Eating Late at Night after Long Run?

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hislittlelights
hislittlelights Posts: 21 Member
edited November 2014 in Health and Weight Loss
Okay, so here's the dilemma:

I know you're not supposed to eat within two hours of going to bed for the night (or so I've heard), because the longer period of fasting is beneficial to weight loss.

I run/speedwalk 2-3 times a week for 6-9 miles per session (usually 9). Due to my family's schedule, I cannot run during the day, and must begin after 6:30 in the evening. Most of my calorie burns are around 1,000 for the time spent (on the longer runs). So, do I eat following the exercise since I've depleted energy stores, even though it's going to be within an hour and a half of bedtime, or do I skip the snack? I do try to eat more during the day before the run, to allow for calories that I'm planning on burning, but I usually wind up with 800 calories left after my run, and before I eat anything.

Tips from other runners would be appreciated!

Thank you!
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Replies

  • ASG_21
    ASG_21 Posts: 82 Member
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    Not eating x hours before bed is a long-time myth; meal timing doesn't matter at all. So don't worry about it, and definitely eat up some of those calories that you're burning regardless of what time it might be--not eating them and giving yourself such a steep deficit is what you should be more worried about.
  • hislittlelights
    hislittlelights Posts: 21 Member
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    MrM27 wrote: »
    How many calories do you eat per day?
    What is your caloric intake target daily?

    It doesn't matter if you eat 5 minutes before bed.

    MFP says I should eat 1300 per day, net (I'm 5'1", 180, going for 125-130). I stick to that on most days. I do eat back part of my exercise calories, but I often have 300-500 left on run days because I'm not hungry enough to eat them.

    I've lost almost 40 lbs. since May 2014, some of those before joining MFP.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Plan better. If you see you really are going to do the run, eat some extra before. That's what dessert is for. Then have some afterwards too. Especially if you plan on wanting to do it tomorrow. Give your body something to work with overnight to be stronger.

    The eating right before bed may or may not really matter to you personally in sleeping well. If it doesn't though, it doesn't in regards purely to weight loss.
  • KatrineJensen
    KatrineJensen Posts: 75 Member
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    I'de probably eat at least a little bit, maybe just an apple and some yogurt to get some carbs and protein for my muscles. But honestly, I don't think it's THAT important. Do whatever you feel works for you. For instance, if you have trouble sleeping after eating, don't eat, but if not then go ahead and eat.
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
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    Eat when it best suits you, both from a workout performance and satiety standpoint. Meal timing is irrelevant to weight loss. You could eat at night, or just have a larger lunch/breakfast that day, it doesn't matter.

    Also, you don't need eat to your calorie goal everyday. By that, I mean if you have 800 calories left over, you can spread those out so that you average out over the week. The app has a weekly graph that does this for you nicely. I will be over my calorie goal on my rest days, but well under on my long run day (10-14 miles). My diary is open if you want to peek.
  • hislittlelights
    hislittlelights Posts: 21 Member
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    The_Enginerd wrote: »
    Eat when it best suits you, both from a workout performance and satiety standpoint. Meal timing is irrelevant to weight loss. You could eat at night, or just have a larger lunch/breakfast that day, it doesn't matter.

    Also, you don't need eat to your calorie goal everyday. By that, I mean if you have 800 calories left over, you can spread those out so that you average out over the week. The app has a weekly graph that does this for you nicely. I will be over my calorie goal on my rest days, but well under on my long run day (10-14 miles). My diary is open if you want to peek.

    Thank you all for the replies!

    Thanks for the tip about spreading the calories out over the week. I have started to find it harder to keep to the 1300 on rest days because I have noticed that I am much hungrier on those days since beginning to really increase my running duration and intensity.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
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    So long as you're in a deficit, its irrelevant what time you eat.
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
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    I don't like eating later at night simply because I don't sleep well with a full, gurgling stomach, but eating at night won't affect your weight loss efforts if you stay at a deficit. I would probably eat a bit more before running (around 4:00) and have something light later if still hungry.

    Stay safe running in the dark!
  • ithrowconfetti
    ithrowconfetti Posts: 451 Member
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    The time of your meals don't matter, so long as the calories you ingest, fit within your daily calorie intake. I hope you don't experience any acid reflux/indigestion with eating too close to bedtime, though!
  • jrline
    jrline Posts: 2,353 Member
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    Eat it doesn't matter what time it is as long as you are not over your calories for the day. I am a night jogger too.

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  • indianwin2001
    indianwin2001 Posts: 296 Member
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    I love to eat before bedtime.. I can't sleep if I am hungry
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    Supposedly, your body processes protein better during the thirty minutes minutes after exercise, so you might want to eat something, even though it is late. As far as weight loss is concerned, it probably doesn't make a great deal of difference, though I suspect more will be converted to fat since there would several hours of inactivity following the meal. Don't let that scare you, that's just the body's way of storing energy until it is needed. During your exercise, you probably burned some fat that was stored the day before.
  • hislittlelights
    hislittlelights Posts: 21 Member
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    mitch16 wrote: »
    Stay safe running in the dark!

    I never run in the dark alone. I have some running buddies! =) Makes the miles pass more quickly, too.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    I don't know about the timed eating. I know many people swear by it, but whether it makes any difference - no clue. I do know it is possible to eat late and still lose.

    I'm not hungry after I run. The next day, I'm hungry! My first 3-4 hours, I'm like, "When is it time to eat?!" But not that night. If I was really hungry, I'd eat. :)
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    So long as you're in a deficit, its irrelevant what time you eat.
    Three flags for giving that answer?! Wth.


  • AskTracyAnnK28
    AskTracyAnnK28 Posts: 2,817 Member
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    I'm not a runner, but I don't think it matters if you eat before going to bed. Unless you suffer from frequent heartburn or have any other stomach issues?
  • AskTracyAnnK28
    AskTracyAnnK28 Posts: 2,817 Member
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    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    So long as you're in a deficit, its irrelevant what time you eat.

    Why do you keep getting flagged??? I'm starting to think that A) someone has it out for you or B) some posters are mistaking the 'flag' option for the Facebook 'like' option?

  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    tracyannk28 wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    So long as you're in a deficit, its irrelevant what time you eat.

    Why do you keep getting flagged??? I'm starting to think that A) someone has it out for you or B) some posters are mistaking the 'flag' option for the Facebook 'like' option?

    She gets flagged all the time, for no good reason. She can say something nice, helpful and encouraging - she'll get flagged.

    Why? Someone has problems that have nothing to do with her, but they've focused on flagging her, for whatever reason.

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