How bad is not eating until late in the day?

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  • moustache_flavored_lube
    moustache_flavored_lube Posts: 849 Member
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    Look at who is giving the advice on both sides of this. Listen to the ones that are fit, lean, have 'credentials' or have lost a ton of weight. They may just know what they are talking about
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,699 Member
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    I agree with this comment, research in mice has shown that mice that ate all of their calories at the end of the day gained more weight despite the fact that they ate the same number of calories as mice that ate throughout the day. I've also heard that we are more insulin resistant at the end of the day which is why many fitness magazines encourage multiple meals and larger breakfasts. I would not make this a normal schedule if you can avoid it.
    Mice are also nocturnal.:laugh:
    Good thing we aren't mice.
    Fitness magazines blather a lot of broscience so they can sell you more supplements.

    Consult the actual peer reviewed clinical studies that have been pasted on this thread. Science is usually right.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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  • sugar66
    sugar66 Posts: 41
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    The only thing I would say is this was how i used to survive every day and my weight continued to rise, topping out at 326lb at xmas 2011, after starting to eat breakfast my weight started to fall.
    I think as long as your not over eating when you do finally eat, and then sitting around and not doing any exercise, then you should be fine, however i wouldn't reccomend it long term.
    it's true that breakfast is the most important meal of the day as it kick starts your motabilism
  • Cat_Lifts
    Cat_Lifts Posts: 174 Member
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    At the end of the day, it's calories in, calories out. This was a good question and lots of good advice/information in here. I always have been told eating at the end of the night/close to bed is bad, but with newfound info... :devil:
  • in_this_generation
    in_this_generation Posts: 75 Member
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    This is a peer review study and is on the line with data that I saw during a seminar at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. And the only reason I bothered to mention that mice are nocturnal is in case any of you actually wanted to read the abstract of this peer reviewed article. Science also suggests that caloric restriction and perhaps alternating fasting days is healthy because it prolongs life-span, but in the context of weight loss I suspect that it is not the best diet.
  • stephaniethomas80
    stephaniethomas80 Posts: 190 Member
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    I eat all my cals in the afternoon/evening. I've been pretty successful, I'm still alive, I haven't went bald, or yada yada yada.... Some people def over exaggerate the side affects of not doing everything perfectly and by the book.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
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    I already know the awnser to this but what are the thoughts on not eating until later? I ended up missing breakfast and lunch today so went 13 hours on coffee and a couple of sweets, by the time i got home was STARVING, ended up in the takeaway shop, plugging it in to the calorie counter im still under my total but do you think my body will be doing the staving so save it thing by the time I eat my dinner???

    The reason most nutrition peeps say eat in the morning because You do need to start and maintain your metabolism. This is important to weight loss. You don't drive your car on an empty gas tank then fill it up when you are done with it. You're body is an even better machine that needs well maintained. I highly recommend eating in the AM. Your body will thank you later.

    False... your metabolism is running all the time... all day everyday. It doesn't stop and start.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    I agree with this comment, research in mice has shown that mice that ate all of their calories at the end of the day gained more weight despite the fact that they ate the same number of calories as mice that ate throughout the day (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1038/oby.2009.264/full) [keep in mind that mice are noctural, their day = night. Not sure if similar studies have been done in people]. I've also heard that we are more insulin resistant at the end of the day which is why many fitness magazines encourage multiple meals and larger breakfasts. I would not make this a normal schedule if you can avoid it.

    Good thing we have studies in humans showing otherwise.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17909674
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3508745
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,699 Member
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    it's true that breakfast is the most important meal of the day as it kick starts your motabilism
    Not true. Metabolism is in full effect even while you SLEEP.


    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,699 Member
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    This is a peer review study and is on the line with data that I saw during a seminar at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. And the only reason I bothered to mention that mice are nocturnal is in case any of you actually wanted to read the abstract of this peer reviewed article. Science also suggests that caloric restriction and perhaps alternating fasting days is healthy because it prolongs life-span, but in the context of weight loss I suspect that it is not the best diet.
    Calorie restriction and alternate fasting not a good "diet" for weight loss? Clinical studies shows different as Sidesteel posted.
    Again we aren't mice.


    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
  • holmesd450
    holmesd450 Posts: 20 Member
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    I just started taking a nutrition class, and the teacher (with a masters in nutrition) states that your body is more insulin sensitive later in the day. That is why you should eat the most in the morning, and least at night. It's hard to do with a job, but he says that yes, it does hurt you to eat most of your food late in the day. Some people obviously have success even if they do that. And even the teacher says that no one can do everything 100% of the time. But I would imagine if this is your norm, it will hurt your weight loss goals or at least be not as healthy.

    Your teacher needs to do some more studying
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
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    I know it is ok. I eat frequently, that's what works for me. My. Rain knows eating one meal or later is fine, but I do get concerned about my son. He's 19 and doing the college thing, so often doesn't eat from 11:30AM to 8PM. I get that 'mommy issue' of 'he needs to eat between classes for his blood sugar and to think well...plus he is always light headed.
    But he's not passed out and seems to get decent grades.....
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    What's with everyone stating 'it's okay'? It most definitely is not.

    We need food in regular paced intervals to keep our metabolism going. After your night's sleep (which is like fasting for 12 hours, also your metabolism slows down during your sleep), you need food to kickstart your metabolism. If you do not have breakfast, your body with go into preservation mode to get all it's nutrients from places you've stored them. You'd think that's fat, but eh no. The burning of fat requires energy your body doesn't have when you don't eat breakfast: causing for your fat to only be partially oxidized.

    So when around lunchtime you decide, well, maybe I should eat, your body will gear up and hold on to those nutrients and carbs you just ate because it hasn't had anything yet.

    Fasting for long periods of time doesn't help jack-squat in my opinion considering during these fasting periods your body goes into 'starvation mode' dipping into energy sources within the body. It lowers the metabolism speed, your appetite etcetera. It also drains you from energy and isn't to be considered healthy due to the fact you actually do need certain nutrients to stay alive. When you get out of the fasting period and eat again, once more, your body will hold onto those nutrients because our body has to make up for the earlier loss.

    HOWEVER. I do agree there's a certain power in long-term fasting intervals (so, let's say one day per week). Studies have shown it does help increase the fat oxidition.

    In short: eat meals at regulars intervals. Educate yourself if you're curious about intermittent fasting.

    sources to back it up:
    http://www.thekitchn.com/why-breakfast-is-the-most-impo-1-113418
    http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/healthy_breakfast.shtml
    http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/guide/fasting
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19112549
    http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.hro.nl/ehost/detail?sid=8a653800-616c-4242-8ea7-f0042ad00409@sessionmgr4&vid=1&hid=13&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ==#db=rzh&AN=2005078893


    This is wrong^^^^

    Fixed it for you
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    *
  • Vercell
    Vercell Posts: 437 Member
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    When I was at my smallest I only ate in the evening. Never ate breakfeast. but i eat all day now
  • findingmyfit
    findingmyfit Posts: 106
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    Interesting
  • SomeoneSomeplace
    SomeoneSomeplace Posts: 1,094 Member
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    I do this every day of my life basically.

    I've lost over 30 pounds, I gained a few pounds over the holidays and if anything I was eating a more normal schedule because I don't have graduate classes interfering with things and causing extra stress.

    Anyway point is it really comes down to calorie in/out but the problem with waiting all day is it can lead to binge-eating AND also you're gonna be really bloated when you're done eating haha

    I should add my BMR is quite low so I don't have any issues meeting my targets for the day especially since I'm normally up quite late studying so I am able to get my calories in late night
  • keem88
    keem88 Posts: 1,689 Member
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    i would think you would be okay. i don't eat breakfast until noon, lunch around 3 or 4, a snack at like 6 or 7 and dinner at 10 (i work 1p-9p). as long as you are eating and staying within your macros it shouldn't be a problem
  • buella85
    buella85 Posts: 5
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    I wholeheartedly agree with several of the above posts that it can have a negative effect on your body. Just as you fill up your tank of gas when you are on empty, you want to refuel your body throughout the day to provide energy and keep your metabolism running smoothly.

    Studies show eating 3 meals a day or eating 6 small meals a day are both successful meal plans. Everything I have every read about healthy eating claims that that you should never skip breakfast. I've found that eating a solid breakfast (such as eggs or oatmeal) provides energy and keeps me from reaching for unhealthy foods later in the day.

    How would you feel about testing it? Try eating three healthy meals a day (if all you can do for lunch is some sort of healthy protein bar or Cliff bar that's better than nothing) for two weeks and see how you feel.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    I wholeheartedly agree with several of the above posts that it can have a negative effect on your body. Just as you fill up your tank of gas when you are on empty, you want to refuel your body throughout the day to provide energy and keep your metabolism running smoothly.

    Studies show eating 3 meals a day or eating 6 small meals a day are both successful meal plans. Everything I have every read about healthy eating claims that that you should never skip breakfast. I've found that eating a solid breakfast (such as eggs or oatmeal) provides energy and keeps me from reaching for unhealthy foods later in the day.

    How would you feel about testing it? Try eating three healthy meals a day (if all you can do for lunch is some sort of healthy protein bar or Cliff bar that's better than nothing) for two weeks and see how you feel.

    You first paragraph is just wrong. Using the car example is just silly. My car drives just as well if it is full v if it is half full. Please read the posts above that explain it and show peer reviewed studies that meal timing have no impact on your metabolism.

    If you do not do well skipping breakfast, that is a personal preference, but many many people do very well skipping breakfast and it helps with adherence to a calorie restriction.

    You say 'everything you read says it matters' - I would suggest you read this:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/820577-meal-frequency-rev-up-that-furnace-lol

    It has already been posted once but seems to bear repeating.

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