Let's be honest, most of us do not enjoy dieting, and keeping the weight off requires a lifestyle adjustment. Here's the skinny on getting skinny without much effort on your part at all.

Unsweetened Greek Yogurt

Late-night hunger and food cravings always strike before bed and can be the worst compared to daytime cravings. The search for something filling, tasty and healthy can be overwhelming. Ice cream cravings are hard to reason with. Ice cream seemingly has it alldelicious rich flavors that cover the whole tasty spectrum and a thick creamy sweet finish that leaves us wanting more. But ice cream has a dark side. Thankfully, we can combat it with an equally delicious and creamy dairy treat: Greek yogurt. The unsweetened variety will fill us up without anything extra to worry about.

Tart Cherries

Cherries are a sweet treat that contains melatonin which helps our bodies settle down for some REM sleep. Fresh cherries are best in season, but we can also enjoy the same benefits with dried cherries and cherry juice. Sprinkle a few on that Greek yogurt or some cottage cheese, and we have a great sleep-inducing midnight snack on our hands.

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter or almond butter or cashew butter are all pureed nuts and nuts are an excellent source of protein which fills us up without the unnecessary calories of chocolate cake. Plus we can spread them on a slice of whole wheat bread or an apple for a complete snack with fiber. Sprinkle with a little sea salt for extra minerals, and we’re set.

Turkey

Turkey is a great high-protein midnight snack, especially when paired with whole wheat bread or crackers. Turkey contains a naturally-occurring chemical called tryptophan which works with melatonin to put our brains and bodies to sleep. The B-vitamins from the whole wheat will help our bodies absorb the tryptophan faster, so we get to sleep sooner.

Kefir

Kefir is a fermented dairy drink which helps balance the gut (which is an all-around help booster in general), and since it is a dairy product, it already contains tryptophan and calcium which helps us feel fuller while it goes to work naturally slimming us down. For an extra treat, get chocolate kefir or make it at home with an easy kit.

Almonds

Almonds (and peanuts, walnuts, cashews and pistachios) are all little protein-packed gifts from Mother Nature. They’re small and very snack-friendly and most taste pretty good on their own. If we want a little something extra in the flavor department, there are plenty of varieties available like garlic herb and olive oil almonds from Blue Diamond.

Apple And Almond Milk

Almond milk is protein packed and tastes good. Plus, it gives hope to those who can’t have a glass of regular milk as their midnight snack. There are almond-coconut and almond-cashew milk blends which are extra thick and creamy available. When paired with an apple, we get a one-two punch of sweet fiber and filling protein with our snack.

Cottage Cheese Stuffed Avocado

Cottage cheese and avocado alone might not sound too great but mix them together with a little bit of cayenne or black pepper for a hint of spice, and we are left with a really great and filling late night snack. Best eat quickly before the sensitive avocado turns brown and unappetizing.

Tuna Crackers

While fresh sushi is our preferred way to snack, that is not always budget friendly, so we move to the next best thing which is canned tuna on some whole crackers (a sprinkle of black pepper or paprika makes it all look pretty and classy too). This snack has fiber and protein in a conveniently-sized portion to meet all our needs.

Protein Power Smoothie

If we have a blender and roommates who stay up late, then a good midnight snack is a protein smoothie. Grab your favorite hemp protein powder (berry or chocolate are great), some unsweetened Greek yogurt or almond milk and a handful of berries for a quick put-me-to-bed snack. A dash of honey for extra sweetness never hurts either.

Hard-Boiled Eggs

Eggs are a complete protein packed into a convenient single-portion packaging which is all-natural and biodegradable. A couple of hard-boiled eggs with a sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper or sliced up on whole wheat bread can be surprisingly filling right before bed. Plus we can make extra for lunch tomorrow while we’re at it.

Popcorn

Surprised to see popcorn on this list? It’s really just all the butter we love to slather on our popcorn that is bad for us. Low-fat unbuttered popcorn is quite healthy and contains a lot of fiber. Three cups of popcorn is the same as one cup of brown rice in terms of fiber. Pop some at home without butter and munch away.

Black Olives

Olives are great little snacks that taste good and fit on our fingers. They come in handy little snack-sized portions as well as full cans and jars. The marinated martini olives might be a little much for a bedtime snack but Lindsey or Pearl olives (black or green) are yummy enough to leave us satisfied and on our way to bed.

Hummus And Tomatoes

Classic hummus is a bean-based dip loaded with fiber and protein. It tastes great but gets a bad rap when paired with chips. If we swap the chips for some sweet grape tomatoes (cherry tomatoes will also work too), we have ourselves a yummy midnight snack without any chip-related guilt.

High Fiber Cereal

Choosing a high-fiber cereal is a very adult thing to do. When paired with some milk or almond milk, this can make an excellent late night snack right before bed. We’re feeling full, guilt-free and ready for bed. For an extra sweet treat, top with a few fresh or dried berries or sprinkle the dry cereal onto the thick Greek yogurt.

Banana Oatmeal Cookie

This snack takes a tad bit of foresight. We mush a banana with some rolled oats, and a tablespoon of cacao nibs then bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes. We get the fiber of the oats along with antioxidants, potassium and some melatonin all in one yummy cookie. If there are leftovers, they make a great breakfast.