The Perfect Bedtime Snacks: Low Calorie, Easy to Make, Prometabolic & 100% Weightloss Friendly

When trying to lose weight, sleep is as important as a calorie deficit – because without quality sleep, stress hormones rise and your metabolic rate slows which encourages your body to more likely store calories as fat, especially around your midsection.

Sleep deprivation is associated with many health issues: weight gain/obesity, depression, poor recovery, fatigue, accelerated ageing, diabetes, menopause, hormonal imbalances and a weakened immune system.

Eating a small pre-bedtime snack that contains calcium, salt, casein, sugar and glycine ensures your body has sufficient nutrients to cater for the 8hr sleep-fast to reduce stress hormones, induce a deeper and more restorative sleep, and help your body repair so you wake up fresh and ready to set your day on fire!

The benefits of eating a prometabolic bedtime snack:

• Lowers stress hormones
• Helps stabilise blood sugar
• Optimises basal body temperature (metabolic rate)
• Promotes quality sleep – induces deep sleep
• Lowers PTH which can contribute to insomnia
• Provides nutrients for body to recover and repair
• Sugars suppress the waking signal in the brain
• Improves circulation
• Protects from muscle loss
• Increases fat loss

Milky Protein Marshmallows (Makes 2 servings)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of A2 light milk (or any milk)
• 20g gelatin (I use Saturee brand – use code: BODYIQ for 10% OFF)
• 3tsp castor sugar OR Natvia sweetner
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1 heaped scoop (30g) vanilla casein protein powder OR whey – you can use ANY flavour for this. I used Rule1 Vanilla Crème casein because of its delicious vanilla flavour and quality ingredients – the protein that you use is where the flavour comes from – so experiment with different protein powder flavours: chocolate, strawberry, salted caramel etc.
• Optional: 1tbsp sweetened coconut shreds

Method:

1. Pour milk into a small saucepan and sprinkle gelatin over the top. Heat it up lightly, about 3mins and let it cool briefly.
2. Transfer to a mixing bowl, add sugar, vanilla extract and salt and mix for 8mins exactly. Mixture should be fluffy and much thicker.
3. Add casein or whey and mix for another 1 minute.
4. Pour immediately into a baking paper lined tray and sprinkle coconut shreds over the top.
5. Refrigerate for at least 30mins – the longer the better.

Frozen Blueberry Cheesecake (Makes 1 serving)

Ingredients:

• 125g reduced fat cottage cheese
• 5-10g grass-fed collagen (I use Saturee brand – use code: BODYIQ for 10% OFF)
• 2tsp raw honey or sugar or Natvia sweetener
• 75g frozen blueberries
• Splash of A2 light milk
• Pinch of sea salt

Method:

1. Nutribullet all ingredients and transfer into a dessert bowl.
2. Freeze for 30mins or eat straight away – it’s delicious either way!

Best Hot Chocolate Ever! (Makes 1 serving)

Ingredients:

• 200ml A2 light milk (or milk of choice)
• 2x squares of Lindt Excellence 85% dark chocolate
• 2tsp castor sugar or maple syrup or Natvia sweetener
• 2tsp cacao powder
• Pinch of ground cinnamon
• Pinch of sea salt
• 5g collagen (I use Saturee brand – use code: BODYIQ for 10% OFF)
• Topping options: grated Lindt chocolate or milk froth or marshmallows or small scoop of vanilla Haagen Dazs real ice-cream
• Optional: add in 15g of vanilla casein or whey powder

Method:

1. Heat milk over medium heat until simmering.
2. Add in Lindt chocolate, cacao powder, sugar or maple syrup, cinnamon, salt and collagen and whisk with a fork until ingredients dissolve and become smooth.
3. Pour mixture into a mug and top with Lindt choc shavings (grated), marshmallows, milk froth or quality vanilla ice-cream.

Rice Cakes Collagen Tiramisu (Makes 1 serving)

Ingredients:

• 3 thin rice cakes
• 135g vanilla YoPro yoghurt
• 15g vanilla casein or whey powder
• 10g collagen (I use Saturee brand – use code: BODYIQ for 10% OFF)
• Splash of coconut or A2 light milk
• Cup of decaf or real coffee – it won’t keep you awake as you are using a very small amount. Alternatively make this strawberry or caramel flavoured by using strawberry or caramel yoghurt and casein or whey – dip the rice cakes in A2 light milk instead of coffee.
• Topping: 1-2 g cacao powder or Avalanche chocolate powder

Method:

1. Prepare a cup of black coffee.
2. In a bowl, mix yoghurt and protein powder. Add splash of milk if needed. Mix well.
3. On a serving plate (or bowl) add a layer of yoghurt mixture.
4. Dunk one rice cake in the coffee then place this on top of the yoghurt layer.
5. Repeat the steps to create layers of rice cakes and yoghurt mixture.
6. Put the tiramisu in the fridge for 30 minutes – 1 hour.
7. Dust with cacao or chocolate powder before serving. Enjoy!

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Article by Kinga Fourie
Certified Nutritionist, BodyIQ Founder & IFBB Figure Champion