Do you all stop eating after a certain time?

cefleischman

I know some people say they won't eat or snack after 7:00 PM. What do other people do? Is there benefit to doing this when it comes to losing weight or health in general?

mph323

Timing doesn't matter for weight loss, but for me I need to stop eating a couple of hours before bedtime or I can't sleep. Better sleep leads to better health

PaulaWallaDingDong

I don't. There's no use fighting it. I just plan my calories to match my hunger patterns. Otherwise I'll be up all night either raiding the cupboards or trying not to.

If you don't have a medical issue that requires you to stop eating a certain amount of time before sleeping (like GERD) then eat when you want.

estherdragonbat

From the time I go to bed at night until the time I have breakfast the next morning I don't eat.

earlnabby

I stop eating just before I fall asleep (long enough to brush my teeth after my bedtime snack).

AnnPT77

I eat when I'm hungry, or when I have calories left and want to.

It's 11PM, I just had a glass of wine and some crispy wasabi broad beans, and I'll go to bed within an hour. I ate this late fairly often throughout losing 50+ pounds in just less than a year, and have continued to do so . . . about 19 months into maintenance now.

Personal conclusion: I don't need to stop eating at any particular time; I just need to adhere to my calorie goal.

Evamutt

My trainer at the gym said to stop eating 2hrs before bed so that's what I do

shaunshaikh

Doesn't matter for weight loss, may matter for other things. I just had a protein shake at 10:42 PM after a long run because I like to as a cap to my calories on the day. I've been losing according to my calorie deficit to the decimal point.

AnvilHead

I stop eating before I fall asleep. Otherwise it's a choking hazard.

Meal timing is irrelevant. What matters is how many calories you're taking in vs how many you're expending over time.

Ready2Rock206

No. I'm not a gremlin - eating after a certain time doesn't affect me.

ninerbuff

Yeah, like AnvilHead, I stop before falling asleep.

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

kommodevaran

I don't do that, but something similar. I have a rule to not eat anything after dinner, and dinner is usually 4-7 PM.

Calories are not more or less more fattening and food is not more or less toxic depending on time of day.

The benefit is purely that it's easier for me to say no when I've made a decision, and by having a habit of only eating at meals, I don't get the impulse to eat all the time. Also not drinking anything two hours before bed means I won't wake up and need to use the bathroom.

BeachBaby_81

No. I'd assume as long as you're not following intermittent fasting times, timing doesn't matter.

livingleanlivingclean

I stop eating when I've had my dessert. Bed is normally 30mins-1hr later.... Makes no difference to my sleep, neither does the coffee I drink at the same time

skymningen

I try to stop eating at least an hour before I go to bed, but just because I feel it makes me fall asleep more comfortable than when I feel stuffed. But that is not any fixed thing, I usually do it, but I don't take too much effort to do it. If it does not work out, it just doesn't.

coretemp

Nope, I've tried it both ways, doesn't make a difference as far as weight loss goes

counting_kilojoules

I get snacky in the evenings and could easily eat as many kilojoules as a snack as I do for dinner. It's easier for me to just not eat after a certain time. I usually have a small snack before that time and then I know I can't have anything else. It also helps me sleep better if I haven't eaten too much to close to bedtime.

Machka9

Do you all stop eating after a certain time?

Yes ... I stop eating before I go to bed ... don't like crumbs in bed. That would be anywhere from midnight to 1 am.

LivingtheLeanDream

I aim not to eat much after 7 pm but thats because I've generally eaten all my calories by then! Its all a matter of preference and finding what works for you, the timing doesn't matter.

x_stephisaur_x

I stop eating after I close my food diary for the day lol

Last night that was at around 7.30pm. I find that if I don't, I'll keep picking right up until I go to sleep and probably blow my allowance as a result!

AlabasterVerve

I usually eat dinner between 2pm-6pm and stop eating after that. The benefits for me are calorie control and I wake up energetic (from deeper ketosis I think) and ready to start my day. It just feels good and healthy to stop eating early for whatever reason.

Studies around the circadian rhythm is what you want to research if you're interested in any potential health benefits. Bill Lagakos from Calories Proper blogs about the topic frequently if you're interested:

• Entraining Central and Peripheral Circadian Rhythms
• Meal timing and peripheral circadian clocks
• Posts tagged Circadian Rythm

For weightloss, personally, it never mattered. I lost a lot of weight putting off eating as long as possible so I could eat all night long, right up until I went to bed without going over my calories. At the time, it felt like that was the only way I could manage my hunger and I was healthier for losing weight.

ruqayyahsmum

I try to stop eating before I fall asleep. There's usually a snack ready on my nightstand in case I need it in the middle of the night

Spiderpug

I try not to after 9pm (no real reason!) but sometimes I wake up starving at 2am so have a spoonful of cottage cheese or peanut butter and count it in to that days allowence.

jelly_potato

Typically I try to be done with my last main meal between 5 pm and 7 pm. After 9-10 pm I lose my appetite and hunger, so if I've had a strenuous workout on the same day then my net calories plunge way under 1000. Of course that doesn't mean that I can't have a treat of an ice-lolly or some hot cocoa later if I feel like it.

Pamshebamm181

I try not to eat past 8:30pm just to give my stomach some time to settle before bed, but if I have calories left over and I want something to snack on, I'll have it.

enyagoboom

i try to get my dinner and snacks in before 7-8p, and on scuba class nights i'll have a small protein like a justin's almond butter snack pack after class gets out (10p) - mainly because i sleep like utter crap if i eat before bed and i really value my sleep.

sofchak

I would say the answer to this is a matter of personal preference, goals, and circumstances.

First example - I like to workout in the evenings. That's my preference. I also know that I should eat back at least some of my workout calories. So if my workout ends at 7:30pm, I eat at 7:35pm. Others in this thread have cited sleeping better or intermittent fasting for timing to eat which would be other great examples of personal preference.

Another example - I know myself. If I give myself free reign to eat all evening, I will. If I set an arbitrary cut off time to leave the kitchen for the night, I can use that as a tool to help me meet my weight loss/maintenance weight goal when needed.

Final example - I will ocassionally work a late night or have a circumstance which doesn't allow for me to eat dinner until after 8pm. If I didn't hit the minimum calorie goal for the day (1200 for women is standard - my personal minimum is 1400 when maintaining), even if it's late and I am not very hungry, I eat something (a couple tablespoons of PB can do the trick quickly) to meet the minimum threshold for daily caloric intake.

So as you can see, preferences, goals and circumstances (and I am sure other factors) can lead to your individual answer as to whether or not it makes sense to stop eating around 7pm or not. There's no right or wrong here on timing to eat so long as you stick to your calorie goals set by MFP.

hesn92

I usually have a snack while watching tv before I go to bed, sometimes I dont

LiftHeavyThings27105

As sooooo many have stated, it is more of a personal preference than anything. I follow a very very very relaxed Intermittent Fasting \ Flexible Diet regime. I typically eat while in the office (I work in IT and am in the office longer than I care to admit). So, there is some structured flexibility. However, I am sitting in a Starbucks and I had a raisin-cinnamon bagel. I just make sure to add the macros for the bagel in today. It works well for me.

Key is to find what works for you. If adherence is one of the biggest indicators of success, you need to - I would suggest - set yourself up for success. If you can not stand chicken, then putting chicken on the menu everyday will lead to "non-adherence"!

So, if you eat every three hours (7AM, 10AM, 1PM, 4PM, 7PM) and that works for you - perfect! There is your formula. If you eat two huge meals (10:30AM and 4:30PM) and that works for you - perfect! There is your formula.

And, what works for me might not work for you. So, whatever I suggest (well, not suggesting anything here, simply sharing my experiences) should be taken with a grain of salt as to whether you do that or not. Sure, if it SOUNDS like a good idea, then try it. Stick with that for six to eight weeks and see how you respond. If it works, cool. If not, move on to the next idea. Stick with that one for the next six to eight weeks. You get the picture.

mndamon

I don't do an exact time to stop or start but I run by a rough 16/8 intermittent fasting where I stop eating by about 8pm and start back about noon. Does the timing matter? Not really, I just prefer that "feeding window".

lemurcat12

Time does not matter, but I eat regular meals so don't snack after dinner (or at other times). I do sometimes have a planned "dessert" (some kind of indulgence, could be fruit or cheese) immediately after dinner.

I usually get home quite late and so eat quite late -- generally at 9, sometimes even at 10, and for me going to bed soon after doesn't matter (I usually am up for a couple of hours afterwards but if I'm not it's fine). However, some people do find it affects sleep so that is something to be aware of.

I lost 95 lbs eating, on average, around 9:30, and if I were to say I cannot eat after 7 I'd never be able to have dinner (since I'm not home yet), so claims that one must eat by some absurdly (in my mind) early time always have irritated me. I know it's not true.