Is eating at night bad, if you have the calories for it?

billyjoebob

My husband and I always end up eating at night after dinner, while the kids are falling asleep and we're watching t.v. Ever since joining MFP I make sure I have enough calories to have my nighttime snack and it's almost always a healthy snack. I've heard that eating at night can be bad for you and lead to weight gain, but I've also heard it's just a way to not eat as many calories. So, is it okay for me to be eating late at night, or would it be better for me to eat all of my calories during the day and not save any for late at night?

vim_n_vigor

If I go to bed hungry, I won't sleep. I eat at night because I like to sleep.

mrskaylaforthewin

it dont matter... tbh.... ive heard docs say its fine

Acg67

no, there is no arbitrary cut off time that suddenly makes eating "bad" if you are fitting it into your daily cals

maidentl

It's fine, your body doesn't know what time it is. As long as you have a calorie deficit, you're good.

KellyRunyon

i always save between 100-150 calories for night so I can have a snack after both of my boys are in bed and I don't have to "share" my snack with them which is usually a skinny cow ice cream bar.

Larius

Just the opposite, it is good. The only reason people say not to eat at night is because they tend to eat junkfood, and too much of it. If you can eat healthy in the evening, that is the best thing for you, IMHO.

russelljclarke

If you eat too soon before bedtime, your body won't metabolise the calories quite as efficiently as when you're awake. Better to graze during the day to make sure you don't feel hungry when you collapse in front of the TV. A drink would be OK though, and often helps with the hunger.

deenaspell

You're probably going to get a variety of answers for this one, but I think it has to do with your metabolism and what you eat exactly. You should always eat light (fruit, granola, veggies, etc) at night because your metabolism slows down while you sleep. But you can eat at night - especially if you have the calories! If it makes you feel any better, I've lost all the weight I have and I always eat after 9 pm because we exercise after he gets off work around 9. Know your body!

My husband and I always end up eating at night after dinner, while the kids are falling asleep and we're watching t.v. Ever since joining MFP I make sure I have enough calories to have my nighttime snack and it's almost always a healthy snack. I've heard that eating at night can be bad for you and lead to weight gain, but I've also heard it's just a way to not eat as many calories. So, is it okay for me to be eating late at night, or would it be better for me to eat all of my calories during the day and not save any for late at night?

Asil76

Take a look at this...hope it helps

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3263249.stm

HMonsterX

I eat the majority of my calories between midnight-4am. Have done since i started, and I'm doing fine!

The only reason late night snacking gets a bad rep is because most obese people eat their normal amount during the day, and THEN snack at night, thus adding extra calories, taking them into a surplus. If you still eat at a deficit, doesn't matter when you eat.

Ebbsies

Not unless your like me and have IBS-C where you are a "Slow goer" and food takes longer to digest causing more water retention or feeling backed up the next day, lol TMI, other than that, there is no proof in clinical studies that not eating before bed helps with losing weight, calories in/calories out applies to the majority of the population.

LiL_MisS_C

I always right before bed since I am nightshift worker. I never had any problems in losing weight because of this.

ejohndrow

If you are losing weight while doing so then it shouldn't matter right? I don't believe in this 'don't eat after a certain time' crap. Our body's are always burning calories-exercise helps to burn more etc etc etc. A lot of the problems with eating at night comes from what people eat. At night we are more likely to grab a salty fattening snack rather than something that is healthy and low in calories. Just keep it low in calories like you said and you shoudl be fine. There is no specific way for everyone to eat across the board-just see what works for you.

Runnermadre

I've tried arranging my calories in different ways, but I always end up hungrier in the second half of the day. I usually end up hungry again within the last two hours before bed, so I eat. I have lost almost 30 lbs, and in fact, I have been able to maintain my goal weight without a problem even with night eating. :-)

Huskeryogi

The only reason late night snacking gets a bad rep is because most obese people eat their normal amount during the day, and THEN snack at night, thus adding extra calories, taking them into a surplus. If you still eat at a deficit, doesn't matter when you eat.

^I totally agree with this.

rileysowner

If you eat too soon before bedtime, your body won't metabolise the calories quite as efficiently as when you're awake. Better to graze during the day to make sure you don't feel hungry when you collapse in front of the TV. A drink would be OK though, and often helps with the hunger.

This is a myth. Your bodies metabolism does not stop at night, it keeps working along. In fact at night it is quite active repairing the damage and stress that is put on your body through your daily activity. Some people have issues with heart burn if they eat close to bed, but the OP didn't ask about digestive issue, but caloric issues.

To the OP, it is fine as long as you stay within your calorie budget. I often eat late at night and it has not harmed my weight loss at all. I am much more likely to go off the rails from eating many small meals through the day than from eating at night.

Rachaelluvszipped

I've tried arranging my calories in different ways, but I always end up hungrier in the second half of the day. I usually end up hungry again within the last two hours before bed, so I eat. I have lost almost 30 lbs, and in fact, I have been able to maintain my goal weight without a problem even with night eating. :-)

I totally agree...

I eat my snack sometimes late..lol, sometimes right up to bedtime..that reminds me I gotta change my times on my diary..hehe! Add me if you want..I still lose the weight...no worries on my end as it is

LauraMarie37

Just the opposite, it is good. The only reason people say not to eat at night is because they tend to eat junkfood, and too much of it. If you can eat healthy in the evening, that is the best thing for you, IMHO.

I agree 100% with this. (Yes, your body does slow down your metabolism at night - but that's only after a certain amount of REM sleep and then it's good, because you have the longest gap between meals between dinner (or your last snack) and breakfast. If your body didn't slow down your metabolism you'd wake up starving!)

alapoint89

no its not bad because while sleeping you still burn calories and it helps you lose weight done worry about what time you eat just eat if you do have the calories just dont weight yourself the next morning it wont be as accurate

finchase

I almost always have extra calories left at night, so I will have a snack to make sure I at least hit 1200 calories for the day. I always make it a healthy snack like fruit or some Special K treat. Occasionally, if I'm really low on carbs that day I'll have a small bowl of oatmeal. Just try not to let that snack push you over your daily calorie goal; as others have said, it's all about the calorie deficit.

armacd

I have an article I can send to anyone interested, just send me a message, that talks about this. The gist of it is that your body has a growth hormone spike while you sleep, this aids in the metabolism of fat and having food in your system can interfere with that spike, so by sleeping while your body is not in the midst of digesting your body will access stored fat for energy.

jjgrant07

It is for me! If i go straight to sleep I do not burn off those calories while sleep.

HMonsterX

It is for me! If i go straight to sleep I do not burn off those calories while sleep.

You think your metabolism just .... stops...when you get to sleep?!

windowhotel

As far as I understand it, the reason why eating at night is bad (some people say you shouldn't even eat after you get home from work) is because you eat excess calories which your body won't burn off entirely while sleeping/watching television and that becomes fat. So if you want to eat at night, eating light and healthy is probably the best option and it probably won't have any negative effect on you.

samb

I don't see a problem with it. I was doing intermittent fasting and still try to, but if I am hungry at night I won't sleep so lately I have been needing to eat before bed or in the middle of the night if I don't and I have been losing weight....seems it may even accelerate it for me for some reason. Not sure though. But I think the problem is when people eat crap before bed because it is easy. I, on the other hand, eat pistachios or something low carb and not too damaging lol. I don't think it'll matter if you find a healthy snack.

jacksonpt

It depends on how your body responds to it. I've heard/read in several places cases both for and against. For me it comes down to the fact that my body responds MUCH better when I don't eat at night. I sleep better, I feel better in the morning, and I'm more likely to lose weight.

horizonflight

It's fine, your body doesn't know what time it is. As long as you have a calorie deficit, you're good.

Although I agree with what you're trying to say in this statement, the wording is off. Your body DOES know what time it is. Circadian Rhythms are what help our bodies differentiate between day and night. Additionally, melatonin, which is considered a "darkness hormone" (and often described as a sleep hormone), is secreted by the pineal gland which controls the "light-dark cycle".

rileysowner

As far as I understand it, the reason why eating at night is bad (some people say you shouldn't even eat after you get home from work) is because you eat excess calories which your body won't burn off entirely while sleeping/watching television and that becomes fat. So if you want to eat at night, eating light and healthy is probably the best option and it probably won't have any negative effect on you.

That sort of thinking completely misunderstands how the body works. The vast majority of what you burn in a day is your body just doing what it does to keep alive. Much of that happens at night while you sleep. Thus, your body will most certainly use those calories for something other than fat.

swillis21

Take a look at this...hope it helps

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3263249.stm

great link! thank you for sharing!! And to the OP I was wondering this lately too! Those of us w/kids really like having some adult time to just relax and enjoy a snack given we've eaten well that day~