Is it okay to go to bed hungry?

Girlrose

I last ate at 6:30 PM and I am now gearing up for bed at 11:40 PM having eaten nothing for several hours. Is the hungry feeling an indication of not eating enough today or is it only because I'm up too late?

Are late night snacks okay or will it cause me to gain?

megsmom2

If you have calories left...eat! Your body doesn't know what time it is...its hungry! Give it a sensible snack!

ericdcruz118

get something to eat..

jsjentz

Interesting question. I always thought it was bad to eat before you go to bed??

kathleenjoyful

I can't sleep if I'm hungry and I can't sleep if I overeat. I always budget for snacks late in the evening into my calorie goal for the day.

airangel59

I eat. Just had 6 Who Nu? Vanilla wafers and hitting the sheets in 15 minutes.

DopeItUp

I would eat. I don't care if I go over my calories, going to bed hungry SUCKS. Being miserable will greatly reduce the chances of long-term success too. If you're hungry now, imagine how you feel when you wake up at 4AM and now you're starving. Just eat a filling snack and be done with it (some protein works great for me).

Edit: I just checked and you have a couple hundred calories left for the day (and yesterday). Just eat. You have the allowance, use it. Shouldn't even be a question.

dimam13

Your body does know what time it is since you wake up and get tired around the same time! That said, being hungry is fine. There are programs which focus on fasting for 16 hours each day and your body can burn fat, too. You may prefer to space out your intake so your last meal/snack/item is closer to bed time. I ate whenever was convenient and was able to lose weight.

Ang108

I last ate at 6:30 PM and I am now gearing up for bed at 11:40 PM having eaten nothing for several hours. Is the hungry feeling an indication of not eating enough today or is it only because I'm up too late?

Are late night snacks okay or will it cause me to gain?

I think either is ok. It depends if you feel better just a tiny bit hungry, or if you really need to eat. I prefer being a bit hungry, because I practice IF and also believe that in certain cultures people believe that being hungry is just ten minutes away from dying of the famous starvation syndrome, while often, if one does the math, it is not possible to be hungry again after a few hours.. That of course does not apply to all people, but too many. I think many of us ( myself included ) often confuse psychological hunger with a real need to eat. But either way, if you have a snack right before retiring, you will not gain as long as you maintain a caloric deficit. Sweet dreams !

dimam13

I would eat. I don't care if I go over my calories, going to bed hungry SUCKS. Being miserable will greatly reduce the chances of long-term success too. If you're hungry now, imagine how you feel when you wake up at 4AM and now you're starving. Just eat a filling snack and be done with it (some protein works great for me).

Edit: I just checked and you have a couple hundred calories left for the day (and yesterday). Just eat. You have the allowance, use it. Shouldn't even be a question.

Interesting advice. 1. If you go over your calories you enter the maintenance stage so you're no longer losing weight. This is like saying "who cares, eat the pizza if you want to because depriving your wants sucks" 2. Cardio, in the morning on an empty stomach, has shown over and over to burn more fat than at other times and other exercises. Specifically, high intensity interval training. You're hungry..so what? Some people max out their calories for the day early, suck it up and keep your eye on the goal!

taso42

going to bed hungry is a no-no. maybe once or twice a year is ok, but no more than that.

honeysprinkles

I think it's okay to have a small snack and it's okay to just go to bed (if you've already eaten enough for the day). But if you're worried that eating before bed will cause you to gain weight, it won't (unless you eat over maintenance).

LinkSatonaka

I'm no professional, but here's my two cents.

1. Eating immediately before bed doesn't give your body the chance to use the energy you just consumed, so it goes straight to energy storage... fat.
2. Moving around aids digestion, sleeping won't.
3. If you're hungry (not starving) but going to bed soon, there is no reason to eat. If your body needs energy, it will take it from the energy reserves it has built up (your fat). If you're eating regularly and well, this doesn't hurt any. However....
3.5 Note that starvation "diets" are not maintainable or healthy- I don't know the health specifics, but if you're starving yourself, your body basically goes into survival mode and the moment you do start eating regularly, your body will prioritize building up fat and you'll rapidly gain weight.

That said, a having a healthy snack is insignificant in terms of gaining weight.

honeysprinkles

I would eat. I don't care if I go over my calories, going to bed hungry SUCKS. Being miserable will greatly reduce the chances of long-term success too. If you're hungry now, imagine how you feel when you wake up at 4AM and now you're starving. Just eat a filling snack and be done with it (some protein works great for me).

Edit: I just checked and you have a couple hundred calories left for the day (and yesterday). Just eat. You have the allowance, use it. Shouldn't even be a question.

Interesting advice. 1. If you go over your calories you enter the maintenance stage so you're no longer losing weight. This is like saying "who cares, eat the pizza if you want to because depriving your wants sucks" 2. Cardio, in the morning on an empty stomach, has shown over and over to burn more fat than at other times and other exercises. Specifically, high intensity interval training. You're hungry..so what? Some people max out their calories for the day early, suck it up and keep your eye on the goal!

If you go over MFP's calorie goal for you, that does not mean you go over maintenance. It's likely that your maintenance amount is at least 500 calories more than the goal MFP sets for you.

taso42

I'm no professional, but here's my two cents.

1. Eating immediately before bed doesn't give your body the chance to use the energy you just consumed, so it goes straight to energy storage... fat.

False.

Cranquistador

I would eat. I don't care if I go over my calories, going to bed hungry SUCKS. Being miserable will greatly reduce the chances of long-term success too. If you're hungry now, imagine how you feel when you wake up at 4AM and now you're starving. Just eat a filling snack and be done with it (some protein works great for me).

Edit: I just checked and you have a couple hundred calories left for the day (and yesterday). Just eat. You have the allowance, use it. Shouldn't even be a question.

Interesting advice. 1. If you go over your calories you enter the maintenance stage so you're no longer losing weight. This is like saying "who cares, eat the pizza if you want to because depriving your wants sucks" 2. Cardio, in the morning on an empty stomach, has shown over and over to burn more fat than at other times and other exercises. Specifically, high intensity interval training. You're hungry..so what? Some people max out their calories for the day early, suck it up and keep your eye on the goal!

she is under her calories.

Ang108

going to bed hungry is a no-no. maybe once or twice a year is ok, but no more than that.

Just curious, not looking for drama/trouble......why ? Are you aware that about 40% of the world's population on any given night go to bed hungry and I have never seen a study that mentions it to be bad. I think it is bad if it is a way of life, but the occasional little bit hunger at night is not bad at all.
Often if people are consistently hungry at night, even after a full dinner it is because they eat too many processed and refined calories. A little more quality protein or complex carbs, or better both at dinner will usually take care of the before bed munchies.

LinkSatonaka

I'm no professional, but here's my two cents.

1. Eating immediately before bed doesn't give your body the chance to use the energy you just consumed, so it goes straight to energy storage... fat.

False.

Your post is useless without elaboration.

Ready2Rock206

I often go to bed hungry. But with that said if you have calories and you want to eat then eat. The whole not eating after a certain time is total BS in my opinion.

Groovyca2022

Never...If i am hungry, I eat. Make good choices this is NOT a diet.

bubblygoldfish

Have a snack. It's okay. But i notice I get "cravings" if I stay up late too. I try to tamp these down with water and a light snack. If i know I'm going to stay up later, then I eat my dinner later to stop from feeling hungry! Hope it helps!