also find recipes for delicious bedtime snacks on pages 187–198.)

1 and 2. Greek Yogurt and Cottage Cheese

Complete milk proteins from dairy are composed of 20 percent whey protein, which is rapidly digested, and 80 percent casein, which is digested much more slowly. For this reason alone, protein-dense dairy foods like Greek yogurt and cottage cheese are excellent choices for a pre-bedtime meal. What’s more, both of these foods are considered Portion Volumizing foods and help fill you up.

Greek yogurt contains more than double the protein of regular yogurt and only about one-third the amount of sugar. What’s more, authentic strained Greek yogurt is rich in multiple sources of probiotics, which are hugely beneficial for your gut flora (also known as your gut microbiome, or the inner bacterial ecosystem that helps control your weight, combat infections, and more). Research indicates that the gut flora of obese folks differs significantly from that of thin people. Along these lines, recent research published in the British Journal of Nutrition suggests that certain probiotics from the Lactobacillus genus of bacteria, which are prominent in Greek yogurt, may help you lose weight and keep it off.

When choosing a Greek yogurt, opt for plain unsweetened versions. Flavored varieties can have over three times as much sugar. Instead, add some berries to your plain yogurt; they will provide a nutrient-dense source of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidant phytochemicals.

Cottage cheese offers many of the same benefits as Greek yogurt. Cottage cheese packs a whopping 28 grams of protein per single cup, and it is also a good source of calcium, riboflavin, vitamin B12, selenium, and phosphorus. Cottage cheese is rich in casein protein.

One cup of cottage cheese also packs a healthy punch of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), including over 2.5 grams of leucine, which is essential for fat burning and is considered to be the “anabolic trigger” for muscle recovery and growth following exercise. BCAAs are crucial to exercise performance and maintenance of blood sugar levels.

While dairy seems to have gained a negative reputation in certain circles, a number of studies have demonstrated that dairy consumption helps promote body-firming muscle and burn fat.

If eating dairy foods causes mild intestinal discomfort, gradually increase your consumption of these foods or try supplementing with digestive enzymes. Although most supplemental enzymes tend to supply only the lactase enzyme—which is necessary for the proper breakdown of lactose, the sugar found in milk—it’s a better idea to consider a full-spectrum product that also includes proteolytic enzymes to help with the digestion of the proteins, which may be the culprits in digestive discomfort.

Also, consider using a milk-based protein supplement that includes casein and/or milk protein concentrate.

SHOULD I GO ORGANIC?

If you can, I recommend that you choose organic sources of Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and other forms of dairy. Organic dairy has a significantly different fatty acid profile when compared to conventional dairy. Specifically, studies comparing organic to conventional have reported that organic dairy contains:

•25 percent fewer omega-6 fatty acids, which promote inflammation.

•62 percent more omega-3 fatty acids, which fight inflammation.

•a 2.5 times lower omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio, which is much closer to optimal.

•32 percent more EPA and 19 percent more DHA, which are two omega-3 fatty acids crucial for nervous system function, cardiovascular health, pain management, hormonal regulation, body composition, feelings of well-being, and more.

•18 percent more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has been shown to reduce body fat, increase lean body mass, and improve body composition.

3. Eggs

Eggs are one of the highest-quality whole food proteins you can get. Egg protein is slow-digesting—which makes it perfect for a late-night snack. Eggs also contain melatonin, a hormone that plays an important role in our circadian rhythm and is needed to help us not only fall asleep but stay asleep.

Choose eggs from pasture-raised hens, if possible. They are lower in cholesterol and higher in omega-3 fats and various vitamins.

4. Lean Animal Proteins

Proteins such as beef, poultry, and fish are beneficial late-night snacks, especially if you’re trying to gain or preserve muscle while losing weight. Protein at night helps your muscles recover from workouts (the recovery period is when new muscle tissue is formed) and helps keep your metabolism running efficiently. You will not be tempted to raid the fridge, either, when you make protein a part of your late-night snack. Numerous studies show that snacks of protein and veggies promote feelings of fullness.

5. Cruciferous Vegetables

Eating more cruciferous vegetables is a healthy habit at any time during the day. The reason they also make a great late-night snack is that these veggies contain lots of fiber, which helps you feel full and satisfied overnight. Choose from the following:

•Arugula

•Bok choy

•Broccoli

•Brussels sprouts

•Cabbage

•Cauliflower

•Collard greens

•Kale

•Radishes

•Rutabaga

•Swiss chard

•Turnips

•Watercress

These veggies contain a powerful plant compound called sulforaphane, which can prevent DNA damage and cancer spread, help fight pathogens, and boost liver detox enzymes (and that’s just a short list!). What’s more, sulforaphane ramps up the activity of a key fat-burning enzyme called hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL). HSL plays an important role in the breakdown of fats for fuel. Sulforaphane has also been shown in research to both inhibit the body’s ability to create new fat cells (adipogenesis) as well as suppress the body’s ability to store fat (lipogenesis). Burn more fat and store less—sounds like a winner!

Cruciferous vegetables have other natural chemicals that detoxify bad estrogens (absorbed from the environment) and reduce the risk of breast cancer. Women who consume a lot of cruciferous vegetables as part of their meals have as much as a 40 percent lower risk of breast cancer than those who eat few, if any, of these health-protective veggies.

6. Dark Leafy Greens

Kale, mustard greens, and spinach are rich in calcium, which helps your body use tryptophan to build sleep-inducing melatonin. According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, 2 cups of chopped kale contains about 200 milligrams of calcium, which is the same amount found in a 4-ounce container of plain low-fat yogurt.

Dark leafy greens are also loaded with vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and antioxidants, such as the carotenoids lutein, zeaxanthin, neoxanthin, and violaxanthin. The phytonutrients and antioxidants in these foods work hard to scavenge free radicals and fight chronic inflammation.

Along these lines, the research is becoming abundantly clear that inflammation plays an important role in obesity, and vice versa. Thus, including anti-inflammatory foods like spinach in your nutrition arsenal is important for optimizing overall health and body weight.

7. Blueberries and Other Berries

Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and cranberries are packed with antioxidants and add some fun color to your meals. Antioxidant-rich berries can help reduce your overall stress, which can help you get better rest. Berries are also a great source of fiber and vitamin C. They’re rich in phytonutrients that protect cells, preventing damage and reducing the risk of cancer, namely colon, esophageal, oral, and skin cancers.

Blueberries are reported to be particularly good for fat burning. Researchers from Texas Woman’s University demonstrated that the polyphenols in blueberries might play a significant role in reducing body fat. Specifically, the researchers found that these compounds block the formation of fat cells.

Plus, researchers from New Zealand found that eating blueberries may also accelerate muscle recovery when combined with exercise. Specifically, folks who consumed a blueberry smoothie before and after exercise experienced reduced muscle soreness and accelerated recovery of strength, which translates to more frequent exercise and improved performance. That also adds up to helping prevent the loss of calorie-burning muscle when dieting. Simply put, muscle loss contributes to decreased metabolism, looking “skinny fat,” and rapid rebound weight gain when resuming a “normal” eating routine after a diet—all things you don’t want.

Anthocyanins, the colorful antioxidant pigments that give blueberries and other berries their rich color, have been shown to have a unique effect on fat cells, and this has led researchers to state that they may play an intricate role in improving metabolic health. As a matter of fact, researchers investigating the effects of anthocyanins on fat cells (adipocytes) concluded, “Anthocyanins have a significant potency of anti-obesity and ameliorate adipocyte function” and they also have “important implications for preventing metabolic syndrome.” Their study was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry in 2008.

8. Cherries

Like berries, cherries are rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals. An important late-night benefit of cherries is that they may help promote sleep because they contain melatonin. A review of the health benefits of cherries published in Nutrients in 2018 reported that melatonin is found in both sweet and tart cherries; its concentration is slightly higher in sweet cherries.

The influence of cherries on sleep was documented in a study conducted by a group of Spanish researchers. Middle-aged and elderly volunteers consumed about 1 cup of cherries (a variety of different types of cherries were consumed across the group) twice daily at lunch and dinner for three days. The researchers found that cherry consumption increased sleep time significantly and reduced the number of awakenings. This study was published in the Journals of Gerontology in 2010.

9. Kiwifruit

Kiwifruit is another serotonin-boosting fruit that has been shown to have beneficial effects on sleep. In a study published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers from Taiwan found that middle-aged adults who consumed two kiwifruits one hour before bedtime every night for four weeks experienced significantly improved sleep—both total sleep time as well as sleep efficiency. The researchers concluded, “Kiwifruit consumption may improve sleep onset, duration, and efficiency in adults with self-reported sleep disturbances.”

Kiwifruit is low in calories and high in water content, making it a great Portion Volumizing food and a solid option for your pre-bedtime meal. It is also a good source of fiber, particularly because it provides what’s referred to as prebiotic fiber. Prebiotics are “food” for probiotics, helping them grow and thus stimulating more healthy bacteria in the gut. Both prebiotic- and probiotic-containing foods are supported with years of sound science, showing that they can help manage obesity, diabetes, and other illnesses.

With this in mind, taking steps to improve the balance of healthy gut bacteria—which includes providing important support nutrients like the prebiotic fiber found in kiwifruit—has serious implications for reducing body fat and optimizing weight management.

10. Grapefruit

Grapefruit is a cortisol fighter due to its high content of vitamin C, which lessens the effect of this hormone in the body. As I explained earlier, cortisol is one of the body’s primary stress hormones. When elevated at night, it can interfere with sleep, making grapefruit a helpful late-night snack.

Grapefruits are a good source of fiber, which helps slow gastric emptying and increase feelings of fullness, making them a great choice to keep those late-night hunger pangs at bay. Grapefruits also have a very high water content (around 91 percent), and consequently they are considered a Portion Volumizing, hunger-controlling food.

In a study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, researchers from the Scripps Clinic in California found that overweight folks consuming fresh grapefruit three times daily before meals lost five times more weight than the placebo group (which ate no grapefruit) over the course of 12 weeks. Not only that, but the researchers also found that the addition of grapefruit significantly improved insulin sensitivity, which is intimately tied to carbohydrate metabolism and weight management.

Grapefruit has one more trick up its sleeve: naringin, which is a potent antioxidant that helps protect cells from free radicals. Free radicals lead to oxidative stress, which is associated with aging, reduced carbohydrate tolerance, and obesity.

In the body, naringin is broken down into naringenin, a compound that has been shown to activate an important enzyme called AMPK, which drives carbs into muscles to be used for energy (instead of being stored as fat).

If that’s not enough, naringenin has also been shown to reduce a process called adipogenesis—a fancy name for the creation of new fat cells—as well as increase fat burning.

11. Avocados

Although avocados are delicious any time of the day, they contain high levels of potassium and magnesium, natural muscle relaxers that calm your body and get it ready for sleep.

In general, avocados are nutrient-dense fruits, containing upwards of 20 essential nutrients that are crucial to optimizing your health and stoking your fat-burning furnace, including fiber, vitamin K, folate, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, pantothenic acid, potassium, riboflavin, and niacin. Avocados are loaded with monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), including oleic acid, which seems to have a potent impact on appetite regulation.

Researchers from the University of California, Irvine, found that oleic acid stimulates the production of a compound called oleoylethanolamide (OEA) by the cells of the small intestine. OEA helps suppress appetite by activating specific sites in the brain that help curb hunger. Previously, this group of researchers found that increasing OEA levels reduces appetite, increases weight loss, and improves various metabolic parameters. Their report appeared in the journal Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences in 2005.

In a study published in Nutrition Journal in 2013, researchers examined the dietary habits of over 17,000 men and women, and they found that folks who regularly consumed avocados were more likely to have a lower body weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference.

12. Mixed Nuts

Nuts are a source of two important sleep-inducing nutrients: melatonin and magnesium. Plus, nuts are filling—perfect for fighting nighttime food cravings. As you already know, protein, fiber, and healthy fats like those found in nuts signal powerful satiety hormones. Researchers also believe that the sensory characteristics of nuts, specifically the fact that they’re crunchy, also have satiety value. That is, the mechanical aspect of chewing crunchy nuts generates a satiety signal.

These little powerhouses are rich in MUFAs, which are known for their heart-healthy benefits. Just like avocados, nuts are rich in a specific MUFA called oleic acid. As a result, one of the many potential benefits of consuming nuts is an improvement in appetite regulation.

Although predominantly a fat-dense food, nuts also contain a healthy dose of fiber and some protein, and they are also a rich source of essential nutrients (such as minerals and fat-soluble vitamins) and phytonutrients.

Overall, a collection of evidence suggests that people who regularly consume nuts have a lower BMI than those who do not. Regular nut consumption has been shown to boost metabolism by as much as 11 percent and increase fat burning by up to 50 percent.

Because of their diverse nutrient profiles, consider trying a variety of nuts for your late-night snack, including:

•Almonds

•Brazil nuts

•Cashews

•Pecans

•Pistachios

•Walnuts

STRUCTURING YOUR LATE-NIGHT FAT-BURNING SNACKS

Using the foods listed above, there are several food combinations that will ignite fat burning while you sleep, providing your body with a steady stream of fuel during the night. Here are some combinations that will help structure your late-night snack:

•Protein + berries + fat: Greek yogurt, blueberries, and mixed nuts; or cottage cheese, kiwifruit, and mixed nuts

•Protein + non-starchy vegetable + fat: hard-boiled egg, cruciferous vegetable, and slice of avocado; or tuna, spinach, and slice of avocado

•One of my late-night snack recipes on pages 187–198.

So now that you have a good idea what the best foods are to enjoy before turning in for the night, let’s move on to some other strategies that ensure success on the Always Eat After 7 PM plan.