The Late-Night Snacking Mistakes That Are Wrecking Your Diet

By Leha Shy for POPSUGAR Fitness

After a jam-packed day of eating right, staying active, and making other healthy choices, it's easy to undo all your hard work just minutes before bedtime. Avoid these late-night eating mistakes to stay on the right track.

Mistake: You eat dinner right before bed.
Going to sleep on a full stomach can cause discomfort and disrupt your sleep, which can wreak havoc on your waistline by setting you up to eat more the next day and causing you to hold on to belly fat. Eat dinner at least a few hours before bedtime; if you need a snack later on, keep it under 200 calories.

Mistake: You eat the wrong foods at night.
It's not just when you eat, but what. Eating the wrong foods late at night can also mess with your sleep. Avoid greasy, high-fat, high-protein foods if you want to catch more weight-regulating Z's; a small amount of lean protein and some carbs should be your go-to option. See other foods you should avoid late at night.

Mistake: You go to bed hungry. 
You may think that going to bed with a grumbling stomach will help your body burn fat while you sleep, but studies have shown this isn't the case. In fact, going to bed hungry may actually cause you to lose muscle instead—which, in turn, lowers your fat-burning potential. If you're feeling hungry, have a 150-calorie snack before you climb into bed; it'll fuel your metabolism all night.

Click HERE to learn two more late-night snacking mistakes that are wrecking your diet from POPSUGAR Fitness! 

More from Women's Health: 
8 Mistakes That Are Slowing Your Weight Loss
7 Smoothie Mistakes That Make You Gain Weight 
10 Mistakes That Lead to Overeating 

 

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