What to eat when I'm forced to have a late dinner??
jess_1993
Posts: 151 Member
Since after work I go straight to the gym, by the time I get back home It's around 9pm at night and I haven't eaten dinner yet! Usually I just eat yogurt and call it a night but my stomach usually hurts while I fall asleep because of this. Any suggestions on what I should eat??
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Replies
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Eat a normal healthy dinner, if you work late, then you have a different schedule than most and just eat to accommodate it.0
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Have less carbs and more protein mixed with salads or other light things in the evenings. Too many carbs late on will go straight into fat as you sleep plus the protein boost your muscle repair. Protein will also fill you up.0
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Have less carbs and more protein mixed with salads or other light things in the evenings. Too many carbs late on will go straight into fat as you sleep plus the protein boost your muscle repair. Protein will also fill you up.
The carb thing is a myth. Eat whatever you feel like eating, as long as it fits into your calorie allowance/macros.0 -
Look at your diary and see what you need to complete it. Low on protein, then eat protein. Low on carbs, then eat carbs. Low on everything, have a feast and sleep well.0
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Too many carbs late on will go straight into fat as you sleep ...
no, they won't.
just eat for dinner what you want to eat for dinner. calories can't tell time.0 -
Your body doesnt know what time it is...as long as your meal fits into your cals for the day eat what you want.0
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When I eat late, I usually have a simple salad (greens, tomato, carrots, and a little avocado) with maybe a hard-boiled egg sliced on top . Go easy on the dressing to avoid too much sodium and fat intake. I usually squeeze a couple of wedges of lemon juice on mine.
Since you are coming from the gym, the hard boiled egg (protein) will help with muscle repair.0 -
Since after work I go straight to the gym, by the time I get back home It's around 9pm at night and I haven't eaten dinner yet! Usually I just eat yogurt and call it a night but my stomach usually hurts while I fall asleep because of this. Any suggestions on what I should eat??
You need to make friends with a slow cooker! Martha Stewart has volumes of healthy recipes too. Most likely you are quite hungry, but I know what its like when you get in the door and you are just wired. Also, what are you eating for lunch?0 -
Look at your diary and see what you need to complete it. Low on protein, then eat protein. Low on carbs, then eat carbs. Low on everything, have a feast and sleep well.
This.
Eat what you'd eat if you ate earlier. It doesn't matter what time, unless you're someone who gets indigestion or can't sleep well on a full stomach.
Or have some turkey and go into a Thanksgiving Day type food coma.0 -
Dinner.0
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salad0
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i remember jillian michaels once said in an interview that if you have to eat so soon before bed, you should eat more protein than carbs - can't cite it exactly though. but you shouldn't worry too much. eat whatever you feel like eating!0
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Since after work I go straight to the gym, by the time I get back home It's around 9pm at night and I haven't eaten dinner yet! Usually I just eat yogurt and call it a night but my stomach usually hurts while I fall asleep because of this. Any suggestions on what I should eat??
Some of these answers are silly-The Carb thing is not a myth and it does matter what you eat, here's why
Serotonin and GABA are two of your primary neuroreceptors in your brain that affect mood, sleepiness, awake-ness, etc. Serotonin can be elevated by eating carbohydrate (i.e. late at night). When you eat the carb, insulin pops out of your pancreas and cleans your blood of a bunch of amino acids except for the TURKEY amino! (j/k, I mean tryptophan). Tryptophan hits the brain, turns in to serotonin and you get calm, satisfied, etc. it's part of the reason some people drink milk pre-bed (tryptophan).
NOW. between 11 pm and 1 am, your body clicks in to (CAUTION, CLICHE TERM AHEAD!!) "detoxify" your body. Your parasympathetic nervous system (the one that controls your organs, heart, digestion, etc) kicks in to high gear and nutrients start moving where they should.
If you go home and eat cake, you will gain fat...the carb thing is not a myth
some protein and carb will refuel you and put you to sleep.
WHAT SHOULD YOU EAT
Eat some protein for aminos for your muscles and some carb within 1/2 hourish of being done with your workout. make your meal relatively small and have COMPLEX CARBS like long-grain brown rice or some veggies. Sip down some lemon or lime juice in water to slow the glycemic index and you'll be all set and even add a little growth-hormone boost
check this out if you need more!
wellfitlife.me0 -
To add to the carb/protein debate is insulin effectiveness. For diabetics different times of the day brings different outcomes. I have what's called "dawn effect" where I CANNOT eat carbs in the morning. If I do, it sends my blood glucose soaring, then crashing to a hypoglycemic state in about 3 hours. For others, eating higher carbs before bed can cause a middle-of-night crash. See this link for more info: http://diabetes.webmd.com/morning-high-blood-sugar-levels
Each of these things is not caloric intake vs caloric expenditure, it's about krebs cycle and mitochondrial function/impairment. Losing weight is NOT as simple as intake vs expenditure. For diabetics, eating protein with low carb prior to bedtime can maintain a better glucose level overnight, and even if you don't have diabetes, the body likes a steady glucose level. If one is overweight, chances are there is some level of insulin resistance/impairment and that chance increases with the amount of overweight a person is.0 -
If you go home and eat cake, you will gain fat...the carb thing is not a myth
You will gain fat eating cake at night, even at a calorie deficit? :noway:0 -
If you go home and eat cake, you will gain fat...the carb thing is not a myth
You will gain fat eating cake at night, even at a calorie deficit? :noway:
It depends on the person and how often. Most people in their 20-something's and early 30s will not. However, many people in their mid-30s and beyond begin having issues with their glut4 receptors, insulin transports and production, protein issues, lipase issues.
My statement may have been aunnecessary blanket (sorry) :-) but my point is, calories in vs. calories out tends to work for people whose metabolisms (thousands of molecular reactions), even though it may not be the exact solution.
However, if you understand the physiology, there's a LOT that can go wrong.
I know this idea is abstract if calories in vs. out worked for you but think about anyone you know who is diabetic, has gone through menopause or is on steroids or anti-depressants. Most of these people gain weight without either changing the type and timing of their food or taking another drug to counteract. That's the whole idea behind whey protein supplement, 7-keto, multivitamins, etc.
Thanks for the thoughts :-) I LOVE this stuff"
Wellfitlife.me0 -
You should totally make your own frozen dinners to pop in the microwave and gobble up. Oooh, you could even do them by macro needs... like, carby frozen meals, balanced frozen meals, proteiny frozen meals..
Also, you could drink it. Nothing like a late night smoothie! 0 -
If you go home and eat cake, you will gain fat...the carb thing is not a myth
You will gain fat eating cake at night, even at a calorie deficit? :noway:
It depends on the person and how often. Most people in their 20-something's and early 30s will not. However, many people in their mid-30s and beyond begin having issues with their glut4 receptors, insulin transports and production, protein issues, lipase issues.
My statement may have been aunnecessary blanket (sorry) :-) but my point is, calories in vs. calories out tends to work for people whose metabolisms (thousands of molecular reactions), even though it may not be the exact solution.
However, if you understand the physiology, there's a LOT that can go wrong.
I know this idea is abstract if calories in vs. out worked for you but think about anyone you know who is diabetic, has gone through menopause or is on steroids or anti-depressants. Most of these people gain weight without either changing the type and timing of their food or taking another drug to counteract. That's the whole idea behind whey protein supplement, 7-keto, multivitamins, etc.
Thanks for the thoughts :-) I LOVE this stuff"
Wellfitlife.me
The Primary Laws of Nutrient Timing
The First Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing.
The Second Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing.
Heard of carb backloading or the biorhythm diet?
To answer, the question. Eat whetever you want that fits you're macro targets.0 -
If you go home and eat cake, you will gain fat...the carb thing is not a myth
You will gain fat eating cake at night, even at a calorie deficit? :noway:
It depends on the person and how often. Most people in their 20-something's and early 30s will not. However, many people in their mid-30s and beyond begin having issues with their glut4 receptors, insulin transports and production, protein issues, lipase issues.
My statement may have been aunnecessary blanket (sorry) :-) but my point is, calories in vs. calories out tends to work for people whose metabolisms (thousands of molecular reactions), even though it may not be the exact solution.
However, if you understand the physiology, there's a LOT that can go wrong.
I know this idea is abstract if calories in vs. out worked for you but think about anyone you know who is diabetic, has gone through menopause or is on steroids or anti-depressants. Most of these people gain weight without either changing the type and timing of their food or taking another drug to counteract. That's the whole idea behind whey protein supplement, 7-keto, multivitamins, etc.
Thanks for the thoughts :-) I LOVE this stuff"
Wellfitlife.me
The Primary Laws of Nutrient Timing
The First Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing.
The Second Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing.
Heard of carb backloading or the biorhythm diet?
To answer, the question. Eat whetever you want that fits you're macro targets.
Far more important than timing but timing is still important :-)
Your advice may work great for A 29 year old guy, But it won't work across the board. Why not start more specific, see some results and work backward from there?0 -
Have less carbs and more protein mixed with salads or other light things in the evenings. Too many carbs late on will go straight into fat as you sleep plus the protein boost your muscle repair. Protein will also fill you up.
The carb thing is a myth. Eat whatever you feel like eating, as long as it fits into your calorie allowance/macros.
Yep! I used to finish work at midnight, I had my "dinner" at 4pm, a snack at work (sandwich etc around 9pm), then I would eat again when I got home, didn't care about whether it had carbs in, as long as my macros for the day were fine.
I still lost weight, meal timing doesn't matter, as long as you meet your calorie/macro goals 0 -
Thanks to those who supported my lower carbs in the evening statement. Your body does know what time it is WHEN IT IS ASLEEP.
What I am saying is that the calories that are made up by carbs should be made up by proteins instead. I'm not suggesting carbs are bad, on the contrary but tapering carbs from morning to evening is proven to aid and maintain weight loss as the carbs have a chance to be burnt off throughout the day - ie when you're asleep you're not burning many calories ergo it gets stored as fat.0 -
Your advice may work great for A 29 year old guy, But it won't work across the board. Why not start more specific, see some results and work backward from there?
How about for a (nearly) 40 year old woman? I typically eat late because my husband doesn't get home from work until after 7 at the earliest, and I eat the bulk of my calories in the evening. Typically over 1000 cal for dinner, which often includes pizza, pasta, rice, potatoes, garlic bread, corn bread...0 -
If you go home and eat cake, you will gain fat...the carb thing is not a myth
You will gain fat eating cake at night, even at a calorie deficit? :noway:
It depends on the person and how often. Most people in their 20-something's and early 30s will not. However, many people in their mid-30s and beyond begin having issues with their glut4 receptors, insulin transports and production, protein issues, lipase issues.
My statement may have been aunnecessary blanket (sorry) :-) but my point is, calories in vs. calories out tends to work for people whose metabolisms (thousands of molecular reactions), even though it may not be the exact solution.
However, if you understand the physiology, there's a LOT that can go wrong.
I know this idea is abstract if calories in vs. out worked for you but think about anyone you know who is diabetic, has gone through menopause or is on steroids or anti-depressants. Most of these people gain weight without either changing the type and timing of their food or taking another drug to counteract. That's the whole idea behind whey protein supplement, 7-keto, multivitamins, etc.
Thanks for the thoughts :-) I LOVE this stuff"
Wellfitlife.me
Aw, *kitten*. I'm gonna be 36. Does that mean I can't eat my ice cream in bed before I fall asleep?? Damn, I'm on the downward slide. I eat half of my daily calories after 7pm and I have lost 10 pounds in 7 weeks. I better figure something out before August!0 -
If you go home and eat cake, you will gain fat...the carb thing is not a myth
You will gain fat eating cake at night, even at a calorie deficit? :noway:
It depends on the person and how often. Most people in their 20-something's and early 30s will not. However, many people in their mid-30s and beyond begin having issues with their glut4 receptors, insulin transports and production, protein issues, lipase issues.
My statement may have been aunnecessary blanket (sorry) :-) but my point is, calories in vs. calories out tends to work for people whose metabolisms (thousands of molecular reactions), even though it may not be the exact solution.
However, if you understand the physiology, there's a LOT that can go wrong.
I know this idea is abstract if calories in vs. out worked for you but think about anyone you know who is diabetic, has gone through menopause or is on steroids or anti-depressants. Most of these people gain weight without either changing the type and timing of their food or taking another drug to counteract. That's the whole idea behind whey protein supplement, 7-keto, multivitamins, etc.
Thanks for the thoughts :-) I LOVE this stuff"
Wellfitlife.me
The Primary Laws of Nutrient Timing
The First Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing.
The Second Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing.
Heard of carb backloading or the biorhythm diet?
To answer, the question. Eat whetever you want that fits you're macro targets.
Far more important than timing but timing is still important :-)
Your advice may work great for A 29 year old guy, But it won't work across the board. Why not start more specific, see some results and work backward from there?
Laws of thermodynamics.
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I feel it doesn't matter when you eat carbs as long as you are filling macronutrient needs for the day. For those advocating that you shouldn't, answer this. Would you say it was ok to fill carb needs at a 4:00 PM dinner, assuming you already had your workout for the day, then relax and watch TV for the rest of the evening until you go to bed around 11:00?0
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I feel it doesn't matter when you eat carbs as long as you are filling macronutrient needs for the day. For those advocating that you shouldn't, answer this. Would you say it was ok to fill carb needs at a 4:00 PM dinner, assuming you already had your workout for the day, then relax and watch TV for the rest of the evening until you go to bed around 11:00?
It's not quite that easy, and will depend a lot on the type of carb, lifestyle, your goals, how close you are to your goals, past habits and diseases.,......for instance, vegetables are carbs and you should eat those all day long.
When you say"fulfill your needs", do you mean with 6 pieces of bread or a bag of baby carrots?
If I needed to simplify it, I would give this example.
If you believe simple carbs will make u store more fat more than complex carbs, you agree with us who think carbo-loading at 10 pm, you just don't know it yet :
Think of your body as a car and your food as gasoline. If you try to cram 15 gallons of gas (sugar) in to a 10 gallon tank (your muscles, cells, etc.) , 5 gallons will fall on the ground (be stored as fat). That's simple carb or carb-loading un-earned calories late at night. The difference is your body doesn't waste gas, it stores it as fat.
On the other hand, if you put 10 gallons in a tank, drive a couple miles, fill a little bit, drive a little bit and fill a little bit, none spills on the ground...
(WARNING, OVERSIMPLIFIED STATEMENT AHEAD) Carbo loading at night is like trying to cram 15 gallons of gas in to a 10 gallon tank. 10 gallons get used for fuel, 5 get stored as fat for later.
Wellfitlife.me0 -
If you go home and eat cake, you will gain fat...the carb thing is not a myth
You will gain fat eating cake at night, even at a calorie deficit? :noway:
It depends on the person and how often. Most people in their 20-something's and early 30s will not. However, many people in their mid-30s and beyond begin having issues with their glut4 receptors, insulin transports and production, protein issues, lipase issues.
My statement may have been aunnecessary blanket (sorry) :-) but my point is, calories in vs. calories out tends to work for people whose metabolisms (thousands of molecular reactions), even though it may not be the exact solution.
However, if you understand the physiology, there's a LOT that can go wrong.
I know this idea is abstract if calories in vs. out worked for you but think about anyone you know who is diabetic, has gone through menopause or is on steroids or anti-depressants. Most of these people gain weight without either changing the type and timing of their food or taking another drug to counteract. That's the whole idea behind whey protein supplement, 7-keto, multivitamins, etc.
Thanks for the thoughts :-) I LOVE this stuff"
Wellfitlife.me
So for the average person who is not diabetic, has gone through menopause or is on steroids or anti-depressants.... eating cake at night, at a calorie deficit will not cause weight gain.0 -
The other thing everyone has neglected to consider is the OP is coming home from a workout. The carbs will first of all go to replace glycogen stores. To the OP don't worry about it eat a normal meal your body needs it. Just stay within your calorie goal.0
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Forget about that. LOL@people still believing the carbs at night myth. What are you learning from Dr. Oz? Come on people don't start believing idiotic principles. My biggest meals are at night and I make my absolute biggest my dessert meal. And in combination with intermittent fasting, pretty much my day's worth of food is eaten within 2-3 hrs at night time not too far away from bedtime.
I eat 592g carbs at on my training days, and yes, I only eat them at night, most of the carbs being in my dessert meal.0 -
So for the average person who is not diabetic, has gone through menopause or is on steroids or anti-depressants.... eating cake at night, at a calorie deficit will not cause weight gain.
exactly0
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