Does eating at night make you fat?

If you’re confused about whether it’s OK to eat at night, you’re not alone.

Some research suggests that late night eating cranks up the kilos, while other studies have found that it’s not when you eat, but what you eat over the course of the day that counts.

So this week, we’re talking about the pros and the cons of night-time eating.

Those against night-time eating argue that the body naturally slows downs towards the end of the day so that eating late makes you more prone to weight gain. While there’s little conclusive evidence to support this theory, eating a large meal just before you go to bed isn’t a great idea as it could trigger indigestion and/or interrupt restful sleep.

Those who don't believe late eating piles on the weight say that it's not what you eat, but how much you eat in total. Biggest Loser Club dietitian, Dr Clare Collins supports this theory, saying that weight loss and weight gain depends upon the total number of calories you eat and the calories burned through activities and exercise.

Dr Collins explains, “Eating at night shouldn't cause weight gain unless the calories exceed your total needs.” Part of night-time eating’s bad reputation could be the result of the knock-on effects. Clare Collins explains. “If you eat late at night, you're more likely to still feel full in the morning which means you may miss breakfast. This in turn sets you up to succumbing to the biscuit barrel by morning tea time.”

Traditional snacks in the evening tend to be fatty and it's easy to eat big portions in front of the TV because you concentrate much less on what you're eating. Add evening boredom and emotional eating to the mix and night-time eating can be a real diet disaster.

Follow these five tips to reduce your late night cravings and eat sensible night-time snacks.

1. Pick your snack. Despite the mixed messages, it is clear that there are certain things you should and shouldn’t eat late at night. For example, popcorn or potato chips are popular evening choices, but these are very high in calories so should be avoided. Air-popped popcorn is a good alternative, or some low-fat yoghurt, fruit or breadsticks with low-fat hummus.
   
   You may have heard that carbs are a big no-no before bed. However, Clare says, “If you want to avoid carbohydrates, avoid the bad ones such as those that are highly processed or packed with lots of fat. Stay friends with the healthy carbs, found in wholegrains, fruits and vegetables.”
    
2. Perfect your portion sizes. One of the main lessons you’ll learn in your Club personal plan is to control your portion sizes – whether it’s meals or snacks. There's no excuse to gorge on a bag of lollies or an entire chocolate bar just because it's dark outside. Your new habits and lifestyle apply at all times of day and night so enter all of your night-time snacks and drinks into your online diary just as you would during the day.
   
   To help ensure you don't lose control of your portions, don't wait until you feel ravenous to eat. Listen to your body and if you feel peckish, allow yourself a small, healthy snack, such as a small sandwich or some yoghurt with fruit. If you try to resist your evening hunger pangs, they will only get worse and make it harder to resist poor food choices and you might find that you eat even later than if you had satisfied your hunger earlier on.
    
3. Set a food curfew.For some people, setting a time after which they won't eat is the only way they can focus on food intake and stop night-time binges. Clare Collins says, “Try to leave at least eight hours before you usually eat breakfast, though, so a 9pm curfew would be reasonable.”
   
   If you want to adopt a food curfew, think about making your evening meal slightly larger and perhaps treating yourself to a healthy dessert afterwards. Hopefully this will fill you up enough so that you don’t get any midnight cravings.
    
4. Watch after-work drinks. A drink or two with your colleagues after a hard day’s work is a great way to unwind, but sometimes you just need to say no. Most beverages provide calories and after-work drinks could mean that you eat your evening meal later than you may have planned. This in turn could make high fat/high salt bar nibbles harder to resist. Plus, lack of time could mean that take-away becomes much more appealing than enjoying a home-cooked meal.
    
5. Be careful with shift work. Working irregular hours can make it difficult not to eat at night. Clare suggests, “When doing shift work, it’s important to limit the number of meals and calories to the same limits as if you were working during the daytime.”
   
   Focus on putting absolutely everything into your online diary. “It's wise to eat your breakfast (or a small meal) once you get home before you go to sleep, so you're not woken up due to hunger,” adds Clare who also suggests that dividing your dinner (or main meal) into two smaller meals could help to see you through to the end of your shift.

Weekly challenge : Organise your life to ensure you meet your weight-loss goals. Take the Commando's challenge and follow his tips for a healthier, more organised day.