Is it true that eating late at night is bad for weight loss?
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elizabethdzenitis
Posts: 63 Member
I've started eating dinner at like 10 pm cause ya girl is busy. so I'm just wondering if this is bad for someone who wants to lose weight. Whoops lol. I've always heard eating later than 6 is bad
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Replies
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Nope a calorie is a calorie no matter what time of day. Unless you have an issue that makes food effect your sleep you are good to go. I eat late and I drink coffee right till I hop in bed. Don’t stress it and eat your meals when you want.20
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Your body doesn't know what time it is. I only eat dinner before 6 one night a week and it hasn't affected my weight loss at all.8
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Just don't eat after midnight. Or get wet.42
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Nope, not at all. Your body doesn't care!5
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It is not true.3
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I asked the same question two days ago. Most of the comments said that it doesn't matter if you eat late at night as soon as you are at the end of the day on your calories deficit.1
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elizabethdzenitis wrote: »I've started eating dinner at like 10 pm cause ya girl is busy. so I'm just wondering if this is bad for someone who wants to lose weight. Whoops lol. I've always heard eating later than 6 is bad
I don't see why it should make a difference what time you consume your calories. A calorie deficit is what you need for weight loss, so just count what you eat. Even if it did matter, 6:00pm would be ridiculously early. I've heard 9:00pm but I don't adhere to that either.1 -
The old "don't eat after 6pm-7pm" came about because most people who were doing this ALREADY met their calorie goal at that time.................................but kept eating creating a SURPLUS.
As long as you're in deficit, it doesn't matter when you eat.
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In lots of Mediterranean countries its normal to eat the main meal late. And obesity isn't the same problem in a lot of them as it is in the UK and USA. It's what you eat, not when you eat.6
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The old "don't eat after 6pm-7pm" came about because most people who were doing this ALREADY met their calorie goal at that time.................................but kept eating creating a SURPLUS.
As long as you're in deficit, it doesn't matter when you eat.
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
I think this came about because in a lot of places the main meal was at lunch, so to eat heavily again later was a bad plan.
As per my previous, the Mediterranean way of eating is to do so late on. That seems to coincide with when it is cooler. I noticed in North Africa and India food is only lightly taken during the heat of the day, and main food is taken on at night also.2 -
No it doesn't matter for weight loss - just like it doesn't matter when in the day you fill up your car's fuel tank. It's how much you put in, not when, not how often.
If someone isn't calorie counting and by introducing a rule such as don't eat after 6pm or skipping breakfast or any other measure that reduces their overall food intake then they are reducing their calories.
It's the calorie drop that works, not the rule itself.
Timing or other rules may help adherence for someone of course.8 -
My weight loss doctor has me on a diet of having a protein shake for breakfast and dinner and a meal for lunch. He told me to have it for lunch and not dinner because you move around more during the day and are more likely to burn off some of the calories than later at night. Makes sense to me.31
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witcherkar wrote: »My weight loss doctor has me on a diet of having a protein shake for breakfast and dinner and a meal for lunch. He told me to have it for lunch and not dinner because you move around more during the day and are more likely to burn off some of the calories than later at night. Makes sense to me.
You still burn the same amount of calories no matter when you eat so it doesn't matter in the end.15 -
sytchequeen wrote: »In lots of Mediterranean countries its normal to eat the main meal late. And obesity isn't the same problem in a lot of them as it is in the UK and USA. It's what you eat, not when you eat.
Its how much you eat, Not what. IF you really wanna take that step lol2 -
People who don't eat after 6 have ridiculously too much free time on their hands. I'm bitter and not even home from work at 6.15
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It makes sense to me that a "weight loss doctor" who makes his/her living by letting "patients" go "on a diet" would give such advice. Inside tips: Don't pay more to eat less, don't let anyone tell you what to eat. MFP is free and you can eat whatever you like and lose weight as long as you stick to your calorie target.witcherkar wrote: »My weight loss doctor has me on a diet of having a protein shake for breakfast and dinner and a meal for lunch. He told me to have it for lunch and not dinner because you move around more during the day and are more likely to burn off some of the calories than later at night. Makes sense to me.17 -
witcherkar wrote: »My weight loss doctor has me on a diet of having a protein shake for breakfast and dinner and a meal for lunch. He told me to have it for lunch and not dinner because you move around more during the day and are more likely to burn off some of the calories than later at night. Makes sense to me.
What matters is how many calories you eat in a 24 hour period.
Those calories could be eaten in one big meal, in three meals, or in snacks all day long.
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witcherkar wrote: »My weight loss doctor has me on a diet of having a protein shake for breakfast and dinner and a meal for lunch. He told me to have it for lunch and not dinner because you move around more during the day and are more likely to burn off some of the calories than later at night. Makes sense to me.
@witcherkar
I do hope you aren't paying good money for such poor advice?
It actually makes no sense at all. Why does it matter if you burn off calories you just ate, or ate yesterday, or weeks ago?
Please do think ahead to when you get to goal weight, building sustainable habits during your weight loss phase really does help the transition. Having two protein shakes instead of meals (they aren't designed as meal replacements anyway...) isn't, I assume, how you intend to eat for life?14 -
Cortisol levels fluctuate throughout a 24hr period, and higher cortisol leads to increased production of endogenous glucose and a propensity towards storing extra calories in the form of fat. Though I agree that for weight loss, calorie count is all that matters- in reality, you would also want to be sure that the weight you lose is mainly in the form of fat (as opposed to protein).23
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Ready2Rock206 wrote: »People who don't eat after 6 have ridiculously too much free time on their hands. I'm bitter and not even home from work at 6.
The only day I eat dinner before 6 is Saturday because I have to then nap before going to bed at midnight. Otherwise I eat it between 7 and 10.0
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