My Fit List: A Bedtime Treat to Boost Metabolism and Promote Muscle Growth! Say WHAT?

I have some super exciting news for those of you with the night time munchies....especially those of you who love something cold and sweet like say....ice cream.

If you are like me then you probably eat dinner around 6 and may not hit the hay until 10 or 11. That's kind of a long time to go without eating ESPECIALLY if you are super active. There is a common belief that it is not wise to eat past 7 or 8 pm. Well, it really just depends on what you eat and what your health and fitness goals are. But let me tell you that you can eat a fantastic night time snack that will actually BOOST your metabolism and encourage muscle repair and growth.

However, I do hate to inform you that it's not ice cream. Not that I have to explain it to you, but ice cream is high in fat and sugar....and if it's says it's NOT high in fat and sugar then you should assume it is full of chemicals and other endocrine disruptors that throw your metabolism out of whack, so please do your best to avoid the regular practice of such indulgences.

So what's the fantastic alternative, LIZ???!

Well, I'm going to give you 2.

Non Fat Greek Yogurt and Cottage Cheese. Here's an article I'm sharing from bodybuilding.com that gives a brief run down on why it's good to have a bedtime snack.

"Inexperienced dieters commonly believe anything consumed in the hours right before bed goes directly to body fat stores. Sounds like a nightmare for your physique! The real nightmare is that they end up going to bed hungry, wake up with minimal energy, and wonder why they feel like crap despite being disciplined.

Wake up! Your metabolism never fully shuts down, even overnight. Eating too many calories or bad foods before bed adds fat to your frame, but not all nocturnal noshing begets extra body fat.

The trick is to be smart before sleep time. If you snack late, make room for the extra calories earlier in the day to obey your target calorie limit. Choose foods which fuel muscles, keep hunger levels low, and promote stable blood glucose levels … so your brain doesn't wake up your body."

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/nocturnal-noshing-6-snacks-you-can-eat-before-bed.html

So let's take a look at these 2 Options. We'll start with a nutrition profile on each

1. Non Fat Greek Yogurt.

Nutrition Profile:

Calories: 130

Fat: 0 g

Protein: 23 g

Carbs: 9 g

Greek yogurt is high in protein and packs a calcium punch. Boost the healthy fat content of this low-fat snack with some flaxseeds. Together, these deliver a steady dose of fiber, protein and omega fats

2. Non Fat Cottage Cheese

Nutrition Profile:

Calories: 104

Fat: 0 g

Protein: 15 g

Carbs: 10 g

Cottage cheese is ideal before bed because it includes lots of slow digesting protein, which releases steadily into the body while you sleep. This ensures a steady supply of amino acids through the night.

Adding natural peanut butter to this snack increases digestion time, enhancing the snack's ability to control hunger.