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Wednesday, Sep 14 2011 05:09 PM

HEALTH BEAT: Is it ok to snack after 7 p.m.?

By The Bakersfield Californian

Today, I met with two dieticians who recently joined Bakersfield's TERRIO Therapy Fitness, Inc. to launch a nutrition component. Emily Wortiska, a Bakersfield native, returned after working at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. Her colleague Kathleen Janzen joined Terrio from CSU Fresno.

The two approached me after reading my article (http://tinyurl.com/3voo5tv) on the calorie restriction diet, something the two feel strongly doesn't work. "People yo-yo from one diet to the next," Wortiska said. Janzen chimed in: "Telling you to omit or restrict isn't going to work in the long term." They offered to occasionally answer readers' questions on diet and nutrition, which I'll post, along with other health-related news, on this blog.

Q: Should I stop eating after 7 p.m. to avoid weight gain?

A: This is a very common myth amongst dieters thanks to Oprah. Many people who want to lose weight will try to limit their calories after a certain time, but in all actuality, there is nothing magic about not eating after 6 or 7 p.m. What is more important is to eat regular meals so that you give your body fuel to provide energy throughout the day. By depriving your body of food earlier in the day, you set yourself up to overeat at night which can cause weight gain. However, eating regular meals and snacks can help increase satiety and fuel the metabolism which is important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. When picking a night snack try to include a balance of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins like Greek yogurt and fruit, apple and PB, or string cheese and a few whole grain crackers.

 

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