Not eating after 5pm... does this work?

Kirst30

Although in my case I would probably try 7pm, on the basis that it's a real miracle if I get to sleep before midnight, ha ha!

Does anyone have any thoughts about this method? Any success stories?

Kirsty xxx

lemonllama

I think it works!! For a week or so I ate dinner at about 5pm (instead of 7-8) and then would try to go to bed early (thanks tylenol pm!) and i lost a lot of weight that week!! Then I got back in the habit of eating at 730ish, which is better then 9 I guess!! but lately i've been trying to eat my main meal by 5:30 pm, and if im hungry later maybe a light snack by 730- then just water, i seem to notice it on the scale more when I do!

pinkygirl1223

I've read that it doesn't matter when you eat its the amount of calories. I have to stop eating 3 hours before bed because of acid reflux. I hope this helps

tnmomma32010

I don't get home from work until almost 6 pm, but I do try not to snack at night. I will eat dinner of course, but I try not to snack or drink anything (except for water) after dinner. In my experience, I tend to gain weight more if I am munching in the evenings.

oEmmao

the reason that breakfast is the most important meal of the day is because you may not have eaten for 8-12 hours, and this puts pressure on you pancreas, from what my health lecturer has told me

your body works overtime as you have not eaten in so long, so its important to have a good brekkie

so if you are not eating from 5pm, you may not be eating for 12-16 hours and i think this is too long as you body is under pressure

someone else might know all the technical jargon, but i think this is the idea

calories are calories so i dont think it makes much difference, unless you eat like 20 minutes before you go to bed, i think maybe leave an hour in between, this is enough

:flowerforyou:

red01angel

I've read that it doesn't matter when you eat its the amount of calories. I have to stop eating 3 hours before bed because of acid reflux. I hope this helps

I've been told the same thing. My Dr. said that it's more about WHAT most people tend to eat after 7pm...I know I'm much more prone to grabbing some ice cream or chips or something that's chock full of empty calories than carrot sticks or celery when I'm munching at night. I also know that I do my night time eating in front of the TV, when it's SO easy to eat a whole roll of thin mints or an entire bag of chips without even realizing it.

quinnybear

I've read that it doesn't matter when you eat its the amount of calories. I have to stop eating 3 hours before bed because of acid reflux. I hope this helps

my mom's a dietitian. it doesn't matter the time you eat. its about eating 5-6 smaller meals spaced throughout the entire day rather than 3 large meals. keep your body supplied with steady/constant nutrition.

get_fit2009

It certainly helps me to sleep better when I am not full at bedtime. Better sleep = more energy to get in my workouts.

LivyJo

I've heard it doesn't matter what time, but that calories are calories. I try to eat around 7ish (sometimes its later) and then have a later snack of popcorn (100 cal bag) and I always end my day with hot herbal tea w/ splenda. gives me a little sweet before bed, and its great for digestion.

exermom

I think everyone is an individual. Some people it doesn't bother if they eat after 5p.m. Now me, I know my body well enough to know that if I eat later at night, I will show a gain the next day. Usually not much, but a gain all the same. That's just me. Try not eating one night after 5 and then weigh youself the next day. The next night have something to eat after 5 and weigh yourself the next day, see what your body is like.

rubyredrage

I totally agree with red01angel! I think it's because by that time of night you are most likely to have already used up your calories for the day so you could go over easily, and really, who craves a salad and beans at 9pm, it's all about chocolate and chips!

About the sleep thing - I really think working with your body's natural rhythms aids weight loss. I vaguely remember reading something about hormone levels such as serotonin and melotonin affecting how much energy your body uses and stores, and those hormones are affected by sunlight/darkness. Personally, going to bed earlier has made a huge difference for me with weight loss. Because I'm on 1200 a day (plus exercise calories) if I have a low cal dinner at 6 and stay up until 12 I am going to bed hungry and find it difficult to sleep, so it works for me to go to bed earlier.
Just as a side note, my friends and I have been all trying to go to bed earlier and some have been struggling because they are just not tired at 10pm. I was feeling the same but when I started turning off the computer at 7 and putting it away I noticed a huge difference! Apparently the brightness of the screen can really mess with your melatonin levels (which help you sleep).
So if anyone is in the same position I suggest turning the computer and tv off a few hours earlier and see if you notice a difference.

dukelarue

Yes and no. 1: It depends on what you eat throughout the day, obviously. If you eat garbage up until twilight it doesn't matter what time of day you eat unless you train like a professional athlete and require a caloric intake of 5500-6500 like NFL wide receivers and defensive backs intake. 2: Italians and Spaniards eat dinner around 9-10 pm on a consistent basis and, while there are fat people all over the world, they are by far leaner people than Americans on the whole. I know this because I lived in Italy for 4 years.

It's not what time you eat, it's WHAT you eat and how much you eat of it. Moderation in everything.

The term "diet" is used to sell products. What loosing weight requires is not a diet, but a lifestyle change. Improve your eating habits and you improve yourself. It requires sacrifice and self discipline which, let's face it, a lot of people do not have. In a society of instant gratification people are constantly looking for the magic pill that will allow the to continue to hit up the drive through at The King, The Clown,and The Colonel (Burger King, McDonalds, and KFC) because it would be easy.

The excuse that someone may have a medical condition that causes them to gain weight is just that, an excuse. Yes, there are some conditions where an individual's body may retain sugars or a thyroid, or whatever else midnight weight loss pill commercials are telling people they should ask their doctor about. In this case, these individuals need to take greater steps to insure they eat right. So the late night eating theory should be thrown out the window. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Those are the magic pills that will help you bring sexy back.

prattiger65

It doesn't matter when you eat. It doesn't matter what you eat. For weight loss, it's calories in/calories out.....Period.

Athijade

I think everyone is an individual. Some people it doesn't bother if they eat after 5p.m. Now me, I know my body well enough to know that if I eat later at night, I will show a gain the next day. Usually not much, but a gain all the same. That's just me. Try not eating one night after 5 and then weigh youself the next day. The next night have something to eat after 5 and weigh yourself the next day, see what your body is like.

Well, it is not a fat gain so I do not really see the reason for doing this. Actually it seems a bit silly as it would be considered a normal, daily fluctuation which is, again, NORMAL.

Meal timing and frequency have NO impact on metabolic weight or weight loss. Just ignore those myths. You can eat in bed if you want. You can skip meals if you want. You could eat all your calories in one meal minutes before bed and you will STILL lose weight. Why? Because you are restricting your calories.

It really is that easy.

livingleanlivingclean

I think it works!! For a week or so I ate dinner at about 5pm (instead of 7-8) and then would try to go to bed early (thanks tylenol pm!) and i lost a lot of weight that week!! Then I got back in the habit of eating at 730ish, which is better then 9 I guess!! but lately i've been trying to eat my main meal by 5:30 pm, and if im hungry later maybe a light snack by 730- then just water, i seem to notice it on the scale more when I do!

perhaps a drop in the scale in this situation is more to do with going to bed early and getting a better nights rest!! people underestimate the importance of sleep in regards to weight loss. not eating too close to bed time may make sleep better too as your body wont be digesting what you've just eaten...

eat when you like!! my biggest meal is dinner. after 7. it's not going to make me fat...

Sarauk2sf

the reason that breakfast is the most important meal of the day is because you may not have eaten for 8-12 hours, and this puts pressure on you pancreas, from what my health lecturer has told me

your body works overtime as you have not eaten in so long, so its important to have a good brekkie

so if you are not eating from 5pm, you may not be eating for 12-16 hours and i think this is too long as you body is under pressure

someone else might know all the technical jargon, but i think this is the idea

calories are calories so i dont think it makes much difference, unless you eat like 20 minutes before you go to bed, i think maybe leave an hour in between, this is enough

:flowerforyou:

Ask your health lecturer where they got this from. This makes no sense, especially when you actually are required to fast when you have issues with your pancreas.

arrseegee

It works for some people, particularly those who have a tendency to eat a lot in the evenings. It has no metabolic basis, but rather restricts the number of calories that evening eaters can consume in a day. Same as 'no carbs after 6pm'. It doesn't matter what time you eat, or whether you want to eat all of your calories in a 20 minute session per day, the important thing is that you are maintaining an overall deficit (well, if your goal is to lose weight anyway).

For me it wouldn't work, because I tend to save up calories for dinner and if I applied that rule to me I'd struggle to consume more than 500 per day.

mcibty

No, no it does not.

Your body is not on a precise 24 hour clock.

CyberEd312

I lost 312 lbs. taking a 500 calorie snack (usually chocolate) into bed with me every night (and still do). Meal Frequency has absolutely no bearing on Weight Loss..... Eat whenever you can fit it in and allows you to adhere to your caloric intake and hitting your macros needs..... Best of Luck

257_Lag

I eat nearly half my calories within 2 hours of going to bed. Meal timing doesn't matter in the slightest. It's all about what works for you to hit your goal most days.

gregpack

Make it easy on yourself. Eat when you want, just stay in a daily caloric deficit and you'll lose. Night time is the slow time for me and that's when I tend to eat. So I eat much less during the day, knowing that I will stuff my face after dark. I lost plenty of weight doing that and have managed to keep it off following the same strategy

In addition, smaller more frequent meals are fine, but don't feel obligated to do that. Some people may feel like they're denying themselves if they just nibble. If I ate like a bird all day long I would be less satisfied than eating fewer large meals. I actually like that "I'm stuffed" feeling.