First, the biggest truth about late-night eating is that your total calorie intake is what matters most. If you consume too many calories in your late-night snack, it doesn't matter what you're eating, you will gain weight.

At the same time, if you work the calories consumed in that snack into your total daily calorie intake, there is no reason that you would gain weight from it.

At the end of the day, it's all about balance. Are the calories you've consumed in line with your daily target? If you went over your limit because of your late-night snack, you'll sabotage your weight-loss efforts.

The next thing to remember is that your food choices will influence your total calorie intake. If you are snacking on chips and chocolate bars before bed, it doesn't take much to realize that this will add up fast. This is the biggest reason that people gain weight from eating late at night. It's not that they are eating, it's what they are eating.

Instead, if you choose foods that are lighter – lean protein and some veggies, for instance – that should keep you feeling satisfied and ensure your body continues to burn fat into the overnight period.

When it comes to carbs at bedtime, eat them in moderation. You don't want too many carbs because this can cause an increase in blood glucose levels, which will then create a crash later on and could wake you up at night.

At the same time, some carbs can be beneficial because carbohydrates do cause the release of serotonin in the bloodstream, which can make you feel sleepy and make it easier to get to sleep.

So, balance is key. Consuming 20-30 grams of carbs should be okay at this meal, but avoid going over that. And make sure that you work those carbs into your target daily allotment.

Finally, be mindful of any beverages you drink before bed with your snack. The last thing you want is to be up at night using the bathroom multiple times because this will really disrupt your sleep quality.

Getting consecutive hours of sleep is what is key for waking up feeling well-rested, so that is what you want to focus on.

Too much liquid will make that difficult.

So, keep these points in mind and don't feel guilty about consuming a few calories before bed. Just make sure that you plan ahead and work these calories into your daily total so that they don't end up as extra weight gain.