Any advice on what to eat late at night and not gain weight??

[trent81]

Not eating late at night is not an option. So what should I eat late at night? I work out at about 730 or so and I come home and I'm starving. What makes you gain the least weight? I'm putting back the pounds when I get home....Any advice on practical stuff I can buy at stores? What to snack on when you're at home on computer or watching movie? Cheese? Jerky? Fruits? Thanks.......

 

[ENIGMA16]

It doesn't matter when you eat as long as your daily caloric intake is less than your daily maintenance level. As long as you are running a deficit you will lose weight.

 

[Colossus]

Dont eat a lot of carbs before bed. It will spike your insulin and you will just store all that energy from the sugars. Snack on nuts, raw veggies, some cheese, maybe some yogurt that isnt cranked with sugar.

 

[domingo_mandingo]

As Colossus says go easy on the carbs. I work nights also (6:30pm - 11:00pm), so I usually take two meals to work with me. That way I'm not so hungry when I get home.

If you must eat carbs, go for the slow digesting variety (wholemeal bread, brown rice, sweet potatoes). These will better please your appetite, without causing a surge in insulin which leads to increased fat storage. Note that eating foods high in protein (meat, poultry, dairy, nuts) will also better satisfy your appetite. Cottage cheese is especially good before bed as it contains a lot of casein, which digests very slowly. If you have some good muscle mass, casein will help prevent your body entering a catabolic state (basically your body eats itself) whilst sleeping, due to its slow rate of digestion.

 

[WC2]

Casein protein is a staple every night for me (especially if I've been drinking that night).

It's done wonders as far as keeping more of my gains in the gym.

 

[Colossus]

Yeah not enough guys take casein. Everyone is so brainwashed that 100% whey isolate is the only way to go....but it's not. It's good POST-workout, but the rest of the time you need to be taking in a good protein blend. Whey isolate is absorbed very quickly and doesn't provide the sustained levels of amino acids in the blood stream you need while sleeping.

 

[blinkwatt101]

Raw cashews,peanuts,almonds,vegetables(not potatoes),strawberries,apples.

 

[ENIGMA16]

Fruits, veggies, whole grains, protein. Generally I'll just have a glass of skim milk which will tide me over until I can fall asleep, but otherwise I'll have an apple or some yogurt or something.

 

[blinkwatt101]

I'd suggest against more then 1-2 piece of wheat bread(which have grains). Or at least eat that stuff 3-4 hours before bed if your dead serious about keeping a low bodyfat.

Fat free milk is also a good one!

 

[dbot]

Cottage cheese and a teaspoon of flaxseed oil.

I've been using that combo every night for the past couple years, and it has done wonders for me. The slow digestion will keep your body from fasting during the night, and you will actually wake up ready to eat again. This is important because most people are not hungry when they wake up in the morning, which is a critical time to eat, especially if you're trying to build muscle.

If you're not a fan of cottage cheese, any form of casein protein will do the job.