I don't eat past...

Carlos_421

Sugarbeat wrote: »

Carlos_421 wrote: »

I know a guy (he's that guy we all know who was in great shape as a teenager so he knows all there is to know about fitness) who decided that what he needed to do to lose weight was stop eating after 8 o'clock. However, his definition of "not eating" was that he wouldn't eat anything EXCEPT popcorn and milk (which is better than a bag of oreos, I guess) because popcorn is healthy and light and because milk is liquid (thus not food, I suppose).

Well one night a group of us found ourselves at McDonald's around 10pm. He wouldn't order any food because it was after 8. Instead, he went to the gas station next door and bought a half gallon of chocolate milk. He explained to us how that he can't eat past 8 because he needs to lose weight so he'll just have the milk instead.

He proceeded to drink all 1,600 calories worth of the chocolate milk. My 600 calorie quarter pounder was delicious.

He's still as big as ever, by the way.

Makes perfect sense - kidding. Don't they serve milk at McDonalds? And why not a light salad to go with it? I guess it all made sense to him at the time, lol.

Not by the half gallon. lol
I guess the salad would have messed up his diet since it's not popcorn. lol

Sued0nim

Carlos_421 wrote: »

I know a guy (he's that guy we all know who was in great shape as a teenager so he knows all there is to know about fitness) who decided that what he needed to do to lose weight was stop eating after 8 o'clock. However, his definition of "not eating" was that he wouldn't eat anything EXCEPT popcorn and milk (which is better than a bag of oreos, I guess) because popcorn is healthy and light and because milk is liquid (thus not food, I suppose).

Well one night a group of us found ourselves at McDonald's around 10pm. He wouldn't order any food because it was after 8. Instead, he went to the gas station next door and bought a half gallon of chocolate milk. He explained to us how that he can't eat past 8 because he needs to lose weight so he'll just have the milk instead.

He proceeded to drink all 1,600 calories worth of the chocolate milk. My 600 calorie quarter pounder was delicious.

He's still as big as ever, by the way.

stories like this make me smile

StaciMarie1974

If eating leads to heart burn and you being up all night: pay attention to how your body reacts and adjust your routines accordingly.

Personally I don't eat past midnight. Except for when I do, I log it as the next day.

YanmiYann wrote: »

I know a lot of people who have I don't eat past a certain time rule. I'm not one of them. But it got me thinking, is it good to have a I don't eat past a certain time rule?

If you have one. What time don't you eat past and why?

jhall260

I don't have a set time, but I don't like eating after 8 or 9 generally. I find it makes me early morning work outs better. I have been known to have a few late night snacks though.

Lounmoun

I don't really have a rule but I don't really eat after I brush my teeth and go to bed until morning. I generally have a snack between 8 PM and 11 PM.

lemurcat12

I eat dinner really late, usually after 9, sometimes after 10, because I work late and either work out or have some kind of activity in the evening when I don't. So I don't eat after dinner (which might include dessert, but there's never a break in-between).

I agree with all of those saying timing doesn't matter unless it does for you personally for some reason. For me it's best not to snack in an unplanned way and because I eat so late anyway I'm never actually hungry after dinner.

cwolfman13

The only reason would be for dietary adherence.

I don't have a "don't eat after X" rule...but I do have rules in place for myself because I don't log or keep a diary so having "rules" (which are really more like general guidelines) helps me regulate my consumption...I've been able to easily maintain for 1.5 years without logging.

ketorach

I have a bad habit that I developed after my divorce of eating in bed. (Not sure why. I'm not sad. I just think my ex-h never would have allowed it, lol!) Anyway, it's resulted in a lot of weight gain. So, now, when I lay down in bed, I consider the kitchen closed. Regardless of time. No getting up to get a snack.

Athijade

I don't have a rule about that unless I am dealing with some heartburn like I currently have been. So right now I try not to eat within an hour or so of bed and I am very careful as to what I eat. However, when I don't have issues I eat when and what I want at night as long as it fits in my calories and I am actually hungry.

jrline

I feel full

Canwehugnow

I try not to eat past 7:30-8pm, because I like having a set time to stop eating. And, it takes more time to digest/break down what you eat if you are sedentary (asleep).

YanmiYann

Thanks everyone for sharing! I eat late dinners so I don't have a rule like that. Just curious as to reasons behind it.

kbmnurse

It depends usually nothing after dinner. But, if I am hungry and within my daily calories I eat.

cwolfman13

YanmiYann wrote: »

Thanks everyone for sharing! I eat late dinners so I don't have a rule like that. Just curious as to reasons behind it.

These kind of things come about as people try to find ways to control their consumption...that's it...there's now secrets of the universe here. These "rules" are generally derived outside of the calorie counting world as a means of dietary control.

I don't log and I have similar "rules" for myself, though not one for eating after a certain time.

lavendah

I'm not very rigid about it but I now have a habit of not eating for 3-4 hours before I go to bed.One reason is that it keeps the morning weigh-ins lower Well I do know that's a silly reason lol but I'm obsessed with 'the number'

stephanieluvspb

I work 7pm-7am soooooooo

MolassesCoveredTurtle

I practice intuitive eating...so eating whenever I'm actually hungry and eating what I really want. The reason I might eating anything due to time it because of sleep. I'm trying to get in better tune with sleeping. I'm noticing if I have caffeine or alcohol or eat too much too close to my bed time (which varies) it can disrupt my sleep.

amusedmonkey

Past 6 pm usually, but not always. Reason: my appetite tapers down greatly after 6 so I don't feel like eating unless there is an event or an outing (in which case it comes back with vengence!)

crocky64

lemonlionheart wrote: »

Timing has absolutely no effect on weight loss and how the body processes calories; this is a myth. However, I like to try to stop eating after 8pm because a) having this arbitrary 'rule' helps me to stop mindlessly snacking in the evening and b) I'm motivated by my weigh-ins and find that I get better weigh-ins in the morning if the faster period has been longer (i.e my body has had more time to process and expel food/waste from my body). I also find I sleep better if I haven't eaten just before bed. These are all personal reasons though, you have to find what works for you

So true and totally agree with this. Also what would you do if friends ask you round for dinner would you ask can you make it before 8 ??

CaffeinatedConfectionist

I really like this thread. I came in here expecting a lot of "eating after 6pm will make you FAT" nonsense, but instead!

Anyway, just to add my two cents, I am also a late night eater. I do IF, but I have an opposite window to the person above who stops eating at 9:30pm; I usually start eating around 4:30pm, 5, when I get home from work and don't stop until I fall asleep. Or 2:30am rolls around and I wake up and eat a snack. Hasn't harmed my progress any (other habits have, sure, but not that particular one).

SergeantSausage

I don't east paste, either.






Wait - ...

Jesslan_Rose

I try not to eat after 7pm. My worst time of snacking has always been in bed at night watching tv. So to me, the whole point of not eating after 7pm is that I'm... not... eating. I don't know or particularly care if it affects my metabolism or not. I just know keeping to this time keeps me from mindlessly eating at night.

rak173

9....hoping to get that down to 8. I like to snack at night so hoping to scale back!

MysticRealm

I have a 'do not eat past 9pm' rule but only because giving me a cut off time helps me mentally to not want to keep snacking all evening, however if I have a late/busy day and still have calories left then I will eat after 9. Once my cals are up then that's my cut off.

emaybe

I just finished dinner while reading this thread. It's five to midnight in my time zone. I record MFP days as wake-to-sleep, not by the midnight-to-midnight clock (which can be pesky since I'm usually up 'til the wee hours). It doesn't matter when you eat. Though I do avoid spicy foods at night, just for the sake of sleep.

My bro is currently on the "too late to eat" kick, so he'll just skip an entire meal after a 2 hour workout if he didn't eat beforehand... *sigh*

bunnypy

7pm, because I wake up bloated like crazy, unless it's a Friday night, then I know I don't have to worry about looking weird in my tight dresses the following day!

PeachyCarol

I have GERD, so I don't like to eat too late. Generally my last meal will be around 6:30 at the latest.

SandyCoils

I used to be one of those people that strictly believed in not eating past 7:00pm and if I did I would gain 5011 pounds! I try not to eat too late because if I do and then go to bed my acid reflux nearly kills me, but since being here on MFP and watching my calories, I have had a few meals/snacks at night with no serious consequence. Who knew?

girlviernes

I try not to eat past 7:30 PM, although I do so fairly regularly. I have that as a goal because it's nice to have a frame for the day, it gives me about 12 hours fasted state per day which could have some benefits, it may help with circadian rhythms (although I still don't follow a good bed/wake time which would help a lot more), and usually I've hit all my calories for the day by then.

lbetancourt

i eat in an 8 hour window, so it's 1-9pm during the week. weekends, 12-8pm. it has been a life changer.