We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

Is it ever to late to eat?

Posts: 97 Member
edited December 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I have heard from several people that eating after 6pm is bad. What do you guys think about that? Do you have a bed time for food?

Welcome!

It looks like you're new here. Sign in or register to get started.
«1

Replies

  • Posts: 623 Member
    If I'm still awake I eat. I always save most of my cals for late at night its when I'm hungriest
  • Posts: 148 Member
    I prefer to not eat past 8 or 9 but if I am still well below my calories I will eat a high calorie snack. I think 6pm is unrealistic personally.
  • Posts: 8,701 Member
    Only if you run out of calories or eating late disturbs your sleep. Otherwise, eat whenever you like as long as you stay within your macro and calorie goals.
  • Posts: 5 Member
    I read somewhere that a few hours before you sleep is fine. My bedtime is around 1 so I usually eat up until 11. It doesn't seem to be causing any problems with my weight loss. :)
  • Posts: 1,172 Member
    If you're still awake you can eat. You can also eat when you're asleep as well, but that's not for everybody.
  • Posts: 28,072 Member
    Total myth unless it disturbs yor sleep. You can eat anytime before you actually sleep and it will not impact weight loss, all other things being equal.
  • Posts: 97 Member
    Okay. Thanks everyone. BTW I eat dinner at 7pm every night lol
  • Posts: 150 Member
    i find that not eating after 5pm makes a HUGE difference for me, personally. even if i go over my calories for the day, if i don't eat after 5, i still lose weight. sometimes it's difficult (because i'm a serious night owl, and a formerly habitual late-night eater), but for some reason, it works for me! of course there are times when i eat after 5pm but for the most part, i try to stick to it. give it a try and see if it makes a difference! i've lost 10 lbs so far (only 3 on mfp)...and i really think a lot of it has to do with eliminating my late-night eating.
  • I've been having really big breakfast and lunch so that way I wont have a huge dinner and i still have plenty of calories left :D
  • Posts: 428 Member
    I don't know for sure, but I can't go to sleep hungry. So on the occasional late night hungers, I have a few things handy to snack andthen go to sleep. One of my favorites is a handful of frosted mini wheats and a small Dixie cup of milk. Eat the mini wheats first then each down with a small amount of milk and that's enough to get me to morning. I use the majority of calories for dinner and a snack about 8pm, but I refuse to go whole hog and eat a lot later. :drinker:
  • Posts: 1,178 Member
    Wait till after midnight, then its early and there will be no problems.
  • Posts: 737 Member
    I have heard from several people that eating after 6pm is bad. What do you guys think about that? Do you have a bed time for food?

    im sitting here at just before 11 at nt and grubbin my snack!... and within my daily calories.. so nope not"bad" i have my calorie allowance... so who cares what time?.. I dont even have dinner half the time till after 8!! cuz i go to the gym and kill it at zumba or weights or something.. so of course imma eat after that...
  • its kinder to your digestive system.
  • Posts: 18,771 Member
    Just don't feed them after midnight.
  • Posts: 49,169 Member
    Banana and almonds right NOW. I'll be up for another 30 minutes. Same routine every night.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Posts: 2,673 Member
    Food is in your stomach for 2-3 hours, your illium for 2-3 hours and duodenum for upto 72. Why would a few hours after 6pm have ANY effect?

    The statement makes no survival sense? Why would eating after 6/7pm be bad?!
  • Meal timing is irrelevant. Eat whenever you want.
  • Posts: 658 Member
    It's all about calories in vs calories out, not meal timing.
  • You shouldn't have a big meal after 6 pm if you are going to bed at 8 pm. If you stay up untill 2 am then there is nothing wrong with a big dinner around 10 pm. Going to bed straight after big meal (not talking about light snaks) can disturb sleep.
  • Posts: 2,673 Member
    You shouldn't have a big meal after 6 pm if you are going to bed at 8 pm. If you stay up untill 2 am then there is nothing wrong with a big dinner around 10 pm. Going to bed straight after big meal (not talking about light snaks) can disturb sleep.

    Food generally helps people sleep.
  • Posts: 787 Member
    Just don't feed them after midnight.
    gremlins_Stripe.png
  • Posts: 5 Member
    I have eaten right before bed sooo many times this past year! and have still lost 50lb. If you are eating healthy stuff it won't make you fat no matter what time you eat it. :)
  • Posts: 626 Member
    I eat anytime, although I do eat more early in the day before a workout.
  • Posts: 1,243 Member
    When you're dead.
  • Posts: 1,859 Member
    When you're dead.

    My first thought, too. :P
  • Posts: 890 Member

    My first thought, too. :P
    Yep :) that and: when the only food facility within range is closed.

    Otherwise, no.
  • Posts: 890 Member
    i find that not eating after 5pm makes a HUGE difference for me, personally. even if i go over my calories for the day, if i don't eat after 5, i still lose weight. sometimes it's difficult (because i'm a serious night owl, and a formerly habitual late-night eater), but for some reason, it works for me! of course there are times when i eat after 5pm but for the most part, i try to stick to it. give it a try and see if it makes a difference! i've lost 10 lbs so far (only 3 on mfp)...and i really think a lot of it has to do with eliminating my late-night eating.

    It sounds like it's more down to (my emphasis) ELIMINATING your late-night EATING.

    Doing it by time is as good a way as any though!
  • Posts: 18,343 Member
    TOPIC: Is it ever to late to eat?
    Through years of experimentation and examination of clinical studies, I've found that what works best for me is to make sure I've thoroughly chewed and swallowed the last bite before falling asleep. Anything after that, it gets increasingly messy and the choking hazard increases greatly.
  • Posts: 1,970 Member
    I have heard from several people that eating after 6pm is bad. What do you guys think about that? Do you have a bed time for food?

    not unless you look like this guy:

    19d78acb49f401a9147e02bf42a40463151d3799_full.jpg
  • Posts: 1,243 Member
    Through years of experimentation and examination of clinical studies, I've found that what works best for me is to make sure I've thoroughly chewed and swallowed the last bite before falling asleep. Anything after that, it gets increasingly messy and the choking hazard increases greatly.

    Source? ;)
This discussion has been closed.