Eating at night.

BrightEyesx3

So with my work out and eating schedule I try not to eat 4 hours before going to bed, and I try to eat enough at every meal so I don't feel hungry. Yet I've had instances where I eat and reach my calorie goal, but I feel hungry out of no where and I don't wanna eat so late at night yet I don't wanna go to bed feeling like I'm starving myself. Does anyone have tips or suggestions that can help me? What are some of things that you do that prevent you from going to sneak a midnight snack?

Sorry if I'm posting this in the wrong category, I didn't know where else to put it lol

Athijade

Do you have a reason for not eating at night? Besides the myth that if you eat before bed you will get fat.

Pebble321

I think it is more useful to eat when it fits your schedule and your lifestyle than to follow arbitrary rules about cut off times for eating.

But, if you really don't want to eat late for whatever reason - then you will need to plan your day so you have bigger meals earlier in the day and smaller snacks later. Perhaps save 100 or 200 cals so you can have a snack in the evening if you know you always feel hungry then.

It's all about working out what works for you, there isn't any right or wrong with eating times.

kristi5224

I think that myth is true.
I also am really struggling witth this.
If I eat at night I have a hard time stopping. I just have a little something then go to bed.
wine seems to help.

crisanderson27

Do you have a reason for not eating at night? Besides the myth that if you eat before bed you will get fat.

This.

Do a search for your key words, there's tons of threads on the subject.

ElizabethRoad

I just save some of my calories for a snack after dinner.

crisanderson27

I think that myth is true.
I also am really struggling witth this.
If I eat at night I have a hard time stopping. I just have a little something then go to bed.
wine seems to help.

That doesn't mean the myth that if you eat at night (or any arbitrary time before bed) you'll get fat is true, it means you have self control issues, and eating at night triggers them.

If I eat breakfast, I end up stuffing my face all day. Same concept.

ElizabethRoad

I think that myth is true.
I also am really struggling witth this.
If I eat at night I have a hard time stopping. I just have a little something then go to bed.
wine seems to help.

That doesn't make a lot of sense. If you eat at night you have a hard time stopping, so you just have a little something and stop? Which is it? Anyway, it's not the TIMING of the food that makes you gain, it's how much you eat. If eating late makes you overeat, then don't do it. But please don't try to apply your preferences to everyone else.

IronPlayground

I think that myth is true.
I also am really struggling witth this.
If I eat at night I have a hard time stopping. I just have a little something then go to bed.
wine seems to help.

correlation =/= causation

ahpmbruce

I believe most of us as adults eat before bed because we were given a snack before bed as a child for years.
Most times I don't feel hungry at night, it is just a habit and old habits are hard to break.

sammck27

If you need to eat something later in the evening, try to make it veggies or popcorn, but not fruit. Fruit eaten late at night will ferment in your stomach and could upset you. This is something I learned from the 17 day diet. They recommend that you not eat fruit after 2:00 pm

tobnrn

Doesnt matter when you eat as long as you are within your calories. If you like to eat at nite. Save some cals for nite.

daffodilsoup

If you need to eat something later in the evening, try to make it veggies or popcorn, but not fruit. Fruit eaten late at night will ferment in your stomach and could upset you. This is something I learned from the 17 day diet. They recommend that you not eat fruit after 2:00 pm

lol wut

angelashay42

I think that myth is true.
I also am really struggling witth this.
If I eat at night I have a hard time stopping. I just have a little something then go to bed.
wine seems to help.

This does not prove that eating late at night makes you fat.
All you are saying is that you have self-control issues when you eat late at night. It doesn't matter what time of day it is, if you overeat, you're going to gain weight. If you stay within your alloted calories, you will lose weight. You could eat nothing all day long and then eat 1200 calories at 10pm and still lose weight. It's basic math. Calories in, calories out.

angelashay42

If you need to eat something later in the evening, try to make it veggies or popcorn, but not fruit. Fruit eaten late at night will ferment in your stomach and could upset you. This is something I learned from the 17 day diet. They recommend that you not eat fruit after 2:00 pm

Hahaha! That's the DUMBEST thing I've ever heard. And I've heard a lot of dumb things on this site. Good one. No offense, I read that book too. It's not you, it's the author. Anyone can write a book on whatever they want and publish it, doesn't mean it's right.

Edit: Just FYI, if fruit is rotting in my stomach while I'm sleeping, what is it doing during the day? You digestive system does not just stop working because you're sleeping. Otherwise, no one would have to poop in the morning.

Pebble321

If you need to eat something later in the evening, try to make it veggies or popcorn, but not fruit. Fruit eaten late at night will ferment in your stomach and could upset you. This is something I learned from the 17 day diet. They recommend that you not eat fruit after 2:00 pm

That sounds like another one of those myths and rules that just make life more difficult!
I suspect some of these things apply to a small number of people, and then somehow get generalised as something that everyone must do (or not do, as the case may be).

OP - experiement to see what works for you. If an apple before bed makes you feel good and you sleep well - go for it!

crisanderson27

If you need to eat something later in the evening, try to make it veggies or popcorn, but not fruit. Fruit eaten late at night will ferment in your stomach and could upset you. This is something I learned from the 17 day diet. They recommend that you not eat fruit after 2:00 pm

lol wut

I'm with her ^^^

BrightEyesx3

Well the main reason I don't like to eat at night is because I have a hard time falling asleep. Its not that I don't have self control because I do, I'm very strict when it comes to food and portion sizes. I could try saving some calories but I have certain foods that I have everyday, so I figured I'd still have them, just not log it in so I could have that snack just in case if I need it? What do you guys think?

The thing I have everyday is the "Boost High Protein shakes" that has 240 calories. I use it as breakfast and as a supplement to make sure I don't miss any essential vitamins that I might not eat that day.

wingednotes

I think that myth is true.
I also am really struggling witth this.
If I eat at night I have a hard time stopping. I just have a little something then go to bed.
wine seems to help.

This does not prove that eating late at night makes you fat.
All you are saying is that you have self-control issues when you eat late at night. It doesn't matter what time of day it is, if you overeat, you're going to gain weight. If you stay within your alloted calories, you will lose weight. You could eat nothing all day long and then eat 1200 calories at 10pm and still lose weight. It's basic math. Calories in, calories out.

This poster is not giving an explanation for why they believe the myth is true. They are stating their belief and then they are adding that they also are struggling with the desire to eat at night.

crisanderson27

Well the main reason I don't like to eat at night is because I have a hard time falling asleep. Its not that I don't have self control because I do, I'm very strict when it comes to food and portion sizes. I could try saving some calories but I have certain foods that I have everyday, so I figured I'd still have them, just not log it in so I could have that snack just in case if I need it? What do you guys think?

The thing I have everyday is the "Boost High Protein shakes" that has 240 calories. I use it as breakfast and as a supplement to make sure I don't miss any essential vitamins that I might not eat that day.

Please clarify the part in bold...do you mean still eat them, but not log it, so you can eat something else if you want a snack??

If so, the answer is definitely no.

Pebble321

Well the main reason I don't like to eat at night is because I have a hard time falling asleep. Its not that I don't have self control because I do, I'm very strict when it comes to food and portion sizes. I could try saving some calories but I have certain foods that I have everyday, so I figured I'd still have them, just not log it in so I could have that snack just in case if I need it? What do you guys think?

The thing I have everyday is the "Boost High Protein shakes" that has 240 calories. I use it as breakfast and as a supplement to make sure I don't miss any essential vitamins that I might not eat that day.

If you don't sleep well with a full stomach, that sounds like a good reason to stop eating a few hours before bedtime - but do you need a four hour break? Only you can answer that question
Why not plan, and eat, a few different snacks and see what makes you feel good and sleep well.
For me, a few almonds (about 6 is enough) just seem to settle my stomach and make me feel less empty before bed.

MrNoisy

I eat at night, sometimes right before bed. As long as I'm at or below my caloric limit for the day I don't worry about when I eat. I hate feeling starved. I wouldn't really worry to much about it.

Maybe you could try eating foods that are slower to digest later in the day. I personally love fat free cottage cheese as a snack in the evening. It's low calorie and slow digesting.

chevy88grl

Is there a particular reason why you don't want to eat 4 hours before bed? I eat right before bed (heck, I've been known to eat the largest amount of my calories within 45 mins to an hour of going to bed!) and always have. If I don't, I wake in the night and I'll eat something stupid like an entire package of cookies while in a sleep daze.

SoozeE512

Recently I've been having a bowl of oatmeal in place of an evening snack because the oatmeal helps me feel full whereas my other snacks were never as satisfying.

gatecityradio

It doesn't matter when you eat, just don't go over on your calories.

BrightEyesx3

Well the main reason I don't like to eat at night is because I have a hard time falling asleep. Its not that I don't have self control because I do, I'm very strict when it comes to food and portion sizes. I could try saving some calories but I have certain foods that I have everyday, so I figured I'd still have them, just not log it in so I could have that snack just in case if I need it? What do you guys think?

The thing I have everyday is the "Boost High Protein shakes" that has 240 calories. I use it as breakfast and as a supplement to make sure I don't miss any essential vitamins that I might not eat that day.

Please clarify the part in bold...do you mean still eat them, but not log it, so you can eat something else if you want a snack??

If so, the answer is definitely no.

That's what I meant. But you're saying no as to I should still log it in or vice versa?

crisanderson27

Well the main reason I don't like to eat at night is because I have a hard time falling asleep. Its not that I don't have self control because I do, I'm very strict when it comes to food and portion sizes. I could try saving some calories but I have certain foods that I have everyday, so I figured I'd still have them, just not log it in so I could have that snack just in case if I need it? What do you guys think?

The thing I have everyday is the "Boost High Protein shakes" that has 240 calories. I use it as breakfast and as a supplement to make sure I don't miss any essential vitamins that I might not eat that day.

Please clarify the part in bold...do you mean still eat them, but not log it, so you can eat something else if you want a snack??

If so, the answer is definitely no.

That's what I meant. But you're saying no as to I should still log it in or vice versa?

Log everything that goes in your mouth. If you're eating it, it's contributing to either your energy, or if you go into a caloric surplus...fat stores. Just because MFP says you're under...doesn't mean you are, if you're not logging everything.

NewChristina

You have some really good answers here. I just wanted to add that if you choose to eat before bed, you could try a banana or almonds (as someone suggested), both a little high in calories, but they are a natural source of melatonin- a hormone that helps you sleep.

lakota1307

right there with ya, sometimes I have the same issues, last three weeks as a matter of fact. so I am cutting carbs and increasing all natural sugars to replace sweets, fruit , fruit and fruit, from what i have read fruit will not spike insulin in the body like other carbs and sugars such as potato and bread products, when I do eat those products WHOLE GRAIN ONLY also I have problems with artificial sweeteners driving my hunger thru the roof so I am avoiding them as much as possible. basically I have become a vegetarian, I do eat fish, eggs and chicken One time a day but limit that to only baked meats that are lean. For protein I eat pistachios and almonds , and some beans.
I followed this for 6 weeks lost weight, I started bringing back other foods and artificial sweeteners my weight has plateaued and I have had some mad cravings, so today as a matter of fact, back to the strict diet and guess what Cravings today have decreased Tremendously!! first day in a week I have stayed way under my calories just my two cents Hope it helps !

KBGirts

There's nothing wrong with having a snack late in the evening.

beachloe

I eat at night all the time.