This post is brought to you by my sponsor, "Always Eat After 7 PM." The opinions expressed below are my own.
Another week on plan and I'm definitely feeling better than I have in months, yet I still don't feel like I'm "dieting" because we're enjoying so many awesome new meals while still losing weight! The best part is that this new way of eating isn't an inconvenience for our normal routine. I don't know about you, but I have a husband that works a lot and we don't normally sit down to eat until at least 7 pm most nights. This would go against the normal dieting train of thought, but not this plan! I can enjoy a later dinner and even a bedtime snack with no guilt. Yes, you read that correctly. Bedtime snacks are encouraged. I'm sold for life. Please tell me I'm not the only one who likes to sneak back into the kitchen after their kiddos are tucked away in bed and enjoy a snack in peace and quiet?? Haha! Joel explains in his book why it's ok to ditch our old ways of thinking:
Research shows that the average person's metabolic rate is no different during sleep than during the day. In short, your metabolism doesn't slow down at night. Nor does your body store fat at the end of the day. Whether it's 8 am or 8 pm, you use food energy the same way.
So no, when your mom told you everything you eat after 7 pm gets stored as fat, she was wrong. Sorry, mom. But that's good news for us! Joel goes on to explain why the bedtime snack is not just allowed, it's encouraged:
Scientists have established that consuming at least 20 grams of protein stimulates muscle protein synthesis for two to five hours after eating a meal. However, recent research also shows that protein synthesis drops to unexpectedly low levels during sleep, even if you eat ample protein during and after evening exercise. This has led researchers to speculate that this process may fall off during sleep if you don't eat protein prior to bedtime.
So what should you eat before bed? You can find Joel's top 12 bedtime snacks below. He goes into detail in the book about why they are great choices and what they each have to offer you. In his research, he found:
Specific higher-carbohydrate foods (including berries and cherries) support your fat-burning metabolism while you sleep, providing your body with a steady steam of fuel throughout the night. The trick is knowing how to combine them with other evening and pre-bedtime fat-burning foods to fuel your metabolism as you sleep.
As I explained before, there are 3 phases to this plan. We have now completed the 14-day acceleration phase and the first week of the main phase. We saw quick results those first two weeks. Weight loss has slowed now, but that was to be expected as we've increased our calories a bit and upped our carbs. The first phase is more restrictive to get you jump-started. He explains in the book that eating what he refers to as "super carbs" is actually quite helpful.
Despite all the bad press over the years, certain carbohydrates play an important role in balancing your hormones and regulating your metabolic rate, while avoiding the dreaded weight loss plateaus that accompany conventional mainstream diets. Furthermore, when you eat these carbohydrates, you'll feel much better than you would if you were following a traditional diet.
Nothing against those other super carb-restricting plans from me, but I like carbs. I'm pretty sure I need them. I need a eating plan I can sustain long-term and not be miserable, so this one fits the bill for me. And don't forget cheat meal/day. Let me eat my favorite comfort foods once a week and I can stay on plan forever! That's definitely the hardest part of sticking to any diet in the long run for me. That feeling of missing out on things I love. Let's face it, food is a very social thing. Now I won't have to go to gatherings with friends and stand around awkwardly while everyone enjoys good food and drinks. I can make that my cheat day for the week! Then I just get back on track the next day and continue towards my goals. Easy peasy.
I can't wait to update you in another month to let you know how we are doing with the plan. In the meantime, if you're interested in checking out more details for yourself, check out "Always Eat After 7 PM: The Revolutionary Rule-Breaking Diet That Lets You Enjoy Huge Dinners, Desserts, and Indulgent Snacks - While Burning Fat Overnight" by Joel Marion. It is now available to purchase. Learn more about the book and how to purchase here.
This post is brought to you by my sponsor, "Always Eat After 7 PM." The opinions expressed above are my own.
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