Should I eat before going to Bed?

My short response is, Yes – That’s only if you are hungry!!! If there is other motivation behind eating (being board, stressed, etc) I would recommend skipping a pre-bedtime snack.  We need to listen to our bodies and fuel it when we are hungry.  There is nothing worse then going to bed hungry.  I usually eat a small snack about an hour and half before going to sleep.  I usually eat 1/3 cup oatmeal with a ½ cup egg whites, toped with yogurt and cinnamon for flavor.  The combination of complex carbohydrates (oats), lean protein (egg whites), and yogurt is just under 250 calories.  This small snack is filling and keeps me full throughout the night. 

If you do eat before bed, try and keep this meal smaller and higher in protein.  Do not eat ice cream or other deserts.  If you are going to indulge, do this during the afternoon, so your body can try and burn this off during the day.  Eating carbohydrates (carbs are converted to energy; excess carbs are stored as fat) before bed is not very useful.  You do not need this food source (energy) when you are sleeping.  What you do need, when sleeping is more protein.  Protein helps repair damaged muscle and tissues that breakdown during exercise.  This is primary role of protein.  Eating protein before bed will ensure your body repairs itself overnight.  This is not to say eating carbs before bed will make you fat.  As I mentioned, I eat oatmeal 1.5 hours before going to sleep.  However, this is a complex carbohydrate that I pair with protein.  This helps regulate blood sugar levels.  I am also very active and have a high metabolism.  If I do not eat before bed (1.5 hours before), I usually wake-up throughout the night hungry. 

If you do feel the urge to eat before bed, try and make a smart choice.  I recommend the following bedtime snacks. Try and eat these (if you need to) an hour before bedtime.

ü     Fat-free cottage cheese with a handful of raspberries

ü    Oatmeal with protein powder

ü    Egg whites served with a few slices of tomatoes

ü    1 apple with 1Tbsp of natural peanut butter

ü    Smoothie made with rice milk, or soy milk, mixed with berries   and protein powder

ü    ½ cup yogurt & ½ cup cottage cheese