night snacking but staying in caloric range

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stang41992
stang41992 Posts: 129 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey guys!
I've been really good with my eating habits but the scale won't move. The only thing I can think of is I snack a little at night. I still stay within my calories, but when I have a treat at night (last night was s'mores) the scale will not budge (I have a digital scale) the next day and I haven't lost any in the past few weeks. Any one else have this problem? How do I fix it? I know if I have a deficit I should still lose weight so I feel I am defying science or something.....

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  • kerrilucko
    kerrilucko Posts: 3,852 Member
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    it doesn't matter what time of day you're eating as long as you're within your alotted calories. You should still be losing weight. I only see 3 possibilities:

    1. You're miscalculating your foods, either by not weighing or measuring effectively or by leaving out some things.
    2. Your body has hit a bit of a standstill and only patience and dilligence will cause the scale to move.
    3. You're eating the wrong kinds of foods (which to be honest I doubt. I love to snack, I love chocolate and ice cream and I let myself have a small treat everyday- it hasn't prevented weight loss in any way).

    Goods luck, you're doing great! The last leg of the journey takes the longest!
  • doob
    doob Posts: 6 Member
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    I'm no nutritionist, but I would say FOR SURE that's your problem. I was told the last thing you eat needs to be at least 2 hours before you go to bed.
  • tanyewest
    tanyewest Posts: 113
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    I agree, eating late at night is never a good idea - no matter if your under calories or within your calories, your body stores that fat because it is energy that needs to be burnt off. But if your laying in bed your not doing any form of exercise to burn off that extra energy. I recoomend eating a good few hours before bed, then you will slowly see the scales move again!

    Good luck.
  • chocolatecat
    chocolatecat Posts: 7
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    plenty of studies have been done and none can prove that there is a link to slow weight loss and late eating.

    It doesnt matter what time you eat BUT and it's a big but! If you're a late snacker like I am then you need to assess why? It's one of the main causes of my binges :s

    You really should find something else to do in the evenings to distract you from wanting to snack.

    But really, you've prop just plateaued!
  • pettmybunny
    pettmybunny Posts: 1,986 Member
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    The registered dietician I go to said to eat before I go to bed. During the day, I'm supposed to eat about every 3 hours (no more than 4 between feedings, lol), and to have a snack between dinner and bed. Not a huge snack, mind you, only about 100 to 150 calories. We generally eat a late dinner at about 7 or 7:30, so I try to squeeze that snack in about 9 or 9:30 (even if it's only a cup of oat milk). I'm in bed right after my oldest kid says goodnight, so it's about 10:10 bedtime for me.
  • Fieldsy
    Fieldsy Posts: 1,105 Member
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    It is okay to eat late at night but IMO only if its a high protein and or healthy fat food. Carbs are best during the day when your body is moving and burns faster.
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
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    Due to my schedule I'm always eating right before bed. I get up at 5, work until 4, exercise until 6:30 or 7, then go home and make dinner and go to bed by 9:30. I would suspect that your body is at a natural plateau and you will break past it if you keep doing what's gotten you to this point. You might try switching up your exercise though, if you do someting that's new it will get your body working harder and that may help.
  • stang41992
    stang41992 Posts: 129 Member
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    Thanks guys! I just needed someone to tell me "don't eat sugary things at night." Sometimes I just need a little wrist slap :blushing:

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