Is a late-night snack really that bad?

Anyone who has tried dieting knows the rules: to avoid weight gain, kick the midnight munchies. It's a common belief that eating before bed yields undesirable results, but like anything else, moderation is the key. Like this article suggests, it's not so much about indulging after dark as it is about how much and what you are consuming.

Truth be told, getting most of your calories in during the day is ideal. People are most active at this time so it makes sense. However, many of us don't go to sleep right after dinner so feeling a little hungry closer to bedtime is completely natural. So is raiding the fridge really that bad? Not if you limit your intake to less than 150 calories. Don't go for the ice cream or cake either. Go for something unprocessed like fruit or cereal.

Of course, you could always check out the Top 10 foods for sleeping better to get some more ideas. Grabbing a small after-dinner snack is not that bad, but starving yourself to avoid any additional calories could backfire. Restlessness from a hungry stomach could send you scrambling to fill the void at midnight when you least need it.