carbs

Question
Just wondering if consuming carbs late at night like fat free yogurt or a lowfat waffle causes fat storage? Thanks!

Answer
Hi Michele,

Eating more calories than you need is what causes fat storage: If you've eaten your daily supply of calories, it doesn't matter what you eat that's extra--500 calories of cake or 500 calories of fruit--your body will store the excess energy (calories) as fat so you can use it later.

If you like a snack at night, I would suggest eating a bit less at dinner time. Save the calories from a roll with butter to use for the low-fat waffle, or eat 2 oz less of chicken to have room in your calorie budget for a fat-free yogurt.

It sounds like you are making low-calorie and healthy choices for your snack, so just keep portion sizes in mind and track your weight for a while--if you see you're gaining 1-2 pounds after a month, scale back on 100-200 calories during the day, preferably from some non-essential like butter or cookies!

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