Eating healthy is important all around but especially at dinner. Sometimes, it is easy to slip up and order a take-out dinner. If this occurs on occasion, no big deal. However, if it becomes a regular routine, you should strive to make a change. Let’s face it, most of the time the dinner that we order is high in fat, sodium, sugar, or all of the above. When we consume foods that are high in fat, sodium, and sugar, we are subscribing to sleepless nights.

My husband and I have had a period when we found ourselves ordering in frequently, which not only resulted in weight gain but also in poor productivity levels the next day. I recall many times where we would eat high sodium foods late at night, only to spend the night tossing and turning. Then, in the morning we would be irritated with one another while struggling to start the day. We also, would not get much done, which resulted in wanting to cope with more take-out. It can definitely turn into a vicious cycle.

It was not until I started to wake up with numbness in my leg that we started making changes. Ordering in seemed logical after a long day at work, but it was a bad habit that made us miserable and unproductive. So, we started limiting our sodium, fat, sugar, and carbohydrate intake at night. We started eating lighter meals and saving desert to once a week after lunch. As a result, we felt more energized and productive. Furthermore, we started sleeping better.

However, we should not wait until our health is at risk to make changes. If we wait too long it will be much more difficult to change our habits and even worse, it could be too late. Therefore, you should not put off making impactful changes. If you know that you need to make a change then start now. Take a look at your evening meals and examine whether the foods you are consuming are impacting your life negatively. If that is the case, then start by avoiding foods in the evenings that cause you discomfort and harm.

You should avoid these foods before bed time

High Sodium

Foods that tend to be high in sodium include pizza, fries, Chinese, and pretty much any take-out. One of our mishaps in the past has been ordering Chinese food for dinner, which has left us restless all night due to the high sodium content. We also noticed that we sweated more during the night and woke up feeling sluggish. A high sodium intake has been known to lead to high blood pressure, heart failure, stroke and other health consequences, so you will want to limit your sodium intake as much as possible (Farquhar et al., 2015)¹.

High Fat

I must admit that I have a craving for sweets and sometimes it is tough to resist a creamy pastry. Unfortunately, pastries are known for containing fats. Since it is difficult resisting pastries, I try to limit pastries in the house all together. Pastries are only allowed in the house on holidays and on special occasions. This removes the temptation to indulge into fatty baked goods.

Also, my husband’s favorite, which is pizza contains high fats and has left us with many uncomfortable and sleepless nights. Therefore, we have a rule to order pizza only for lunch and only on special occasions. And if we really have a craving for pizza on non-special occasions, we make one from scratch with our own ingredients that usually involve chicken breast, vegetables, and cheddar cheese. Some other foods that are high in fat include fries, burgers, processed foods, and chips. Also, most sweets are high in fat including pastries and chocolate.

High Sugar

Sometimes, after a long day at work, that piece of cake or a piece of chocolate after dinner may sound really good. Think again! Although, the cake may taste great, it most likely will leave you with a restless night and regret. Moreover, it will add unnecessary weight gain that is not easy to lose. Therefore, avoid eating sweets late at night such as cake, chocolate, cookies, and any other delicacies that are high in sugar. Instead, have some nuts or a bowl of fruit. Trust me, you will feel much better in the morning.

High Carbohydrate

Bread, pasta, and rice are best when eaten for lunch. Yes, our body needs carbohydrates to function, and we should include them in our diet, however, we should be selective about which meals we add carbohydrates to. I would recommend having meals that are high in carbohydrates for breakfast or lunch. On the other hand, dinner should always be more of a light meal that includes vegetables and fruit. As indicated breads, pasta and rice are high in carbohydrates, and so are sweets and most take-out options.

Conclusion

Although, every meal is important, what is even more important is what we select to eat for those meals. Dinners should be light because most of the time you are heading straight to bed afterwards and therefore do not require that much fuel. You should worry about fueling your body in the morning and at lunch time. When you prepare your dinner consider the activities that you will be doing. Are you going to the gym and need more calories to burn? Will those activities need a lot of energy expenditure?

By asking yourself those questions you are able to see whether a heavy meal is really necessary. Instead choose foods for dinner that are light such as smoothies, salads or steamed veggies with chicken or tofu. By making better dinner selections, you not only sleep better, but you feel better about yourself overall. You are also more likely to wake up in time and feel more energetic the next day. So, put some thoughts into your dinner before you indulge into something greasy or sugary.

Reference:

1. Farquhar, W.B., Edwards, D.G., Jurkovitz, C.T., & Weintraub, W.S. (2015). Dietary sodium and health: more than just blood pressure. National Library of Medicine. ↩︎

Copyright (2024) ImprovingMindfully All Rights Reserved