You may have heard that eating before bed will cause you to GAIN weight.

There’s some good news, and that good news is that not every food that you eat past 7PM will be automatically deposited to your butt, thighs and love handles. The key is knowing which foods to eat and which to avoid as the evening progresses.

Here’s a good rule of thumb: avoid carbs before bed in favor of slow-digesting high-quality protein.

Carbohydrate consumption causes a significant rise in the storage hormone insulin, which also puts the brakes on fat burning. Not all carbohydrates are bad, green vegetables contain little calories, are high in fiber, and they’re very filling.

The best slow digesting protein foods are animal and marine protein sources such as chicken, turkey, and fish because they digest slowly and have a very low insulin release. These sources also promote the release of another hormone, glucagon, which assists the body with breaking down stored carbs and fat within your body to be burned for energy. Red meat has a significantly higher insulin response so it’s best to avoid in the evening.

Avoid taking a simple whey protein powder before bed, research has shown that it causes more of an insulin release than white bread! Instead you need a time-released blend that includes a blend of slow-digesting, high-quality proteins.