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Any merit to not eating a meal after 8PM?

spicacio
spicacio Posts: 33
edited January 17 in Food and Nutrition
Hello fellow Pals, just wanted to ask a quick quesiton for some opinions on eating after a certain hour, say 8PM? What have you heard and what are your thoughts? Thanks in advance and I hope that all of you are having a great day today!

Santos
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Replies

  • Koldnomore
    Koldnomore Posts: 1,613 Member
    To me it makes no difference. Your body doesn't just 'stop' consuming calories after a certain hour. I have eaten meals at all different times of the day from as soon as I woke up to about 5 minutes before bed LOL - if you eat too close to bed time you may have a little trouble falling asleep due to your body being busy digesting your food but that's not always true for everyone.

    Some people have success with 'fasting' but it's really just a way to control calories in vs calories out imho.
  • filthyfit12
    filthyfit12 Posts: 80
    I just eat every 2.5-3 hours. If I'm awake and it's been that long since I last ate, I eat.
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
    we burn about 65 calories an hour while sleeping. Do the math
  • aj445
    aj445 Posts: 183 Member
    I consistently eat a nighttime snack of a bowl of cereal and milk. Usually around 10-11 depending when I finish working out, and regardless always snack at night lol. In the last couple months or so i've lost 11 lbs :)
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    Most current research says the body doesn't know time when processing food. However, for me, if I eat later before going to bed I don't sleep as well.
  • Hvy61727
    Hvy61727 Posts: 3
    This is just the way it works for me but depending on what kind of exercise you are throughout the course of the day I think plays a big part. For me if I do not eat after 8:30 I can tell a big difference. This again is what works for me but too I think making sure you get the proper amount of sleep along with eating after or before certain hours is a factor to consider as well.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    As long as you're in a calorie deficit, eat at whatever time you want to eat.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    i usually have something around 8:30 ish....

    has not hampered me...
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    As long as you're in a calorie deficit, eat at whatever time you want to eat.


    ^ That.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    we burn about 65 calories an hour while sleeping. Do the math

    How is this relevant?
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Eat up until you go to sleep if you want. As long as it does not affect your sleep or put you over your calorie goals, it's all good.
  • spicacio
    spicacio Posts: 33
    AWESOME! That's what I was expecting to hear. I eat a snack around 8:30 PM of some whole grain cereal and silk. I got flogged from so many of my peers for doing it so I had to ask the quesiton here. I appreciate all the feedback! YOU GUYS ROCK as does this site! Thanks again!

    Santos
  • staciedee10
    staciedee10 Posts: 90 Member
    As long as you're in a calorie deficit, eat at whatever time you want to eat.

    ^^ Agree!
  • axelorate
    axelorate Posts: 75 Member
    If I eat too late I have a really terrible night's sleep and then my day sucks.
  • ryry_
    ryry_ Posts: 4,966 Member
    I used to not eat after seven after reading several places that your body stores fat or whatever.

    This year I've lost 22 pounds and every night I eat a bed time snack in the neighborhood of 400-600 calories...In bed.
  • Microfiber
    Microfiber Posts: 956 Member
    Don't do it - the intestines shut down :laugh:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/903797-you-ve-been-warned-the-intestine-shuts-down-after-8-00-pm?hl=warned&page=3#posts-13682797
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,010 Member
    If you don't eat after a certain time you will be more hungry when you wake up. That's the main difference.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
    There is really no need to set a cut off time provided you still have calories remaining and eating closer to bed doesn't cause you sleep issues.

    I sometimes will eat close to bed... sometimes I have a snack in bed. The only thing that I avoid before bed is a heavy meal that is spicy as it gives me heartburn and can make me feel sick.

    When I lost weight before I regularly ate large meals within an hour of going to bed. I was working late often and my husband wouldn't get home until about 1am. We would have our dinner than. I still lost weight when I kept within calories. I started to gain when those nighttime dinners were pizza or fast food along with the fast food I ate during the day.
  • TheWinman
    TheWinman Posts: 684 Member
    The time you eat that last meal or snack does not matter.

    For me, I sleep better if I do not eat right before bed.
  • krithsai
    krithsai Posts: 668 Member
    Well, scientific merit or no, it helps with my IBS to eat as early as possible. I feel like I sleep better with a lighter stomach and wake up and have no trouble going to the bathroom. The later I eat, the more trouble I have in the morning. I haven't found any co-relation between weight gain/loss and eating late though.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Don't do it - the intestines shut down :laugh:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/903797-you-ve-been-warned-the-intestine-shuts-down-after-8-00-pm?hl=warned&page=3#posts-13682797

    LOL I almost went in that direction too...
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    I eat dinner around 8 or 9 several times a week. I haven't died yet and I'm still losing weight.
  • cosplayerkyo
    cosplayerkyo Posts: 30 Member
    I usually take a protein shake right before I go to sleep.
  • robot_potato
    robot_potato Posts: 1,535 Member
    Only if you go to sleep at 8. Eating while asleep is a choking hazard.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,129 Member
    Hello fellow Pals, just wanted to ask a quick quesiton for some opinions on eating after a certain hour, say 8PM? What have you heard and what are your thoughts? Thanks in advance and I hope that all of you are having a great day today!

    Santos
    For over 30 years I've eaten well into the 11pm hour. Anyone that tells you eating after 8pm makes calories store as fat are really saying "I've met my calorie limit at dinner. Now when I each extra calories at night, I get fat".
    If you haven't met calorie goal before bed time, then it's unlikely you'll gain weight eating up to it.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Nope
  • spicacio
    spicacio Posts: 33
    "Only if you go to sleep at 8. Eating while asleep is a choking hazard. "

    Pure Awesomeness! I was laughing so hard I almost pissed myself!
  • TAsunder
    TAsunder Posts: 423 Member
    I usually avoid it due to heartburn implications. However, even that has lessened as I've lost weight and started eating better.
  • CoachReddy
    CoachReddy Posts: 3,949 Member
    Nope

    yeah unless you have reflux like half the population. lol nice generalization. :)
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Nope

    yeah unless you have reflux like half the population. lol nice generalization. :)

    glad to see we're back in sync today :wink: :drinker:
This discussion has been closed.

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