What healthy foods can I snack on at night? (Instead of crisps/chips and chocolate!)

First ask yourself if you want a 'snack' or to eat because you're watching TV and just want something to do? About a year ago I decided I wasn't losing weight, even though i'd changed my eating portions and types of foods drastically. Then a thin friend (healthy thin, not a stick) told me that she never eats anything after 7 P.M. She goest to bed at 10 PM. Your body stores those calories because you're not doing anything to burn them up. I decided to try this, and it wasn't easy, but it worked. I didn't lose ten pounds in a week, but I did loose six pounds over the next few months, and that's amazing in my world!

I still want a bedtime snack once in a while, but keep it to focussed eating - not randomly munching away while doing something else, like sufting the net or watchingTV. Here are some yummy, yet healthy choices I came up with.

Blueberry-Yogurt Freeze: Stir a few tablesppons off frozen blueberries into a cup of plain yogurt. The frozen berries thicken the yogurt and makes it like ice cream.. Some granola sprinkled over yogurt is also tasty and healthy.

If you have a food processor - freeze some fruit (berries, your over-ripe bananas, mango). Freeze them in portion sized snack bags. Toss them in the food processor with a little coconut or almond milk creamer, a tiny pinch of salt and some vanilla - instant faux ice cream! Or, make a large batch and freeze it in small (1/2 cup) containers or freezer bags. They are also great to add to your smoothies.

Plain yogurt with a tablespoon of raw honey drizzled on it and a sprinkling of chopped pecans. Sweetened yogurt has about 17 teaspoons of sugar (or worse yet, high fructose corn syrup) which isn't good for you. A spoonful of real honey contains all sorts of good things for your body (like a natural antibiotic and immune boosters).

Thinly slice a potato (white or sweet) with a potato peeler. Spray a cookie sheet with PAM, arrange the potato slices on the cookies sheet so they're not touching or overlapping. Spray them lightly with PAM, sprinkly with salt to taste and back them in a 370F oven for about ten to fifteen minutes - or until they are lightly brown and crispy.

A large mug of hot herbal tea with honey fills you up and Chamomile will help you sleep.

Popcorn is a good light evening snack, but keep the portion size small and the fat content low.

A small handful of nuts (walnuts, cashews, almonds, Brazil nuts, pecans, peanuts) are satisfying and nutritious. Eat them slowly, one at a time - the pacing helps a lot in making you feel like you've had a real snack.

Fresh fruit is healthy, but it's high in sugar and my keep you awake and the sugar will be stored as fat while you sleep. Very healthy fruits that are lower in calories blueberries, raspberries and strawberries (unsweetened). A small plate of them frozen (about 1/2 cup) are lovely on a hot summer night.

Our holistic doctor recommends that I eat only apples and pears while trying to lose weight. The nutritive value offset the sugar/calorie count.

Celery sticks stuffed with peanut butter (only one TBS peanut butter - it's good for you, but make sure you eat more celery and less peanut butter. Some folks also like almond butter or Tahini (sesame seed butter). .Apple slices and peanut butter are also yummy.

A bowl of hot oatmeal or other cooked cereal with some fresh raspberries, strawberries or blueberries sprinkled on it, or a drizzle of honey. It's filling and satisfying. The fiber and nutrients help a lot.

A bowl of chicken broth or chicken soup with parsley, onions and celery. The celery will make you sleepy and help you stay asleep. Avoid soups with carrots or potatoes at bedtime as they're high in sugar and carbs.

Assorted veggies help, celery, cucumber, broccoli, cauliflower are low in carbs and fill you up. Avoid the dips.

I hope these suggestions help and at least one will become your night time favorite.

I hope these ideas help!