What time is the cut off for eating?

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  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
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    There's no official cut off time. Your body sees calories in the same way no matter what time of day it is. However, you may have more control over your diet if you stop eating after a certain time. I know I tend to eat more at night, so sometimes I'll just brush my teeth early to resist the urge to stuff my face :)
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
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    After dinner
  • annepage
    annepage Posts: 585 Member
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    I've heard six in the evening.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
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  • jennifermarie16144
    jennifermarie16144 Posts: 33
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    I try not to eat after 8 pm. If I do feel hungry, I will grab a snack because if your stomach is growling then blood sugar has already dropped to low.
  • traceybarbour
    traceybarbour Posts: 226 Member
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    when my calorie/Macros goal has been met for the day.
    ^ That, or when you fall asleep. Whichever comes first.

    This!! if I could figure out how to chew while sleeping I might just eat then too... lol... but seriously there is no such thing as meal frequency, eat when it fits your schedule.... Best of Luck...
    ^^^
    I would take it from the guy who has lost 311 lbs...
  • dhanisk
    dhanisk Posts: 29
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    I set my alarm for 3am and order a Meat-Lovers pizza from Dominoes. After that, it's nothing until sunup.

    You made me chuckle. They don't deliver after 1 AM in my area. So, I have to do a carry out :-)

    To the original post - I eat whenever I feel hungry. Generally avoid eating after 9 pm unless I am planning to stay up late past midnight..
  • never124get
    never124get Posts: 163
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    I'm....eating right now...in bed....on the laptop... :laugh: an apple! I stop eating when I'm not hungry. I looked over my calories for the day and realized they were too low so I grabbed an apple, as soon as I'm done I'm going to bed. Listen to YOUR body and not what someone else says works for them...because that could work different for your body. I know people do intermittent fasting where they fast for 12 hours, then eat and do it all again...like i said, works for some people, you just kind of have to play around and see what works best for your life style and your body :flowerforyou: hope this helps!
  • ArtemisMoon
    ArtemisMoon Posts: 144
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    I was told by a friend who is also a nursing student that the body will usually turn excess calories into fat within hours of eating it. So people who eat large portion of their calories at night before bed are more likely to store excess cals as fat than people who eat smaller, earlier meals. I admit I was surprised, but I guess this is why people who eat bigger meals earlier in the day and people who stop eating earlier in the evening seem to have more success at losing weight on average.
  • faithoverfailure
    faithoverfailure Posts: 14 Member
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    jamie eason (fitness trainer) says no carbs after 7pm
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    Hard and fast rule: do not eat while sleeping.

    This.
    Unless you have an issue with sleeping after eating. Some people experience stomach issues of they eat too close to bed. However, that still has no effect on weight loss.

    That "rule" mostly came out of the fact that most people ended up consuming too many calories by snacking at night. If you are staying within your calorie allotment, it doesn't matter what time you eat.
    I work shift work, 12 hour days. I would snack, finish work, go to the gym and get home. At that time I had enough time to eat and pretty much go to bed. After backshifts I always eat before I go to bed. No issues losing weight.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
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    I was told by a friend who is also a nursing student that the body will usually turn excess calories into fat within hours of eating it. So people who eat large portion of their calories at night before bed are more likely to store excess cals as fat than people who eat smaller, earlier meals. I admit I was surprised, but I guess this is why people who eat bigger meals earlier in the day and people who stop eating earlier in the evening seem to have more success at losing weight on average.
    If you're eating at a deficit, the body still has to get those excess calories from somewhere.
  • angelcurry130
    angelcurry130 Posts: 265 Member
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    amazing how everyone's matabolism is on the dot with time. who needs clocks? ;)

    if your metabolism is on peak performance, a late LIGHT snack will not hurt you. in fact, it will keep your system primed while you sleep. best if you eat several small meals throughout the day.

    if your metabolism is putzing along, you probably want to avoid eating anything after you've finished your dinner/supper. have fluids like water or tea to feel fuller.

    just remember, these are all just suggestions. late meals might work for you, or they might not. see how your body responds. :)
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    amazing how everyone's matabolism is on the dot with time. who needs clocks? ;)

    if your metabolism is on peak performance, a late LIGHT snack will not hurt you. in fact, it will keep your system primed while you sleep. best if you eat several small meals throughout the day.

    if your metabolism is putzing along, you probably want to avoid eating anything after you've finished your dinner/supper. have fluids like water or tea to feel fuller.

    just remember, these are all just suggestions. late meals might work for you, or they might not. see how your body responds. :)

    Bolder has been disproven. You metabolism continues on, even when you are sleeping. Breakfast/numerous meals/etc does not "boost" metabolism.
  • TheMattyExperiment
    TheMattyExperiment Posts: 178 Member
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    I was told by a friend who is also a nursing student that the body will usually turn excess calories into fat within hours of eating it. So people who eat large portion of their calories at night before bed are more likely to store excess cals as fat than people who eat smaller, earlier meals. I admit I was surprised, but I guess this is why people who eat bigger meals earlier in the day and people who stop eating earlier in the evening seem to have more success at losing weight on average.

    This is ridiculous, and nursing students have next to zero training in nutrition (same with doctors). This is why there is a completely separate career called "Dietitian." It amazes me that ppl still believe this meal timing fallacy.

    The only time you should stop eating while trying to lose weight is when you have hit or gone over your target cals! Meal cutoffs are not for average ppl like most members of MFP!

    Why the heck would you be following the same advice as an elite competitor like Eason anyways... and I'm not going to point any fingers and name any names but most of you should know by now that many of these competitors and figure models take some form of steroids and other chemical enhancers such as Clenbuterol to get as ripped as they get.

    Keep it simple and stop fixating on all the minute stuff like this topic. If you starve your body it WILL compensate eventually and force you to binge eat even if it's not for awhile. Ppl wonder why they yo-yo on their diets!

    I hope no one thinks I am being a jerk, I genuinely care and hate seeing ppl waste their time on this bs and worry themselves to the point of severe stress. I also get aggravated at the comments that are completely inaccurate but taken as pure gold because "so-and-so famous person" says it is. :p

    Rant over!
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    I was told by a friend who is also a nursing student that the body will usually turn excess calories into fat within hours of eating it. So people who eat large portion of their calories at night before bed are more likely to store excess cals as fat than people who eat smaller, earlier meals. I admit I was surprised, but I guess this is why people who eat bigger meals earlier in the day and people who stop eating earlier in the evening seem to have more success at losing weight on average.
    If you're maintaining a caloric deficit, you don't have "excess calories" regardless of what time of day you eat them. When the body is in a caloric deficit, it does not store anything as fat.
  • TNR32
    TNR32 Posts: 110 Member
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    I agree I stop eating when I sleep...I also heard from a personal trainer that it does not matter what time you stop eating just that you eat when you are hungry. He also eats a large meal right before bed and he is built like a brick.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    I was told by a friend who is also a nursing student that the body will usually turn excess calories into fat within hours of eating it. So people who eat large portion of their calories at night before bed are more likely to store excess cals as fat than people who eat smaller, earlier meals. I admit I was surprised, but I guess this is why people who eat bigger meals earlier in the day and people who stop eating earlier in the evening seem to have more success at losing weight on average.

    Ignore this friend. I eat my dinner within an hour of going to bed and ice-cream in bed just before going to sleep. It has not hurt my success.

    If you are at a caloric deficit, nothing will turn to fat. If you are at a caloric surplus, not matter when you eat those calories, you will gain weight.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
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    I was told by a friend who is also a nursing student that the body will usually turn excess calories into fat within hours of eating it. So people who eat large portion of their calories at night before bed are more likely to store excess cals as fat than people who eat smaller, earlier meals. I admit I was surprised, but I guess this is why people who eat bigger meals earlier in the day and people who stop eating earlier in the evening seem to have more success at losing weight on average.
    If you're maintaining a caloric deficit, you don't have "excess calories" regardless of what time of day you eat them. When the body is in a caloric deficit, it does not store anything as fat.
    Not to be a wiseguy but... ok, to be a wiseguy: I'm curious what would happen if you, say, ate your entire day's calories at once (e.g. 2000) in the form of glucose dissolved in water. I'm thinking it wouldn't just sit in your bloodstream until it gets used up. (Is it stored in the liver or in the fat cells?) But if it got stored as fat, unless all those converting and back processes are 100% efficient, it should require at least a little more energy in the long run to put it into storage and then pull it back out.

    ETA: or would it not be able to get into your bloodstream that quickly?
  • pg3ibew
    pg3ibew Posts: 1,026 Member
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    I was told by a friend who is also a nursing student that the body will usually turn excess calories into fat within hours of eating it. So people who eat large portion of their calories at night before bed are more likely to store excess cals as fat than people who eat smaller, earlier meals. I admit I was surprised, but I guess this is why people who eat bigger meals earlier in the day and people who stop eating earlier in the evening seem to have more success at losing weight on average.

    I don't wanna say your friend is an idiot, but your friend is an idiot. Look at my diary. Dinner and snacks are all eaten between the hours of 6pm and the minute I go to bed.
    I have lost 88 pounds and maintaining(within a pound) since Oct 1 and have 10.4 % body fat. Sort of throws your friends theory out the proverbial window.

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