Late Night Snacking : Don't Do It.

Hey party people. 
We are coming up on the completion of week #2. Hopefully things are doing better for you in an overall perspective. Personally, I find things have become easier when it comes to selection of Paleo chow. I  have noticed that several people have mentioned that snacking is/can be an issue. My solution - don't snack late at night. Easier said than done, I know. 
Listen up, monkeys, let me throw some knowledge at you. 


Not only is it better to not get your late night snacky-snack 'on, but if you are going to snack, it is better to do it during the daytime. A recent Northwestern University study found that eating at irregular times (ie - the middle of the night when the body should be more focused on sleep) influences weight gain. The regulation of energy by the body's circadian rhythms may play a significant role. 

"How or why a person gains weight is very complicated, but it clearly is not just calories in and calories out," said Fred Turek, professor of neurobiology and physiology in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and director of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Biology. "Some factors are under circadian control. Better timing of meals, which would require a change in behavior, could be a critical element in slowing the ever-increasing incidence of obesity."

Simply modifying the time of feeding alone can greatly affect body weight. Mice that were fed a high-fat diet during normal sleeping hours gained significantly more weight (a 48 percent weight increase over their baseline) than mice eating the same type and amount of food during naturally wakeful hours (a 20 percent increase over their baseline). There was no statistical difference between the two groups regarding caloric intake or the amount of activity.

Over a period of six weeks, both groups of mice were allowed to eat as much high-fat diet as they wanted during their daily 12-hour feeding phase. (Much like many humans, mice have a preference for high-fat food.) Since mice are nocturnal, the 12-hour feeding phase was during the day for those fed during normal sleeping hours and during the night for those fed during naturally wakeful hours. Food was not provided during the other 12 hours of their day.

Our circadian clock, or biological timing system, governs our daily cycles of feeding, activity and sleep, with respect to external dark and light cycles. Recent studies have found the body's internal clock also regulates energy use, suggesting the timing of meals may matter in the balance between caloric intake and expenditure.

Remember that the United States and the world battle what has been called an "obesity epidemic."  or as I like to call it, "Fatassness". More than 300 million adults worldwide are obese, including more than a third of American adults. Wait, let me put this in an even brighter light. About 2/3 of the US is considered to be overweight; 1/2 of the US's overweight population can be categorized as obese.

These figures are frightening!

USA Obesity Rates Reach Epidemic Proportions
* 58 Million Overweight; 40 Million Obese; 3 Million morbidly Obese
* Eight out of 10 over 25's Overweight
* 78% of American's not meeting basic activity level recommendations
* 25% completely Sedentary
* 76% increase in Type II diabetes in adults 30-40 yrs old since 1990

OK, OK, that is enough scare tactics. Let's look at it with a different perspective. We use food for energy, right? How much energy do you need to sleep? Not much. The nutrients that you have ingested throughout the afternoon more than suffice for the "regeneration" that occurs while we sleep. I'm sure you've heard that you should eat more during the daytime than night. The problem is that we are too easily consoled by food. How many times have you heard, "I've had a rough day, I need to eat [insert bad for you food] tonight?" or "it was a friend's/coworker's/pet's [insert special occasion] today". 

I'm sorry, have I lost you with a section that reminds you of MadLibs in middle school?

Bottom line, is that it is more an effort of us not sabotaging ourselves and/or giving ourselves a scapegoat for doing the wrong thing. Excuses are easier to make than commitments.


Why am I eating so late at night - do I really need so much [whatever I'm eating] to go to sleep? NO.... many times, we just eat out of boredom or out of habit. I know that it feels good to sugar yourself up, but remember that there are consequences to your actions. 
Ok, if I don't eat this cupcake/pie/random pastry will my friend/coworker/pet be upset with me; will I ruin this person's/being's life by not letting said non-Paleo fare trespass my facehole? NO.... chances are, they/it will continue to flourish. Not eating that pastry does not make you a bad person. It shows you that you are in control and that you are not mindless. 

I am well aware that saying "it can't always be a 'special occasion', guys" is probably not what you want to hear at this moment of your Paleo venture. I'm sure that you want tips and techniques to help thwart off the Snacky Monsta within. Alas, NO... Not just NO, but hell NO.  This posting is not meant to coddle you monkeys. It is meant to remind you to have/show more self-discipline. Part of the Paleo Challenge, is seeing and experiencing what you can/will do if/when you take the reigns. 

Keeping it real,

-The Black Lion