Weight loss with insomnia

Leoturi

So I've been doing really good. About a month or so in, and I've already lost about 15 pounds. The last few days though, my schedule has kind of rotated a bit, and I'm doing my workouts at night and staying up to 3-4 in the morning. I usually eat after my workouts, but I have been told that eating late at night is bad for you. Is the late at night thing relative to the time you are awake? Like if I wake up at 6pm, is 1am still considered dinner time for your body? I'm curious because I have random bouts of this all the time, and want to make sure I don't get off track. Also, would you just log your 6pm meal as breakfast and continue on that. Like my 1am dinner would be dinner for the previous day. Does that make sense?

CafeRacer808

Fellow insomniac here. Anything I eat before going to sleep gets logged on the same day, even if I eat something past midnight. I start the diary for my next day when I wake up in the morning.

With regard to meal timing and weight loss, it doesn't matter. Our metabolism works 24/7 and doesn't know what time it is. The caveat to this is satiety. If it's easier to control your hunger by eating several small meals per day, do that. If three square meals per day works better for you, do that. It really just comes down to personal preference.

peterbuller8

i work nights mate so no eating late is not bad for you your body burns calories even when you are asleep.
As for the logging its a personal choice you can put all your meals under dinner if you want its the logging that's the important bit not under what heading you put it.

Leoturi

That is good to know. Honestly with all this dieting stuff, it can be confusing. Doing research you can come up with like 15 different answers. At least here, I know people are doing what they do and it helps a lot. It is great to know that eating at night won't hurt anything. I usually eat 3 meals a day, and maybe a light snack like popcorn at night. I think my body is getting used to the schedule, vs just eating all the time like I used to.

CafeRacer808

I still tend to snack when I have a sleepless night, but it's decreased dramatically (the snacking, not the sleepless nights) since I started tracking my food on MFP. I think you'll find that there are a lot of very smart and helpful people here. Best of luck to you!

ninerbuff

I eat up to 11:30pm each night. Pretty much maintained my weight for the last 20 some odd years. As long as you're keeping your calories in check, timing doesn't matter much at all.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition