What Is the Overnight Diet?

What Is the Overnight Diet?

At Verywell, we believe there is no one-size-fits-all approach to a healthy lifestyle. Successful eating plans need to be individualized and take the whole person into consideration. Prior to starting a new diet plan, consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian, especially if you have an underlying health condition.

What Is the Overnight Diet?

The Overnight Diet is based on the theory that getting a good night's sleep can curb hunger hormones and help you lose weight.1 It was created by Caroline Apovian, MD, a physician, professor of medicine, and obesity researcher at Boston University, based on her research and experience working with patients who are overweight.

This low-calorie eating plan emphasizes whole foods. It's also very high in protein and restricts processed foods, added sugars, and refined carbohydrates. But the diet also involves a smoothie-only fasting day, which could make it hard for some people to sustain. Also, there is no maintenance phase after the diet—Dr. Apovian says to continue the diet after reaching your goal weight to maintain it.

The 7-Day Diet Plan

With an emphasis on whole foods, the nightly diet eliminates refined carbohydrates and processed foods. The food plan allows an unlimited number of non-starchy fruits and vegetables on "Fuel Up" days, which are also included on "Power Up" juice days.

There's a little math that goes into calculating your daily protein needs and planning protein-rich meals to meet that need. However, there is no calorie counting on this plan. Other than one day off, six days in a row, Dr. Abovian does not provide guidance on the number or timing of meals and snacks.

This is an example of a week night diet. Portion sizes are not included in the protein menu because they vary from person to person, but carbohydrate serving sizes are limited for everyone.

Day 1:

 Smoothies Only (recipes included in the book)

Day 2:

 Egg whites, 1 whole-grain toast, avocado, berries. Chicken breast, spinach and strawberry salad. Sirloin steak, ½ cup brown rice, sauteed spinach

Day 3:

 1/4 cup hard shredded oats, stevia, blueberries, Greek yogurt; Tuna, lettuce, apple, nuts and red wine vinegar. Chicken breast, quinoa, broccoli, a glass of red wine

Day 4:

 Greek yogurt, pineapple, almond butter, 1 whole-grain toast; cauliflower rice, shredded chicken, avocado, and red pepper; Pork tenderloin, sauteed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans

Day 5:

 Boiled eggs with egg whites, avocado and grapefruit. tofu, peanut butter sauce, red pepper, cucumber, bean sprouts, lettuce wrap; Whole wheat pasta, lean ground turkey, marinara sauce, side salad with olive oil vinegar

Day 6:

 Hard oats mixed with egg whites, berries and skim milk; Tuna mixed with avocado, bean sprouts, and cucumber wrapped in lettuce; Sauteed shrimp with vegetables and ½ cup cauliflower rice

Day 7: 

 Eggs, low-fat minced chicken sausage, mixed berries; Grilled chicken breast, cauliflower, spinach salad with olive oil dressing; Turkey breast, asparagus, brown rice

What can you eat

Most foods are allowed on the nighttime diet, but some have limits on quantities or portion sizes.

Fruits and vegetables

You can eat as many non-starchy fruits and vegetables as you like.

• spinach
• mushroom
• zucchini
• asparagus
• berries
• An apple
• Grape
• pineapple
• lean protein

Dr. Abovian advocates eating twice the recommended daily amount of protein and consuming plenty of protein each day (without skipping a day). There is a formula in the book to calculate your daily protein needs.

• chicken breast
• Fish and seafood
• Lean beef and pork chops
• egg
• carbohydrates

Although this is a low-carb plan, Dr. Apovian calls the foods lower "lean carbs."

• all grains
• fruit
• Non-starchy vegetables
• Non-nutritive sweeteners
• TRUE
• Fabulous
• local monk fruit
• xylitol

What you can't eat

In Dr. Abovian's opinion, you don't have to give up these foods because they don't consider processed foods high in sugar "real foods."

refined carbohydrates

Since carbohydrates are not as filling as protein, you need to eat more of them to feel full. This in turn leads to increased calorie consumption, which contributes to weight gain. Therefore, refined carbohydrates are not allowed in this diet.

• white bread
• White rice
• refined paste
• luxury cookies
• Processed foods
• fleas
• biscuit
• French fries
• Packed macaroni and cheese
• Sweet breakfast cereal
• Processed meat
• Added sugars
• sweet
• roasting
• sugar

How to prepare the night diet and tips

Some people may find it difficult and time consuming to plan and prepare full meals (no ready made meals allowed), juices are only allowed one day per week, and they incorporate all necessary sleep and exercise into their nightly diet.

It is important to note that the night regimen is not just about getting enough sleep. It's about changing what and how you eat. First, you have to limit calories by fasting one day a week. On this "energy" day, you avoid solid foods and only drink juices (made with fruits, vegetables, skimmed milk or milk substitutes, and yogurt protein or protein powder). For the remaining 6 days of the "Fill", you must adhere to a diet containing lean proteins, fruits and vegetables. Don't count calories, measure points, or limit portion sizes.