More evidence for Not Eating Late

Espressocycle
Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/01/30/170591028/to-maximize-weight-loss-eat-early-in-the-day-not-late
A new study published in the International Journal of Obesity builds on previous studies that suggest it's best not to eat too many calories late in the day.

The Spanish study finds that dieters who ate their main meal before 3 p.m. lost significantly more weight than those who ate later in the day. This held true even though the early eaters were eating roughly the same number of calories during the five-month weight-loss study as their night-owl counterparts.

The study included 420 overweight and obese volunteers who lived in the Mediterranean seaside town of Murcia, Spain. Their average age was 42. Half were men, half women. Their midday meal constituted about 40 percent of their diet of roughly 1,400 calories a day, on average. Right — that's not a lot of calories. The average nondieting American eats about 2,700 calories a day, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

On average, the early eaters in the Spanish study lost 22 pounds, compared with the late eaters who lost 17 pounds.

This makes me sad, because I eat most of my calories after 6:00! It's 11:30 and I haven't wanted to eat at all today.
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Replies

  • VorJoshigan
    VorJoshigan Posts: 1,106 Member
    Are these people self-selected or random? If self-selected, I have very little confidence in the results. It could be that there's just something about Spaniards who choose to eat late that's different from Spaniards who choose to eat early. Maybe they're lazy. Maybe they drink more. Maybe they don't log as accurately.
  • dinosnopro
    dinosnopro Posts: 2,177 Member
    From the study linked in the story.

    Surprisingly, energy intake, dietary composition, estimated energy expenditure, appetite hormones and sleep duration was similar between both groups. Nevertheless,



    The bold part could be one of the reasons for the 5lb variance in 20 weeks.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    I would like to see what kinds of foods they are eating - Spaniards typically eat their biggest meal mid afternoon. The ones eating their big meal late are probably stressing out about having such a weird schedule!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,040 Member
    They can "suggest" it. But I've taught the majority of my clients that meal timing doesn't matter and they are reaching their goals even if they are eating well after 3:00, 6:00 and 9:00 pm

    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 nutrition
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    OP, eat when you want. The MFP police won't come to your house; promise :laugh:
  • marsellient
    marsellient Posts: 591 Member
    In the big picture I cannot see how it would make a difference. Maybe the weigh ins were early in the morning?
  • bmqbonnie
    bmqbonnie Posts: 836 Member
    I also find that if I eat a salty meal late in the evening, it's more likely to effect my weigh in in the morning, plus then the weight of the food itself may still be around. It's gone in a day or so. So I qustion if this is "real" weight as the difference over 20 weeks isn't a huge one.
  • rjmwx81
    rjmwx81 Posts: 259 Member
    Every time the meal timing question comes up, I have to ask: what if you're eating dinner on a plane and you cross time zones? Or what about daylight savings time? If I have to stop eating at 6PM, does that get pushed back to 7PM when we spring forward?

    So far, I have yet to receive a satisfactory answer, which tells me that meal timing doesn't matter much.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    The time of day I choose to eat my meals has never prevented me from maintaining a healthy weight or hindered my progress. I eat dinner every evening 8:30 ish and even save a few cals for a treat before bed. No problems for me!
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    I'm guessing self reported intake and activity levels based on 3 - 7d recalls? If so, those are usually really really accurate
  • MissJanet55
    MissJanet55 Posts: 457 Member
    I expect it is different for different people. I lose weight much more easily if I eat my biggest meal earlier in the day. It's challenging, though, because of social and family obligations that revolve around dinner.


    "Every time the meal timing question comes up, I have to ask: what if you're eating dinner on a plane and you cross time zones? Or what about daylight savings time? If I have to stop eating at 6PM, does that get pushed back to 7PM when we spring forward? "

    Most likely it isn't the exact time that matters so much as the number of hours between your last meal and when you go to bed.
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
    We've always been a healthy weight. My husband works late and I like to eat post gym. We eat at 8:30 and this has worked well for us since 1998. I eat breakfast around 9am and lunch at Noon. Snacks in between. I don't think time of day matters--if it did there would be more overweight people in places like Italy, France, and Spain. My friend from Italy said (in a complimentary way) we eat like we're from Italy. I would not change our schedule for the world.
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
    http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/01/30/170591028/to-maximize-weight-loss-eat-early-in-the-day-not-late
    A new study published in the International Journal of Obesity builds on previous studies that suggest it's best not to eat too many calories late in the day.

    The Spanish study finds that dieters who ate their main meal before 3 p.m. lost significantly more weight than those who ate later in the day. This held true even though the early eaters were eating roughly the same number of calories during the five-month weight-loss study as their night-owl counterparts.

    The study included 420 overweight and obese volunteers who lived in the Mediterranean seaside town of Murcia, Spain. Their average age was 42. Half were men, half women. Their midday meal constituted about 40 percent of their diet of roughly 1,400 calories a day, on average. Right — that's not a lot of calories. The average nondieting American eats about 2,700 calories a day, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

    On average, the early eaters in the Spanish study lost 22 pounds, compared with the late eaters who lost 17 pounds.

    This makes me sad, because I eat most of my calories after 6:00! It's 11:30 and I haven't wanted to eat at all today.

    Don't be sad. I've explained why eating late works in my house. :) Bear in mind it's post-workout.
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    5lbs difference over 20 weeks is not something I would worry about - even if it did hold some truth to it (which I still don't believe)
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    It's not like I'll be changing my habits. I feel physically better when I eat later, so even if I lose weight slower, that's just how it's gonna be.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    Yes, eating late has just made me into a tub of lard.
  • Faye_Anderson
    Faye_Anderson Posts: 1,495 Member
    They all lost weight, some a little slower than others, apparently the slower you lose the easier it is to keep the weight off, I think I'll keep eating whenever I'm hungry :drinker: :flowerforyou:
  • luperaz
    luperaz Posts: 26
    5lbs difference over 20 weeks is not something I would worry about - even if it did hold some truth to it (which I still don't believe)

    Exactly 5lbs in 20 weeks is just noise. If you stay true to your caloric goals you are going to lose weight. Its as simple as that.
  • Marion_
    Marion_ Posts: 56 Member
    I lived in Spain and they don't eat lunch before 2pm and dinner NEVER before 9pm. I was working in a French company and we were the only ones eating out in restaurants at 1.30pm... So their definition of "early eater" must be really different from the US definition :)

    Anyway, just do what works for you & makes you feel good
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    I think the most important thing to dieting is finding an eating plan you can stick with long term and that will be easily to adjust to maintenance. For me this means a small calorie deficit, the inclusion of all foods, and eating whenever. If I try to be too strict, I'll give up and just stop trying.
  • jayche
    jayche Posts: 1,128 Member
    I wonder if they all weighed themselves at the same time (typically in the morning)? If so it'd make more sense that the group who didn't eat at night would weigh less than the ones who ate at night.

    Still gonna eat at midnight regardless interesting read though!
  • barb1241
    barb1241 Posts: 324 Member
    It isn't really scientific, but I eat dinner at 7 pm. I eat snacks as late as 1-2am, usually at least as late as 11 pm. The size of my shrinking *kitten* (somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 lbs and 4-5 jeans sizes smaller) would suggest it isn't being a problem for me. Of course, YMMV. I'm sticking to what is working for me-in any language-until it doesn't work anymore.
  • snowbunnygirl
    snowbunnygirl Posts: 7
    I'll eat whenever I want, whatever time i want.


    It's because these people probably ate pure crap.
  • Barbellerella
    Barbellerella Posts: 1,838 Member
    meh. I eat late (and carbs at that, GASP!) and I'm the leanest I've been in years... And I don't eat right when I wake up either!! I'm such a rule breaker. :drinker:
  • Melo1966
    Melo1966 Posts: 881 Member
    Did they weigh the groups at different times? It you eat at different times of the day you need to weigh at different times.
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    There could be behavioral factors that come in to play here as well. Almost every study can be contradicted by another, depending on how the experiment is designed. Bottom line: figure out what works for you and stick with it.
  • lacurandera1
    lacurandera1 Posts: 8,083 Member
    I eat 50% of my 2300-3000 calories a day after 7 or 8 pm. It's certainly not affecting my progress, as evidenced by my picture. A majority of the active people on my friends list also eat quite a bit late at night. It also isn't hindering them.

    To anyone who believes that they can't eat past a certain time, that's fine. Do what you believe in or what makes you happy and or comfortable. But I like to eat. In bed, even, sometimes. :)
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    weak evidence is weak
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    You continue burning calories while you are sleeping - so why would it matter how close to your bed time you eat a big meal?
  • doubleduofa
    doubleduofa Posts: 284 Member
    I do believe that there are hormonal processes that happen at night, so what you eat and when you eat are important to those.

    I do better when I don't eat carbs at night and eat most of my food earlier in the day.

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