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    • Do you eat after 6pm?

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    • Posts: 866 Member
      You have 28 lbs to lose, and you have a pretty large deficit, if your diary is accurate. You don't need that big of a deficit at this point. Try eating more food and don't worry about what time it is, as long as you're staying within your calories.

      ETA this link. Please read it. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

      This
    • Posts: 17,857 Member
      The rule of thumb is to try not to eat 3 hours before you go to sleep. That way you have given your body a chance to digest your food... if you eat right before you go to bed, there is no where for that energy to be used, so it will be stored (fat)... also you won't get as good night rest when your stomache is busy trying to digest a meal.
      If I'm eating at a deficit, and there is "extra" energy from the meal before I went to bed that gets stored as fat, then clearly I must have pulled other (non-eaten) energy from my stores earlier in the day in order to keep my body running.
    • Posts: 18
      I think aiming not to eat after 7pm is a good goal. I agree with some other comments to your post saying to watch what you eat versus when. Try to add more whole/real foods versus processed foods. Processed foods really make me hold onto weight (I think due to the sodium content and the empty calories in the fake food!). Real fruits, veggies, lean meats and good carbs will really change your world.
    • Posts: 9,377 Member
      Here's another link that should help you, also. I noticed the fruit you did log was by size and not weight.

      http://www.fitnessfactreview.com/the-art-science-of-calorie-counting/
    • Posts: 107 Member
      Calories in vs. calories out is how you lose weight. Your body doesn't care what time it is and your metabolism doesn't come to a screeching halt at 6pm or even when you're sleeping. The only reason I would give for stopping eating several hours before bed is if you have GERD. Other than that, eat the right foods, exercise, and you'll be fine.
    • Posts: 428 Member
      I do and always have. I don't believe in that myth.
    • Posts: 514 Member
      I eat supper most nights at 8pm or later....I lost 80 lbs. this way....if you are hungry, eat!
    • Posts: 343 Member
      I'll play devils advocate here and say I have also noticed I lose weight when I eat my last meal earlier. However I think it has a lot to do with having more hours between meals since I do intermittent fasting anyway. I also weigh first thing in the morning and I think it has a lot to do with being empty and void of food in the morning and having longer to digest makes my scale go down further.

      If it works for you, do it.
    • Posts: 5
      Not only do I eat after 6, but it's never anything light or healthy! :frown:
      Enter; cookies, brownies; brookies; soda; and more sweet bread! ><
      I'm embarrassed just typing it. If anything has been holding my weight loss back,
      that is my culprit.
    • Posts: 103 Member
      I believe Jill
    • Posts: 130 Member
      I don't dispute the advice many are giving you that it doesn't matter when the calories are consumed, it is simply "calories consumed vs calories burned". However, if one goes many hours without taking in any calories, blood glucose levels drop to the point that one may feel ravaged with hunger, and may binge as a result. The focus on breakfast is on the very definition of the meal "break---fast". It is an important meal for that reason that it breaks the fast of the night at sleep.

      My point is WHEN you eat may not be a factor in the calculation, but it can impact the calories you consume. As long a you can avoid binging to the point of over-eating, I agree with the posters that say it doesn't matter when you eat. But if you are like many of us, you find the temptation is greater the longer you deprive yourself o food, and thus the greater the tendency to binge.
    • Posts: 46 Member
      show previous quotes

      Mostly no to this as well.

      I refer you to the book "Blood Sugar Solution" by, Dr. Mark Hyman and "The Calcium Lie," by Dr. Robert Thompson, "Weight Training for Life", by Hesson, "Thyroid Diet" by Mary Shomom, etc... not to mention any number of nutritional information that is available online, it does not take much to verify resources and check out results.

      The type of calories consumed does matter as well as how much and when. It also differs w/each individual at what is most optimal. That is why there is no one "diet" plan that works for everyone. However given this there are some basic universal rules that always apply. Eat Healthy Whole Natural Foods, Watch Portion Sizes, Excercise, Drink Water, Get Enough Sleep.... one you through one of these off, you through the whole system off.
    • Posts: 89 Member
      I eat 3500 calories a day and don't star eating til 7pm lol
    • Posts: 22,281 Member
      yes
    • Posts: 3,347 Member
      I have to eat late work doesnt seem to change much
    • Posts: 28,072 Member
      show previous quotes

      I refer you to the book "Blood Sugar Solution" by, Dr. Mark Hyman and "The Calcium Lie," by Dr. Robert Thompson, "Weight Training for Life", by Hesson, "Thyroid Diet" by Mary Shomom, etc... not to mention any number of nutritional information that is available online, it does not take much to verify resources and check out results.

      The type of calories consumed does matter as well as how much and when. It also differs w/each individual at what is most optimal. That is why there is no one "diet" plan that works for everyone. However given this there are some basic universal rules that always apply. Eat Healthy Whole Natural Foods, Watch Portion Sizes, Excercise, Drink Water, Get Enough Sleep.... one you through one of these off, you through the whole system off.

      As I do not have these books...what do they say is wrong with eating within 2-3 hours of going to bed?
    • Posts: 33
      I eat my last meal straight before I get to bed. It doesn't matter WHEN you eat, it's all about WHAT you eat. Carbs retain water so if you load up on those, you'll add some waterweight. It is not possible for a body to put on pounds of fat overnight. Eat clean & smart, train hard and you'll get the results you work for. As simple as that. Lots of luck.
    • Posts: 129 Member
      Around the clock.

      Try oatmeal as slow release food in the morning.
      I have bounce balls for 5pm wobbles - full of protein filling and 150-200 calories
      Avoid indigestible foods in the evening.

      Maybe time to up the exercise.

      There is a almost perfect correlation between eating less and exercising more and weight loss that is the basis of this site.

      Good luck
    • Posts: 506 Member
      The response I see on other threads of this same subject is that it isn't that you necessarily stop eating after a certain time, its that because you don't eat after a certain time you eat less calories for that day and that is why you lose weight.
    • Posts: 18,343 Member
      I eat dinner after 6 pm almost every night. Usually have a snack somewhere between 10 pm and midnight too. In fact, I'd say that I usually take in somewhere between 800-1200 calories every night after 6:00 pm. Hasn't affected my weight loss in the least.

      Meal timing is completely irrelevant, regardless of what the crackpot quacks have to say about it - they're looking for a way to sell their books/products. If you're maintaining a caloric deficit, it doesn't matter.
    • Posts: 46 Member
      Basically why you want to avoid eating within 3 hours before going to bed is because it drives up insulin before you sleep, which makes you store more belly fat. Belly fat drives cravings through inflammatory and hormonal triggers.

      In turn when you wake up you want to eat a nutritious protein breakfast: studies have shown protein breakfast help people to lose weight, reduce cravings, and burn calories. Good protiens are eggs, nuts, seeds, nut butters, or a protein shake.

      Also you want to try to avoid drinking your calories: when we drink our calories it will drive up your waist size (liquid calories are sodas, coffee w/sweetners& creamers, juice, sports drinks, alcohol, etc....)

      Get a good 7-8hrs sleep: not getting enough sleep drives sugar and carb cravings by affecting your appetite hormones.

      (From the book The Blood Sugar Solution pg. 160-161) There is more to this but this is the basics I have found in my own research and what other experts/dr's agree with. Basically if you want to maintain a Healthy Weight it is all about controlling our Blood Sugar: it is what drives our cravings & triggers belly fat to be stored. The best way is to have a well balanced diet of WHOLE Natural Foods you cook and prepare, drink water, excercise, & get plenty of sleep. Part of this is also to manage our stress which can trigger the same hormones that activate cravings.
    • Posts: 6,626 Member
      Basically why you want to avoid eating within 3 hours before going to bed is because it drives up insulin before you sleep, which makes you store more belly fat. Belly fat drives cravings through inflammatory and hormonal triggers.

      In turn when you wake up you want to eat a nutritious protein breakfast: studies have shown protein breakfast help people to lose weight, reduce cravings, and burn calories. Good protiens are eggs, nuts, seeds, nut butters, or a protein shake.

      Also you want to try to avoid drinking your calories: when we drink our calories it will drive up your waist size (liquid calories are sodas, coffee w/sweetners& creamers, juice, sports drinks, alcohol, etc....)

      Get a good 7-8hrs sleep: not getting enough sleep drives sugar and carb cravings by affecting your appetite hormones.

      (From the book The Blood Sugar Solution pg. 160-161) There is more to this but this is the basics I have found in my own research and what other experts/dr's agree with. Basically if you want to maintain a Healthy Weight it is all about controlling our Blood Sugar: it is what drives our cravings & triggers belly fat to be stored. The best way is to have a well balanced diet of WHOLE Natural Foods you cook and prepare, drink water, excercise, & get plenty of sleep. Part of this is also to manage our stress which can trigger the same hormones that activate cravings.

      Yeah...you lost me at 'makes you store more belly fat'. /facedesk
    • Posts: 333 Member
      show previous quotes

      I'm going to tell you the same thing, because you only have a few pounds to lose. You should be set to lose .5 lb a week. Please read this. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

      Thank you for the advice.I will look at my settings.I actually have 55lbs to lose but putting less down makes it psychologically achievable for me.
    • Posts: 28,072 Member
      Basically why you want to avoid eating within 3 hours before going to bed is because it drives up insulin before you sleep, which makes you store more belly fat. Belly fat drives cravings through inflammatory and hormonal triggers.

      In turn when you wake up you want to eat a nutritious protein breakfast: studies have shown protein breakfast help people to lose weight, reduce cravings, and burn calories. Good protiens are eggs, nuts, seeds, nut butters, or a protein shake.

      Also you want to try to avoid drinking your calories: when we drink our calories it will drive up your waist size (liquid calories are sodas, coffee w/sweetners& creamers, juice, sports drinks, alcohol, etc....)

      Get a good 7-8hrs sleep: not getting enough sleep drives sugar and carb cravings by affecting your appetite hormones.

      (From the book The Blood Sugar Solution pg. 160-161) There is more to this but this is the basics I have found in my own research and what other experts/dr's agree with. Basically if you want to maintain a Healthy Weight it is all about controlling our Blood Sugar: it is what drives our cravings & triggers belly fat to be stored. The best way is to have a well balanced diet of WHOLE Natural Foods you cook and prepare, drink water, excercise, & get plenty of sleep. Part of this is also to manage our stress which can trigger the same hormones that activate cravings.

      The logic re insulin is flawed - this is a good read: http://weightology.net/weightologyweekly/?page_id=319

      There is no need to eat as soon as you get up - it's a personal preference. - these studies show correlation not causation (unless you can point me to one that does), which is not relevant when tracking calories.

      Excess calories make you gain weight, not any one type of food or drink.

      I agree with trying to get enough sleep.

      Edited for typo
    • Posts: 28,072 Member
      show previous quotes

      Thank you for the advice.I will look at my settings.I actually have 55lbs to lose but putting less down makes it psychologically achievable for me.

      A 1 - 1 1/2 lb a week goal is a good one.
    • Posts: 333 Member
      I actually checked out your diary. The logging is either inaccurate (not consistent) or you have a serious problem hitting your daily goal. I went back to Feb 20 and on several occasions you were 600 - 1000 calories under your goal. A couple of times 800 - 900 for the entire day. That might be the root of your problem. Try meeting you daily goal for a weeks in a row and you may have better luck.

      Yes this is likely one of my downfalls.I never really thought about it.Will try to be more consistent,but more importantly what I eat. There has been a lot of good advice given on here.I will use it because I am tired of this yo-yoing.
    • Posts: 890 Member
      However on the weeks that I do not eat after 6pm, >>>> coupled with exercise for 60 mins everyday <<<<,I find a steady weight loss of 2lbs.

      The >>>> bit <<<< is probably key.
    • Posts: 101 Member
      I quite often eat at about 9pm as I work long hours at the moment and that's when I get home. I then go to bed only about an hour later and am still losing weight. I've found that personally it doesn't matter too much as long as I stay within my set goals, though I might find that changes as the weight comes off and I find it harder to lose!
    • Posts: 988 Member
      I work shifts at a pub at the weekend and can end up eating at 8pm/2am and while it is a bit of a pain, it doesn't affect my weight loss. I think the don't eat after 6pm thing is more to stop you grazing that purely if you eat then you gain.
    • Posts: 443 Member
      Are you sure that eating after 6 pm is causing the problem(I personally don't think that is a problem at all)? I bet that if you log consistently, you will realize that it's not the fact that you eat after 6 p.m. It's what you are eating after 6 p.m. that's causing your weight gain. I think you binge.
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