Don’t eat after 7p.m if you want to lose weight.’ You probably must have learnt this rule over the years. But what is the truth on late dinner?
First, when you eat late night meals, you mess with your natural hormone cycle. According to lifedailyburn.com, it can prevent you from losing weight.
It disturbs your natural digestive process.

How?

Food, especially carbohydrates, increases insulin at night. Human growth hormone is released throughout the day, but you get the largest dose at night. It is the hormone that helps to repair muscle damage and regulate body composition. The presence of insulin in the body at night prevents the full dose of human growth hormone from being released.
So, if you go to bed with a stomach full of food, especially if one has Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) (A chronic symptom of mucosal damage caused by stomach acid coming up from the stomach into the oesophagus), you will be more susceptible to experiencing symptoms including heartburn and nausea.
Food to avoid after 7pm

• Greasy/ fat-filled foods
Greasy, fatty foods not only make you feel sluggish the next morning, they also make your stomach overwork for digestion. Stay away from fast food, nuts, ice cream, or super cheesy foods before bed.

• High-carb or sugary foods
Avoid cake, cookies, or other desserts as well as snacks like crackers or white bread. Why not munch on an apple instead?

• Avoid ‘swallows’
Why take eba, amala, fufu, wheat and a host of ‘swallows’ after 7pm? They are heavy meals. Some even accompany with richly made soups/stews coupled with beef, stockfish or mutton, depending on personal taste.

Red meat and other proteins
Red meat taken at night sits in your stomach, making it hard for you to fall asleep while digesting (red meat may affect you the worst, but eating a large portion of chicken or pork would have the same effect as well). You don’t have to avoid protein altogether, just make sure you go for lean and small portions, like turkey breast or a cup of yogurt.

Exercises

• Always eat within 45 minutes of finishing your workout. This meal is the only one of the day that should not contain much fat and should be higher in carbohydrates. For example, you can have juice, fruit, and protein powder, but no butter or oil.
• Never do your weight training on an empty stomach. You will need energy from food to perform optimally. You may, however, complete your cardio before eating, if your session will be less than 30 minutes.

CAUTION!
Eating tips
Eating at the appropriate times throughout the day will help to maximise fat burning and keep hunger at bay.
• Aim to eat every three to four hours. Timing your meals will improve your fat loss by preventing excess insulin.
• Eat within one hour of waking. Research shows that missing out on a healthy morning meal also increases stress hormones.
• Never eat three hours before bedtime. Eating too close to bedtime raises your body temperature, increases blood sugar and insulin and cuts down on growth hormone release. All these factors interfere with the quality of your sleep and the natural fat-burning benefits of a good night’s rest.
• If you must eat before bed, opt for a light meal or snack that is high in protein and low in carbohydrates and fat.
• Start the day with protein. For better appetite control throughout the day, try eating carbohydrates at lunch, or after your workouts rather than at breakfast.
• Eat protein first. Eat the protein on your plate first to help speed the signal to your brain that you are full.
• Drink alcohol last. If you have alcohol or wine, do so after your meal to enhance the hormones involved in appetite control and digestion.