Calories In vs. Calories Out
Hi everyone! How’s it going today?
My “3am feedings” got me thinking the other day so I thought I’d share with you my thoughts on fat loss and eating late at night.
Is it really a bad thing?
Meh.
Check it out:
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Here’s today’s Workout Song of the Day.
It’s great for cardio.
Just a great fast, weird, fun song! Nothing else. And sometimes that’s all ya need to really grind one out, right?
Enjoy!
Yello – Bostich
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Have a fun, fit and fantastic day.
Girlwithnoname
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January 9th, 2010 at 11:16 pm
Hi Jackie
Thanks for getting the word out about it’s not a problem eating before you sleep. This misconception has lasted long enough. Like you mentioned it’s calories in vs calories burned. I always eat something before it go to sleep. I sleep better and if people eat prior to sleeping they will too.
This can get you to sleep faster. During digestion about one third of your blood moves into the intestinal area to up take the nutrition. You may have noticed after eating a meal you may feel a little sleepy. Even if the food you just ate isn’t high in tryptophan. Digestion is a high priority function and in a healthy body the blood is redistributed during this process. The brain gets less. Even a small reduction to the brain can bring on the feeling that a nap or sleep might be a good idea.
Another reason to eat before sleeping especially when controlling calorie intake or if you regularly work out. You want to keep your blood sugar level up during sleep. If your blood sugar drops below a certain level you may experience what I call a lactic acid jump. It has a lactic acid, glycogen, glucose connection.
You might not notice it happen when you’re sleeping even if it wakes you up. I first looked into this when I was regularly working out. I was falling a sleep and in that in between state. Without notice my body had a single full body spasm. It only lasted a split second. It startled me but it isn’t harmful. I’ve heard other people describe it as feeling like someone slapped or shoved them on the bottom of the feet. With the sensation continuing up the body like a wave.
I found out my body was trying to compensate for a low sugar level. For those that don’t know the body likes to run on glucose and stores it in the form of glycogen. This lactic acid jump doesn’t really help much but if you know it’s happening, use it as an indicator and eat something. Another indication this is happening is if your having bad dreams or nightmares. If the low sugar situation continues there often is a release of adrenaline. Again the body trying to compensate. Since the most common cause for the emotional release of adrenaline is fear, fight or flight this same emotional state enters your dreams. If you’re having bad dreams trying eating before sleep it may help.
Too many people listen to bad science and don’t eat before sleep when they should be listening to there own bodies. Listen to your body it’s trying to talk to you all the time. Thanks for vlogging about this Jackie it will probably help a lot of people get back on the right track.
Kudos, John
January 9th, 2010 at 11:20 pm
WOW John … thanks for the comment. That was one HELL of a comment too. I’m sure everyone here is going to learn a ton from that one. :-) thanks for your loyal following. I love knowing you’re here.
cheers.
J