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When you are trying to lose weight, it may be tempting to follow a strict diet, but limiting your food intake is not always the best route. Instead of skipping meals, focusing on incorporating healthy, protein-rich foods into your diet may be a more effective way of losing weight and staying healthy. Specifically, there are some foods that will actually speed up your weight loss, especially if you have them right before bed.
According to Lisa Richards, nutritionist and author of The Candida Diet, the best thing to have before bed if you’re trying to lose weight is Greek yuogurt.
She explains the value of eating Greek yogurt before bed, "Eating a low-fat, high protein in the evening or before bed can reduce cravings and prevent overeating."
With that in mind, opting for Greek yogurt as your nighttime snack might abate your hunger and keep you from reaching for more food later.
Not only does Greek yogurt have the potential to keep your nighttime cravings at bay, but it also gives you a good dose of healthy bacteria.
Richards explains, "Eating Greek yogurt before bed, or on a regular basis, replenishes your gut microbiome with healthy bacteria. Fermented foods like yogurt restore these bacteria, which is beneficial for weight among many other health benefits."
According to MSN, Greek yogurt is one of the best foods you can eat for weight loss: "The protein [in Greek yogurt] is filling and can help you build lean muscle while you snooze. A study published in the American Journal of Physiology found that eating protein right before you sleep stimulates overnight protein synthesis, which repairs and helps grow muscle. Since lean protein helps your body burn fat, getting enough of the macronutrient is key for weight loss."
The healthy bacteria in Greek yogurt has several other health benefits as well. Richards explains how it helps your gut health, "The gut houses the immune system and is a major component to our overall health. By keeping this area of the body in balance and preventing gut dysbiosis, you improve your overall health."
"Mental fog, fatigue, chronic pain, anxiety/depression, obesity, heart disease, and even food sensitivities may be prevented by a diet that includes natural probiotics and low in refined carbohydrates," Richards tells SheFinds.
