Eating At Night

_EndGame_

OK, so a few months back, I posted something similar, but I never really got a straight answer, so here it is again.

Since I started my weight loss, I have been doing well, I've lost nearly 80LBS, and as expected, the weight loss progress slowed down, so it gets me thinking of ways to speed it up.

Now, I eat a light breakfast (usually at 6PM (I'm nocturnal, due to work) I have no more than 350 calories for breakfast, then between 8pm and 10pm, I spend an hour in the gym, then an hour swimming. My main meal of the day is consumed after I have been working out, usually that meal is in excess of 1000 calories (always within my calorie allowance, as I build up a decent amount of calories to eat back from exercise)

Anyway, my question is, does eating my calories after my workout have a negative effect on my weight loss? Would eating AFTER a workout, replenish the calories I burned during the exercise, or does whatever I eat afterwards turn into fat, due to the fact I'm not as active?

tiggerhammon

Calories in : Calories out
Doesn't matter when those calories are consumed

However... I personally think you would actually be burning more of that 1000 calories if you are it after working out versus before working out because your metabolism is revved up.
No facts or research or stats behind this. Just my opinion.

CyberEd312

meal frequency as absolutely no bearing on weight loss..... As long as you are eating in a modest caloric deficit and hitting your macro's you will lose weight regardless to whether you eat all your calories in one setting or throughout your day...... Best of Luck

Damaddie0304

Calories burned are calories burned no matter when they are burned. Now it is psychologically and medically proven that those who are nocturnal have a harder time losing weight because our bodies are not wired to be nocturnal. So don't be discouraged if it goes slower than you like, 80 pounds is amazing!!!!! Keep it up you're doin' great!!!

cdahl383

I eat at night all the time before bed and I still lose weight provided I'm still in a deficit. I dont think it will have any negative effects, the main idea is to stay in a calorie deficit.

_EndGame_

meal frequency as absolutely no bearing on weight loss..... As long as you are eating in a modest caloric deficit and hitting your macro's you will lose weight regardless to whether you eat all your calories in one setting or throughout your day...... Best of Luck

That's what I thought, but I keep seeing threads about with people claiming eating before bed is no good in terms of weight loss, but going off how much your ticker says you've lost, I can tell you're speaking from experience!

@ Damaddie - I read something about the whole nocturnal thing and weight loss being more difficult! Once my work hours change from flexi hours, I'll be able to to go back to a normal sleep cycle!

Thanks for the advice guys!

crackur

Calories in : Calories out
Doesn't matter when those calories are consumed

/end thread

_EndGame_

Calories in : Calories out
Doesn't matter when those calories are consumed

/end thread

Yeah, thanks for that. I needed clarification that the thread had come to a conclusion, even though I had already given thanks for the advice given.

cwolfman13

It's math...you need XXXX calories per day to be alive, do your day to day, exercise, etc. In total, this is your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)...if you ate the total of these calories you would maintain...when you take a cut from those calories, you lose. Timing of meals, etc is irrelevant...if you are at an energy deficit, you cannot store fat...it must be consumed by your body for energy. I'll use my numbers as an illustration for both the TDEE formula and MFP formula....

A is calories just to stay alive and all of your day to day stuff like cooking, cleaning, going to work, etc; B is your exercise; C is your "cut" to lose weight, and D is your "diet" calories...i.e. you calorie goal. Mind you, MFP does all of this math for you behind the scenes.

TDEE: (would have to customize MFP calorie goals)...this assumes a 500 calorie cut to lose Lb per week.

A (2360) + B (450) - C (500) = D (2,310)

MFP: (As you'll see, the two methods are essentially 6 of 1, half dozen of the other...

A (2360 - C (500) = 1,860....now you will note that with this method, (B)...my exercise is currently unaccounted for...so I add it in on the back side of the formula when I log it and I eat those calories back...so, my net goal of 1,860 + B (450) = 2,310

In either case, everything is accounted for in RE to what I burn in a given 24 hour period...so if I burn that in a 24 hour period and I take a cut from my total burn to lose weight, it would be logical that meal timing should not matter in the least.

_EndGame_

It's math...you need XXXX calories per day to be alive, do your day to day, exercise, etc. In total, this is your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)...if you ate the total of these calories you would maintain...when you take a cut from those calories, you lose. Timing of meals, etc is irrelevant...if you are at an energy deficit, you cannot store fat...it must be consumed by your body for energy. I'll use my numbers as an illustration for both the TDEE formula and MFP formula....

A is calories just to stay alive and all of your day to day stuff like cooking, cleaning, going to work, etc; B is your exercise; C is your "cut" to lose weight, and D is your "diet" calories...i.e. you calorie goal. Mind you, MFP does all of this math for you behind the scenes.

TDEE: (would have to customize MFP calorie goals)...this assumes a 500 calorie cut to lose Lb per week.

A (2360) + B (450) - C (500) = D (2,310)

MFP: (As you'll see, the two methods are essentially 6 of 1, half dozen of the other...

A (2360 - C (500) = 1,860....now you will note that with this method, (B)...my exercise is currently unaccounted for...so I add it in on the back side of the formula when I log it and I eat those calories back...so, my net goal of 1,860 + B (450) = 2,310

In either case, everything is accounted for in RE to what I burn in a given 24 hour period...so if I burn that in a 24 hour period and I take a cut from my total burn to lose weight, it would be logical that meal timing should not matter in the least.

That completely explained it all.

Thanks for that dude!

CyberEd312

meal frequency as absolutely no bearing on weight loss..... As long as you are eating in a modest caloric deficit and hitting your macro's you will lose weight regardless to whether you eat all your calories in one setting or throughout your day...... Best of Luck

That's what I thought, but I keep seeing threads about with people claiming eating before bed is no good in terms of weight loss, but going off how much your ticker says you've lost, I can tell you're speaking from experience!

@ Damaddie - I read something about the whole nocturnal thing and weight loss being more difficult! Once my work hours change from flexi hours, I'll be able to to go back to a normal sleep cycle!

Thanks for the advice guys!

Yeah I have never went to bed with less than a 400-500 calorie snack every night since I started this journey and it has in no way hindered my weight loss...... Best of Luck