eating before bed

17746991
17746991 Posts: 35
in Health and Weight Loss
hi
I go to the gym quite late and often I don't eat dinner til afterwards
and even if I do have dinner before hand I am still hungry for a snack when I get home after finishing my workout
is this ok cause I am usually in bed an hour or two after this? cause ive heard eating too close to bedtime is a bad thing for weight loss (it doesn't affect my sleep by the way)
or should I just not eat after the gym?
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Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    edited October 2014
    You can eat whenever you want. Total calories is all that matters. When you eat and frequency have no impact on weight loss.
  • pinkiezoom
    pinkiezoom Posts: 409 Member
    i wondered the same, as i have my evening meal after the gym, and wondered if i should be having it before!
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Not sure I would bother eating a lot just before bed time, I prefer to use up the fuel after adding it and sleep is the worst case for that so more will get stored and need dragging out of storage later.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    I should note, for some people, eating a lot of food before bed can affect their sleep. I am not one of those though.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    You can eat whenever you want. Total calories is all that matters. When you eat and frequency have no impact on weight loss.

    this
  • BombshellPhoenix
    BombshellPhoenix Posts: 1,693 Member
    Doesn't matter. It's overall calories. I eat up to 1000 calories some nights, right before bed. Lost 53 lbs doing so
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    You can eat whenever you want. Total calories is all that matters. When you eat and frequency have no impact on weight loss.

    Yup. It's just one of those myths that get thrown around.
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  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    you heard wrong ..

    meal timing and metabolism have zero relationship..

    so continue as is…

  • rivka_m
    rivka_m Posts: 1,007 Member
    Not unless it causes you other issues like problems sleeping (it does for me, acid reflux). It won't affect your weight loss though.
  • jess_blonde
    jess_blonde Posts: 229 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    You can eat whenever you want. Total calories is all that matters. When you eat and frequency have no impact on weight loss.

    This. And thank god for that...I'm a nurse so my shifts can be all over the place. Some days I eat breakfast at 4pm, lunch at 10pm and dinner at 3am the next morning. Eat in a deficit and you will lose :)
  • 4daluvof_candice
    4daluvof_candice Posts: 483 Member
    Your body does not know what time it is.
  • rgrady33
    rgrady33 Posts: 48 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    You can eat whenever you want. Total calories is all that matters. When you eat and frequency have no impact on weight loss.

    This with one caveat: if you are eating the calories back from your workout it might be more worthwhile to you to eat larger meals early in the day followed by a light dinner. That way you can be more satisfied throughout the day and sleep away any hunger that might remain.

  • KylaDenay
    KylaDenay Posts: 1,585 Member
    I do the same thing. I like to workout after work. Then I cook dinner and finally eat. Its okay and doesn't matter when you eat.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Whether meal timing matters or doesn't matter - if you're hungry, you should eat.
  • onefortyone
    onefortyone Posts: 531 Member
    I eat right before bed most nights, losing weight just fine. Your metabolism doesn't sleep, neither does your heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, stomach, or intestines.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    rgrady33 wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    You can eat whenever you want. Total calories is all that matters. When you eat and frequency have no impact on weight loss.

    This with one caveat: if you are eating the calories back from your workout it might be more worthwhile to you to eat larger meals early in the day followed by a light dinner. That way you can be more satisfied throughout the day and sleep away any hunger that might remain.

    I wouldn't have that caveat. Meal size preference is highly individualistic.
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    You can eat whenever you want. Total calories is all that matters. When you eat and frequency have no impact on weight loss.

    This!

    I typically eat dessert curled up in bed watching tv and immediately fall asleep, it's had no impact on my weight loss.

    As long as eating doesn't impact your sleep don't worry about it.
  • rgrady33
    rgrady33 Posts: 48 Member
    psulemon wrote: »
    rgrady33 wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    You can eat whenever you want. Total calories is all that matters. When you eat and frequency have no impact on weight loss.

    This with one caveat: if you are eating the calories back from your workout it might be more worthwhile to you to eat larger meals early in the day followed by a light dinner. That way you can be more satisfied throughout the day and sleep away any hunger that might remain.

    I wouldn't have that caveat. Meal size preference is highly individualistic.

    You don't say....
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
    I agree with everyone else. Meal timing doesn't matter at all.

    Just to clarify why that myth came about. The problem started because people eat their normal calories in the daytime, THEN add more by eating late at night, gain weight, and blame it on eating late at night, when all that happened is they went over their daily calorie amount.
  • mz_getskinny
    mz_getskinny Posts: 258 Member
    I eat all of my calories at night. I finish my eating window with a bowl of cereal about 30 minutes before I lay down every night. I am consistently losing 2 lbs/week :) Timing doesn't matter!
  • zerstreutesMaedchen
    zerstreutesMaedchen Posts: 13
    edited October 2014
    It's fine to eat at night. You should always have a meal after a workout, especially if you did weights.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    edited November 2014
    psulemon wrote: »
    You can eat whenever you want. Total calories is all that matters. When you eat and frequency have no impact on weight loss.

    psulemon how long are you going to be stuck on that false concept that only 'total calories is all that matters"?

    Sure eating before bedtime when you metabolism wants to slow down is less than idea but sometimes is hard to avoid. Typically it is best to not eat after 5 pm if you go to bed 9-10 pm my scales tell me. :)
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  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    GaleHawkins wrote: »
    psulemon how long are you going to be stuck on that false concept that only 'total calories is all that matters"?

    Sure eating before bedtime when you metabolism wants to slow down is less than idea but sometimes is hard to avoid. Typically it is best to not eat after 5 pm if you go to bed 9-10 pm my scales tell me. :)
    You are on planet earth right? Look, its after 5 and I'm eating IN BED!
  • PrizePopple
    PrizePopple Posts: 3,133 Member
    GaleHawkins wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    You can eat whenever you want. Total calories is all that matters. When you eat and frequency have no impact on weight loss.

    psulemon how long are you going to be stuck on that false concept that only 'total calories is all that matters"?

    Sure eating before bedtime when you metabolism wants to slow down is less than idea but sometimes is hard to avoid. Typically it is best to not eat after 5 pm if you go to bed 9-10 pm my scales tell me. :)

    I need a scale that gives me magical advice about when not to eat....
  • BombshellPhoenix
    BombshellPhoenix Posts: 1,693 Member
    edited November 2014
    GaleHawkins wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    You can eat whenever you want. Total calories is all that matters. When you eat and frequency have no impact on weight loss.

    psulemon how long are you going to be stuck on that false concept that only 'total calories is all that matters"?

    Sure eating before bedtime when you metabolism wants to slow down is less than idea but sometimes is hard to avoid. Typically it is best to not eat after 5 pm if you go to bed 9-10 pm my scales tell me. :)

    Your scale tells you when I go to bed? Creepy.

    I seemed to have lost 53 lbs eating a large majority of my calories after 5 pm... like 1k plus some days... seems my metabolism is fine....

    ETA : omg, I just ate a pint of ice cream at 1130pm and laid down for bed....
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    GaleHawkins wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    You can eat whenever you want. Total calories is all that matters. When you eat and frequency have no impact on weight loss.

    psulemon how long are you going to be stuck on that false concept that only 'total calories is all that matters"?

    Sure eating before bedtime when you metabolism wants to slow down is less than idea but sometimes is hard to avoid. Typically it is best to not eat after 5 pm if you go to bed 9-10 pm my scales tell me. :)

    I have 312 reason that theory holds very little water.... I take a 500-600 calorie snack to bed with me every night (because I need to hit my TOTAL CALORIES) for the day and somehow managed to lose a couple pounds.... ☺
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  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    CyberEd312 wrote: »
    GaleHawkins wrote: »
    psulemon wrote: »
    You can eat whenever you want. Total calories is all that matters. When you eat and frequency have no impact on weight loss.

    psulemon how long are you going to be stuck on that false concept that only 'total calories is all that matters"?

    Sure eating before bedtime when you metabolism wants to slow down is less than idea but sometimes is hard to avoid. Typically it is best to not eat after 5 pm if you go to bed 9-10 pm my scales tell me. :)

    I have 312 reason that theory holds very little water.... I take a 500-600 calorie snack to bed with me every night (because I need to hit my TOTAL CALORIES) for the day and somehow managed to lose a couple pounds.... ☺

    *Sees Psulemon's and Ed's weight loss and applauds them on their success*

    *looks at "something else" and just smiles*

    Well, I think the proof is in the pudding on what is a false concept and not. *shrugs*

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