when to stop eating for the day...

Today I'm starting a new eating policy, which is: No eating 2 hours before bed. That's usually around 9:30 or 10pm for me, so 7:30 is my cut off tonight, and I plan on logging my food and exercise in at this time... but I'm freaking out. I've still got a very big appetite, and I don't know if I'm just setting myself up for failure. Is this healthy?
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Replies

  • jayne_mel
    jayne_mel Posts: 173 Member
    Now I want peanut butter cups
  • skowalska
    skowalska Posts: 130 Member
    drink lots of water. the first few days was tough for me. if you absolutely have to have a few slices of cucumbers.

    i noticed results very soon after i stopped eating at night, so keep it up :)
  • sting5
    sting5 Posts: 408
    Hi...I don't think you are setting yourself up for failure. I find that usually after 7 or 8pm is just unhealthy snacking time anyway..
  • hil30
    hil30 Posts: 8 Member
    I think it sound like a realistic goal..I think im gonna try that myself .Good Luck :smile:
  • Ittybitty22
    Ittybitty22 Posts: 48 Member
    eat fruit if u get hungry or salad
  • MOS3
    MOS3 Posts: 134 Member
    In my experience the time of eating has not affected weight loss. I often snack all night. However it may not be the same for everyone, so just try out what works for you.
  • iamfranniefierce
    iamfranniefierce Posts: 305 Member
    I agree drink lots of water, half your weight in water...also fill up on protein rich foods, they help keep you satiated. I stop eating three hours before bedtime and these tips have been very helpful in achieving that goal for me.
  • HonkyTonks
    HonkyTonks Posts: 1,193 Member
    Today I'm starting a new eating policy, which is: No eating 2 hours before bed. That's usually around 9:30 or 10pm for me, so 7:30 is my cut off tonight, and I plan on logging my food and exercise in at this time... but I'm freaking out. I've still got a very big appetite, and I don't know if I'm just setting myself up for failure. Is this healthy?

    Pointless. When you eat is irrelevant, it's how much you eat that counts. You could eat IN BED and still see the same results provided your overall macronutrient content and calories in are the same.
  • scottc561
    scottc561 Posts: 329 Member
    Today I'm starting a new eating policy, which is: No eating 2 hours before bed. That's usually around 9:30 or 10pm for me, so 7:30 is my cut off tonight, and I plan on logging my food and exercise in at this time... but I'm freaking out. I've still got a very big appetite, and I don't know if I'm just setting myself up for failure. Is this healthy?

    I would recommend trying IF (intermittent fasting). I have only been doing it about 2 weeks and it helps alot with appetite control. Basically what I do is skip breakfast and then eat lunch around noon and dinner and then dont eat again until lunch the next day. In between lunch and dinner I have other meals if I need them. The main thing is dont eat outside your eating window, which is for me around 8hours and 16 hours fasting. So from 12 to 8pm I can eat. The only time I really get hungry is usually in the morning and just drink some water takes care of hunger. You will learn that you dont have to eat every couple hours like I used to do. And you can eat larger meals since you are not having a lot of small meals.
  • janeosu
    janeosu Posts: 140 Member
    I have a protein shake in the evening after my workout and don't eat after that. This has really helped me because evenings are when I tend to blow it with snacking on bad things :)
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    The only valid reason to stop eating at a certain time is if digestion affects your sleep.

    Otherwise, it doesn't matter when you eat. Except, of course, if you eat a big meal right before bed, and weigh yourself the next morning before you have a chance to poop it out, but that has nothing to do with fat loss.
  • Thanks for the suggestion! It sounds like it's really helping- and if anything can help my appetite CALM DOWN, I'm certainly willing to try it.
  • Now I want peanut butter cups

    haha! just being honest! We'll get through it somehow... :sad:
  • Birder150
    Birder150 Posts: 677 Member
    The only valid reason to stop eating at a certain time is if digestion affects your sleep.

    Otherwise, it doesn't matter when you eat. Except, of course, if you eat a big meal right before bed, and weigh yourself the next morning before you have a chance to poop it out, but that has nothing to do with fat loss.

    I agree.

    I save some calories for a fruit smoothie in the evening.
    Coconut water + Greek yogurt (for the protein) + fruit
    It's my 'dessert'.
  • BrienJD
    BrienJD Posts: 541 Member
    Now I want peanut butter cups

    Totaly agree with the above!!!!!:bigsmile:
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    I wish I could commit to something like this, but the earliest I could shoot for would be like 9pm. I am a hungry woman.
  • Femtec74
    Femtec74 Posts: 347 Member
    Now I want peanut butter cups

    haha! just being honest! We'll get through it somehow... :sad:


    MMMMMM - Peanut Butter
  • carajo
    carajo Posts: 532 Member
    Ive always heard eat throughout the day starting from your first meal...so if you eat at 7 am, quit eating at 7pm. I usually dont have a set time that i stop, but late night if i have munchies i eat fats(peanut butter, almonds, pistachios) works for me!
  • sweet110
    sweet110 Posts: 332 Member
    There is really only one hard and fast rule for dieting: If you can live with it forever, and it works, do it.

    Otherwise, why bother? Some people feel that cutting off their eating at a certain time helps them. Me? I eat an early dinner and like to have little snacks at night, almost right up until bedtime. I'm not a metabolic scientist...I have no idea if it makes any appreciable difference or not. But the important point is that I "like" eating late, and I can lose weight doing it. So I do it.

    Why are you trying to stop eating at a certain time? Are you at a plateau? Do you have heartburn? Just trying an experiment? If its making you miserable, and you don't have any good reason for doing it, don't.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    Today I'm starting a new eating policy, which is: No eating 2 hours before bed. That's usually around 9:30 or 10pm for me, so 7:30 is my cut off tonight, and I plan on logging my food and exercise in at this time... but I'm freaking out. I've still got a very big appetite, and I don't know if I'm just setting myself up for failure. Is this healthy?

    Pointless. When you eat is irrelevant, it's how much you eat that counts. You could eat IN BED and still see the same results provided your overall macronutrient content and calories in are the same.

    ^ This.
  • irisheyez718
    irisheyez718 Posts: 677 Member
    I have ice cream right before i go to bed.
  • terrim64
    terrim64 Posts: 11
    try brushing your teeth after 7:30 that way you are not hungry or chew on a piece of gum or small candy. also drink lots of water. these may help you. i try to do it too and stop eating after 8 if i can. also don't be so hard on yourself if you do eat after that time. if you are still hungrey try and eat something small or low in calories. hope this help. good luck. oh maybe you can try reading or doing something to keep your mind off of food. i am sure you can do it.

    terri
  • cressievargo
    cressievargo Posts: 392 Member
    I try not to eat in my sleep. It's messy.

    Other than that, waking hours are all open for food.

    And I just have to ask about a previous response. HOW exactly does brushing my teeth make me not hungry?

    ETA - and "don't eat but have some candy?" What?!?!
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    the time you eat had no effect on weight loss since your body needs the amount of calories it needs on a 24 hour basis and not just before a certain hour. i generally eat my last meal 2 hours or more before bed but i've also had times when i've randomly wwoken up in the middle of the night and grabbed a piece if chicken, a boiled egg or half an apple with almond butter, ate it and went right back to sleep
  • Today I'm starting a new eating policy, which is: No eating 2 hours before bed. That's usually around 9:30 or 10pm for me, so 7:30 is my cut off tonight, and I plan on logging my food and exercise in at this time... but I'm freaking out. I've still got a very big appetite, and I don't know if I'm just setting myself up for failure. Is this healthy?

    One reason to stop eating a few hours before going to bed is if you have Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, also known as Acid Reflux Disease (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001311/). Without knowing what is motivating you to do this - I do it as well - I agree with the suggestions that you can drink water to quench some of your anxiety. Another thing you can do is to phase the new schedule into progressively longer intervals (from 30 min to 1 hour to 1:30h to 2:00hour).

    Once you get used to your new schedule you won't even think about it anymore.

    Good luck!
  • mdj1501
    mdj1501 Posts: 388 Member
    I typically try not to eat past 7 or so... however, my reason is more health related. I have a hiatal hernia that likes to keep me up all night if I eat too late. That being said, its hard to do sometimes. What works for me is drinking a bunch of water around 6 or 7, I am full and still not up going to the potty all night. Good luck! Just don't be too hard on yourself!
  • dlyeates
    dlyeates Posts: 875 Member
    I personally don't think the timing matters but a lot of people do. I usually have my last snack of the day around 9-9:30 pm and go to bed around 10 pm. I'm still losing weight!!!
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    Today I'm starting a new eating policy, which is: No eating 2 hours before bed. That's usually around 9:30 or 10pm for me, so 7:30 is my cut off tonight, and I plan on logging my food and exercise in at this time... but I'm freaking out. I've still got a very big appetite, and I don't know if I'm just setting myself up for failure. Is this healthy?

    Pointless. When you eat is irrelevant, it's how much you eat that counts. You could eat IN BED and still see the same results provided your overall macronutrient content and calories in are the same.

    ^ This.

    Agreed....

    I go to bed every night with 30 Almonds and a Big Glass of 1% Chocolate Milk... Been doing this for goin on 3 years now and have lost a few pounds.. Only thing that matters is if it fits into your daily caloric intake, doesn't matter when you consume it...
  • Try not to view it as a deficit or you're just going to want to eat.....try and view it as "just the way it is." That's what I do and it seems to work. I just know that after dinner I don't eat anymore for the night. I guess it's mind over matter or something. Anyway, mornings are my problem so I'll take some advice there !! lol
  • Motivation4KB
    Motivation4KB Posts: 68 Member
    Today I'm starting a new eating policy, which is: No eating 2 hours before bed. That's usually around 9:30 or 10pm for me, so 7:30 is my cut off tonight, and I plan on logging my food and exercise in at this time... but I'm freaking out. I've still got a very big appetite, and I don't know if I'm just setting myself up for failure. Is this healthy?

    It will take you 10 or 14 days to get used too it.. Its mind all over matter, since you told yourself your cut off is 7:30 your mind is now telling you to eat.. Make sure you drink lots of water and that will help with your cravings.. Its hard but you can do it..
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