Want to lose weight, avoid consuming these 5 foods at night

Hunger at night makes people eat anything be it a heavy meal or a snack. Those of you who want to lose weight should avoid eating at night. Replace with snacks that contain carbohydrates, calories, and fat in low amounts.

Our digestive system is most active in the morning and tends to slow down at night. At night the body cannot digest food, instead the food will be stored as extra fat which increases weight.

If you have eaten a large meal some time before bed, the digestive system will work even while you are sleeping. It may wake you up with heartburn, indigestion, acid reflux, or other unpleasant symptoms that interfere with sleep.

In fact, lack of sleep can increase health problems including heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.

In addition, the blood supply to the brain can be reduced because it is channeled to the stomach for digestion. This may leave you waking up in the morning feeling stressed and tired.

Some of the foods below should be avoided at night for fast weight loss, as reported by The Health Site.

1. Red meat

Red meats such as mutton or pork contain high amounts of protein which is important for weight loss. But red meat is also high in fat and calories. It's best to avoid red meat and replace it with healthier white meats such as chicken or fish for dinner.

Ice Cream to Dark Chocolate

2. Ice cream

Eating ice cream before bed is the same as preventing you from losing weight. Ice cream contains a lot of sugar and calories. Ice cream can add a lot of extra calories to your meal.

3. Broccoli

Cruciferous vegetables—such as broccoli and cauliflower—are high in insoluble fiber, which takes longer to digest. Therefore, it is better to avoid these vegetables before going to bed.

4. Tomato sauce

Tomato sauce contains High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), which is a sweetener made from corn flour and has a similar effect on the body as sugar. Its high acidity can also cause heartburn and indigestion.

5. Dark chocolate

Dark chocolate may be healthier than milk chocolate, but it still contains sugar that can hinder the weight loss process. It also contains amino acids that can keep you alert at night.

Need to be accompanied by a nutritionist

Nutritionist from Gadjah Mada University, Rahadyana Muslichah, S.Gz., M.Sc., said that dieting must be carried out by paying attention to body condition and through assistance from professionals such as nutritionists.

However, a diet that is successfully carried out by one person cannot necessarily be applied to other individuals because each has different daily nutritional needs.

“Diet to lose weight should not be arbitrary, such as following the methods that have been successfully used by others. So we cannot imitate the popular diet program because the diet program is as personalized as possible taking into account the client's condition," he explained, quoted from UGM's official website.

This lecturer at the Department of Health Nutrition, FKKMK UGM, explained that it is recommended that a diet program be made specifically for the individual himself while still paying attention to balanced nutrition guidelines. In addition, the programs that are prepared are safe to carry out or not to interfere with body functions and can still carry out daily activities optimally.

“Everyone's condition is different, there are health conditions that accompany each person. It could be for example that diet A is suitable for one person, but not suitable or unsafe for another person's body," he explained. 

Not Just Losing Weight

Therefore, he recommends that the determination of the diet program is carried out in consultation with professionals. He said that dieting is not just about losing weight to the ideal position. However, the diet must also pay attention to body composition such as the percentage of fat and muscle.

Therefore, through consultation with professionals, a diet program will be prepared after going through a series of comprehensive assessments. Some of them are looking for the root cause of excess weight from eating patterns/habits and patterns of daily activities.

From the results of the assessment carried out, later the professional will assist in preparing a diet program that is in accordance with the condition of the body.

The diet menu that is prepared is adjusted to individual abilities. For example, if the budget is limited, an example of affordable food will be given. Meanwhile, the programs that are prepared are long-term, such as improving diet to reduce energy intake gradually.

“Healthy weight loss is not drastic or instant. A healthy weight loss is 0.5-1 kg per week," he said. 

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