If you are struggling to maintain a healthy weight or break through a weight-loss plateau and lose those last five pounds, this may be due to your nighttime habits.
There are certain sleeping rituals that people do every night to relax and can lead to sneaky weight gain. And even if you don’t notice the scale changes right away those pounds gain.
So if you think you’re gaining weight and don’t know why, consider these common nighttime habits that may be altering your diet and healthy hormones.
1. You Are Not Getting Enough Sleep
Consequences
- It affects your metabolism, making it much slower.
- Not getting enough sleep makes you feel hungry.
- Increase your cortisol level.
- You exercise less because you feel tired.
Recommendation:
You must sleep at least 8 hours a night.
2. You Overeat At Dinner
Consequences
- You eat too much or too heavy food, as a result, your digestion slows down, especially at night.
- You often watch TV while eating, which also makes you eat more.
Recommendation:
Choose a light dinner that consists primarily of protein and vegetables.
3. You Go To Bed Right After Dinner
Consequences
- It makes you accumulate more fat cells.
- You have digestive problems.
Recommendation:
You should eat your last meal about 1.5 to 2 hours before bed.
4. You Have Fried Food For Dinner
Consequences
- It has many calories that you will not have time to burn.
- You get more fat cells.
- You can’t sleep well.
Recommendation:
You should opt for baked, broiled, or steamed recipes at night.
5. You Eat Spicy Food At Dinner
Consequences
- Spices and spicy foods can lead to poor digestion.
- You can’t sleep well.
- At night, when spending many hours without consuming anything, spicy foods can cause heartburn.
Recommendation:
Spicy food is really good at speeding up your metabolism. Eat if you want, maybe not just at night.
6. You Have Cereal Or Other Carbohydrates For Dinner
Consequences
- It gives you extra energy that you won’t use while you sleep.
- Foods rich in carbohydrates contain many refined sugars that must be burned immediately.
Recommendation:
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For dinner, you can have smoothies or fresh fruits, all kinds of salads or foods rich in protein. But in small portions, of course!
7. You Love To Eat Dessert At Night
Consequences
- White sugar and flour become fat cells.
- You cannot burn those calories at night.
Recommendation:
For dessert, eat some fruit. It is like a healthy sweet that will not harm your waist.
8. You Have A Snack After Dinner
Consequences
- Eat too much and consume empty calories.
- You get extra energy that will keep you awake.
Recommendations:
- Avoid bread, cookies, or other sweets after dinner.
- For a late snack, choose something light and healthy with less than 200 calories.
9. You Usually Skip Dinner
Consequences
- This does not help you lose a lot of weight, as skipping meals slows your metabolism.
- This will only make you feel hungrier at your next meal.
- Skipping meals can cause anxiety.
- You lose muscle tissue and your skin becomes loose.
Recommendation:
Even if you don’t have time for a decent lunch or dinner, at least try to eat fruit.
10. You Consume Alcohol Or Caffeine
Consequences
- These products affect your sleep.
- They contain a lot of calories.
Recommendation:
Choose natural smoothies or hot milk. Always end your day with a glass of pure drinking water.
11. You Use A Cell Phone Or Computer Before Bed
Consequences
- The blue light emitted by these devices affects health and sleep.
- Radiofrequency waves also cause sleep deprivation.
Recommendation:
Turn off devices at least one hour before bed. Read a book or listen to relaxing music.
12. You Go To Bed Late Every Night
Consequences
- Going to bed after midnight makes you gain more fat, because it is not the body’s natural cycle.
- You will want to eat something early in the morning.
Recommendation:
Go to sleep as soon as you feel sleepy. If you feel optimistic at the end of the day, try to include some exercise.
Based on materials from Dakidissa
Source: crfatsides
