Are midnight munchies causing your weight gain?

A tasty little morsel might seem like the perfect accompaniment to your evening on the couch, but can late night snacking be the reason for your weight gain?

Whether it be snacking between meals or while watching your favourite show, we’ve all been hit with the temptation to nibble our time away.

While we know the number of calories you consume as well as how much you burn is connected to weight management, could the time of day we munch also influence whether we’re having to squeeze into our favourite pair of jeans?

A new study by Harvard Medical School says yes, with researchers finding late night eating can significantly impact how much energy you burn, appetite, and how the body stores fat.

How late night snacking affects weight gain

Eating more than needed can result in weight gain, and nutritionist Rebecca Miller says this is something to consider before caving in to a cheeky midnight snack.

“Most of the time, by the time you’ve eaten dinner, you quite likely would have already met your caloric intake for the day,” Rebecca says.

“If you eat more than this, it’s going to be stored as fat.”

The recent Harvard study also found you’re more likely to feel hungrier than usual by eating late at night.

“What many people don’t realise is that snacking can actually make you feel hungrier,” nutritionist and recipe developer for The Fast 800 Gabrielle Newman says.

“When we continuously snack, our bodies adjust to high blood sugar levels and become less sensitive to insulin which ultimately leaves us hungry and wanting more.”

How late is too late to snack at night?

“In my eyes, this is just about anything that you eat after dinner time,” Rebecca says.

“If you know you’ve eaten a substantial dinner, anything more than this would be considered late night snacking.”

If you do like a little late night nibble, Rebecca recommends factoring it into your overall calorie intake for the day.

“As long as you’re not eating over your total daily energy expenditure, you won’t gain weight,” she says.

“Weigh up what works for your lifestyle and always remember that your main, overall goal for weight loss is to be in that calorie deficit.”

Meal planning to help weight loss

The good news is, there are some strategies you can adopt to help you plan meals for a time of day more likely to promote weight control.

A time-restricted eating plan – where you fast for anywhere between 10-16 hours – may help weight management and prevent overeating later in the day.

“So, if you have your first meal at say 9am, late night snacking for you could be anything after 7-9pm,” Rebecca says.

Holistic wellness coach Ben Maddern says eating a more of your daily calories earlier in the day night may help weight management.

“Upon waking, our bodies produce hormones that allow us to use calories for energy, rather than storing them in fat cells,” Ben says.

“We give our body more time to use the calories, or energy, we have consumed.”

UK research recently found having a larger breakfast may also reduce the chances of overeating by increasing remaining gut content, thereby assisting a weight loss regime by suppressing appetite.

Healthy late night snack alternatives

Rather than reaching for a packet of M&Ms to graze on into the night, consider nibbling on something a healthier.

Gabrielle suggests making your snacks well-balanced with protein, fat and fibre such as chopped vegetable sticks, berries, nuts, full fat Greek yoghurt and eggs.

“This will help to keep you fuller for longer, meaning you’re less likely to need another snack in an hour or two,” she says.

Written by Melissa Hong.

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