Eating at Night

bf43005

I have always heard that it isn't good to eat after a certain time at night, or more correctly before you go to bed. Normally I hear anywhere from 2-4 hours before you go to bed you should stop eating. A few weeks ago I read something that said calories are calories and your body doesn't know the difference between morning and night. I was wondering if anyone had any insight on this subject. Between work, commute home, gym, and other responsibilities it's never before 8 pm when I eat dinner and then I'm normally in bed by 10:30 - 11 pm. Not that I can really change this because of my schedule and I accepted it a while ago, but I'm curious about the facts or myths behind this

taylor5877

I eat about 500-600 calories about 30 mins before I go to bed every night.

On my first lean down I would wake up in the middle night and eat a few spoonfuls of peanut butter.

Yeah, it's your total calories, not when you eat them.

magerum

Eat whenever you want. Timing doesn't matter when it comes to weight loss.

abbylg1983

Hard to say. There are entire diet books written around the premise that timing is everything when you eat, and that if you eat right before bed your body will store all that as fat (oversimplified, but that's the gist). Also, if you eat too many calories at once (ie, you eat one meal a day at 1200 calories instead of 3 meals a day at 400 calories each) your body will store that as fat.

Mostly what I have read around here is that a calorie is a calorie, and the content of the calories, the timing of the calories, and the frequency of the calories are irrelevant.

I disagree with the notion that a calorie is a calorie as far as content. I DO think 1200 calories of refined carbs is not as good as 1200 calories of unrefined carbs, proteins, and fats. It may not make a difference in weight gain, but it will make a difference in your appearance, particularly if you are working out. Timing I do believe is irrelevant. But you're going to get a different answer depending on you ask.

ElizabethRoad

I disagree with the notion that a calorie is a calorie as far as content. I DO think 1200 calories of refined carbs is not as good as 1200 calories of unrefined carbs, proteins, and fats. It may not make a difference in weight gain, but it will make a difference in your appearance, particularly if you are working out. Timing I do believe is irrelevant. But you're going to get a different answer depending on you ask.

No one here has ever said that the content of the calories don't matter for nutrition. People say that it doesn't matter for weight loss.

rose313

It's okay to eat before bed. I used to believe that it wasn't, but I started eating a little bit before bed, then I started eating a little more before bed, and sometimes I eat my dinner only an hour before I go to sleep. Nothing has changed and I haven't gained any weight.

abbylg1983

I disagree with the notion that a calorie is a calorie as far as content. I DO think 1200 calories of refined carbs is not as good as 1200 calories of unrefined carbs, proteins, and fats. It may not make a difference in weight gain, but it will make a difference in your appearance, particularly if you are working out. Timing I do believe is irrelevant. But you're going to get a different answer depending on you ask.

No one here has ever said that the content of the calories don't matter for nutrition. People say that it doesn't matter for weight loss.

I actually said that in the passage you just quoted. "It may not make a difference in weight gain, but it will make a difference in your appearance, particularly if you are working out." ie, the scale may stay the same, but your body will look leaner on the second plan.

Matiara

I always eat a 100-150 calorie snack before bed because if I don't, my stomach wakes me up in the middle of the night by growling as if I haven't eaten in days. Nothing like a bleary eyed trip to the kitchen for a bowl of cereal at 3 AM to cause one to remember to eat a little something before bed.

lobstergirl

oh god i always eat before bed other wise i wake up middle of the night ravenous. Everyone's different in what they prefer but we are all the same in that calories in at whatever time of day are calories in! I also work funny hours so just listen to your body. I don't abide by the breakfast lunch dinner rule either. Eat when your hungry but be aware of its nutritional content and portion size. simple!
xx

BrianSharpe

I think the only valid reason not to eat close to bed time is if it makes you feel uncomfortable and disturbs your sleep, other than that if your within your goals go for it.

bf43005

Thanks everyone. I had the feeling that it really didn't matter when you ate but some people stick hard to those old "facts" about weight loss.

ElizabethRoad

I disagree with the notion that a calorie is a calorie as far as content. I DO think 1200 calories of refined carbs is not as good as 1200 calories of unrefined carbs, proteins, and fats. It may not make a difference in weight gain, but it will make a difference in your appearance, particularly if you are working out. Timing I do believe is irrelevant. But you're going to get a different answer depending on you ask.

No one here has ever said that the content of the calories don't matter for nutrition. People say that it doesn't matter for weight loss.

I actually said that in the passage you just quoted. "It may not make a difference in weight gain, but it will make a difference in your appearance, particularly if you are working out." ie, the scale may stay the same, but your body will look leaner on the second plan.

Yes, I know what you said. The problem is, you somehow think that it's a point that needs arguing. You're disagreeing with someone you made up in your head.

abbylg1983

I disagree with the notion that a calorie is a calorie as far as content. I DO think 1200 calories of refined carbs is not as good as 1200 calories of unrefined carbs, proteins, and fats. It may not make a difference in weight gain, but it will make a difference in your appearance, particularly if you are working out. Timing I do believe is irrelevant. But you're going to get a different answer depending on you ask.

No one here has ever said that the content of the calories don't matter for nutrition. People say that it doesn't matter for weight loss.

I actually said that in the passage you just quoted. "It may not make a difference in weight gain, but it will make a difference in your appearance, particularly if you are working out." ie, the scale may stay the same, but your body will look leaner on the second plan.

Yes, I know what you said. The problem is, you somehow think that it's a point that needs arguing. You're disagreeing with someone you made up in your head.

OK, I guess I was a little too general in my post and you misunderstood my point. I was not speaking of nutrition or general health at all. I was saying I read a lot calories in, calories out, and while I CONCEDED in my original post that it may be true for weight, I don't think it's true for looks. When I avoid refined carbs yet still eat the same amount of calories I may not lose weight, but I look a lot leaner. And a lot of people think weight loss and fat loss are interchangeable, and they are not. I could lose weight to the point of an unhealthy BMI eating nothing but 1200 calories of donuts yet still have a gut. I am not quite sure where you got that I was disagreeing with someone in my head. I was merely pointing out calories in < calories out = weight loss can be misleading (not because it's untrue, but because weight less does not tell the whole story).