To snack or not to snack after supper?

Raphi

As with everything I want to know about fitness and weight loss, I get a lot of contradictory advice with what I read about evening snacking :grumble:
Some say it prevents your body from going into starvation mode
Some say you shouldn't eat after supper time, cause evening hunger means your body is feeding on your fat reserve
Some say you metabolism is very slow in the evening
I don't know what to believe :sad:
All I know is, I enjoy snacking on yogurt or whole grain cereals with 1% milk around 8 o'clock, but I'd enjoy even more to lose my belly and love handles...
So, what works for you?

lt_mrcook

Well here's what has been working for me. A couple Girl Scout cookies after dinner, depending on how many calories I have left. The question really isn't what works for us (and this is why you get contradictory information), but what works for YOU. Try what works for someone else, but if it doesn't work please don't get discouraged. YOU are unique, so you may require a unique solution. It all comes back to: Calories Out>Calories In=Weight Loss. Good luck finding YOUR secret formula!

catherine1979

Most nights I have a little something after supper. But never fruit or simple carbs, I find that makes me ravenous in the morning. I will have some protein and fat, like maybe some cheese or something. This works for me, but everyone is different. In my opinion and experience, a calorie is a calorie regardless of what time of day you eat it.

drvvork

I don't normally like to eat after 8PM (this is me)... but I usually will have a cup of sugar-free hot cocoa and maybe some rice cakes or crackers... I don't see why you couldn't have your yogurt or cereal if you have the calories to use.:flowerforyou: It is like someone else said... it is what works for YOU! :bigsmile:

HMBradley42

I eat fruit salad at night...But I would say if you havn't used all your calories then have your snack as long as it's included
in you dailey calories

mamaturner

I also don't eat pasty 7:30 or 8 but often have a little something after dinner, sometimes something I shouldn't have but have to give into the craving (like yesterday :sad: ) sometimes I bowl of multi grain cheerios and skim, or those new chocolate mouse cups for 60 cals! You do really have to see what works for you, for me I've found that as long as I quit eating 2 1/2 - 3 hours before bed, I'm fine.. last night I didn't follow these guidelines and as soon as I hit the bed my stomach was PISSED! lol.. try different things and see what works best! Good luck!

Kudzu

i find that for me, it is just boredom eating after supper....I try to eat yogurt or some FF pudding if after waiting a while or drinking some water I still really want some....sometimes if I get up and move about or do something I find that it's bed time and I really wasn't hungry! I find if I am just craving a cookie or ice cream or whatever I just eat it and am through! Good luck finding what works for you!! :flowerforyou:

DeeDeeLHF

I have problems with hypoglycemia and I NEED to eat in the evening. I try to focus on making sure it is a protein and healthy but sometimes a bowl of cheerios is what it is. If I do not I wake up about 2 or 3AM with a headache and my body will not fall asleep again until I eat something. So I always figure it is better to level out my blood sugar before going to bed. I am one of those 6-8 small meals a day persons.

DD

thumper44

If your not eating after supper - How many meals are you eating? 5 or less?
Some people aim for 5-6 meals a day, and break up the calories.

breakfast
snack
lunch
snack
supper
snack

HonestOmnivore

I usually have an evening snack. About three or four nights a week it's a glass of red wine and an oz. of cheese (which sucks up calories!) and I often save 20 calories for a nice fire toasted marshmallow! I am not losing as quickly as I'd like but I believe it has less to do with my evening snacks and more to do with my over all calorie count and exercise schedule.

If I can't eat something very healthy for my body, I at least try to eat something that is SO worth the calories. I try to make every calorie count. My 20 calorie marshmallow is SO worth it LOL! So is my wine! Often I'll only have a 1/2 oz. of cheese and I've started using cheese with stronger flavor so a little goes a long way. I also kinda crumble the cheese so I can eat a crumb with a sip of wine - works very well!

FireMonkey

I work out after supper, so when I get home I need to eat something. Yesterday it was a bowl of strawberries with skim milk (I refuse to believe it's February - eating strawberries feels like summer ) What you're describing as your evening snack sounds healthy and reasonable; go for it and if you find you don't meet your goals you can always reevaluate. :drinker:

CasperO

I save a few calories for the end of the day, and I have a little something sweet before bed just about every night. 100-150 cals worth. I like those little edy's signle serving cups of ice cream. 140 calories, nothing to measure, when you're done you just ditch the cup and spoon and call it a day. Sit on the couch and watch a little television and cuddle and have my ice cream, great way to finish the day.

It ain't hurt me none, YMMV.

sonjavon

I always save calories for a snack around 8PM. That's the time that my husband and son generally decide to dip into the ice cream... I refuse to put myself in the situation of sitting there watching them eat ice cream and eating nothing. I've done it - and each clank of the spoon to the bowl makes me want to rip their eyes out. LOL! So... I plan for a special treat most nights... lately my favorite is yogurt with a couple tablespoons of grape nuts. But I've done skinny cow ice cream sandwiches, smoothies, etc... and I say - if you're hungry... eat!!!!

sonjavon

I always save calories for a snack around 8PM. That's the time that my husband and son generally decide to dip into the ice cream... I refuse to put myself in the situation of sitting there watching them eat ice cream and eating nothing. I've done it - and each clank of the spoon to the bowl makes me want to rip their eyes out. LOL! So... I plan for a special treat most nights... lately my favorite is yogurt with a couple tablespoons of grape nuts. But I've done skinny cow ice cream sandwiches, smoothies, etc... and I say - if you're hungry... eat!!!!

epoeraven

I have a snack between 7-8 too. It is usually cheese or yogurt so not a lot of calories but i just can't make it form 6:00 pm supper to the next morning.

Raphi

Sounds good! thanks everybody :flowerforyou:
Its so nice to have feedback, everybody is so nice here :happy:

It is true that I'm often too "by the book"... I need to listen to my body more and experiment...

gummibaehr

I usually don't eat anything after 8pm. However, if I'm feeling really really hungry and water isn't cutting it, I'll have a snack before bed. I can't sleep at all when I'm hungry! Usually a small glass of milk does the trick for me.