Eating late- does it matter?

Curvycurly223

Hello,
So I've recently started adding in some light exercise to my daily activities. After work I walk around my neighborhood for about an hour. I've really been loving it and it has helped me sleep much better. The only thing is from the time I get home from work until the sun sets is only about an hour- my walk time 6:30-7:30 so I'm not having dinner until closer to 8pm instead of 6:30 and in bed by 10. Do you think this will affect my weight loss in any way? I'm also a daily weigher so I'm wondering if eating late will mess with the number I see in the morning

malibu927

Nope. Meal timing has no effect on weight loss. As long as eating later doesn't effect your sleeping ability, it's fine.

psuLemon

The timing of food doesn't matter as long as it doesn't give you indigestion.

farfromthetree

No, as long you are at a daily calorie deficit it will not matter if you eat at 8:00. It may even help eliminate a night time snack if you are used to having one!

cwolfman13

No...I eat dinner every night around 8:30 PM. Think about it logically...if you need XXXX calories for whatever your weight management goals are...why would it make any difference at all when you consumed XXXX calories.

irshgrl500

I've wondered the same thing because I work at night; I teach and sometimes don't get home until 10 or 11 at night. I am hungry but try to eat a snack that is mostly protein based, and eat a meal before going to work. Here's a link to an article from the Washington Post about studies that show that timing, calorie consumption and what the body does with the calories when consumed closer to bed time. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/why-eating-late-at-night-may-be-particularly-bad-for-you-and-your-diet/2015/08/24/ad8b85ac-2583-11e5-b77f-eb13a215f593_story.html
It seems it does matter whether you eat late because a person's body doesn't metabolize, or burn off, carbohydrates as well as when they eat earlier.

Curvycurly223

Thanks guys. That puts my mind at ease. I guess the only thing is the number I see in the morning. I just don't want it to discourage me

Asher_Ethan

It doesn't matter. 10 pounds, figuratively, melted off me when I found out I could save 300-500 every night to eat right before bed. I sleep so much better when I'm not hungry.

MissMonicaC4

Great to know! I'm a night eater!

JeromeBarry1

Just FYI, the optimumnutrition.com casseine supplement is marketed as a nighttime sleep aid. I think that's weird, but you might think it's a great idea.

Hornsby

One more for the "does not matter" crowd...

GaleHawkins

It does not matter if I am maintaining. I lose better if I do not eat food after 5 PM.

cwolfman13

irshgrl500 wrote: »

I've wondered the same thing because I work at night; I teach and sometimes don't get home until 10 or 11 at night. I am hungry but try to eat a snack that is mostly protein based, and eat a meal before going to work. Here's a link to an article from the Washington Post about studies that show that timing, calorie consumption and what the body does with the calories when consumed closer to bed time. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/why-eating-late-at-night-may-be-particularly-bad-for-you-and-your-diet/2015/08/24/ad8b85ac-2583-11e5-b77f-eb13a215f593_story.html
It seems it does matter whether you eat late because a person's body doesn't metabolize, or burn off, carbohydrates as well as when they eat earlier.

Doesn't matter...your body is in a constant state of flux between fat oxidation and fat storage and carbohydrate oxidation and storage....

If I require 2800 calories to maintain my weight, I'm going to lose about 1 Lb per week eating 2,300 calories regardless of the timing of the meals...because overall I'm consuming less energy than I'm expending...it's pretty simple...I don't know why people try to complicate it so much.

Anecdotally, I dropped 40 Lbs pretty easily eating my dinner around 8:30 and going to bed around 10 PM.

misskarne

Nope. I mean, for me, eating later than 8 screws with my sleeping. But that's me. Tons of people on here sleep just fine when eating after 8.

nikkii231

I think sleep affects weight loss so make sure you get a good uninterrupted sleep. Like another poster said i find if i eat before 7 i will lose better but i will lose either way if under my calorie goal.

Unknown

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BurnWithBarn2015

geminigarcia199017 wrote: »

Eating late will not burn the food you eat because you burn a lot less calories at night.I avoid eating late at night because the food will not be burned but will turn into fat.Saying from experience

Saying from experience here

it doesnt matter
i ate and eat 70% of my calories at night ( most of it even between 10 and bedtime
And lost 130 lbs in 400 days