Cut off time?

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Ljhodges
Ljhodges Posts: 3 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Does anyone limit (by a set time) how late they eat? Or how many hours before you go to bed?

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  • nmclaurin
    nmclaurin Posts: 43
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    I don't eat after 7pm. But, I hear 3 hours before bed is the cutoff.
  • watrmlon
    watrmlon Posts: 34
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    I don't eat after diinner
  • sarahliftsUP
    sarahliftsUP Posts: 752 Member
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    Nope! If I'm hungry before bed, I'll eat. Usually though it's about an hour before I go to bed where I will have an evening snack.
  • CaptainAmerica1970
    CaptainAmerica1970 Posts: 435
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    sometimes
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,412 MFP Moderator
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    If you are hungry, you are better off eating or have a protein shake. Whey protein processes within an hour to get through your system and metabolize. Below is a good link that can explain that. But keep in mind, over a weeks time, or even a day, your body doesn't know what time you are eating, its just working to process.


    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/satternorton.htm
  • frlsmith
    frlsmith Posts: 8
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    For me, it isn't about a strict cut-off time, it's about making sure I can sleep. If I go to bed HUNGRY, I won't sleep. But if I eat within an hour of going to bed, I'll have nightmares. I'd say pay attention to whether you are thirsty, bored, upset, or truly hungry.
  • tolygal
    tolygal Posts: 602 Member
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    I try not to eat within 2-3 hours before bed because that's what works best for me. I don't care what "they" say - my body feels so much better when I go to bed slightly hungry. I know the recent science doesn't always support that, but I tell you what - for me, if I do this consistently, I lose weight faster. It may not be just because I didn't eat before sleeping (although I do believe that's part of it). It could be that fact combined with the other benefits - I wake feeling bright and alert and ready go go - feeling good. When I eat before bed, even just a little, I wake feeling groggy and full and lazy. I'm telling you - for me, I am convinced that this has a huge impact on my metabolism.
  • lripson28
    lripson28 Posts: 213 Member
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    I don't like to eat past 9. Usually go to bed about 11 ish. If we go out with friends or do something fun I'll break my rule and eat. But it only happens once in awhile.
  • rowbseat13
    rowbseat13 Posts: 147 Member
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    If I'm hungry before bed, I will definitely eat. If I don't, I'll lie in bed thinking about being hungry, which makes me way more likely to say, "Oh, screw it" and go make a giant bowl of cereal. Even if that cereal is low-cal and made with almond milk, I'd have been much better off just eating a handful of grapes right before I went to bed.
  • MzPix
    MzPix Posts: 177 Member
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    I don't have a cutoff time at all.
    I am trying to learn more about any scientific evidence on this topic though.

    My blood sugar levels are already incredibly low early in the mornings, so I don't really feel comfortable deliberately adding more hours to my nighttime fasting period, especially if I have plenty of calories left for the day.
  • ceeshelman
    ceeshelman Posts: 77
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    Does anyone limit (by a set time) how late they eat? Or how many hours before you go to bed?

    Dr. Oz says that no one should eat after 6pm for maximum weight loss.
  • significance
    significance Posts: 436 Member
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    Dr. Oz says that no one should eat after 6pm for maximum weight loss.

    Of course you'll lose weight if you skip dinner, which is probably the major meal for most of us. I don't think it's a good idea, though.

    I suppose some might call a meal before 6pm dinner, but it seems more within the "afternoon snack" zone, and I suspect most working people would find it difficult to prepare and eat anything healthy by that time of day.
  • poisongirl6485
    poisongirl6485 Posts: 1,487 Member
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    Does anyone limit (by a set time) how late they eat? Or how many hours before you go to bed?

    Dr. Oz says that no one should eat after 6pm for maximum weight loss.

    That guy bugs me lol.

    I work til 2 am and often don't eat my first meal of the day until 4 pm. SO this definitely wouldn't work for me.
  • oddyogi
    oddyogi Posts: 1,816 Member
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    It is best to not eat anything a few hours before bedtime, reason being if your body is working to digest food while you are sleeping, there is less energy it can use toward repairing and restoring the rest of your body.

    If you must eat something, it is best to eat protein before bed. When you sleep, human growth hormone is released, which spikes your metabolism for a time period through the night. Protein will help the HGH build (or repair) your muscles.

    Try not to eat carbs, especially starches or sugars, before bed. If you do, your insulin levels will rise, and insulin hinders the release of HGH, so then it screws up with the metabolizing processes your body tries to accomplish during the night.

    Another reason why sleep is so important to health--and weight loss.

    Edit: On the other hand, if you are a person that wakes up and does endurance cardio before breakfast with no preworkout snack, then I suggest you 1.) Eat a preworkout carbohydrate in the morning about an hour or so before exercising to restore glycogen to your liver (recommended), 2.) Have a nicely sized dinner with a good portion of carbohydrate and maybe a smaller snack before bed, or 3.) Have a snack before bed if you don't feel comfortable eating a large dinner.
  • lsd007
    lsd007 Posts: 435
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    My cut off time is when I get into bed. :happy:
  • springtrio
    springtrio Posts: 429 Member
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    Nothing after 4.
  • marquesajen
    marquesajen Posts: 641
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    I used to have a cut off time, but since I work weird hours sometimes I eat later.

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