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Wellness > Health

Lose the Freshman 15: What To Do About Those Late Night Munchies

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Everyone’s been there before: It’s 11:00 p.m., you’ve been studying at the library for hours, you still have many more hours of cramming to go before you’re 8:00 a.m. exam tomorrow morning and your stomach starts to grumble.
 
You ate a pretty big dinner at 5:00 p.m., but you’re hungry again. And seriously, your stomach won’t stop grumbling.
 
5125848aWhat do you do?
 
Obviously, you want to eat. You want to eat to curb your appetite. You want to eat to keep your energy flowing and your brain functioning. And, you want to eat to stay awake.
 
Well, I’m here to tell you that it’s okay to do just that. It’s okay to eat! Just as long as you’re eating the right kinds of food.
 
According to an article posted on BBC News, eating late at night doesn’t actually make you fat, because believe it or not, a calorie is still a calorie anytime of the day.
 
It just so happens that people are more receptive to binging on fattening foods later in the day, and when you overeat before bed, your body is much more likely to store those calories as fat. (Thanks Men’s Fitness for the heads up!)
 
eb76f80cBut don’t you worry, because I’ve complied a list of acceptable snacks for you all to munch on late at night! (As well as some not-so-acceptable items that you should probably stay away from, no matter what time of the day it is!)
 
Best Late Night Snacks:

  1. Fruit: Try any frozen or fresh piece of fruit that you can find – blueberries, strawberries, apples, peaches, tangerines or grapes. A piece of fruit might satisfy that sweet-tooth craving, but it’ll also leave you feeling much fuller than before.
  2. Low-fat Yogurt with Granola: You can find the most delicious yogurt flavors at the grocery store these days, and most containers only have between 80-100 calories! Grab a container, sprinkle in a tablespoon of granola and you’re sure to quench that hunger of yours.
  3. Pretzels/Whole Wheat Crackers: A hand full of either only has about 100 calories, and its surprisingly filling, too! And if you’re looking for a little extra kick to your snack, grab a tablespoon or two of hummus and dip your pretzels or crackers in it.
  4. Cheese Quesadilla: (My personal favorite!) Grab a whole-wheat tortilla and some low-fat Sargento cheddar cheese and make yourself a quesadilla. It’s hot, it’s healthy and it’s also extremely delicious!
  5. Dark Chocolate: People always seem to crave chocolate late at night. But instead of grabbing just any old candy bar, pick up some dark chocolate instead. It’s better for you than any other kind of candy.

 
Late Night Snacks to Avoid:
 

  1. 80a083c0Fast Food: Just don’t do it. This includes delivery pizza, wings and hot sub sandwiches. There actually are healthy alternatives at fast food restuarants, but for a late night snack, they’re definitely not your best bet. And they’re high in calories, too.  
  2. Candy: Unless it’s dark chocolate, you’re not doing your body any favors by letting it sit in your stomach overnight. Especially candy bars rich in milky chocolate and peanut butter.
  3. Caffeine: I know that many people need it to stay awake and study, but caffeine is one of the worst things you can put into your body. If you can, try and do without it for the night. (Side note: caffeine is found in more than just coffee. Candy, ice cream and soda alike all contain caffeine).
  4. Ice Cream: It’s thick and creamy, and way too fattening. (A healthy alternative would be frozen yogurt, though! Especially if you’re craving something cold and sweet).
  5. Spicy Foods: They’re high in calories, super fattening and they won’t sit well in your stomach overnight. So get rid of them.

For some more ideas on what to eat and what not to eat late at night, check out these related articles: 

  1. http://health.yahoo.net/experts/eatthis/best-and-worst-late-night-snacks
  2. http://www.divinecaroline.com/22177/79171-worst-and-best-late-night

And I’ve got one last late night munchies tip: before you eat, make sure you’re actually hungry! Because I know how easy it is to confuse boredom with hunger when you’re sitting, staring at a single textbook for hours on end. So before you snack on those munchies, make sure you’re really hungry!
 
And if you do chose to snack late at night, make good snacking decisions! Because you never want to go to bed with an upset tummy. 

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Sara Kaner
Sara Kaner was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California and first fell in love with journalism as a freshman in high school thanks to her wonderful Intro to Journalism teacher. A family move brought her to Fort Myers, Florida the summer after her freshman year of high school, but she continued to pursue an interest in journalism. She is in her second year at the University of Florida and is pursuing a dual degree in Public Relations and Psychology. She is heavily involved on the UF campus and dedicates most of her time to her various organizations and to her friends. She loves people, magazines, sports and social media, and she hopes to combine all three in her job someday. For now, she aspires to attend Law School and specialize in Media Law. She secretly aspires to be Chelsea Handler, but she's happy being herself for the moment, just as long as she can lose the freshman 15 this semester.