no food after 7 pm

Amb_er100

Heard that to lose weight and help your body digesting fore going to bed it's important not to eat after 6-7 pm does it work or u just need to wait 2-3 hours after dinner to go to bed?

hughtwalker

I would go along with not eating after 9pm - 6 to 7pm is impractical BR (BEfore Retirement)

darrensurrey

Heard that to lose weight and help your body digesting fore going to bed it's important not to eat after 6-7 pm does it work or u just need to wait 2-3 hours after dinner to go to bed?

I eat right up to 1am before bed then eat again around 7am... these times are nonsense unless you're doing intermittant fasting. In which case, don't eat before 6pm. Last night, for instance, I stopped eating around 11.30pm. I'll eat again at 3.30pm and keep eating until bedtime.

phildawson75

The not eating after x oclock is a myth. Your body digests the same way 24/7 whether you're asleep or awake.

SomeoneSomeplace

Heard that to lose weight and help your body digesting fore going to bed it's important not to eat after 6-7 pm does it work or u just need to wait 2-3 hours after dinner to go to bed?

I eat right up to 1am before bed then eat again around 7am... these times are nonsense unless you're doing intermittant fasting. In which case, don't eat before 6pm. Last night, for instance, I stopped eating around 11.30pm. I'll eat again at 3.30pm and keep eating until bedtime.

This is right.

You can still to intermittent fasting without limiting yourself to not eating after 7 PM or 9 PM it just depends on your schedule. I'll often do a 12 hour or 8 hour fasting starting at like 4 in the morning and continuing until 4PM or whatever the next day!

Your body doesn't distinguish between a calorie eaten at 7 PM or at 7 AM OP so it would make absolutely no difference when you're eating. All that matters is that you're staying within your macros.

I've lost 30 pounds almost always eating my "breakfast" at 1 or 2, my "lunch" at 5/6 and my dinner at 10 and then snacking at night!

TavistockToad

It doesn't matter what time you eat. If you are eating at a deficit you will lose weight. If not, you won't!

ClementineGeorg

I find it difficult. I work full-time + university so I arrive home late, at 9, 10 p.m.
Most times dinner is the only real meal I can have (I have sandwiches and wraps for lunch), so I want to enjoy it.

I try to eat at least 2-3 hours before going to bed, because the metabolism is slower at night and also eating before bedtime tends to be heavy on the liver (and this I feel it, if I'll eat to much, to late, my liver area hurts the next day). I do believe in `It matters when you eat` because I have seen it on me. The earlier I eat, the better it works for me.
But I'll have my late dinner, because it's just when I have time.

hendinerik

Actually for acid reflux sufferers, not eating 2-3 hours before bed is recommended, and I find it helps my reflux.

On the health/weight loss front, I think 7pm-midnight is a tough time for a lot of folks to stay on track... I think it works much better to not eat after 7pm if you go to bed early. I know a bodybuilder who eats every couple hours, but he has to maintain a calorie intake of lean proteins.

I doubt there are many people who are not losing weight because they are eating salads at 10pm.

I don't think not eating after 7pm is the deal breaker, I would bet that many people have had success who eat after that time, it's just a healthy practice (provided you are getting all your nutrients and eating healthy meals)

darrensurrey

The non-dieting reasons are interesting.

lacroyx

It doesn't matter what time you eat. If you are eating at a deficit you will lose weight. If not, you won't!

I work nights. I eat between 1-5am. Unless you get heart burn, messes up your sleep, makes you go to the bathroom in the middle of your sleep, or some other medical issue, the time doesn't matter.

Vailara

I often don't eat after 7pm, because I've had my main meal by then. For me, I think it does help with keeping my calorie count down.

Coffeeholic8

A calorie is a calorie regardless of the time you put it into your body. Since I've started this I've eaten when I needed to whatever the time of day and it hasn't had a detrimental effect.

lisasshmisa

Have you tried it?Do you get hungry later in the night?And if so,what would you do if you were hungry because you ate too early,Maybe stick to eating when your hungry with the right portion size,cal intake, í eating most of my protien in my dinner and before bed to prevent being hungry late at night or in the early hours of the morning. 'fibre is important too

coffee_rocks

I don't eat too close to bedtime only because it gives me heartburn.

If you want an interesting article as to how it relates to weight gain (or not), read this:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/02/060202080832.htm

hughtwalker

For acid-reflux sufferers - let fluoride rinses be your friend (or rather, your tooth's friend)

The idea of "eating until bedtime" has enormous (theoretical) appeal during this battle with the mislaid weight.

Not eating after midnight - isn't this a Joe Dante thing?

RavenHershey0107

I just make sure to eat at least 3-4 hours before I go to bed. With schedule I might not get home until 8 or 9. If I eat lunch at 2-3 I have to eat dinner or the next day I will feel crappy (its also hard to fit in any snacks while I am at work). It has never affected my weight loss in a negative way. Although if I eat right before bed I seem to be bloated the next day.

paxbfl

I've found not eating 2-3 hours before bedtime helps my weight-loss for two reasons.

First, I'm cutting calories for my daily calorie total, and I don't have to suffer with being hungry. I just go to sleep! I also find I sleep better on an empty stomach - sounds like the opposite of what you'd expect but that's been my experience.

Second, when I go to bed hungry I am NOT hungry when I wake up. But if I got to bed with a full stomach, I AM hungry when I wake up. Again, sounds backwards but it's true. So I wake up not hungry, do my workout on an empty stomach (which has been shown to help stimulate fat burn) and then eat my breakfast - so I'm already in a good position to hit my calorie goals for the next day too.

bigblu89

Don't know how true it is, but an article I read said that it doesn't matter how late you eat, but you should give your body a period of at least 10-12 hours of no eating, to let your metabolism "reset" itself.

SideSteel

Don't know how true it is, but an article I read said that it doesn't matter how late you eat

^ That part is true.

but you should give your body a period of at least 10-12 hours of no eating, to let your metabolism "reset" itself.

^ That part isn't.

Sarauk2sf

As long as you do not go over your calorie allowance and it does not impact your sleep - you can eat as late as you like and it will not be detrimental to weight loss.

Chief_Rocka

I would recommend eating before falling asleep. Other than that, it doesn't matter.

joejccva71

Meal timing is irrelevant.

Bronx_Montgomery

Thats just crap the Crazy people on MFP try to get you on. Don't drink the Cat pee. Its absolutely false

lizziebeth1028

Heard that to lose weight and help your body digesting fore going to bed it's important not to eat after 6-7 pm does it work or u just need to wait 2-3 hours after dinner to go to bed?

Pure BS!!! I don't even eat dinner until 8:30 in the evening. If I'm hungry and it fits in my calories I eat up until the time I go to bed!

Cranktastic

Eating at night makes me happy.

auroranflash

I was super happy when I started reading these forums and found out that meal timing was nonsense.

The reason people keep repeating it is because the late-night grabby snacks we tend to aim for are usually not the healthiest. Picture sitting in front of the TV, noshing on Lay's potato chips or Oreo cookies.

Just stay in a calorie deficit (for the fat loss), eat fresh, nutritious foods and stay decently active (for your health). Fixed! And you'll feel great. :flowerforyou:

kenazfehu

and give up my bedtime snack?

joejccva71

Don't drink the Cat pee.

Um, thanks for the tip. (awkward)

BrianSharpe

The only reason not to eat after a certain time is if it interferes with your sleep (ie you feel too full and/or uncomfortable) otherwise timing of meals / snacks makes no difference.

justal313

While the time of day that you eat has no bearing on weightloss/gain at all, if you eat too close to your bed time, you might have digestive issues that give you bad dreams. If you are really unfortunate you will have the dreaded iguana dream. The iguana dream is so terrifying and unnerving that it will affect you until your dying day. So think twice before you eat late. You can thank me later.

auroranflash

While the time of day that you eat has no bearing on weightloss/gain at all, if you eat too close to your bed time, you might have digestive issues that give you bad dreams. If you are really unfortunate you will have the dreaded iguana dream. The iguana dream is so terrifying and unnerving that it will affect you until your dying day. So think twice before you eat late. You can thank me later.

QFT