Have you ever had those late night cravings that have you running towards the fridge in search of something, aaaaanyting that will satisfy that craving. Well join the club  you are not alone and  its times like these that can really sabotage your weight loss and fitness goals. That is why I have compiled this list of the four best foods to eat at night that wont pack on those extra pounds around your belly, thighs, butt and love handles.

The key here is to know which foods to eat and which to avoid as the night progresses. Your objective here is look for foods that will compliment your fat loss objective. As mentioned in previous posts refined carbohydrate consumption will cause a spike in the storage hormone insulin so we definitely want to stay away from them.

When choosing food for a late night meal

Make sure you keep something in mind known as the Thermogenic effect of food or TEF. So basically each macro nutrient requires a certain amount of calories to metabolize with protein being the highest on the list. Lets say you eat 100 calories of proteins, in order for the body to metabolize these proteins it will require 35% of these 100 calories. So you are really taking in 65 calories. For carbohydrates it is about 15% and for fats around 5%. So you are really better off eating proteins. Just make sure you don’t over eat them. A good rule of thumb is to eat until you are no longer hungry and NOT until you are full.

If I do end up having a late night meal, then what I usually do is skip breakfast the next day and wait until lunch to have a light meal like salad greens and some lean protein like turkey or chicken breast. That way my body will use the late night meal for energy and continue to burn fat until the next meal.

Here are some of my top choices just in case you get those pre bed time craving

Cottage cheese as a late night snack

I looooove cottage cheese and the best thing about it is that it is slow digesting and keeps you full. just make sure that you get the plain type as the flavored type is usually full of all those unnecessary sugars. Sometimes I like to add cottage cheese to the batter when making low carb waffles.

Turkey or Chicken breasts for those late night munchies

Another gem of food choices is turkey or chicken breast. Both of them are descent in terms of satiety, which means they will keep you fuller for longer and will not initiate the release of insulin. Red meat and fish have a slightly higher insulin response so they are not the best of choices for late night meals. Just keep in mind that the best choice here would be to stay away from processed meats as no one can really guarantee whats in them.

Green Veggies

Green veggies are always a good choice if you get those munchies close to bed time. Not only will they stop your munchies in their tracks but it will also give you a good dose of fiber. Like any other food make sure not to over eat.

Late night Protein Shake

This is also another good choice for late night munchies. Just make sure you choose the right protein powder without all those extra carbs.

What do you like to eat when you get hungry late at night?

We all love that sugary snack every now and then but if we only knew the damage it does to our body. This is why it is important to limit the consumption of refined carbs as much as possible. In this video series I have tried to simplify the latest research on the effects of carbs, proteins and fats on the body. Our bodies deals differently with each of these macro nutrients and in this video we will look at how refined carbs affect the level of insulin in your body and ultimately make you fatter.

In the next video in this series we will look at how proteins are synthesized by our body and maybe try to bust the myth that proteins don’t contribute to weight gain. When it comes to protein there are basically two schools of thought on this. One says that excess intake of proteins such as protein shakes and protein bars can contribute to weight gain because excess protein is converted to glucose.  The other school plays down the contribution of protein to weight gain. Well, my thoughts on protein are to match them with your lifestyle. If you are weight lifting or doing excessive exercise then increase your intake, if not, then just go with the recommended daily allowance which is about 0.4 grams per pound (0.8 grams per Kg.) of lean body mass.

One thing is for sure excessive intake of carbs and especially refined carbs will hurt you. This is something that most schools of though agree on, so please do your best to just say no.

Would love to hear your thoughts on this.

One of the hardest parts of dieting is preparing your meals and sticking to them. It seems like we barely have enough time to cope with the daily demands of life let alone have to worry about preparing specialized meals.

 When I fist started looking through the zillions of diets out there the first thing that came to mind was “How was I going to find the time to make this stuff. Since there we so many recipes I constantly had that mental burden thinking things like “What am I going to make for dinner *sigh*” or “I still have to cook *grunt*”. Well with a little bit of organization, planning and some trial and error, it is definitely possible to get those dishes ready in record time.

 This is especially important for those of you that have specific high priority health goals such as: weight loss, muscle gain, fitness/strength goals- then these tips will help keep you on track!

1. Make a meal plan

Creating a meal plan is one of the most important parts of dieting especially if you are just starting out. It will help you get organized much quicker than selecting your meals day in day out. What I used to do is create a meal plan that matches my fitness goals in terms of macro nutrients and then build a weekly shopping list of the things I will need for my plan. Here you have a few decisions to make when it comes to preparation. First decide which meal it is that you are most pressed for time for. For example, if lunch has you running out to the nearest McDonald’s or Starbucks to grab a quick bite, then decide what you are going to make to prevent that from happening. I usually have a nice chicken or shrimp salad (one of the many lunch dishes in my meal plan) ready for the next day to take with me to work. If breakfast is the meal you are most pressed for time for then make a smoothie before going to bed and put it in the fridge for the morning.

2. Get a food processor

Food processors save you tons of time especially when it comes to  preparing your vegetables and meats.  What I usually do is cut, chop, slice and dice enough vegetables and meat to last me a few days. If I want to keep them longer then I usually freeze them in freezer bags. If you want to see some tips on how to store your vegetables check out this post.

3. Cook in large batches

Batch it up, batch it in, let me begin, I came to win, batch me not thats a sin. One of the best strategies to save time with meal preparation is to cook your meals in large batches.  So after following the steps above, what I usually do is make enough of something to last at least 2 weeks.  So, for example if i make cauliflower fried rice then I would make at least 6 to 7 servings and keep 2 in the fridge to be used within the next 3 days. The remaining would be separated out into freezer bags of 1 serving each and put in the freezer. That way I can use them when I want. I do have to warn you that my kitchen usually looks like Alvin and the chipmunks had a food fight in it after I’m done. Thats one of the reasons why I prefer to do this only once a week.

4. Get a slow cooker

A slow cooker or crock pot is one of the best investments you will ever make. Not only are they cheap, but they also make some very tasty and healthy dishes. Put all your previously prepared ingredients in the slow cooker just before you go to work or after you come back. If you do this before work then the food should be ready when you are back. Keep in mind that you will need to time it properly because most dishes will take anywhere from 4 to 8 hours to prepare. What I do is make a large batch of something by putting it in the cooker overnight. After waking up in then morning I pack whatever I made in the slow cooker to take with me for lunch. The rest goes in the fridge or freezer for later use. P.S. try not to make cauliflower in it, I tried this the other day and my neighbors on the other side of the building could smell it.

If you have any other tips for making quick and easy low carb meals then please leave a comment.

Good day everyone

So this is a recipe that I tried at my sisters house when I first got into the low carb game.  At that time she had been making low carb stuff for a long time and I would come over and taste  her cooking. I was actually amazed at how some of the dishes she made for her low carb diet plan actually tasted better than the original carb-o-licious stuff (maybe I’m getting old). I also saw first hand how it made a difference in her weight as she had been struggling to lose weight for many years.

This recipe basically substitutes pizza dough for a cauliflower based crust and you can use whatever you want for the toppings although we do suggest picking  your toppings wisely (low in carbs) .

Go ahead and watch the video I have prepared that will take you through the process step by step. Fell free to pause as you move along and also do let me know what you think and if there is any way I can improve these videos in the future.

For those of you that prefer the text based recipe  here it is:

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients which you can tick away as you get them ready.

• 1 head of cauliflower separated into florets
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 ounces of italian cheese (I usually use grated marble cheese)

• 1/2 ounce finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1egg
• 1 pinch of pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place cauliflower in a food processor and puree until finely ground.
3. Place ground cauliflower, water, and salt together in a skillet over medium-high heat for 5 to 6 minutes or until fragrant and most of the water evaporates. Let it cool completely.
4. Place a clean dish towel on your counter and move the cauliflower to the center of the towel. Wrap the cauliflower in the towel and squeeze tightly to remove all excess moisture. You should end up with about 1 1/2 cups of cauliflower pulp.
5. Add the cauliflower, italian cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, egg, and pepper together in a bowl and mix to form a soft dough.
6. Form the dough into a ball shape and then place it in the center of the baking sheet. Press down on the dough to form a circle which is about 1/4-inch thick.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes and until the crust is of a golden brown color.
8. Remove from the oven and let it cool.
9. Add your chosen toppings and bake again in the oven for about 10 minutes.