Bedtime snacks

I'm right there with ya. I cave nearly every night and wolf down a HUMONGOUS bowl of ice cream. I have gotten some suggestions though for alternatives... peanut butter sandwich, yogurt with granola, fruit, etc... which I want to employ in 08.

I usually workout at 5 am and never eat anything prior so usually I don't eat breakfast until 8-830 am..so I feel for me, it's really a good idea to eat prior to bedtime. Not sure if it really matters what one eats in terms of caloric burn late at night... as I believe if we take in more than we burn, it winds up stored as fat. So for me, its a matter of NOT going for a second bowl of ice cream

A slow Protein Shake - there are two types - fast and slow digestive - take one before bed - slow and you will fill up and build muscle - I did this while weight training and it works. 

The 6 small meals thing is actually a pretty good idea. I used to do this when I was in college. Sadly,  being chained to a desk at a job, when leaving food in the community fridge might result in someone eating it, etc, is not very conducive to this plan. But it definitely keeps you from being hungry at night.

Down a glass of milk (or soymilk), a small serving of low-fat cottage cheese or some pb or low-fat cheese on a couple of multi-grain crackers. That usually does it for me.

Yeah, I'm re-reading my copy of Dr. Bob Arnot's Revolutionary Weight Control, and he suggests a small bowl of cereal and milk (about 100 calories) before bed.  According to him, it has a combination of protein and carb, but is easy to digest so it doesn't make your system work hard when you're trying to sleep.   

He also suggests 2-oz cottage cheese and half a piece of fruit as an alternative. 

I've been watching what I'm eating over the last month and have lost 5 pounds so far.  Sometimes, I'm very hungry at night.  So hungry that I can't sleep.  When that happens, I get up and fill a coffee mug with cheerios and honey nut cheerios (half and half) and a little milk.  That really puts the kibosh on my hunger and lets me sleep.   

I don't know how anyone can not like cottage cheese.  I usually eat at least 1 cup a night before bed and it is really the only thing that holds me over.  I have tried other snacks, but have had to get up in the middle of the night to eat.

I eat lean turkey or sugar free yogurt before bed.

My nutritionist suggested protein before bed only if trying to lose weight no carbs after 7 pm. He suggested protein shake but honestly I like real food rather than drinks and stuff.

My late-time snacking usually is one of 2 things:

(1) half a peanut butter sandwich on WW bread; or

(2) a bowl of fat-free microwave popcorn.

As to the popcorn, I remember reading in Men's Health that some of the chemicals in popcorn can help you fall asleep at night.  Plus, have half the bag and it is about 150 calories - but takes 15-20 minutes to eat all the popcorn.

then again, I always have about 5 or 6 Mike & Ikes right before I fall asleep - as it is a weird tradition thing for me - I keep a big box of M&I in my nightstand, take a small handful when I'm first in bed and then seem to fall asleep right thereafter.  it is more psycho-sematic - so it may not work for you...