Will eating late at night destroy my weight-loss plan?

Your weight gain or loss is determined by the amount of calories you consume versus the amount your body uses. Take in more calories than you burn off and the excess calories will be stored as body fat. Burn off more calories than you take in and you will lose body fat. The time of day the calories are consumed does not factor into this exchange. A metabolic diet (eating clean, small meals 5 to 6 times a day) can include late-night eating, as long as the last meal of the day is part as the daily food-plan. A metabolic diet (aka 'clean eating') together with our metabolic workouts are designed to increase your metabolism, even at rest or when you sleep at night.

The problem with eating late at night is that it can disrupt your sleep and most people usually eat late at night for reasons other than hunger. The choices many people make when selecting a late meal or snack are not usually nutritionally sound (read “junk” or “empty calories”). When deciding whether or not to eat a late night snack make sure your are actually hungry and that the choice you make is nutritionally sound. Light foods like bananas, carrots, apples, raw almonds,, celery sticks with natural unprocessed peanut butter or even low-sodium,no-butter air-popped popcorn make good snack choices.

Where can I find non-animal quality proteins to build lean muscles?

Never heard of a famous vegetarian bodybuilder? Bill Pearl is probably the most well-known of vegetarian bodybuilders. At his own peak as a bodybuilder when he last won the Mr. Universe in 1971, Bill weighed 242 pounds at a height of 5'10" and his arms measured 21 inches

While just about every whole food contains some protein, the soybean deserves special mention, for it contains all the essential amino acids and surpasses all other food plants in the amount of protein that it can deliver to the human system. In this regard, it is nearly equal to meat.

The many different and delicious soy products (such as tempeh, soy "hot dogs" and "burgers," Tofutti brand "ice cream," soy milk, and tofu) available in health and grocery stores suggest that the soybean, in its many forms, can accommodate a wide range of tastes.

Other rich sources of non-animal protein include legumes, nuts, seeds, yeast, green vegetables (the greener the better) and freshwater algae. Although food yeasts ("nutritional yeast" and "brewer’s yeast") do not lend themselves to forming the center of one's diet, they are extremely nutritious additions to most menus (in soups, gravies, breads, casseroles, and dips). Most yeasts get about 50 percent of their calories from protein.

Here are some examples of vegetarian foods with high sources of plant protein:

PROTEIN IN LEGUMES: Garbanzo beans, Kidney beans, Lentils, Lima beans, Navy beans, Soybeans, Split peas

PROTEIN IN GRAINS: Barley, Brown rice, Buckwheat, Millet, Oatmeal, Quinoa, Rye, Wheat germ, Wheat, hard red, Wild rice

VEGETABLE PROTEIN: Artichokes, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Green peas, Green pepper, Kale, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Mustard green, Onions, Potatoes, Spinach, Tomatoes, Turnip greens, Watercress, Yams, Zucchini

PROTEIN IN FRUITS: Apple, Banana, Cantaloupe, Grape, Grapefruit, Honeydew melon, Orange, Papaya, Peach, Pear, Pineapple, Strawberry, Tangerine, Watermelon

PROTEIN IN NUTS AND SEEDS: Almonds, Cashews, Filberts, Hemp Seeds, Peanuts, Pumpkin seeds, Sesame seeds, Sunflower seeds, Walnuts (black)

One excellent ingredient to look for is hemp seed protein. Hemp seed is an nutritious dietary source of easily digestible gluten-free protein. It provides a well-balanced array of all the amino acids, including 34.6 grams of protein for each 100 grams. The fatty acid profile of the hemp seed is extremely beneficial, containing omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in a virtually ideal ratio. Other beneficial aspects of hemp seed include a strongly favorable unsaturated-to-saturated fat ratio; a high content of antioxidants; and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals.