Eating after 9?

LNZimmer

Ok, so today I consumed just under 900 calories throughout the day. I ate healthy, and was prepared to eat dinner, but I never got around to cooking mine. I looked at the clock and it was 9:04. Crap. I had cooked some chicken and fries for my boyfriend and daughter, but didn't want that! Also, by this time, i really want hungry for anything. I looked at MFP and see that my fitbit had also synched with my computer and my calorie adjustment/calories left showed 1200+! Now I never consume my exercise calories. (I work too hard to get them off haha) but I did have about 900 left for the day. Just to make it clear, I am not for starving myself or under eating to lose weight. But if you were in my position, would you have ate a small meal or just called it a day? I just called it a day because I spent too much time trying to decide.

Any input? Thank you!!!

Let me add - My bf is the type that can eat ANYTHING and never gain, so that's why they got fries. I am good when it comes to cooking a meal for myself and for them. He is a meat and potatoes guy.

wolfchild59

It doesn't matter what time of day you eat. I workout later in the evenings so while I eat back most of my exercise calories through the day, I save enough for a small snack after the workout. I lose better when I eat that snack after the workout than when I don't. And I'm often having that snack at 10 or 11 at night.

Heck, there was one night that I got home from a workout at 11pm, ate a cupcake my husband had gotten me from our favorite cupcake bakery, showered and went straight to bed. Still had a loss on the scale the next day.

So personally, I would have eaten something.

Sidesteal

It doesn't matter what time of day you eat.

^ This.

savageman69

Stop believing all the myths....your body cares only about how much food you eat not when, or how you eat it.....Eating special foods is a joke to there is no magic food its just simple as eat less then you burn a day

jendraka

Time doesn't matter, as the others said. If it's 1am and I'm hungry, I eat.

BrianSharpe

I'd eat. Doesn't matter what time, eat when you're hungry.

FitGirl329

I'm sitting here eating my dinner at 10:40 pm and reading this thread. They're correct. If you're hungry at the end of the day then eat! You'll be fine.

mikewpg1ca

Time doesn't matter, as the others said. If it's 1am and I'm hungry, I eat.

Exactly!

LesIsMoreXX

I agree, I think eating at night makes no difference.
I've always found that idea a bit odd because I've also heard that you burn more calories sleeping than watching tv so you would think it'd be better to eat before bed. Uggh, weight loss confuses me.

magerum

It doesn't matter what time of day you eat.

^ This.

^ what they said

volamena

I sometimes eat very late in the evening/night, sometimes my days are so crazy...but I'd never go to bed on an empty stomach. It's true that when it's really late my dinner is more of a snack but 9 is not that late...

wjniii

For me, it has been more important, and effective, to eat smaller portions throughout the day so I never get too hungry. I try to eat at "normal" times but if my schedule makes that after 9:00 p.m. so be it.

Bamberly15

I use to worry about eating after 6pm or really any later in to the evening to be honest but I work late almost every night of the week so I've just learned how to utilize portion control. I say if you're hungry, have a snack, just don't go too over-board so late in to the evening or you'll go to bed feeling crummy. I work out before work and after and I have to say, I've lost 14lbs already and eating at 11pm or 1am has not really hurt me. Go for the snack, you'll go to sleep happier!

kairisika

If it's later but you are hungry, and still have calories to make up, I'm definitely in favour of eating, whatever the time.
But if you were attempting to say that you weren't that hungry, that's different. I suspect a lot of us are working on re-training our bodies' hunger signals, and this is part of it. If I get to not long before bed without doing dinner, and I'm not actually feeling all that hungry, I would not have eaten, as I'm just going to bed after. so if you were hungry, eat it. If you weren't feeling very hungry and don't have many hours left in the day to fuel, I wouldn't have.

jkestens63

Well considering its 11:40 pm here and I'm eating rice cakes with salsa... uh, my answer would be yes.

I firmly believe in calories in vs. calories out -although I do find that the form of the calorie does make a difference. For example, I'm having "Quakes" rice cakes & salsa -- about 160 altogether and that's 4 tblsp of salsa with 14 of the mini rice cakes. That 160 calorie will fill me up better tha a 250 candy bar.

I don't eat a heavy breakfast because I work out first thing in the morning. I like eating heavier/later because it helps stave off overeating at night... my problem time. Plus I eat my exercise calories. I don't eat them down to the last calorie but I exercise hard & usually burn at least 900 calories and if I don't eat some of those, I end up feeling starved and go on a binge. I eat to make sure I feel satiated. Most days (that I exercise) I eat around 2500 cal. I've lost a lot of weight.

LNZimmer

Ahh thank you all!!! I went ahead and grabbed a price of chicken because I knew it was better for me to have something rather than nothing.

Congrats to all who are doing so well! weighing in the morning, hoping for good numbers!

McGrew822

The idea that eating after a certain time will hinder your ability to lose weight is a myth.

What actually matters?

Whether you hit a good target of macronutrients and micronutrients throughout the whole day, whether you worked out with enough intensity, and whether you'll do it again tomorrow.

moonlightturk

I'd eat. Doesn't matter what time, eat when you're hungry.