Trying to get into the best shape of your life but can’t seem to cure your late night mindless munching? Don’t worry, you don’t have to go to bed starving— but you do have to be smarter about what it is you munch on.
Contrary to some people’s beliefs, it is actually important for you to feed your body before you go to sleep. But this pre-bedtime meal is going to be very important. Shedding body fat and getting into the best shape is going to take mindful munching! Rather than snuggling up with a bag of your favorite chips or bowl of your favorite ice cream, you should be more mindful and consider your nighttime snacks that will help and not hurt your goals! Check out my reasons for mindless munching, ways to combat it, and my top 5 nighttime snacks to help cure your nighttime munchies.
Gina’s Top 3 reasons for Mindless Munching:
• Skipping Meals throughout the day. Skipping meals and not eating enough throughout the day can leave you starving at night and ready to munch on anything and everything!
• Boredom. You are surfing the net or watching your favorite primetime flick and are just purely bored, looking for something to munch on to pass time.
• Stressful or Busy Day. Often a super busy or stressful day at the office can lead you to your favorite box of cookies as a way to cope with your day!
Gina’s Top 6 Ways to combat Mindless Munchies:
1. Get out and go for a walk. Not only will this take your mind off of food, but also it can be a great opportunity for you to spend quality time with your loved ones.
2. Grab a book! Submerge yourself in a good book to distract your mind from thinking about food.
3. Take a bath. Draw yourself a nice bubble bath to take your mind off of snacking and relax after your busy day.
4. Turn on your favorite music and write in your journal. There is nothing more relaxing than listening to your favorite tunes and reflecting on your day!
5. Sip on tea. Teas are great to satisfy a sweet tooth and help you relax, just be sure it is a decaffeinated tea.
6. Mental toughness. This final tip is simply called discipline. If you can learn to dig into your mind and know when you are simply munching for no reason, this will be huge in your long-term success! Ask yourself a few questions: How bad do I really want it? Am I really hungry? Is my body or mind telling me I am hungry? If you go through this exercise and find that you are truly indeed hungry, go for one of my top nighttime snacks guilt free!
Gina’s Top 5 Nighttime Snacks:
1. Protein Pancakes, such as my Lemon Poppy Seed Coconut Pancakes.
Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes Ingredients:
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
2 egg whites
1/4 cup almond flour
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tbsp poppy seeds
1 tsp lemon stevia
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp water
Directions:
Mix all ingredients, pour batter over stove top, and cook on both sides until golden brown.
Servings: 2
Per serving: 300 calories; 18 g fat; 9 g carbs; 20 g protein; 5 grams fiber
2. Egg white and veggie omelet, such as my Turkey Egg White Parsley Scramble
Turkey Egg White Parsley Scramble Ingredients:
3 egg whites
2 ounces 99% lean ground turkey breast
1 cup shredded spinach
1 tomato, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 onion, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Cook ground turkey in a non-stick skillet until cooked through and lightly browned. Drain excess juices from the pan. Set aside in a bowl. Add olive oil, spinach, tomatoes, garlic, onion and fresh parsley and sauté, until fully cooked. Add egg whites and allow them to cook with the vegetables, mixing well. Add cooked turkey to mixture and continue cooking mix well. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve with your favorite salsa.
Servings: 1
Per serving: 160 calories; 3.4 g fat; 6 g carbs; 20 g protein; 5 g fiber
3. 1 scoop protein shake with 15 almonds
4. 6 oz non-fat Greek yogurt with 1 tbsp chia seeds
5. Simple No-Carb Pancake
Ingredients:
1 scoop protein powder (flavor of your choice)
2 egg whites
1 tsp baking powder
Stevia or no-calorie sweetener, to taste
2 tbsp water
Directions:
Mix all ingredients, pour batter over stove top and cook on both sides until golden brown. Serve with a tablespoon of natural nut butter over top.
Servings: 1
Per serving: 160 calories; 3 g fat; 3 g carbs; 25 g proteins; 2 g fiber
