Does it matter when you eat during the day?
Bluetrace24
Posts: 9 Member
I've been fine staying under my calorie limit, but realize that probably close to half of my total calories come from my evening meal. Breakfast and lunch tend to be around 300 each, so I'm not skipping them. Does it matter when I eat as long as I am under?
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I believe it does matter.
Like not eating high sugar/carb anytime before bed (eating heavy protein has shown to increase the amount of REM sleep when I tracked it with ZEO).
I tend to follow the nutrient consumption as described by VEGA - especially on workout days. That has helped me recover faster from workouts.
Your question will not get a definitive answer here though... Trial and error0 -
It matters for your own satiation, energy levels, and ability to sleep.
It does not matter for weight loss at all, except if it interferes with one of the above. Whatever is most comfortable for you works best. I also keep a big percentage of my calories for the evening. Works great for me.0 -
Not if calorie count is your concern. Some people react differently when eating then going right to bed than others do (I can eat right before bed with no issues).
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
Eating lots of calories and then sleeping on them doesn't give them a chance to burn off, so they get stored instead. It's better to eat lighter at night and more during the day. Try a snack in the afternoon so you'll eat a less heavy dinner. That's what I've been doing and it's seemed to work, but I'm also keeping an eye on my calories too. Dinner used to be my biggest problem, and even though it's still my biggest meal of the day, it's only about a third of my daily calories now.0
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I think it matters if your sleep is affected by what you eat. For me, I tend to pack in the calories late in the day, and as long as I don't eat a ton of sugary stuff in the evening (which I've found keeps me awake), I'm fine. If I try to go too light on the calories in the latter part of the day, I tend to wake up in the night, hungry. NOT FUN!
Sleep is proving to be more important to weight management than was ever suspected before, so strategizing for a good night's sleep is imperative.
As for those claims that you can eat all you want as long as it's before 7:00 pm (or whatever random time)? -- I think that's nonsense. Really, as the above poster suggested, you need to go with trial and error and what works for YOUR body.
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no0
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Eating lots of calories and then sleeping on them doesn't give them a chance to burn off, so they get stored instead. It's better to eat lighter at night and more during the day. Try a snack in the afternoon so you'll eat a less heavy dinner. That's what I've been doing and it's seemed to work, but I'm also keeping an eye on my calories too. Dinner used to be my biggest problem, and even though it's still my biggest meal of the day, it's only about a third of my daily calories now.
It's super that you've found a method that's working for you, but that burning off at night stuff is an old wive's tale. For that to be true, we would have to digest and use our calories immediately. That's not how metabolism works. It's about long term deficit. If you have the calories left and it doesn't bother your sleep, you can have ice cream before bed every night if you want to.0 -
no
^^ this0 -
I generally eat 900-1000 calories between 5 and 10 at night. I have lost about 18 pounds (well I lost 21, then my 3 weeks of christmas set me back a few pounds but I am back on track now, haha) It doesn't make a difference for weight loss, though if I am weighing myself the next morning I try to eat a little earlier so that food still isn't sitting in my tummy in the morning (or so it seems, haha)0
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Not if you're within calorie deficit/maintenance limits. This is an old myth that won't die. You burn more fat at rest than any other time of the day.Eating lots of calories and then sleeping on them doesn't give them a chance to burn off, so they get stored instead.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
Oh, and I've lost my 29 kg eating a fair proportion of my calories in the evening, usually after 7.30 pm. So - no, with the proviso that others have given, that it doesn't affect your ability to sleep comfortably.0
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Nope0
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It doesn't matter, but If i don't spread the love throughout the day i eat too much at night.:explode:0
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I've read it doesn't matter but I try to equal out my meals and have a small snack about an hr before bed. Otherwise I wake up starving. I currently have 5 meals 2 of which are mini between or bedtime snacks. What you eat and burn off doesn't care what time it is. But eating heavy before bed could give you heartburn and maybe affect your sleep depending on what it is. Just make sure you are not eating to much calories/fat and not starving yourself all day. Your body needs fuel all day.0
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I've actually changed my dinner time to around 7-730 and I'm still loosing weight.0
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If that way works best for you from an adherence, lifestyle and adherence perspective, no issues at all.0
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It's never mattered to me. I've always eaten the majority of my calories at night and I've never been overweight. Everybody's different, though, so do what works for you.0
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Eating lots of calories and then sleeping on them doesn't give them a chance to burn off, so they get stored instead. It's better to eat lighter at night and more during the day. Try a snack in the afternoon so you'll eat a less heavy dinner. That's what I've been doing and it's seemed to work, but I'm also keeping an eye on my calories too. Dinner used to be my biggest problem, and even though it's still my biggest meal of the day, it's only about a third of my daily calories now.
It's super that you've found a method that's working for you, but that burning off at night stuff is an old wive's tale. For that to be true, we would have to digest and use our calories immediately. That's not how metabolism works. It's about long term deficit. If you have the calories left and it doesn't bother your sleep, you can have ice cream before bed every night if you want to.
Yes you can!0 -
GRRR...This isn't religion! It's not about belief. Yes there is a definite answer! NO, everyone is NOT different, and all of the other cliche' cop outs we hear when people don't know anything more. They always default to ..."what works for you......everyones different...." No you're not. barring disease or malfunction, your body works like all the others. Period. It's the industry and the slack trainer,dietician,blog,doctor,website,t.v. show, etc., or individual effort that's different. Grrr.....
Sleeping on calories is fine. As a matter of fact, there are some studies that state many benefits to this and to actually eating carbs (oooh evil) at night. And as a simple observation, many other mammals do this. Furthermore, yes, it's just pseudo science, just like eating more meals makes your metabolism higher which is false or breakfast is the most important meal of the day or is needed or should never be skipped, etc, which is all false. The problem is that through poetic justice, it sure seems like it makes sense. But it's all false. The research has been done on all of this stuff. There is no question anymore, only those that don't know any better simply because the industry is crappy and un regulated or for simply not really looking into it, or knowing where to look. Google is not going to usually accomplish that, and people don't like reading much nowadays. It's not all the consumers fault. No I'm not special because I know this or that. I just can't drive this idea home enough. Most of this industry is poorly researched and much of any research is funded by people/companies that have an interest in it's outcome, just like the food pyramid and governmental lobbyists and EVERYTHING you read, hear or see in magazines, on TV, or Radio. All of these sources are for businesses and media to make profit and conduct business. Nothing wrong with that, but it is CAVEAT EMPTOR !!!!!
Eat when you're hungry and or when it is most suitable for you, or most comfortable. The only thing about eating at night is potential for indigestion or reflux, if you're prone to such. The mechanisms that support and drive beta oxidation and fat burning are thousands or depending on who you ask, millions of years old.
Furthermore, caloric expenditure is usually only about 20 to 40% from skeletal muscle. Usually on the lower end. So around 80% of the body's caloric expenditures comes from everything besides the muscles! As I like to remind people, when was the last time you thought about your spleen? Your lungs? Your bone marrow?. All of it is burning calories.
So please stop repeating this mantra. You're only confusing others.
I will be covering all of this more in depth in the near future on my site and I will be siting studies, as I have already have, just more.... TheFitnessTutor.com0 -
No It doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No It doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No It doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No It doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No It doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No It doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No It doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No It doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No It doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No It doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No It doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No It doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No It doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No It doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No It doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No It doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No It doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No It doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No It doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No It doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No It doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No It doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done No it doesn't matter the research has been done
^^^^This,, I work a swing shift and eat at all times of the day on differnt days. time does not matter only calorie count.0 -
Eating lots of calories and then sleeping on them doesn't give them a chance to burn off, so they get stored instead. It's better to eat lighter at night and more during the day. Try a snack in the afternoon so you'll eat a less heavy dinner. That's what I've been doing and it's seemed to work, but I'm also keeping an eye on my calories too. Dinner used to be my biggest problem, and even though it's still my biggest meal of the day, it's only about a third of my daily calories now.
It's super that you've found a method that's working for you, but that burning off at night stuff is an old wive's tale. For that to be true, we would have to digest and use our calories immediately. That's not how metabolism works. It's about long term deficit. If you have the calories left and it doesn't bother your sleep, you can have ice cream before bed every night if you want to.
I've never actually heard this was a myth, thanks for the heads up!0 -
This thread is the reason why I need to be on this site and learn what is fact or fiction. Thank you for posting this question I have been mislead for too long! This truly changes things for me! Thank you to all who responded!0
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Hell people come to this site and display what's wrong with the industry. Just stay on your numbers and do your most important work, which is staying on top of that intake. How many times have you seen praise for over-exercising or continually coming in lower than your caloric goal??? ....it's a goal...not a limbo stick...then we want to wonder what happens to our metabolisms...or why we can't make our bodies do what we want. Well, for one, let's take a look...you've been under eating by 200 or so calories every day(or worse)...which equated to about 5000 calories last month or worse in some cases...do that for a few months and then wonder why your body isn't doing what it "should".... It's not about what the hands on the clock says...it's about what you put in your body. If you need more calories, a shot glass and olive oil are your friends. Or NATURAL peanut butter, etc. Yes that's right. Yes that's what people smarter than myself also say.0
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Eating lots of calories and then sleeping on them doesn't give them a chance to burn off, so they get stored instead. It's better to eat lighter at night and more during the day. Try a snack in the afternoon so you'll eat a less heavy dinner. That's what I've been doing and it's seemed to work, but I'm also keeping an eye on my calories too. Dinner used to be my biggest problem, and even though it's still my biggest meal of the day, it's only about a third of my daily calories now.
100lbs lost says that it is OK to eat a big meal later at night , go to bed, and still shed the fat.....I hardly ever get home from the gym before 8pm, then still have to cook, so dinner time for me is around 8:45pm.....and lots of times bed by 10pm....0 -
I don't get home from work till 9:00 at night and I always eat cause I'm hungry... And I'm still loosing weight. As long as I'm within my calorie limit. 0
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Glad to hear from others as well, we have a family meal between 6.30 and 7.30 pm and most of my calories are in this time (except the devil wine if I have cals left over), I lost two stone a few years ago in the same routine before more wine, too much chocolate and less exercise meant I put it back on. I don't feel particularly hungry during the day but a decent meal at night stops me snacking.0
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Eating lots of calories and then sleeping on them doesn't give them a chance to burn off, so they get stored instead. It's better to eat lighter at night and more during the day. Try a snack in the afternoon so you'll eat a less heavy dinner. That's what I've been doing and it's seemed to work, but I'm also keeping an eye on my calories too. Dinner used to be my biggest problem, and even though it's still my biggest meal of the day, it's only about a third of my daily calories now.
Ever wonder what this "BMR" thing is that people talk about? i.e the amount of calories we would burn per day IF WE WERE IN A COMA, if we can do it in a coma I'm sure we can keep digesting while we are asleep.0 -
nope, you're fine. The more you eat in one sitting, the longer it takes to digest it all. In the case of an evening meal, I think that a larger meal at the end of the day is preferable, especially if you load up on protein.. giving your body enough to make it through the night without hurting your lean muscle mass.0
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