5 Ways To Bedtime-Snack Your Way To Weight Loss

We all know that we really shouldn’t eat right before we go to bed. Restless sleep, fatigue the next day, binge-eating and weight gain— all effects of these nighttime snacks, all bad for our health, and all terrible for the pursuit of weight loss. What are we to do, though, if we actually are hungry and in need of sustenance in the late evening? Struggling to sleep through a growling stomach and overcompensating the next day aren’t going to help anybody! Instead, let’s turn to healthy, low-calorie snacks that can actually help us find some shut-eye and won’t lead to bloating or wrecked diets. Luckily, Women’s Health has a helpful list, and we’re here to share it with you. If you need a bedtime snack, grab a:

  1. Banana
    stevepb via Pixabay

    The perfect mess-less snack is also the perfect late-night food. High in fiber and sleep-inducing tryptophan – the amino acid in turkey that makes you so sleepy on Thanksgiving! – bananas will fill you up and help you sleep without lots of extra calories.
  2. Chocolate Pudding
    Tastemade

    As long as it’s the nonfat version, you can totally enjoy a chocolatey dessert before you fall asleep. Those single-serve portions usually have only 90 calories, and the nonfat versions digest easily for restful sleep.
  3. Greek Yogurt
    Rainer Zenz via Wikimedia Commons

    Like the pudding, you should go nonfat with this one. Like the banana, Greek yogurt is full of tryptophan, as well as protein to fill you up and probiotics to calm any sleep-interrupting heartburn, indigestion or stomach problems.
  4. Cereal
    Scott Bauer via Wikimedia Commons

    The stuff you use to start your day is also perfect for ending your day! Stick with whole-grain, complex carb versions like oatmeal, corn or bran flakes for easy digestion, and avoid the sugary stuff that will keep you up all night.
  5. String Cheese
    Chris Hsia via Flickr

    The most surprising one on this list gets to be here for the low calorie count (about 80) of those single-serve sticks. Cheese is also full of the protein, healthy fats and tryptophan that lead to satisfied stomachs and easy sleep.

Need more ideas for your nighttime snacking? Be sure to check out the original post on Women’s Health, where you can find three more foods perfect for those late night cravings! Do you get hungry before you go to bed? What healthy snacks do you like to eat at night?