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.