The five best and five worst foods to eat at night.
What foods are going to give you the best bang for your buck as it were? what will aid your sleep and thus helping you burn fat and what will interrupt it?
When we talk about nutrition the following words pop into many of my clients minds…..
Boring foods/ Bland in taste/ Difficult and lengthy to prepare/ Expensive ingredients/ Cooking foods I have never heard of.
Most people want weight loss in a week with an addition of clear skin and lots of extra energy as soon as possible. I would love to be able to give that result to everyone, I really would but it’s not going to happen in a week.
You have to work for it and for longer than a week.
I get asked daily “How do you do it” three kids and two dogs and a business while still managing to stay slim and fit and above all happy.
The answer is simple. Actually the answer is simple but the work put in really isn’t. It is hard work.
I get up early to start my day as productive as possible. I get my day in order so I run the day and it doesn’t run me.
I have obstacles of course, bad days definitely, want to go back to bed, YES, but I learn from those types of days and make the next day better than the last.
We all have the same number every day.
86,400
That is the number of seconds in 24 hours. We all have this everyday.
No matter what we all start on that daily.
What we do with it however is our own choice.
What do you do with yours?
How can you improve the way you feel in a day?
Food is communication, what we eat determines how we feel.
Did you know that most serotonin, you know the happy making neurotransmitter is made in the gut, not the brain. When you eat food that affects the gut negatively which inevitably it will if it’s a food on the list below, it will effect the brain.
Lets have a look at 5 good foods to eat at night.
1/Turkey
One of the most famous sources of tryptophan, turkey is a great source of protein and will make you feel full longer, this means you won’t have to snack late at night if you include this food in your evening meal.
2/Almonds
Known as a great source of healthy fat, almonds are also bursting with tryptophan and magnesium, both help to naturally reduce muscle and nerve function while also steadying your heart rhythm. A great snack in the evening instead of heading to the biscuit barrel.
3/Nut Butter on banana slices
Excellent source of both potassium and magnesium, bananas can put your body into a sleepy state by helping with muscle relaxation. Also contains Tryptophan the precursor to calming and sleep-regulating hormones serotonin and melatonin.
4/Spinach
another source of tryptophan, this green is an excellent source of folate, magnesium, vitamins B6 and C, which are all key co-factors in synthesizing serotonin.
5/Cottage Cheese
So rich in casein protein, a slow releasing milk protein that will keep hunger at bay throughout the night, plus it also contains the amino acid tryptophan.
Let’s take a look at some foods to avoid at bedtime.
1/Caffeine
We know this disturbs sleep so why not swap for some camomile tea to induce a good nights sleep.
2/Fizzy Drinks
Carbonated drinks in general increase the heart rate, cause higher blood pressure and reduced blood flow to the digestive system.
3/Alcohol
Research shows that drinking alcohol before bed can make you more likely to wake up throughout the night and diminishes quality of sleep, we know that you can not burn Fat if that is your goal, if you are not sleeping enough.
4/Processed foods
High Fat high Salt foods like burgers, pizza and sausages for example have your body working harder to digest and therefore more difficult for the body to be “At rest” as it should at night. Sleep is interrupted and not as sound as it should be.
5/Spicy Foods
Since your core temperature naturally decreases as you get ready to sleep, raising it can cause you to feel more awake and struggle with staying asleep through the night.
So you have my top 5 and worst 5
Make the day count and include daily exercise. You only get one shot at this life.
For more information on foods to avoid in general please contact me for a tailored food plan.
Hertford family Friendly Nutrition
Maria
x
