In the 21st century, we are trying to more consciously approach the problem of excess weight: we regularly exercise, we shun simple carbohydrates, we try to eat more vegetables and fruits. But even those who are very careful about their diet, often allow themselves one small weakness – late dinner which then leads to over-eating at night.
But it is precisely this error in a carefully thought-out menu that can become fatal. It is no coincidence that many experts propagated one simple truth: do not eat after 18:00. This rule is not universal, but scientists have really proved that it is over-eating at night that leads to a significant weight gain.
Reasons For Over-Eating
Most dietary disruptions happen in the evening. There are three reasons for this:
- Physiological, or, more simply, lack of food throughout the day.
- Hidden hunger. An unbalanced diet during the day leads to a lack of nutrients in the body.
- Psychological, when we simply seize stress.
At night, as a rule, a person is sleeping, the body is set to rest, and suddenly a beef steak with french fries and a salad sprinkled with red wine fall into the stomach. Almost asleep intestines are trying their best, but, alas, are not able to cope with such a volume of food. Food is not digested properly, is not absorbed into the walls of the small intestine, and in the large intestine, it is exposed to pathogenic microflora, which leads to the formation of toxins.
The body suffers, the general state of health leaves much to be desired. Moreover, an excess of carbohydrate products at night leads to a high release of insulin, the process of redistribution of sugar in the liver and adipose tissues is disrupted, and fat is deposited in the body.
How To Prevent Night Overeating
- Balanced to eat throughout the day, about 5 times.
- To diversify the diet and monitor the amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, macro- and micronutrients.
- Find an alternative way to deal with stress: evening walks, sports, yoga, watching a TV series (without harmful snacks) or lectures on the Internet, etc.
When Can I Eat At Night
Not everyone needs to strictly limit themselves in the evenings. A few years ago, scientists conducted a study and found out the following: people who have a tight dinner after 20 hours often lose extra pounds faster than those who prefer to have a good breakfast and not eat after 18 hours. It should be noted that those who eat dinner before going to bed usually skip breakfast and eat not so much during the day.
Final Words
Simply put, if you do not have time to have breakfast, you can move the dinner a few hours later without harming the figure. But it’s important to remember that before going to bed it’s good to eat foods with a low glycemic index (whole grain bread, cereals, and green apples) and give-up sweets, in order to avoid insulin jumps and sleep peacefully.
