Eating late at night

JoeyW

Need some advice please. I eat really healthy during the day but I find the evenings a killer! I have my dinner about half six and usually go for a long walk each evening. Then from 9 onwards I find I'm starving. I can't go without eating so is there a healthy snack I can have that won't do the healthy eating plan too much damage? I tend to eat rubbish normaly ir biscuits, crisps, or cheese on toast.

neuro-praxis

Bear in mind that if you are starving at night, you may not be feeding yourself enough during the day, or you may be eating too many sugary things that make your blood sugar crash.

For healthy snacks, try a big bowl of crudités - slices of carrots, cucumber, peppers etc., with a light dip, like yoghurt mixed with lemon juice and black pepper, or some home-made hoummus or a spoonful of peanut butter (peanut butter is very high in calories though so watch the portions).

A portion of cold ham or chicken can be quite satiating and both of these are very low in calories.

A big bowl of berries is a good one - strawberries, raspberries, blackberries etc. They're quite expensive though, but delicious and nutritious.

Natural yoghurt with a spoonful of honey in it with some seeds or nuts stirred through is also a delicious snack.

A bowl of non-sugary cereal (bran flakes, shredded wheat etc.) with skimmed milk is not a bad snack.

Raw nuts are a great snack but very high in calories, so watch the portions.

-Or-

If you are craving junk food treats but don't want to go overboard, try Velvet Crunch by Tayto, or Treble Crunch. They really are good replacements for your usual crisps, and the portions are small and low in calories. If it's a chocolate fix, try smaller portions like a Curly Wurly or a Kinder egg. A Tesco Healthy Living chocolate mousse is also good. Or if you fancy some ice-cream - try the Skinny Cow range - they're large fudgsicles made from frozen yoghurt that are very low in calories, or a mini-Solero.

If you are dying for a biscuit, just have one or two plain ones with a cup of good coffee, and make it last.

A lot of people here swear by chopping your daily calorie allowance into 6, and having six small evenly-spaced meals throughout the day. This might suit you.

FunkZ

A chicken fillet or two has done the job nicely for me.

And I found out last night that a casein shake before bedtime will have you very full, you might even be full in the morning!

JoeyW

Thanks guys, got some great tips ther. Just one more question, where do I get casein shakes from and whats in it?

Gurlzie1

FunkZ wrote: »

A chicken fillet or two has done the job nicely for me.

And I found out last night that a casein shake before bedtime will have you very full, you might even be full in the morning!

Cottage cheese is very good before bed because it's also casein, I have a 1/2 tub before bed at night it because it sutains me for 6 - 8 hours. I take whey protein first thing in the morning because it absorbs really quickly.

There are a lot of places that you can get casein powder from, have a look in the fitness forums and you'll see where people get their stuff from.
The Supplement Factory is popular at the moment because it seems to be cheaper then other places and people on boards are saying that it tastes okay too.

www.thesupplementfactory.com


What is casein:

Micellar casein is the natural, undenatured form of casein found in milk. It is separated from milk by means of ultrafiltration, without the use of chemicals, which increases the amount of bioactive milk peptides that support immune function as well as enhance muscle growth.

Micellar Casein is a slow digesting and rich protein source that continues to feed your muscles long after whey proteins have dropped off. Studies have shown Micellar Casein protein to sustain steady amino acid elevations for an incredible 7 hours. It was shown to offer a strong anti-catabolic effect not noticed with fast digesting whey protein, and actually fostered a much more positive overall net protein balance in comparison.

As previously mentioned, micellar casein is best used in conjunction with whey. Because casein is slow digesting, it’s not suitable for post workout. For post workout shakes, stick to whey. The best time to use casein protein is before bed and during the day. Casein is known as “night time” protein, as many strength athletes and bodybuilders use it before bed. Casein is also great for meal replacements, where it can be mixed with complex carbs and essential oils for a nutritious shake.

Hope that helps