5 Healthy Late-Night Snacks

Let's get real: It's not always possible to avoid eating after dark. Some situations (a late work shift, a delayed flight) call for legit midnight meals—and hey, other times you're just still hungry. When you are, you should eat, says Angela Lemond, R.D.N., of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The trick is to munch on fare that won't spike your blood sugar, incite cravings, or pack on pounds. Any of these light-but-filling combos should tide you over till morning.

1.  1 medium banana + 1 tablespoon almond butter

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2.  1 medium apple + 1 ounce low-fat cheese

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3.  1/4 cup black beans + 1 small corn tortilla

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4.  1 cup blueberries + 6 to 8 ounces plain, non-fat yogurt

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5.  1 cup carrot sticks + 3 tablespoons hummus

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Comment below what your favourite healthy late night snack is. Let me know if you want more recipes or ideas on healthy alternatives to those late night snack cravings :)













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8 Healthiest Salad Dressings for Weight Loss

Salads make a healthy foundation for any diet — but it’s all too easy to block their nutritional punch by drizzling on the wrong salad dressing. At the same time, to keep you in love with lettuce, you want choices that tantalize your taste buds, says Judy Caplan, RD, author of GoBeFull: Eight Keys to Healthy Living and a dietitian in private practice in Vienna, Va.

Although it’s always an option to whip up healthy dressings at home, it is also easy enough to find a healthy, tasty store-bought kind — if you read nutritional labels carefully. Caplan generally recommends buying dressings with fewer than 45 calories per tablespoon (and measuring your portions carefully), though she'll go above that limit if it's for the right healthy fat. She says it is also equally important to watch out for fat and added sugars — fewer than 5 grams of sugar per serving is best. For a healthy shopping shortcut, pick up one of these eight store-bought dressings.

Wish-Bone Salad Spritzer in Italian Vinaigrette

Serving size: 10 spritzes
10 calories
1 g fat (0 g saturated fat)
100 mg sodium
1 g sugar

If you just want a bit of added flavor on your veggies, a Wish-Bone spritzer might be your best option because you have built-in portion control and few calories, says Melissa Joy Dobbins, RD, an instructor at the Kendall College School of Culinary Arts in Chicago. There’s no risk of an additional teaspoon or tablespoon “accidentally” sloshing into your diet greens, and though 10 spritzes doesn’t sound like much, it adds plenty of flavor for a small salad.

Wish-Bone Light Italian

Serving size: 2 tbsp
35 calories
2.5 g fat (0 g saturated fat)
340 mg sodium
2 g sugar

Dobbins likes this dressing, which is based on a blend of olive and soybean oils, because of its inclusion of healthy fat for both heart health and taste. “In general, the healthiest choices are oil and vinegar or a light vinaigrette,” Dobbins says. However, she cautions that it is important to watch your portions because this dressing has a relatively high sodium-per-serving level.

Kraft Fat-Free Catalina

Serving size: 2 tbsp
50 calories
0 g fat (0 g saturated fat)
350 mg sodium
7 g sugar

At 50 calories, this product has less than half the calories of the full-fat variety, yet retains most of the taste. “With Catalina, you can’t usually tell the difference between lite and fat-free,” Dobbins says, adding that manufacturers know consumers want these products to be flavorful so they have adjusted the recipes accordingly. Catalina dressings in general do have a bit more sugar than other dressings, so don’t forget to pour with some caution.

Annie's Balsamic Vinaigrette

Serving size: 2 tbsp
100 calories
10 g fat (1 g saturated fat)
55 mg sodium
2 g sugar

This is a full-fat dressing and has the calories to prove it, but the fat comes from heart-healthy canola oil and the ingredient list is all-natural. "We all need to get some oils,” Caplan says. “You need fat to process vitamin A and vitamin D, which are essential vitamins.” At 100 calories per serving, this dressing is almost too caloric for Caplan, so she advises cutting it with a little vinegar or even water as long as the flavor still satisfies you, or simply have it in 1-tablespoon servings.

Newman's Own Low-Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing

Serving size: 2 tbsp
35 calories
15 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat)
330 mg sodium
4 g sugar

A dressing featuring healthy sesame oil, ginger, and other Oriental-style spices will provide you with a tasty break from your healthy salad dressing routine. This one could also be used to flavor steamed veggies or marinate fish, excellent sources of nutrition on any diet. If you eat salads frequently, have several dressings available to keep your taste buds from becoming bored. “I have the belief that you should love what you eat," Caplan says. "It’s really important.” Trying new flavors can keep you on the diet straight-and-narrow.

Hidden Valley Original Ranch Light

Serving size: 2 tbsp
80 calories
7 g fat (1 g saturated fat)
290 mg sodium
2 g sugar

Creamy dressings are generally seen as diet no-no’s, thanks to their calorie and fat content. So if ranch is a beloved all-purpose dip in your household, buy yourself and your family a few calories by switching to this diet version that has half the calories of the original.

Marie's Lite Chunky Bleu Cheese

Serving size: 2 tbsp
70 calories
7 g fat (1.5 g saturated fat)
290 mg sodium
1 g sugar

Traditional bleu cheese dressing belongs on a “Most Wanted” poster, both for its compelling flavor (good) and its high fat and calories (not so good). Happily, the diet version is competitive with other dressing types in its nutrition profile and has slightly less than half the calories of the full-fat version, which has 160 calories. The beauty of bleu cheese dressings (even diet ones) is that their flavor is very strong so you might be able to get away with even less dressing than the serving size without feeling deprived. Still, shop carefully and be sure to compare nutritional profiles of different brands before you select a bleu cheese dressing.

Newman's Own Light Caesar

Serving size: 2 tbsp
70 calories
6 g fat (1 g saturated fat)
420 mg sodium
2 g sugar

Caesar salads, with their croutons, cheese, and fatty dressing, are notorious diet traps. Fortunately, a light Caesar dressing should provide you with the flavor you crave without any lasting guilt. “Any time you pick a lower-fat product, you’re decreasing calories,” Dobbins says. And that’s always a good thing. So when you crave a flavor, simply opt for the light version and enjoy.

Which is your favourite dressing? Do you have any great salad weight loss recipes to go with these dressings? Comment below and let me know!



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10 Alternatives for Healthy Weight-Loss Foods You Hate

You can avoid what you dislike without hurting 

your pound-dropping efforts.

Sometimes, no matter how good you know a food is for you, you just can’t stomach it. And that’s okay! You don’t have to love every single superfood that seems like the next big thing. “You’ve probably heard a lot of buzz about how healthy certain foods are for you," says Amanda Bontempo, M.S., R.D, an ambulatory oncology dietitian at New York University Langone Medical Center. "While we love these foods—and they’re famous for a reason—they are certainly not the be all, end all of a healthy diet.” Instead of just slashing a gross-out item from your grocery list, here’s what you can replace it with.


Substitute Cauliflower for Kale
Even though many superfoods have landed on the scene, it can often seem like kale has nabbed the number one spot. If you’re not into this veggie, you can still get the health-boosting benefits if you sub in some cauliflower. “Both kale and cauliflower are part of the cruciferous vegetable family that contains glucosinolates, which help eliminate disease-causing toxins and control hormones,” says Bontempo. The glucosinolates have sulfur, which is what gives these vegetables their signature smell. “Be careful not to overcook them because that may deplete some of the nutrients,” says Bontempo. “Try sautéing or roasting.”

Substitute Shrimp for Eggs
Eggs are obviously a breakfast staple (thankfully there are tons of other a.m options if you’re not into ‘em!). When it comes to getting that dose of protein in other ways, turn to shrimp. “Eggs and shrimp are some of the few food sources of choline, which is essential for optimal memory, detoxification of the liver, and nervous system activity,” says Bontempo.

Substitute Nut Butter for Almonds
It feels like one of those perennial nuggets of health wisdom: Almonds make a great snack. And what if you don’t like them? Nut butters, which can range from cashew to sunflower seed, belong on your list. “They’re milder in flavor, but their protein and healthy fat will help keep you full,” says Bontempo. They’re especially useful if your aversion to almonds comes from a texture issue—no crunch.

Substitute Turkey for Grilled Chicken
A grilled chicken breast on your salad every day can get so old, you might forget why you loved it in the first place. Lean turkey to the rescue! “Both of these are very low in fat. Although turkey is often overshadowed by chicken, it’s just as high in protein,” says Bontempo. Even better, it’s versatile, too. “It’s perfect to throw into soups, sandwiches, and salads.”

Substitute Blueberries for Apples
If you can’t fathom why anyone ever thought to call it a “Red Delicious,” you can still reap some of apples’ health benefits from other sources. Blueberries, for instance, are also a fantastic way to get some of an antioxidant called quercetin. “It improves cardiovascular health and encourages healthy blood flow,” says Bontempo. It also inhibits the enzyme that is key for cortisol release, so it protects your mind and body from the damage stress can do.

Substitute Kefir for Almond Milk and Yogurt
We’ve been touting yogurt’s health benefits for some time now, but it can be a polarizing food. Some people just can’t choke it down! If you’re one of them, try kefir or almond milk instead “Kefir is a great drinkable alternative to yogurt with the same probiotic benefits,” says Bontempo. “If you’re cutting back on dairy, try using almond milk, which is still a good calcium source. As an added benefit, a whole cup only has 30 calories.”

Substitute Tahini for Avocado
“Avocado has heart-smart monounsaturated fats and helps lower harmful cholesterol,” says Bontempo. Still not into this green goodness? “Tahini, a paste made from sesame seeds, also provides these heart-healthy fats. It’s also a good source for minerals like potassium, magnesium, and calcium.” The easiest way to try it is in a delicious dressing you can make at home.

Substitute Flaxseeds for Salmon
Salmon is packed with healthy omega-3 fatty acids, but flaxseeds are non-fishy way to consume them. “Since two tablespoons provide five grams of fiber, these will also help keep you full and alleviate constipation,” says Bontempo. Hint: They’re perfect in smoothies.

Substitute Rainbow Carrots for Peppers
Bell peppers pack a healthy punch that carrots can also deliver. Bonus: They can come in really gorgeous colors, too. “Like bell peppers, carrots are also high in anti-inflammatory vitamin C,” says Bontempo. “They’re healthy complex carbohydrates that provide a variety of phytochemicals and antioxidants like beta carotene and lutein from the jewel-toned pigments.” Complex carbs digest more slowly so you feel fuller longer. Antioxidants and phytochemicals help your body fight free radicals.

Substitute Edamame for Beans
If the texture of beans throws you off, edamame can be an easy swap to make. “It’s equally high in protein and fiber,” says Bontempo. It actually wins out, too, because it’s a complete source of protein. That means it provides all the essential amino acids, which beans don’t. Plus, their pretty pale green color makes for some Insta-worthy salads.

Comment below if you found this helpful. Love hearing your feedback.








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10 Healthy Late-Night Snacks

Midnight hunger pangs? Satisfy your cravings without inflating your gut.

What goes better with Corden, Meyers, and Kimmel than Ben & Jerry's and Jimmy John's? Not much else when you've got the late-night munchies, but guess what?  "When you overeat before bed, your body is much more likely to store those calories as fat," says nutritionist Manuel Villacorta, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

That doesn't mean you have to go to bed starving. It means you need to snack right. You want to stick to less than 300 calories—anything more is a meal—and wait at least an hour before hitting the sack so you have plenty of time to digest. With these tips in tow you're bound to see a happier, thinner you appear in no time. 

Strawberry Shake

Blend kefir (it's like a liquid yogurt), strawberries, and a teaspoon of honey for a refreshing protein shake that's also chock-full of digestion-enhancing probiotics. 

Frozen Blueberries

A cup of the fruit is packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and more than 4 grams of fiber. For a richer snack, top them with a little light whipping cream. 

Yogurt cubes

If you're an ice cream lover, try this lean alternative: Pour a homemade smoothie (like the kefir-strawberry mixture above) into ice cube trays, then freeze until slushy. 

Multigrain Pretzels

Whether in stick or twist form, pretzels are a surprisingly good alternative to chips. One ounce—about a handful—boasts just over 100 calories. To add some metabolism-revving protein, dunk 'em in yogurt.

Crackers

For a nutty snack, try Ak-mak crackers (made of stone-ground sesame seeds), multigrain Wasa crackers, or low-fat rye mini toasts. Spread on some hummus or light cheese, or eat with a small slice of lean lunch meat.

Cheese Quesadilla

Sprinkle some grated low-fat cheese, like Jarlesberg light, in between a couple of high-fiber tortillas, then crisp both sides on a cast-iron skillet or indoor grill. The healthiest cheeses have just 3-5 grams of fat per ounce. 

Popcorn

Choose 100-calorie packs of 94% fat-free microwave popcorn. Or air-pop your own. Skip the butter. Instead, raid your spice cabinet: Use lime powder for tang, cayenne pepper for heat, or a dash of cinnamon for sweetness. 

Greek Yogurt

"It's high protein, low in sugar, and can really fill you up," Villacorta says. For more flavor, mix in your own fruit, like sliced papaya. 

Dark Chocolate

The darker the better. Chocolate made with at least 70% cacao contains less sugar and more antioxidants than its milky cousin. 

Dried Figs

Three or four of the chewy, candy-like fruit should do the trick. Still hungry? Pair them with a wedge of light cheese like Laughing Cow. 




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Six Effective Ways to Fight Late Night Cravings

Late night cravings can ruin your diet, and those extra calories are hard to burn off. These tips can help you fight late night cravings as you use FitDay to monitor your weight loss progress by tracking your calorie consumption and the nutritional content of your meals.

1. Eat Lots of Fiber

High fiber foods are low in calories, but keep you feeling full longer. Eat a diet rich in fiber to control cravings and late night hunger. Soluble fiber stabilizes blood sugar levels so that you don't wind up craving sugary treats at night, and insoluble fiber fills your stomach to reduce hunger pains. Eat a fiber rich evening meal that contains plenty of non starchy vegetables, and drink plenty of water throughout the day as well.

2. Stay Busy

One reason late night cravings occur is because you're unwinding after a long day, and looking for a low stress way to occupy yourself. Take up a hobby, like knitting, reading, meditation, jigsaw puzzles or any relaxing activity that keeps your mind occupied and off snacking. Try to get out of the house for a few evenings every week; take a class or join a book club. If you're not at home and feeling bored, you'll be less likely to snack.

3. Eat Dinner Later in the Evening

Most people eat dinner fairly early in the evening, at six or seven o'clock. The problem with this is that it leaves you more likely to get hungry and start having cravings late at night. Push dinner back an hour or two, and you'll find yourself ready for bed before you have a chance to start craving a snack.

4. Plan a Healthy Nighttime Snack

One way to resist gorging yourself on sugary or fatty foods late at night is to plan a healthy late night snack. Bulk vegetable snacks, like carrot sticks, are high in fiber to fill you up; a high protein snack like low fat yogurt will also help you resist sugary treats like cake and cookies. Choose a snack like popcorn, that's low in fat and high in fiber, but can also be eaten slowly; you'll feel fuller with less food and you'll be able to indulge your impulse to snack for longer, without consuming too many extra calories.

5. Eat Regularly Throughout the Day

Eating regular, healthy meals and snacks throughout the day helps to control your blood sugar levels so you're less likely to crave sugar and fats. Base your diet on complex carbohydrates like whole grains, but make sure you eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy products and lean meats. Eat breakfast within 90 minutes of waking up, and have small, healthy mid-morning and mid-afternoon snacks to keep your blood sugar levels stable in between meals.

6. Only Keep Healthy Foods at Home

The best way to avoid eating sugary, fatty snacks is not to bring them home. If you only have healthy snacks in the house, you'll be forced to eat only healthy snacks.

Comment below  what you think, love hearing your thoughts/questions.



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The Hidden Causes of Late-Night Snacking

Hi there. This is your conscience speaking. I happen to know you are still digesting the dinner you ate an hour ago, so I’m curious about what you are doing there with that king-size bowl of chips?

It’s 9:27 p.m., and you’re watching TV. A fast-food commercial comes on and – WHAM! It hits you: An insidious, appalling and almost irresistible craving for a cheeseburger. This is not your average hunger pang. It is a command from an unseen force to rise from your chair, get in the car and find the nearest drive-through or 7-11, or maybe just rummage through your cupboard. What gives?

In some cases the urge to snack late at night is easily attributable to the power of advertising. But other times, it’s not so simple. You may be up paying bills or writing a report when suddenly your brain takes a veering, inexplicable turn toward Oreos and milk. You may rise out of an insomniac toss-and-turn session and head straight to the kitchen for a big bowl of cereal.

You’re not hungry. So why the heck are you chowing down? Get to the bottom of that little mystery and you’ve got a good shot at getting down to your ideal weight.

Behind the secret snack

Not only is nocturnal munching the culprit behind many stubborn weight problems, it also has a nasty way of sabotaging one’s self-esteem.

Late-night snacks tend to be hidden snacks, stolen morsels – the kind of stealth feasts that leave one steeped in shameful self-loathing and neurotic denial. “I’m just having a little bedtime snack,” we say to ourselves. But somehow, night after night one cookie or handful of snacks turns into two, and then the bag comes out. Before long, we’ve ingested more carbohydrates, saturated fats and refined sugars than we did during the course of the entire day. We end up feeling guilty, weak, embarrassed and out of control. We drift off to sleep berating ourselves for having caved into temptation once again and swearing that tomorrow will be different.

The reasons behind late-night snacking are complex and various, so the first step toward overcoming a late-night snacking habit is figuring out your own late-night snacking profile.

What do you tend to eat, when, where and why? Do you tend to eat more when you are alone, or with other people? Do you stop when you reach a certain level of satiety or sleepiness, or only when the food is gone (or worse, you’re nauseous)?

Call your conscience out for an honest chat. Do a little journaling session, asking and answering these questions for yourself on paper. You might be surprised by how much you discover.

Welcome to recovery

Next, it’s time to reprogram yourself. Late-night snacking is in many ways akin to an addiction. It has both psychological and physiological components that can work together to make quitting a real battle of the wills between your conscious mind and your snacking alter ego.

The good news? According to Dan Burley, editor at DietForum.com and author of the site’s five-day Web-course on late-night snacking, it generally takes most people only a week or so to break the habit. After that, things get much easier.

At the outset, when urges and cravings are most likely to be making you crazy, Burley recommends taking a multi-prong approach. Be prepared, he says, to try anything – from distractions and substitutions to self-lectures and new-age rituals – to get through your weakest hours and get a few nights of success under your belt.

Overcoming Hurdles

Once you’ve gone a few nights without snacking, you will probably feel yourself coming out of the forest, likely with some new pride and important insights in tow. Remember, you just have to get through one tough week, so be prepared and stand strong!

Here are the late-night snacking demons to watch out for, plus some smart strategies for fending them off:

Suggestibility: If food ads make you hungry, don’t watch them. Can’t look away? You may do better watching videos instead of TV.

Boredom/Restlessness/Insomnia: Is your mind or body going stir-crazy? Some people eat to shut off their active minds and/or give their hands something to do. Others end up watching TV to kill time, and then start eating because they are watching TV (see Suggestibility, above). The key here is to recognize that you are bored and restless and then make a conscious choice to do something else. Anything else. If you have trouble sleeping, try a tea with Kava Kava or Valerian (both herbs relax you and help you doze off).

Loneliness: Being home alone (particularly during hours when you suspect that happy couples everywhere are cuddling up together) can predispose a solitary person to munch. If your body is lonely, it may call out for company in the form of a hot fudge sundae. Give it a warm bath instead.

Self-denial: If all you let yourself eat during the day is protein shakes and carrot sticks (or you don’t eat enough, period) you are going to break down at night. Eat regular, well-balanced meals, and allow yourself the occasional daytime indulgence. If you are really hungry right before you go to bed, make yourself a small, healthy meal (like a cup of soup) instead of binging on empty calories.

Nutritional Imbalance: If your body isn’t getting enough nutrition, it will send you hungry signals, no matter how much you eat. Also, eating too much sugar or carbs and not getting enough healthy fats during the day can set you up for a blood sugar crash that makes you hungry at night.

Grief: Sad sometimes feels like empty. But eating will just bury your sadness, not relieve it. Instead, light a candle and make tea. Listen to sad music. Have a sob session if you want. Put warm towels on yourself. Rock. Ask a friend to come over and comfort you.

Frustration: Anger and resentment can give you an upset stomach and make you want to eat to sooth it. Being angry or frustrated at yourself may make you “eat at” yourself as a form of punishment. Deal with the real issue instead.

Self-sabotage: Weird as it sounds, you may be eating in order to keep yourself overweight. Subconsciously, we may be afraid of having the body we want – afraid of the attention that could come with having a super body, unsure of how it may alter our relationships with others or simply unsure we are ready to transition into a new form. If you suspect this might be the case, consider getting a few sessions of hypnosis, counseling or acupuncture (or any other type of treatment you find appealing) to help you get your whole system – conscious and subconscious – on board.

Procrastination: If you don’t feel like studying or working, you may find yourself popping up from the task and going to the kitchen a lot. Ask yourself if there is a reason you are putting the task off. Maybe you need more info, maybe you just really don’t want to do it. If you have to do it anyway, try bungee-cording yourself to your chair.

Lack of Outdoor Time: For some people, being in nature “feeds” a very important hunger. If they don’t spend enough time outdoors, they may compensate by eating more. If you suspect you might be one of these people, get outside every single day for at least an hour (getting into the habit of taking a 30-minute walk, morning and night, could totally change your life).

Alternatives to self-destructive snacking

SET A TIMER: Most cravings subside in under 10 minutes. If the bell goes off and you still have the craving, at least you tried! Next time, set it for 15.

EXIT STRATEGY: Get out of the house. Go to a bookstore, a coffee shop (for tea) or better yet, go to the gym!

SELF-TALK: Go to the mirror and talk to yourself out loud about what you plan to eat and why, why you’d rather not, what you might do instead, etc.

MUSIC: Filling your house with music at night may keep you feeling more active, less like vegging out and eating. Making music will keep your hands busy.

CLEANING: Whether you wash the floor, clean out the closet, iron shirts or sort socks, there’s something therapeutic about doing housework late at night. Plus you wake up to a clean place!

NAKEDNESS: Snacking is easier when your body is buried in PJs. Before you start an eating spree, force yourself to strip down to your skivvies or your birthday suit. You’ll either love your body so much you won’t want to undermine it, or you’ll have a reality check to shock you into good behavior.

SELF-CARE: Instead of doing something that trashes your body, do something to treat it: Give yourself a sea-salt body polish, mud mask or pedicure.

BOOKISHNESS: Whether you read histories, novels or self-help books, you’ll be enriching yourself, keeping your hands occupied and your cravings at bay. You could also journal or work on your own ideal-body book (see “New Year, New Way,” page 15).

AROMATHERAPY: Research shows that burning aromatic candles or incense can turn your appetite off (but avoid chocolate and vanilla aromas). Keep a sachet of lavender under your pillow and sniff at will.

DENTAL HYGIENE: Brush your teeth and floss directly after dinner and again before you go to bed. You’ll be less likely to get up and eat.

WATER: Sometimes your body will send you food cravings when it is really thirsty. Need more flavor? Try hot water with lemon, ginger, a little real maple syrup and a dash of cayenne pepper. It’s warming, cleansing and stimulating enough to your tastebuds to kill a lot of cravings.

PRODUCTIVITY: Learn a new skill, paint, knit, take up an instrument, surf the Web, plan your next vacation, make compilation CDs. When you have more fun, interesting things to do, you’ll have far less reason and opportunity to munch.

HEALTHY EATING: If you really are hungry, and if you’ve been active during the day, a nutritious pre-bed snack may be a good thing! Have a little protein to help muscles rebuild; just go easy on fats, refined carbs and sugars.

Comment below your thoughts, or any questions, concerns you may have. Let me know what you think :) love hearing your thoughts x






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