Eating timing

fattyjolynn
fattyjolynn Posts: 27 Member
edited November 16 in Health and Weight Loss
Does eating late at night cause you to gain weight? Help.

Replies

  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    edited March 2017
    No. Unless eating at night is putting you over your calorie goal

    I like eating later in the day /night so I purposely plan my meals to suit this - usually it involves eating my first meal at lunchtime or later
  • fattyjolynn
    fattyjolynn Posts: 27 Member
    But I asked my personal trainer. That's what he said. Sigh I hate myself so much
  • missmagnoliablossom
    missmagnoliablossom Posts: 240 Member
    fattyjolynn wrote: »
    But I asked my personal trainer. That's what he said. Sigh I hate myself so much

    Personal trainers are rarely nutritionists. :)
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    The main reason eating late may cause weight gain is if it interferes with sleep.
  • fattyjolynn
    fattyjolynn Posts: 27 Member
    Should I sleep later so that the food can digest! I last ate at 9:30pm so I should sleep at 11:30 so at least there's 2 hours?
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    Did it interfere with your sleep? Did you wake during the night or have acid reflux problems?
  • comeonnow142857
    comeonnow142857 Posts: 310 Member
    edited March 2017
    Whatever's comfortable and helps you stay within your caloric goal. Can you comfortably go to sleep now? What time do you have to be up at in the mornings? What reasons would you have for sleeping later?

    I'm usually in bed within an hour of my last meal. I'm physically comfortable with this and still sleep 7-8 hours and stay within my calorie targets, so there's no major issue.

    I only eat at lunch and when I come back from work. This way I'm never hungry after lunch. Being hungry in the morning when I'm busy at work is fine. This is what's comfortable for me. Others it may be eating 6 times a day, or avoiding a meal close to bedtime. And these patterns of what's most comfortable/sustainable may change when other habits change.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    A lot of trainers are poorly informed and subscribe to a lot of mumbo jumbo when it comes to nutrition. Meal timing isn't important to weight loss.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,021 Member
    fattyjolynn wrote: »
    Does eating late at night cause you to gain weight? Help.
    Only if you're eating in surplus. I eat up to 11:30pm just about every night due to watching TV that late.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,021 Member
    fattyjolynn wrote: »
    But I asked my personal trainer. That's what he said. Sigh I hate myself so much
    Most personal trainers are uneducated in how the body actually works on the inside. They are mostly trained on instructing correct form and workout programs. When it comes to nutrition and metabolism, eh their knowledge many times is limited. Lots of times they just echo what they hear from other "fit" people and their favorite fitness site.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • fattyjolynn
    fattyjolynn Posts: 27 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    fattyjolynn wrote: »
    Does eating late at night cause you to gain weight? Help.
    Only if you're eating in surplus. I eat up to 11:30pm just about every night due to watching TV that late.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png


    And you don't gain weight?

    I don't need to stay up late and eating late doesn't interfere with my sleep except making me anxious that I might gain weight
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,021 Member
    fattyjolynn wrote: »
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    fattyjolynn wrote: »
    Does eating late at night cause you to gain weight? Help.
    Only if you're eating in surplus. I eat up to 11:30pm just about every night due to watching TV that late.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png


    And you don't gain weight?

    I don't need to stay up late and eating late doesn't interfere with my sleep except making me anxious that I might gain weight
    Nope. I've been basically the same weight since my 30's. Could I gain weight? Sure, if I ate more than I burn.
    The reason trainers say this many times is because people tend to eat AFTER they've reached their calorie goals by dinner. There is NO HARD RULE that says you have to be done with calories after dinner. If you have calories to spare, then you can eat them. If you DON'T, you shouldn't if you're trying to lose weight.
    For me, I eat 2 main meals a day...............lunch and dinner. The rest of the time is whatever I feel.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    No. Unless eating at night is putting you over your calorie goal

    ^^ This. Meal timing is irrelevant to weight loss and is a matter of personal preference only. Those people who suffer with heartburn or acid reflux should best avoid eating before bed though.

  • fattyjolynn
    fattyjolynn Posts: 27 Member
    Thank you so much for the assurance guys :)
  • kbarrett0701
    kbarrett0701 Posts: 54 Member
    For most of my journey, my cutoff was 5:30-6pm and it served me well.

    15482907.png
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    fattyjolynn wrote: »
    But I asked my personal trainer. That's what he said. Sigh I hate myself so much

    Just a side note-between this comment and your user name, sounds like there maybe some other issues going on.
  • fitmom4lifemfp
    fitmom4lifemfp Posts: 1,572 Member
    fattyjolynn wrote: »
    Should I sleep later so that the food can digest! I last ate at 9:30pm so I should sleep at 11:30 so at least there's 2 hours?

    No. Here's the thing. Lot's of people (I am one of them) lose control of what they eat via night-time snacking. I could go home after the gym, sit at the computer for an hours and consume 800 calories or more, without blinking an eye. And this is after a full day of regular meals. THIS is the reason you hear people say "no eating after #oclock". It is simply a way to MANAGE you calories and stay within your budget. If you are able to save all your calories in your budget, for those late night snackings, then fine. But most of us don't do that. We snack at night, ON TOP of a full day of calories. That's the problem. And that is why no-food-after-7pm or whatever time, works for so many. You have to plan, and stick to it. It's really that simple.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,336 Member
    kbarrett0701 wrote: »
    For most of my journey, my cutoff was 5:30-6pm and it served me well.

    15482907.png

    But it was your calorie deficit that caused your weight loss, not stopping eating at a certain time unless you were out of calories for the day.

    To the original poster, the cause of fat loss is a calorie deficit. If you entered your information here at Myfitnesspal, it gave you a calorie goal. If you log your food and drink consistently and accurately you will lose eating the goal. I suggest reading the posts linked here http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10300331/most-helpful-posts-getting-started-must-reads#latest
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