Latest you should eat at night?

RatBoyGL

First, let me preface this question.

I am currently eating 4 small meals a day. Here is my schedule:

8 AM - Breakfast
11 AM - Lunch #1
2 PM - Lunch #2
4:45 PM - Exercise
6:00 PM - Dinner

Now, I would like to break that 6 PM Dinner in to two, but can't eat Dinner #1 any earlier than 6.

So my question is, how late is too late for Dinner #2?

Thanks in advance...

MaryBachert

I try to eat no later than 7:00 p.m.

sarah44254

As far as I'm concerned, calories in VS calories out does not care what time the calories come.

If you are hungry at night, eat a healthy, reasonable snack at night! Just like you would during the day!

My day is split up much like yours, but the exercise comes whenever it wants.

5am - 9am
9am - 1pm
1pm - 5pm
5pm - 9pm

I rarely get hungry after 7:30, so my 5-9pm is usually pretty empty. But like I said, it's my opinion that the time of day doesn't effect your body's ability to process nutrients. good luck with your planning!

pyro13g

2-3 hours before bed. If you get hungry before bed, try to stick to lean protein. Hard times you should cut off eating are fallacy. It's relative to when you go to bed.

Spitfirex007

Like anything else, everyone's opinion is going to be different. I try to wait at least 3 hours before sleeping. But that is just my personal opinion.

warmachinejt

2-3 hours before bed. If you get hungry before bed, try to stick to lean protein. Hard times you should cut off eating are fallacy. It's relative to when you go to bed.

I agree. 2 or 3 hours before bed. It really doesn't matter when you eat your calories, unless you plan to eat a whole bunch of sugar before bed. Try cottage cheese/ whey protein before bed, with milk though.

secostley

I have a late LIGHT meal that I will normally have somewhere around 8 or 9 p.m. Most times, it's no more than a piece of fruit or sandwich or yogurt. Depending on my activity during the day, I will occasionally find myself hungry around this time.

As long as it's sensible, I don't see a problem.

God Bless!


Shawn

hollyyoung71

At night the average person burns at least 500 calories during sleep.. if you eat right before bed than your body has to digest that food and its taking up some of those calories you could be burning during your basal. I have always heard 2-3 hours before sleep is when you should stop.

monkeydharma

2-3 hours before bed. If you get hungry before bed, try to stick to lean protein. Hard times you should cut off eating are fallacy. It's relative to when you go to bed.

^^^ This.

Naomi91

I eat about 2 hours before bed time. My trainer says that it will help prevent catabolism

cherrieruns

calories in vs calories out. That is all that matters. Eat when you want.

RatBoyGL

Wow!

Thanks everyone!

I am new here obviously and am impressed with 10 replies in 12 minutes!

Thanks again.

paulcer

What works for you. I enjoy a small snack when I go to bed.

GolfLady10

I saw on Dr. Oz yesterday, that the besy time for dinner is 6:00pm. And nothing should be eaten 3 hours before you go to bed. Check out his site for more information. Yesterday's episode was about weight loss and the best time to do things.

Good luck to you

johnnya2

I tend to stop eating about 3 hours before bed, but that is more of a better night sleep. (I also stop drinking so I don't have to pee in the middle of the night or so bad in the morning).
The fact is it does not matter the time of day you eat.. Always remember, burn more calories than you consume.

Mustang_Susie

Well, I work 2nd shift and am a night owl so I do snack later at night (9-11 pm). I find that if I only eat at dinner around 6 or 7 pm that I am REALLY hungry the next morning and if I'm going to work out I don't like to eat anything beforehand. So, I try to eat a small amount of something high protein like a 1/4 cup of peanuts. It satiates me without making me feel full before bed and I am less hungry in the morning.

paulcer

I eat about 2 hours before bed time. My trainer says that it will help prevent catabolism

That's what happens to me when I have too many cats sleeping on my feet!

kbanzhaf

Hi,
When I first met with a nutritionist when my weight loss journey began in August 2006, she told me that I SHOULD eat something in the evening......and I try to keep it small....a piece of fruit, a yogurt, some nuts, etc. She said otherwise, your metabolism slows down during the night as your body searches for nourishment. For the same reason, you need to eat breakfast every day (which I do religiously).

Good luck.....it is calories in/calories out....and it is personal preference.....and this is just my 2¢ on the topic!

pyro13g

calories in vs calories out. That is all that matters. Eat when you want.

Bad advice. Timing , glycemic load, and calorie consumption over time absolutely matter. You always want low glycemic load, otherwise Mr Insulin will deal with that load by storing it as fat. Eating a twinky every hour will produce much different results than eating three within 15 minutes every 3 hours.

cherrieruns

calories in vs calories out. That is all that matters. Eat when you want.

Bad advice. Timing , glycemic load, and calorie consumption over time absolutely matter. You always want low glycemic load, otherwise Mr Insulin will deal with that load by storing it as fat. Eating a twinky every hour will produce much different results than eating three within 15 minutes every 3 hours.

different opinion, not bad advice. I don't necessarily agree with you but I would say you are giving bad advice. anything at all left over is converted to fat for storage regardless of when you eat it. The question was about time to eat not what to eat. My opinion is that the overall amount of calories you eat is burned/stored regardless of the time you eat it.

LoveMy3Boys

I have a rule to not eat after 8pm.

jmhunter84

From my understanding and research it really depends on the person, and the hours you work. Morning shift? Night shift?

Dobsaya

Interesting. I rarely eat after 5. I have a body media fit Armand which tracks my calorie burn 24/7 and my metabolism does drop from 1.2 to .9 overnight. I will eat something tonight and see if I still see that drop.

cheryl408

Your body doesn't magically store more fat and calories after a certain hour, so if you work out in the evening or feel famished, there's no need to go to bed with a grumbling tummy. "You can slow your metabolism if you don't give your body fuel when it needs it," says Christine Mastrangelo, RD, founder of New England Nutrition Associates. The trick is to choose a healthy snack, such as whole wheat pita chips and hummus or three cups of air-popped popcorn. If you nibble at night, Mastrangelo suggests that you start each day by planning ahead for those calories. "You'll be less likely to reach for traditional late-night munchies, such as potato chips and ice cream, when you know you've allotted only a small number of calories for your evening snack," she explains.

PJilly

The only time I think it's too late for an evening snack is when I'm already asleep. I usually have my last meal/snack (200-300 calories) an hour or two before bed. I'm too hungry to sleep if I don't.

foxyforce

I heard from a nutritionist that it honestly doesn't matter.

Lyadeia

There is a huge debate about the how late thing...

But most current research is pointing to calories vs. calories out TOTAL and doesn't matter WHEN.

I don't like eating right before bed because it makes it harder to sleep...but for me, it has nothing to do with the pure myth that eating before bed makes you fat.

humpalc

I was also told by a nutritionist that timing honestly doesn't matter as far as weight loss is concerned - as far as a restful sleep is concerned, just be mindful of what the snack is, and not eat too much too close to falling asleep

Dobsaya

Well I ate about 2 and a 1/2 hours before bed and instead of my metabolism dropping to 0.9 while I was sleeping it stayed at 1.1-1.2. Thanks for the tip. I rarely ate after 5 and was slowing down my own metabolism. Who knew?

rybo

I almost always eat right before going to bed. I have experienced no ill effects from doing so. My attempts to not eat after dinner fail miserably, because then I am trying to go almost 12 hrs without eating. And that doesnt work at all for me.

CARNAT22

We usually eat between 8 - 8.30pm

Any earlier and I wouldn't have time to prepare a healthy dinner :-(