The reason why eating at night makes you gain weight is because your body rhythm and metabolism work differently than during the day. At night, your body prepares for rest, so your basal metabolic rate decreases. During the day, energy is consumed through activity, but at night, energy consumption decreases, so the calories you consume are more likely to be stored as fat. There are foods that make you less fattened when you eat at night, but even low-calorie foods can cause you to gain weight if you eat too much. The important thing is total calorie intake and a balanced diet. Let's find out how eating at night affects your weight, representative low-calorie foods that don't make you fat, and foods you can eat before going to bed.
How Does Nighttime Eating Affect Your Weight?
Can You Replace Dinner with High-Protein Foods?
How to Avoid Overeating at Night
Low-Calorie Foods: Top Choices for Not Gaining Weight
Foods You Can Eat Before Bed Without Gaining Weight
How Does Nighttime Eating Affect Your Weight?
The effects of eating at night on weight largely depend on the type, amount, and time of food consumed, as well as individual lifestyle habits. However, the following factors are generally more likely to affect weight gain:
Decreased metabolic activity:
Because metabolism slows down at night compared to the day, you cannot burn the calories you consume efficiently. A slow metabolism increases the likelihood that the food you eat will be stored as fat. In particular, if you eat right before bed, your body will not be able to rest enough while digesting the food, which can have negative effects on your health as well as weight gain.
Blood sugar and insulin response:
When you eat at night, your blood sugar and insulin response are more sensitive than during the day. This increases the likelihood that the food will be converted into fat more easily in your body. In particular, eating carbohydrates and high-fat foods at night can accelerate body fat accumulation.
Poor sleep quality:
Eating at night can cause your stomach to become more active, which can interfere with sleep. Sleep deprivation has a negative impact on metabolism, and is particularly associated with weight gain.
Hormonal changes:
At night, the secretion of ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite, increases, and the secretion of leptin, a hormone that suppresses appetite, decreases. Therefore, the desire to eat late at night becomes stronger, which can lead to overeating.
Effects of habits:
If you don't eat enough during the day, you are more likely to feel hungry at night. This can lead to overeating at night, and if you binge eat at night due to stress, it is more likely to lead to weight gain.
Can You Replace Dinner with High-Protein Foods?
It is quite possible to replace dinner with high-protein foods. A high-protein diet is a good dinner replacement because it keeps you feeling full for a long time, helps maintain muscle mass, and boosts metabolism. A high-protein diet also helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels by reducing blood sugar spikes during dinner. However, it is important to have a balanced diet, so be sure to include adequate carbohydrates, fat, and fiber in addition to protein. If you consume too much protein, you can gain weight due to excess calories.
Here are some dinner ideas using high-protein foods.
Chicken Breast Salad:
Ingredients: chicken breast, vegetables (lettuce, spinach, cucumber, etc.), boiled eggs, nuts, and olive oil dressing. Chicken breast is high in protein, and the salad is low in calories while providing various nutrients.
Salmon Steak:
Ingredients: grilled salmon, broccoli, and asparagus. Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and protein, making it good for your health.
Boiled Egg and Avocado Toast:
Ingredients: 1-2 slices of whole wheat bread, boiled eggs, avocado, pepper, and a little olive oil. A balanced menu with a good amount of protein and healthy fats.
How to Avoid Overeating at Night
To avoid overeating at night, it is important to improve your habits and manage your eating habits. Overeating can be caused by various factors such as stress, habits, and poor eating patterns rather than simple hunger, so please refer to the methods below.
Regular and balanced meals:
Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner regularly. If you do not eat properly during the day, your hunger will be maximized at night, which will increase the possibility of overeating. A balanced dinner containing protein, fiber, and healthy fats will keep you feeling full for a long time.
Choose healthy snacks:
It is effective to not keep high-calorie snacks (such as cookies and chocolate) at home that are easy to overeat at night. Choose low-calorie foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and boiled eggs at dinner time.
Drink water:
Thirst can be mistaken for hunger. Drinking water helps you feel full and prevents overeating. If you feel hungry at night, try drinking water or warm herbal tea first.
Stress management:
Stress can lead to emotional eating. If you binge eat due to stress, find ways to reduce stress, such as taking a walk, stretching, reading, listening to music, or doing yoga. When you relax, you will have less urges to overeat.
Improve your sleep quality:
Sleep deprivation increases ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite, and suppresses leptin, a hormone that makes you feel full, which leads to overeating. Getting enough sleep for at least 7-8 hours is effective in preventing overeating.
Low-Calorie Foods: Top Choices for Not Gaining Weight
Most representative vegetables that do not gain weight easily are low in calories and rich in fiber and water, which help digestion and are effective in weight management while providing a feeling of fullness. Representative vegetables include cucumbers, broccoli, cabbage, celery, lettuce, pumpkin, and carrots, which are very low in calories and rich in fiber, which help maintain a feeling of fullness for a long time. Fruits with low sugar content such as strawberries, apples, blueberries, grapefruit, and kiwi can be used as low-calorie snacks. Representative protein foods that are low in calories and high in protein, which are beneficial for muscle maintenance and metabolic activity, include boiled eggs and chicken breast, which are easy to consume and provide a feeling of fullness. There is tofu, which is easy to eat lightly as a plant-based protein, and fish such as cod and salmon, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and provide a feeling of fullness. You can also consider seaweeds such as kelp, tangle, and laver, which are low in calories and high in minerals, which are beneficial to your health.
Foods You Can Eat Before Bed Without Gaining Weight
Foods that do not cause weight gain and are easy to digest even when eaten before going to bed are low-calorie, low-sugar, protein-rich, or fiber-rich foods. Below are some of these foods and their characteristics. When consumed in moderation, these foods help manage weight and help you sleep well while relieving hunger.
Greek yogurt:
It is high in protein, so it keeps you feeling full for a long time, and is low in calories. Adding a little honey or berries will make the taste and nutrients even richer.
Cheese:
It is rich in protein and calcium, so it keeps you feeling full. It is recommended to choose low-fat cheese.
Eggs:
It is rich in protein, so it keeps you feeling full, and is low in calories. You can easily prepare it as a boiled egg or scrambled egg.
Raw vegetable sticks:
Cucumbers, carrots, celery, etc. are very low in calories and have high water content, so they make you feel full. You can easily slice them and enjoy them as a snack.
Almonds:
It is rich in healthy fats and proteins, so it keeps you feeling full, but is low in calories. Don't eat too much, just eat 10-15.
Bananas:
Contain tryptophan and magnesium, which can help you sleep well.
Source:
1. Diet Truth or Myth: Eating at Night Causes Weight Gain
https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/diet-truth-myth-eating-night-causes-weight-gain
2. Best and Worst Late-Night Snacks, According to a Dietitian
https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7891068/best-worst-late-night-snacks-according-to-a-dietitian/
3. The Health Impact of Nighttime Eating: Old and New Perspectives
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4425165/
4. Timing Meals Later at Night Can Cause Weight Gain and Impair Fat Metabolism
https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/news-releases/2017/june/timing-meals-later-at-night-can-cause-weight-gain-and-impair-fat-metabolism
5. 7 Bedtime Snacks to Support Your Metabolism
https://www.eatingwell.com/article/291888/bedtime-snacks-to-support-your-metabolism/