Eating throughout the day to boost metabolism...

Chelsinicole63
Chelsinicole63 Posts: 62 Member
edited September 21 in Food and Nutrition
I know your supposed to eat more calories in the morning hours... I dont eat anything past 7pm, and i go to bed hungry... Wouldnt this have the same effect? Your body thinking your starving yourself...?

Replies

  • I am told it does, that you should have something small low carb around 2 hours before you go to sleep so your metabolism keeps going.
  • Jeni322
    Jeni322 Posts: 63 Member
    I always have something small before bedtime and I'm asleep in 5 minutes after my head hitting the pillow, not hungry :)
  • Neinhalt83
    Neinhalt83 Posts: 4
    Hi there, base on what I have read from the net, going to bed hungry will cause our body to store fats rather than burn them since it would react to starvation. What I personally do, is to eat a small slice of apple, that way my body could at least have something to digest while I sleep.

    Hope this helps
  • Barneystinson
    Barneystinson Posts: 1,357 Member
    Alright, here comes the dissenting opinion.

    Actually your body can easily fast for 24 hours without going into starvation mode. Starvation mode has more to do with limiting calories over a longer span of time (i.e. eating far below BMR for one week or more). What's essentially more important is that you are hitting a weekly caloric goal vs. a daily caloric goal.

    Keep in mind your body can also work very well in a fasted state, say the standard fasted state of 10-12 hours from dinner to the next day's breakfast. Short periods of fasting, during the hours of sleep, regulate our blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure to 'fasting' (basal) levels. This is the base "fasted" test for anyone who tests blood sugar. This effect may be different for T1 diabetics who may see a drastic dip in blood sugar and need to regulate with a glucose source. In no way does our metabolism "shut down" with short periods of fasting. Quite the opposite. It's a period of regulation within the body.

    Constant snacking or eating may work for some but IN NO WAY is it starvation mode or a health endangerment to eat fewer meals per day and remain within healthy caloric intake. If your'e going to bed "hungry" you may want to re-evaluate what you're actually eating at your dinner that would cause this.

    Just my two cents....and there's a great thread that was posted on this same topic on MFP in the past here that gets into starvation mode (longer term) vs. caloric restriction in the short term:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/81391-starvation-mode-myths-and-science
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
    I think you have to be severely restricting calories for 3-4 weeks before Starvation Mode sets in.

    You can eat a higher qty of smaller meals if you want, but If that does increase matabolism it's insignificant in the skeem of things.

    The number that really matters is the calories intake vs calories output....within reason...you can't just eat all 2000 calories in one meal and expect to be successful.
  • leavinglasvegas
    leavinglasvegas Posts: 1,495
    Alright, here comes the dissenting opinion.

    Actually your body can easily fast for 24 hours without going into starvation mode. Starvation mode has more to do with limiting calories over a longer span of time (i.e. eating far below BMR for one week or more). What's essentially more important is that you are hitting a weekly caloric goal vs. a daily caloric goal.

    Keep in mind your body can also work very well in a fasted state, say the standard fasted state of 10-12 hours from dinner to the next day's breakfast. Short periods of fasting, during the hours of sleep, regulate our blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure to 'fasting' (basal) levels. This is the base "fasted" test for anyone who tests blood sugar. This effect may be different for T1 diabetics who may see a drastic dip in blood sugar and need to regulate with a glucose source. In no way does our metabolism "shut down" with short periods of fasting. Quite the opposite. It's a period of regulation within the body.

    Constant snacking or eating may work for some but IN NO WAY is it starvation mode or a health endangerment to eat fewer meals per day and remain within healthy caloric intake. If your'e going to bed "hungry" you may want to re-evaluate what you're actually eating at your dinner that would cause this.

    Just my two cents....and there's a great thread that was posted on this same topic on MFP in the past here that gets into starvation mode (longer term) vs. caloric restriction in the short term:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/81391-starvation-mode-myths-and-science

    :drinker: LIKE:drinker:


    When you stop eating 2-3 hours before sleep, you allow your body to focus on detoxing itself during sleep and releasing the proper hormones that are responsible for keeping you lean, rather than digesting food in the belly. I know you don't know my endocrinologist, so I don't expect you to buy what he has taught me. But I can tell you that this advice has increased my sleep, energy and weightloss immensely. During the waking you shouldn't go longer than 5 hours without eating, that is what "boosts" your metabolism. But it is not necessary during sleep. This is the time the body needs to naturally cleanse itself.
  • Alleghany
    Alleghany Posts: 200
    Alright, here comes the dissenting opinion.

    Actually your body can easily fast for 24 hours without going into starvation mode. Starvation mode has more to do with limiting calories over a longer span of time (i.e. eating far below BMR for one week or more). What's essentially more important is that you are hitting a weekly caloric goal vs. a daily caloric goal.

    Keep in mind your body can also work very well in a fasted state, say the standard fasted state of 10-12 hours from dinner to the next day's breakfast. Short periods of fasting, during the hours of sleep, regulate our blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure to 'fasting' (basal) levels. This is the base "fasted" test for anyone who tests blood sugar. This effect may be different for T1 diabetics who may see a drastic dip in blood sugar and need to regulate with a glucose source. In no way does our metabolism "shut down" with short periods of fasting. Quite the opposite. It's a period of regulation within the body.

    Constant snacking or eating may work for some but IN NO WAY is it starvation mode or a health endangerment to eat fewer meals per day and remain within healthy caloric intake. If your'e going to bed "hungry" you may want to re-evaluate what you're actually eating at your dinner that would cause this.

    Just my two cents....and there's a great thread that was posted on this same topic on MFP in the past here that gets into starvation mode (longer term) vs. caloric restriction in the short term:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/81391-starvation-mode-myths-and-science

    :drinker: LIKE:drinker:


    When you stop eating 2-3 hours before sleep, you allow your body to focus on detoxing itself during sleep and releasing the proper hormones that are responsible for keeping you lean, rather than digesting food in the belly. I know you don't know my endocrinologist, so I don't expect you to buy what he has taught me. But I can tell you that this advice has increased my sleep, energy and weightloss immensely. During the waking you shouldn't go longer than 5 hours without eating, that is what "boosts" your metabolism. But it is not necessary during sleep. This is the time the body needs to naturally cleanse itself.

    Right on, sister!
  • DarcieC2389
    DarcieC2389 Posts: 146
    I also generally don't eat after 7 pm. But I do try to eat something at least every 2-3 hours during the day, even if only a piece of fruit or yogurt. This keeps my appetite satisfied and my blood sugars stable. I think if you go too long without eating, you are ravenous and tend to overeat when you do eat.
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
    Alright, here comes the dissenting opinion.

    Actually your body can easily fast for 24 hours without going into starvation mode. Starvation mode has more to do with limiting calories over a longer span of time (i.e. eating far below BMR for one week or more). What's essentially more important is that you are hitting a weekly caloric goal vs. a daily caloric goal.

    Keep in mind your body can also work very well in a fasted state, say the standard fasted state of 10-12 hours from dinner to the next day's breakfast. Short periods of fasting, during the hours of sleep, regulate our blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure to 'fasting' (basal) levels. This is the base "fasted" test for anyone who tests blood sugar. This effect may be different for T1 diabetics who may see a drastic dip in blood sugar and need to regulate with a glucose source. In no way does our metabolism "shut down" with short periods of fasting. Quite the opposite. It's a period of regulation within the body.

    Constant snacking or eating may work for some but IN NO WAY is it starvation mode or a health endangerment to eat fewer meals per day and remain within healthy caloric intake. If your'e going to bed "hungry" you may want to re-evaluate what you're actually eating at your dinner that would cause this.

    Just my two cents....and there's a great thread that was posted on this same topic on MFP in the past here that gets into starvation mode (longer term) vs. caloric restriction in the short term:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/81391-starvation-mode-myths-and-science

    :drinker: LIKE:drinker:


    When you stop eating 2-3 hours before sleep, you allow your body to focus on detoxing itself during sleep and releasing the proper hormones that are responsible for keeping you lean, rather than digesting food in the belly. I know you don't know my endocrinologist, so I don't expect you to buy what he has taught me. But I can tell you that this advice has increased my sleep, energy and weightloss immensely. During the waking you shouldn't go longer than 5 hours without eating, that is what "boosts" your metabolism. But it is not necessary during sleep. This is the time the body needs to naturally cleanse itself.

    Right on, sister!

    Another one agreeing with this!
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