What is the truth about eating after 6:00pm?

Well, at the risk of beating a dead horse...

I work out in the evenings and eat about 700-1000 calories every night within an hour or two of bed (~9-10pm). I've lost over 100 lbs doing this. I don't think I will change my habits and I think as long as you are within your limits, then you are fine.


I think this myth probably has a LITTLE bit of truth in it from the sense that if you eat at night, your body probably doesn't need that much energy, so it converts it to fat overnight because you will need it during the night and the next morning. However, unless you are overeating on a regular basis and have a continual stream of excess food energy, the fat is quickly burned the next day.

Your calorie deficit is the most important thing to worry about. All the other "tips" are secondary (if they are even valid).

Well said.

Eating before bed, or after a certain time makes no difference.

Eat when you want - it's the deficit at the end of the week that counts.

well, let's see ... since i don't get home from work till *WELL* after 6 due to the commute time ... i'd nearly starve ... i eat dinner generally about 7 or so ... i have to be in bed no later than 10 (earlier would be better, but whatever) because i get up at 415am ... and i've lost 38 lbs in 3 months. i can't imagine my body knows what time it is ... it just knows if it's getting enough calories or needs to burn some of the excessive fat store it had ...:noway: ... so ... *NO WAY* that it matters if you eat after 6 ...

My husband is a wrestling coach and knows the ins and outs of what it takes to lose weight. He says that eating after 6:00 just turns the calories into fat and if I'm serious about losing weight I'll just have to take the hunger pains. Problem is I don't get home from work until after 5:30 and by the time I get the kids settled in at home it's well after 6:00 before I have time to start making dinner.

Do I listen to him and not eat or is the myth false thus allowing me to eat dinner?

Your husband knows how to get teenage boys to drop water weight in advance of a meet. That is a totally different thing from losing actual weight. And the methods that most wrestlers use aren't exactly healthy. My husband wrestled in high school and the things he did to cut weight are pretty scary.

Eat when you want. Eat what you want. Just keep having a calorie deficit and you'll be fine.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2145853/Eating-late-night-DOES-make-fat-researchers-say.html

This study found that mice gained weight when they ate at all hours compared to mice that ate the same calories on a schedule.

I am not a mouse.

I have heard of not eating 2-3 hours before bed ...

I can never do that, I mean skipping dinner or not to eat after 5...I know people who have sworn by this. They claim they all lost large amount of weight by not eating after 3:00 pm. some even stops at noon. How to do that is beyond me...

Give me 3 days and I can drop 20 pounds off the scale if I wanted to. Totally unsafe and wrestlers do it all the time to make weight.

That's a myth--it's calories in, calories out. Calories can't tell time. :laugh:

To be honest I think this depends more on when you're planning to go to bed. Think of when you were a kid, most of the time you probably at at 5 or 530PM and then went to bed at 8 or 830PM -- 3 hours after dinner. It's not realistic to eat dinner at 530PM and then stay up until midnight and NOT be starving.
I eat dinner at 530 or 6PM, but I also go to bed at 830PM (work early in the AM). I think the aim should be to not eat within 2 or 2.5 hours of bedtime.

This is correct. Try to eat your last food item around 3 hours prior to when you go to bed. As far as I've been told, It has to do with digestion. Once you're laying down and inactive for the night, it becomes harder for your food to be properly digested and therefore you tend to hold on to the weight...? Don't quote me on that, but it's what I've been told and it sorta makes sense

It doesn't matter if it doesn't cause you discomfort.

Even if you ate ALL OF YOUR CALORIES in bed, and went to sleep, it wouldn't matter.

Think about it. Even if your metabolism SHUTS OFF (which it doesn't) and even if you stored ALL OF IT as fat (which you don't), you're then spending the entire day in a fasted state and guess what you're burning for fuel? Fat.

And where you end up (fat storage - fat oxidation) will be driven by



wait for it






calories in - calories out.

What time you should quit eating depends on what time you are most active. Most people are most active between 8 am and 6 pm; therefore, eating between those time will help you digest your food better and burn more calories. You can't burn "more" calories if you're sitting in front of the television. If you are planning on doing something after you eat, I don't guess it matters. I've also read credible articles that say as long as you don't eat within 4 hours of you going to bed that the food will digest the same as your breakfast. If that is true, then if you eat at 7, then stay awake and alert until 11. Good Luck and Blessings.

I would love to see these credible articles because it is just not true.

If this were true, people who work nights could never eat. lol

Eat when you want, just stay within your calorie goals for the day. I eat dinner at 8:30 PM , and have ice cream at midnight right before going to bed.

Do...don't ...do....don't. Ahhhh! What I've learned works for me is taking most of my calories during the day. I snack all day, eat something every couple hours even if it's a string cheese or hand full of almonds. I actually get most of my exercise in the evening and won't be ready to eat until sometimes as late as 9-10. I try and make the best food choices for dinner and always intake something even if it's just a protien shake - if Im not really hungry. (it varies, sometimes I'm really hungry!). I completely minimize carbs and sugars at night, and do high protien, with maybe a little couscous or brown rice if I want, or even a salad. I have to admit though, I'm a "pescatarian". I Don't wake up hungry, don't feel guilty about what I ate, and its easy to digest (I have a sensitive digestive system lol hence the dietary choice). Either way, eat for what fits your schedule -just try to be smart about it. Don't stress, it takes time to get in tune with your body so don't ignore what it's telling you. Best of luck