Tell me again why eating before bed won't make me fat?
Replies
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QFTSo let's say in a 24 hour period you burn 2200 calories.
And let's say within that 24 hour period you eat 1700 calories (suppose you at 700 of them in bed).
What is 2200 - 1700?
I think you're missing the point. The body doesn't burn kcal at a steady rate. Even if Bob burns 2200 kcal in a 24hr period and only consumes 1000 during his day, giving the body more kcal than it NEEDS at any one time will result in storage. Even if Bob eats his ice cream in the middle of the day, any excess kcal will be stored for later use. And once the immediate energy needs are met and glycogen has been replenished, how are the extra kcal not stored as fat?
I believe it's you who are missing the point.0 -
Calories in, calories out.0
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Ok, let's say for the sake of argument that all of the temporary excess of 800kcal is immediately stored as fat. The next day he is still in a deficit and his body still requires more energy than he has eaten in order to continue functioning. It has to get that energy from somewhere, or he dies. Unless his body is performing photosynthesis or nuclear fission/fusion, he's going to get it from his fat storage.I'm not talking about a glass of milk or a small snack here. I'm talking to the people who believe that it doesn't matter when you eat your calories. I get that your body can't distinguish time and doesn't care when it gets food, but if a person eats during the hours he/she is up and moving then there is a greater immediate need for kcal and less is stored for later use. But if a person eats and then goes to sleep?
Let's say Bob's BMR is 1600/24hr. Basic math would say that Bob would burn 66.67 kcal/hr while sleeping. If Bob has a 6 hour sleep cycle, he would burn 400kcal during those 6 hours. Right?
If basic biochem holds true, when Bob eats, his body will use whatever kcal it needs to meet its immediate energy requirements and store the rest for later use. Yes?
Holding these first two statements to be true, if Bob eats 1200kcal of Ben and Jerry's while watching the Biggest Loser and then immediately goes to bed, how are the extra 800kcal used? Because if they're not used, they're stored. Right? And if only so many kcal go to replenish glycogen stores, what about the rest?
Discuss...0 -
So my work sleep schedule is get up at noon, eat a small meal, work out, eat a normal meal at 3 p.m., and work until 2:30 a.m. During the time I work, I do not get breaks, am actively moving the whole time, and cannot eat meals in front of the public. So, I go from 3:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. usually on a protein bar. Let me reiterate that this is not my choice and I don't get meal breaks. So, should I not eat from 3:30 p.m. one day til noon the next day? Also, then I would need to consume about 1700 calories in within a 3 hour period. I simply have to eat before bed or I am intermittent fasting and then when I do eat, I'm having a binge.
If it's so bad for you, what do you suggest given what I've described?
Yeah, working late into the night can be a problem from a number of health points. There's a lot of medical research being done on the health challenges faced by nighttime workers. In your case, you might want to eat a bigger meal after you get up at noon and then delay working out for an hour (to give your stomach time to digest your food) before eating a similar-sized meal at 3 p.m. Can you eat a light snack and go to bed directly after you get off work? A lot of nighttime workers swear by taking melatonin before leaving work (you just dissolve a tablet or two under the tongue) and then they are sleepy by the time they get home. Is there any way you can eat more while working? It doesn't seem right that you cannot eat at all during work time--do you have a union?
Sounds like my schedule (bartending/managing a bar). No there is no union (at least not in most states) at about half of my jobs, I've never even gotten an hourly wage (only tips, though they still average enough, usually, to not worry about the $2/hr I would have been making).
I got in the habit of eating a large meal before work, and then eating a breakfast taco on the way home (usually at about 330am-4am by the time I actually eat) then I wake up, work out fasted and eat again before work. It isn't ideal but it still allows for about 12+ hours fasted (which is what produces the benefits you were talking about wrt hormones etc...).
One last thing to add, I currently have a later start time at work and practice intermittent fasting so I have been stopping eating shortly before bed on nights I don't work and fasting for 18 hours or so (up to 24 hours some days). During this time, growth hormones have been shown to continue increasing (through several studies) so why does it matter what time I quit eating or go to sleep? I spend more time producing those hormones than the average person anyway.
Thanks for your feedback. Hmm, you guessed my job, too.
Guess I'm not the only one with this problem. 0 -
water before bed and no food after 7pm is what I do.......0
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The one horrifying truth that I take from this thread is that there is something called "bubblegum vodka."
I believe I now understand how the clean eaters feel when they see us rhapsodizing about Pop-Tarts.
This is fantastic!0 -
I think Bob's the winner here, he got to eat ice cream and go to bed with his mind at ease- and here we are staying up late worrying about the merit of Bob's choices.0
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This post is making my head hurt. I eat dinner every night between 8 or 9 pm.....most nights I'm sound asleep by 10. It's never hurt or hindered my progress eating a full meal before bed. I guess I'm a special snowflake!
Remember: You're special and unique, just like everyone else.
this! 0 -
We have found the solution to high fuel prices! Just put an 'excess storage tank' in each car, a pump on the main gas tank pumps any excess gas into the storage tank that isn't being used at the moment. Therefore the car will continue to have more and more gas in the 'excess' tank and you will get free gas!Except I'm not concerned with Bob's daytime intake. I'm not concerned with whether or not he's maintaining a deficit. Because that part is irrelevant to my question. Even if Bob is maintaining a deficit during the day, and by this I mean that his body is using stored energy while he's up and moving, or even sitting and typing. I'm talking about about the period of Bob's 24 hours when his body requires only the minimum to function. How are the extra kcal he's consumed before bed going to be used instead of stored? Bob may still be losing weight, but giving the body more kcal than it requires at any one time results in kcal storage. This is my argument.0 -
The one horrifying truth that I take from this thread is that there is something called "bubblegum vodka."
I believe I now understand how the clean eaters feel when they see us rhapsodizing about Pop-Tarts.
This is fantastic!
Haha. Try the Bacon (or BAKON) vodka. Bacon Bloody Mary FTW! Just sayin'0 -
So my work sleep schedule is get up at noon, eat a small meal, work out, eat a normal meal at 3 p.m., and work until 2:30 a.m. During the time I work, I do not get breaks, am actively moving the whole time, and cannot eat meals in front of the public. So, I go from 3:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. usually on a protein bar. Let me reiterate that this is not my choice and I don't get meal breaks. So, should I not eat from 3:30 p.m. one day til noon the next day? Also, then I would need to consume about 1700 calories in within a 3 hour period. I simply have to eat before bed or I am intermittent fasting and then when I do eat, I'm having a binge.
If it's so bad for you, what do you suggest given what I've described?
Yeah, working late into the night can be a problem from a number of health points. There's a lot of medical research being done on the health challenges faced by nighttime workers. In your case, you might want to eat a bigger meal after you get up at noon and then delay working out for an hour (to give your stomach time to digest your food) before eating a similar-sized meal at 3 p.m. Can you eat a light snack and go to bed directly after you get off work? A lot of nighttime workers swear by taking melatonin before leaving work (you just dissolve a tablet or two under the tongue) and then they are sleepy by the time they get home. Is there any way you can eat more while working? It doesn't seem right that you cannot eat at all during work time--do you have a union?
Sounds like my schedule (bartending/managing a bar). No there is no union (at least not in most states) at about half of my jobs, I've never even gotten an hourly wage (only tips, though they still average enough, usually, to not worry about the $2/hr I would have been making).
I got in the habit of eating a large meal before work, and then eating a breakfast taco on the way home (usually at about 330am-4am by the time I actually eat) then I wake up, work out fasted and eat again before work. It isn't ideal but it still allows for about 12+ hours fasted (which is what produces the benefits you were talking about wrt hormones etc...).
One last thing to add, I currently have a later start time at work and practice intermittent fasting so I have been stopping eating shortly before bed on nights I don't work and fasting for 18 hours or so (up to 24 hours some days). During this time, growth hormones have been shown to continue increasing (through several studies) so why does it matter what time I quit eating or go to sleep? I spend more time producing those hormones than the average person anyway.
Thanks for your feedback. Hmm, you guessed my job, too. Guess I'm not the only one with this problem.
Takes one to know one
I just recognize the schedule and demands of the job. 0 -
Here is a summary about the reality of night time eating from a bodybuilder with a PHd in Nutritional sciences.
http://www.biolayne.com/nutrition/carbs-at-night-fat-loss-killer-or-imaginary-boogeyman/
lolz - just noticed that the earlier article I posted was actually posted on the first page...derp.
Here is a review of the anabolic effects of GH from the British Journal of Sports Medicine for people concerned about GH being suppressed by eating at night.
http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/37/2/100.full0 -
I freaking love this thread :laugh:0
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Lets begin.. Once upon a time in a no counting calorie kingdom... bump for reading later lol!0
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idl bout u but if i eat late and sleep immediatel0
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:noway:Personally I am way more concerned with the lack of QUALITY in Bob's choice of food than the quantity or the timing.
If Bob had eaten well during the day, with a diet of lean proteins, fresh fruit and non starchy vegetables, good fats and lots of water, he would not have any room in his stomach or desire to be eating 1200 calories of ice cream. And if he's eating that while watching the Biggest Loser, he might just need to look at his goals and reevaluate his plan.
Our bodies call for Essential Fatty Acids and Essential Amino Acids. There are no such thing as Essential Carbs.
If Bob has an emotional need for ice cream, he should be making his own version with a better focus on quality of calories.
Eating before bed doesn't make you fat. WHAT you eat does.0 -
I ate 1989 cals between 9pm and 12am. Let's see How fat I am tomorrow!0
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if im hungry, i will eat. ive lost 55 lbs so far and i eat any time of day!0
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i eat only at night. im not fat...........0
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I ate 1989 cals between 9pm and 12am. Let's see How fat I am tomorrow!
mee toooo0 -
That is what I understand from an exercise physiologist. If you eat the calories just before you use them, you can access the energy quicker than stored fat. It helps increase your metabolism which helps you burn more calories. So it was recommended that I eat a small breakfast, large lunch, medium dinner, and only 300-400 calories in the evening (because you can burn that overnight). If you have a goal of increased metabolism, you can keep that in mind. If you just want to consume less calories than your TDEE, it wouldn't matter.
So I figured, I'm going to eat some carbs during the day, I might as well eat them before exercise (about an hour ahead of time). Then you don't crash and can work harder for a longer time. That's the opposite of what I used to do. Still a work in progress.0 -
:noway:
I will add a :frown: to your :noway:0 -
:laugh:I think Bob's the winner here, he got to eat ice cream and go to bed with his mind at ease- and here we are staying up late worrying about the merit of Bob's choices.0 -
I can't believe I just did this. But here goes. To spell it out:
Consider this spreadsheet. It represents some fictional person who has a TDEE of 2120
The hour column represents the 24 hours in a day.
Hours 17 thru 24 are sleep, so he's burning only 65 cals per hour that hour. The rest of the hours he burns 100 cals per hour.
He has 3 meals over the course of the day for 500, 300, and 750 calories respectively/
You can see that over the course of the day, he at some points reaches a surplus, and at some points reaches a deficit.
On balance, he achieves a deficit of 570 calories for this day
I invite you to create a spreadsheet of your own and divvy up the meals however you like.
If you still don't get it after this overcomplicated explanation, then I'm sorry.
Edit: er, actually, the way I laid it out, he's in a deficit all day. But you get the point? No? Probably not? I don't care.
I read every single post, just to get to the end so I could say THIS was the best-est one EVER! There were some pretty funny runners-up though!
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Because I just ate a drumstick at 11pm. See ticker if you need more info.0
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While eating before bed may not necessarily make you fat (I haven't just now, so I won't know for sure until later), it invites your health to an uphill battle for various reasons, some of which have already been posted to this thread. I for one, more often than not, would wake up in the middle of the night when having eaten before bed. After all, who wants a brick smack in one's belly, not to mention then? My habit of not eating for as many as four hours before bed comes from the stomach's tranquil feel of lightness at bedtime and that the body will burn fat throughout the entire night's sleep. The underlying mechanism is that you can't absorb food and burn fat at the same time. There's the absorption phase which takes place after a meal and for the next about four hours, and there's the post-absorption phase when the body starts to use stored nutrients. I would imagine the other twelve hour half of a twenty-four hour period lends itself far less easily to such uninterrupted fasting. So to those of you joining us this morning, dig in!0
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While eating before bed may not necessarily make you fat (I haven't just now, so I won't know for sure until later), it invites your health to an uphill battle for various reasons, some of which have already been posted to this thread. I for one, more often than not, would wake up in the middle of the night when having eaten before bed. After all, who wants a brick smack in one's belly, not to mention then? My habit of not eating for as many as four hours before bed comes from the stomach's tranquil feel of lightness at bedtime and that the body will burn fat throughout the entire night's sleep. The underlying mechanism is that you can't absorb food and burn fat at the same time. There's the absorption phase which takes place after a meal and for the next about four hours, and there's the post-absorption phase when the body starts to use stored nutrients. I would imagine the other twelve hour half of a twenty-four hour period lends itself far less easily to such uninterrupted fasting. So to those of you joining us this morning, dig in!
There is no on/off switch to absorption or nutrient utilization.0 -
This is all as relevant as the fact that Bob would weigh more after drinking a glass of water.
The pseudoscience has been impressive though.0 -
well i ALWAYS eat late at night and have lose 40 pounds in 3 months with no problem! i eat my dinner around 9pm...have a snack at about 1am and then go to bed. and2 days of the week i work til 12am so i eat when i get home then go straight to bed! never affected me in the slightest - i actually lose a few pounds the next morning after work on most occasions.
your body does not work the way it should mathematically. whatever you are burning through the day still counts, you don't literally have to burn off every calorie you've eaten AFTER youve eaten it, you can burn it off at any time0 -
Aside from some bio-chemical/medical issues, it really doesn't make much difference when you eat your calories. However, it probably isn't a good idea to eat a heavy meal before retiring because it is likely to contribute to reflux esophagitis (which many obese folks suffer). In addition, there is the problem of insulin spike (following a blood sugar surge from a heavy meal) suppressing human growth hormone (which is mainly secreted in the first couple of hours of sleep). Adequate levels of growth hormone are desirable for weight loss and other health points. Exercise does stimulate the secretion of growth hormone slightly, but it is unlikely to make up for the loss of nighttime secretion due to high caloric intake before bed.
Ghrelin (please, no gremlin pix) is a potent stimulator of growth hormone and ghrelin is high when we are hungry. So going to bed a little hungry is not a bad idea from a bio-chemical standpoint. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is also a potent stimulator of growth hormone--as opposed to hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) which suppresses it. Since many, many obese folk have high blood sugar issues anyway, it is unwise for them to eat large meals before bed.
I know there will be people here who will say, "I have lost 114 pounds and I have always eaten nearly all my calories after 7.p.m." While that may be true, their bodies would have probably prospered a bit more by eating lightly in the evening (if at all).
Broscience without logic. Thank you!
There! Fixed it for you. Your welcome! :drinker:
Just exactly what part are you disputing, mamapags?
Your spelling of my user name is about as accurate as you apply science. Some of the right info, some added in and mostly out of order and confused.0
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