Eating late at night? Y/N? Why?
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Sleep quality - habitual poor sleep and you can lower the overall amount of calories your body needs, thus reducing your overall caloric need
Surplus - anything over your caloric need.
Coach - why do you like arguing so much with the most educated people on this site. I don't believe you really want to learn anything other than what you already believe, but also, there are times you are arguing with others about what you actually believe to be true anyway.
i don't know who is and who isn't educated, and in this particular argument i made a point of using studies to support my argument.
i actually do love to learn new things - which is why i'm here. for instance, prior to this thread i actually was still in the school of thought that eating before bed regardless of caloric intake for the day could screw you over. SideSteel helped me see that was misguided. However, if you fall into the subset of people who sleep poorly after a large late meal (which isn't everyone!), then that CAN adversely effect your weight loss. Also, "can" does not mean "will". I'm not speaking in absolutes, just in things that are - theoretically - possible.
i honestly don't see what's wrong with having this discussion... sorry.
There is nothing wrong with discussion. There are a lot of people that believe things about weight loss that isn't true, or isn't true for everyone. This is kind of like the healthy vs. unhealthy discussion, it doesn't have to be all or nothing, personal preference plays a great part in it. Weight loss for many has psychological, emotional, and physiological issues that need to be addressed, often at the same time. There are so many things that can and should be kept simple, especially when starting out, meal timing, and how to get a healthier lifestyle and diet are at the top of this list.0 -
Endocrine and Exocrine function of pancreas - or sleep versus waking or fitting with the catabolic and anabolic part posted previous to the constant arguing.
http://drtummy.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=80:headers&id=299:pancreas-exocrine-function&Itemid=58
Functional MRI data in relation to brain chemistry regarding foods that cause restfulness (good sleep) and foods that cause sleeplessness to follow0 -
actually we're misunderstanding each other. i'm not saying it will cause weight gain. i'm saying it will slow weight loss. sorry for that confusion.
You seem to spend a lot of time in multiple threads arguing over stuff that doesn't matter with people who are far more versed than you on those topics. Do you just love to see your own typing? Is there not another way you get to somehow feel important in your life than trying to speak with authority on topics on which you are only slightly versed?
having these discussions forces me to do more research which helps me learn and helps my views evolve. i'm trying to learn more about all this stuff because it's a field i'm extremely interested in. having these conversations may be annoying to you guys - and if that's the case i apologize - but ones like this where actual information and resources are exchanging hands are really useful for me and i appreciate it.
i recognize that SideSteel has more knowledge about a lot of things than i probably do, but that doesn't mean that what I have to add is inherently invalid.
and honestly, January's a really slow month for me work wise so I've got a lot of free time. i'll fade away soon more likely than not as things pick up, don't worry.
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Time of day has nothing to do with it. If you have calories left, eat if you're hungry.
I completely disagree with this statement. Every person's body composition is different, and the way our bodies breakdown calories is different. Also, depending on WHAT you eat before going to bed (and how often you do it) can be problematic.
I generally try to stop ALL eating/snacking at 9:00 p.m., regardless of the time I go to bed. The only exception is if I'm skating on a particular night (the session is from 9p-1a).
But if you're STARVING, then I suggest having some sort of protein, or a piece of fruit. Stay away from starches and foods that are high in fat and sodium.
I eat a full meal nearly every night, late at night, just before bed. I work 2 jobs and this is the only time I have available to eat "dinner".
I've lost all the weight I set out to lose and I've maintained my goal weight and fitness level, I simply exercise enough to create a deficit.
Time of day is irrelevent..........weight loss is math. Burn more than you take in.0 -
actually we're misunderstanding each other. i'm not saying it will cause weight gain. i'm saying it will slow weight loss. sorry for that confusion.
You seem to spend a lot of time in multiple threads arguing over stuff that doesn't matter with people who are far more versed than you on those topics. Do you just love to see your own typing? Is there not another way you get to somehow feel important in your life than trying to speak with authority on topics on which you are only slightly versed?
having these discussions forces me to do more research which helps me learn and helps my views evolve. i'm trying to learn more about all this stuff because it's a field i'm extremely interested in. having these conversations may be annoying to you guys - and if that's the case i apologize - but ones like this where actual information and resources are exchanging hands are really useful for me and i appreciate it.
i recognize that SideSteel has more knowledge about a lot of things than i probably do, but that doesn't mean that what I have to add is inherently invalid.
and honestly, January's a really slow month for me work wise so I've got a lot of free time. i'll fade away soon more likely than not as things pick up, don't worry.
I get that and agree. But, honestly, you just spent about 3 pages arguing that someone who would not sleep well because they ate a large meal might have issues. Well duh!! No kidding. Also, the OP never said anything about eating a large meal just before bed. They simply asked whether eating late at night is an issue. How did this kind of hair spiltting for 3 pages inform the discussion? You might want to consider thinking and researching more and blabbing less.0 -
I get that and agree. But, honestly, you just spent about 3 pages arguing that someone who would not sleep well because they ate a large meal might have issues. Well duh!! No kidding. Also, the OP never said anything about eating a large meal just before bed. They simply asked whether eating late at night is an issue. How did this kind of hair spiltting for 3 pages inform the discussion? You might want to consider thinking and researching more and blabbing less.
and in response to the OP, having been newly informed by this thread, I would say that most likely, as long as you're coming in under your calorie limit for the day, eating late won't affect your weight loss. However, in some cases, eating a large meal before bed can cause sleep issues and that can adversely affect your progress. So as long as you're sleeping well, don't worry about eating late.
thats a big evolution from what i would have said at the beginning of this thread. so again, maybe you're right and I should talk less, but i feel like this was valuable for me - again - even if it does frustrate other people to read.0 -
I'm a late night eater... So Yes! Sure! Make it ice cream!
werd!!
OP: as it seems to have finally been agreed to:
- intra-day meal timing is irrelevant from a weight loss perspective, however, personal preference, adherence and how it impacts your energy levels and sleep is relevant.
- if you are hungry and it causes you to get a worse nights sleep, then eating something later makes sense. The inverse also applies.
- if eating late at night aids in adherence then that makes sense. If eating earlier does, than that makes sense.
- in itself though, the energy balance still applies and should be looked at at the macro level - are you, on average, in a caloric surplus or deficit?
- I eat most of my calories after 9pm and usually after 10pm, and eat ice-cream in bed just before I go to sleep at about midnight. It has not affected my weight loss (and I am 45 year old so disagree that age makes any difference), helps my adherence, helps my gym performance and does not impact my sleep (being hungry would though).0 -
I always have a small snack and coffee about an hour before bed, no big deal. I hate waking up STARVING!0
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This is and always has been a problem for me. I don't know why. I recently found out that people who wake up in the middle of the night, say 2am about, usually have a sugar problem--diabetes or hypoglycemic--I am hypoglycemic so I made inquiries. I found out that if you eat a late night, before be snack high in protein it will hold you over thru the night. It works, but I am usually up between 430 and 530 now needing to eat. I'll take that.0
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sometimes you're hungry for a reason. I have low blood sugar and was always waking up at 2am starving and could not go back to sleep until I ate something. I thought this meant I was not only weird but seriously addicted to food. Turns out it is because of my low blood sugar and if I have a high protein snack--usually sugar free yogurt with a scoop of protein powder in it, I make it til 430am, 530am. Give it a try, darlin. Hope it helps.0
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I'm a late night eater... So Yes! Sure! Make it ice cream!
OP: as it seems to have finally been agreed to:
the end of the world is nigh. lol0 -
The only reason I don't do it is because sodium late at night makes me bloat and I see it on the scale in the morning. I don't take it seriously because it's not real weight, but I still don't like to see it. Eat something healthy late at night if you are hungry, you will be fine.
This is one of the best posts yet. In terms of big picture weight loss, timing doesn't matter. People who eat late then weight themselves every morning may very well see what appears to be a weight gain, which is why they complain about how awful eating at night is for weight loss. But in reality they are just holding a little extra water, which isn't effecting actual weight/fat loss, only scale weight. But people jump to conclusions based on what they observe rather than on what is actually happening.
Good post!
Yes, I agree that the big picture is everything.
But, here's the thing though: One of the things about successful weight loss is consistency. Another is developing good habits. Those of us who have battled weight problems for most of our lives (for me, it's been since my teen years) must be very careful not to get into bad habits...like eating late at night. And, while an occasional late night snack may not be harmful in the overall picture, if it becomes a habit, then it will surely derail weight-loss efforts--thereby affecting the "big picture."
The OP said that she is often hungry right before bed. If she consistently eats late at night, it could become problematc. She may not necessarily gain weight, but it might slow or stagnate her weight-loss. But...she is ONLY 19. It may have no affect on her whatsoever. (This is where that "everyone is different" thing comes into play, no?)
Eating at night is not a bad habit though, that's the difference between your argument and almost everyone else here.
Eating too many cals, be it at night or whenever is bad. But having a modest snack or a huge meal... as long as it fits in yoru cals is a GOOD habit.0 -
Eating at night is not a bad habit though, that's the difference between your argument and almost everyone else here.
Eating too many cals, be it at night or whenever is bad. But having a modest snack or a huge meal... as long as it fits in yoru cals is a GOOD habit.
I am more likely to stay within my calories for the day if I don't eat a solid breakfast (i.e. skip it or have a protein shake). For me, eating 'the most important meal of the day' is a bad habit.0 -
Eating at night is not a bad habit though, that's the difference between your argument and almost everyone else here.
Eating too many cals, be it at night or whenever is bad. But having a modest snack or a huge meal... as long as it fits in yoru cals is a GOOD habit.
I am more likely to stay within my calories for the day if I don't eat a solid breakfast (i.e. skip it or have a protein shake). For me, eating 'the most important meal of the day' is a bad habit.
Exactly. Breakfast is a bad habit for you. Snacking is a bad habit for some. Eating at night is a bad habit for some. Chocolate is a bad habit for some, etc etc... it all goes back to all the misunderstanding centered on the "do what works for you" advice.
The science is the same for everyone. My body works basically the same as yours and as everyone elses when given a calorie surplus, as do they when given a calorie deficit. What changes is the METHOD... how you get to that surplus or deficit.0 -
Exactly. Breakfast is a bad habit for you. Snacking is a bad habit for some. Eating at night is a bad habit for some. Chocolate is a bad habit for some, etc etc... it all goes back to all the misunderstanding centered on the "do what works for you" advice.
The science is the same for everyone. My body works basically the same as yours and as everyone elses when given a calorie surplus, as do they when given a calorie deficit. What changes is the METHOD... how you get to that surplus or deficit.
Truth0 -
no meal of the day is a bad habit if you have self control and discipline...0
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no meal of the day is a bad habit if you have self control and discipline...
I don't, so I work around it.0 -
no meal of the day is a bad habit if you have self control and discipline...
I don't, so I work around it.
haha well that is one method. 0 -
Eating at night is not a bad habit though, that's the difference between your argument and almost everyone else here.
Eating too many cals, be it at night or whenever is bad. But having a modest snack or a huge meal... as long as it fits in yoru cals is a GOOD habit.
I am more likely to stay within my calories for the day if I don't eat a solid breakfast (i.e. skip it or have a protein shake). For me, eating 'the most important meal of the day' is a bad habit.
I'm with you! I don't care that much about breakfast. Eat a protein shake or lighter lunch and then enjoy a nice big dinner. Just my preference. Same amount of cals and it all works out nicely. On workout days, I may have a smaller breakfast before the gym depending on energy level. As long as you are at your calorie target for the day, it's all preference and what gives you optimum performance both in the gym and in life in general.0 -
Eating at night is not a bad habit though, that's the difference between your argument and almost everyone else here.
Eating too many cals, be it at night or whenever is bad. But having a modest snack or a huge meal... as long as it fits in yoru cals is a GOOD habit.
The act of "eating at night" in and of itself is not necessarily a "bad habit." But it's a slippery slope if a person does not make overall good food choices and doesn't consistently burn more calories than they eat (as so many people have stated).
For ME...eating at night is problematic.
And it's not an "argument", it's my point of view. Calling it an "argument" implies that I am trying to change another's point of view, and I'm not. I was simply stating MY point of view.
People can think what they want to think, and they should do what works for THEM. THE END.0
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