A: It is perfectly acceptable to enjoy a bedtime snack on The South Beach Diet™. There isn't any evidence that nighttime eating will compromise your weight-loss efforts. A recent study performed at the Oregon Health Sciences Institute, for example, found no correlation between nighttime eating and weight gain.
If you find yourself with a case of the midnight munchies, add a late-night snack to your meal plan. This is particularly helpful during Phase 1 of the diet when you are still getting your cravings under control. For many people, nighttime eating also means bingeing on junk foods and desserts. With The South Beach Diet™, many of these unhealthy foods are off-limits — try raw veggies, nuts, cottage cheese, sliced meats, and hummus instead.
If you modify your meal plan to accommodate a midnight snack, but still find you crave high-GI carbohydrates late at night, try these tactics to avoid bingeing:
- Make sure you eat regular meals and all your snacks during the day.
- When a craving hits, drink water.
- Distract yourself —take a bath or go for a walk…whatever it takes to avoid the kitchen.
- Turn off the TV — commercials can tempt you with unhealthy foods.
- Brush your teeth. This may help to remind you that you're done eating for the day.
Arthur Agatston, M.D.
