Late night eating...

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NicoleS228
NicoleS228 Posts: 17 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have a question, so I thought I'd post it here to see what everyone thinks. I am new to MFP and am getting the hang of it. It's my 10th day and my weigh in is Sunday. I'm super excited about it and have been strictly following the 1200 calorie plan for myself. However, my weakness and most favorite dessert in the world is ice cream. I bought some Skinny Cow bars that are low sugar, low cal. My question is, even though I am still under my calories, carbs, sugars, etc.; does eating this as my evening snack before bed hurt me? I'm scared this will affect my weigh in because I know you're not supposed to eat late at night or if you will not be active anymore. What do you guys think?
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Replies

  • DawnLems
    DawnLems Posts: 3
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    Eating it right before bed is not going to hurt you. However, it would be better to have something like that earlier in the day. When you consume the simple CHO/sugars it is better to do that earlier in the day when you can use those calories right away before they go into the storage process. If it's not something you do every single night I wouldn't worry about it. Just enjoy your occasional treat!
  • StantonLeFort
    StantonLeFort Posts: 18 Member
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    Nicole ... not the expert but from what I'm been told / reading, as long as it's under your calorie goal, go ahead ... just make it a little earlier in the evening. Ideally, your calories should all come from healthy choices, balancing your carbs, proteins and fats ... but if this your only 1 indulgence and your are under your limit then you are doing great!

    Hope that helps, Stan.
  • NicoleS228
    NicoleS228 Posts: 17 Member
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    Thanks for the replies. I'm going to work on changing that habit. I'm a working mama of 3 and the only time I have to myself is at night. And by then I am exhausted. Oh well. Thanks for the advice!
  • photonerd31415
    photonerd31415 Posts: 2 Member
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    I also enjoy a late night snack since I tend to go to bed late. I recently decided to buy some herbal teas in a variety pack of flavors. They do not have caffeine so they are ok to have before bed. These are a nice alternative to having a caloric treat before bed that maybe you can have on some nights instead of the ice cream. They are flavorful and relaxing. I too am following the 1200 calories per day. Some days are easier than others! Best of luck to you!
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    Thanks for the replies. I'm going to work on changing that habit. I'm a working mama of 3 and the only time I have to myself is at night. And by then I am exhausted. Oh well. Thanks for the advice!


    There is no need to change this habit.

    It doesn't matter whether you eat them late at night or earlier in the day. If you are meeting your nutrient needs and hitting your calorie goals you can eat ice cream IN BED and it will not magically cause more fat storage than it would had you eaten it earlier in the day.

    Net fat storage over time will not occur in a caloric deficit and eating at night will not impair net fat oxidation.

    All that matters is the balance between fat oxidation and fat storage over long periods of time and this is governed primarily by energy balance.

    If you were to eat all of your calories right before bed and nothing during the day, fat storage would go up at night but fat oxidation would go up during the day because you are not eating. Likewise, if you were to eat all of your food early (with the idea that you burn it off) you will increase fat storage during the day and fat oxidation would go up at night. The balance between these phases of acute fat storage vs oxidation is determined by caloric balance over time.

    It really is not hurting you to eat that food just before bed vs eating it earlier in the day. You do not need to worry about whether or not you "burn off" that ice cream.

    EDIT: And the reason I'm so adamant about this is that you are about to change a habit that honestly is not going to matter. You are HAPPY eating your skinny-cow ice cream before bed. If you can do this and maintain your caloric deficit and nourish yourself adequately with the rest of your diet then you shouldn't change this habit. Embrace it and succeed.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
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    I'm drinking a beer, just finished a donut, and am about to eat some ice cream before bed.

    I'd offer to PM you pics but my wife would smack me. Point is, timing doesn't matter.
  • Pink_turnip
    Pink_turnip Posts: 280 Member
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    the only problem I could foresee is you might not feel awesome trying to sleep if your full of ice cream - I know I don't sleep well if I eat right before going to bed. My boyfriend is the complete opposite, he has a bowl of cereal before bed every night.
  • DawnEH612
    DawnEH612 Posts: 574 Member
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    The time of day someone eats is irrelevant to weight loss or gain. I eat most of my calories after 8 pm and includes right before bed. What is going to kill your weight loss efforts in about 2-3 months us eating too few calories. A person should NEVER eat below their calculated BMR. MFP has this calculation tool... I highly recommend calculating your BMR and then using that as your daily caloric goal... Eat back your exercise calories, too! I eat about 2100 calories/day and have lost weight! Still losing and no longer even trying.
  • kennethmgreen
    kennethmgreen Posts: 1,759 Member
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    There is no need to change this habit.

    ...

    And the reason I'm so adamant about this is that you are about to change a habit that honestly is not going to matter. You are HAPPY eating your skinny-cow ice cream before bed. If you can do this and maintain your caloric deficit and nourish yourself adequately with the rest of your diet then you shouldn't change this habit. Embrace it and succeed.
    Please heed this advice. Way too often, people get wound up over an idea that causes them concern and/or stress and they restrict themselves from foods (or meal timing) they enjoy. I firmly believe this modification is a leading factor in contributing to failure.

    But who cares what I believe. Do you own research. Look at Sidesteel's post history. See what he's contributed to the MFP. Cross-check that with articles from medical journals and peer-reviewed studies.

    It's important to focus on the things that matter. And your happiness matters. It is a HUGE factor in your success. Most of the people I see who are extreme with food choices fail with their diet, or become bitter and joyless and spend time justifying their choices so their bitterness won't be in vain.

    Eat mostly good, healthy foods. Try to hit your macros and stay within your calorie goals. If you aren't enjoying the process, you're doing it wrong.
  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
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    Thanks for the replies. I'm going to work on changing that habit. I'm a working mama of 3 and the only time I have to myself is at night. And by then I am exhausted. Oh well. Thanks for the advice!

    You don't need to change your routine! I eat every single night before bed (I have calories left) and it is typically something like ice cream or cookies or popcorn. And I eat around 10pm and sleep by 11:15. It has not changed my progress.

    This is your time to practice being realistic...are you going to pass on all those yummy treats or your "you time" before bed forever? When we deprive ourselves of things we love we will end up going way overboard because we miss them so much. I eat pretty well - quality of food, I mean. But I never deprive myself of things I want as long as I have calories available. The only macro I really focus on is protein intake. My goal is 120grams a day and I try to reach it every day. I enjoy fruits and vegetables too. Other than that, I pretty much eat whatever fills the space. Today I had Taco Bell! (I do not generally eat fast food, but it seemed like a good example).

    EDIT: Also, 1200 calories is too little food for most adults. Have you calculated your TDEE?
  • mooshie89
    mooshie89 Posts: 38 Member
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    how do you caculate BMR?
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    how do you caculate BMR?
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets
  • MakingBail
    MakingBail Posts: 7 Member
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    The time of day someone eats is irrelevant to weight loss or gain. I eat most of my calories after 8 pm and includes right before bed. What is going to kill your weight loss efforts in about 2-3 months us eating too few calories. A person should NEVER eat below their calculated BMR. MFP has this calculation tool... I highly recommend calculating your BMR and then using that as your daily caloric goal... Eat back your exercise calories, too! I eat about 2100 calories/day and have lost weight! Still losing and no longer even trying.

    This confuses me. Seems to me, if you eat calories equal to your BMR, AND eat back your exercise calories ... you're breaking even - and should neither be gaining or losing. How do you lose weight without a calorie deficit?
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    The time of day someone eats is irrelevant to weight loss or gain. I eat most of my calories after 8 pm and includes right before bed. What is going to kill your weight loss efforts in about 2-3 months us eating too few calories. A person should NEVER eat below their calculated BMR. MFP has this calculation tool... I highly recommend calculating your BMR and then using that as your daily caloric goal... Eat back your exercise calories, too! I eat about 2100 calories/day and have lost weight! Still losing and no longer even trying.

    This confuses me. Seems to me, if you eat calories equal to your BMR, AND eat back your exercise calories ... you're breaking even - and should neither be gaining or losing. How do you lose weight without a calorie deficit?


    BMR is your energy expenditure at rest.
    TDEE is your energy expenditure for the day including exercise expenditure and NEAT+TEF.

    You can eat well above your BMR and still lose weight if you are under your TDEE.

    This thread may help you:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf
  • Skeebee
    Skeebee Posts: 740 Member
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    Thanks for the replies. I'm going to work on changing that habit. I'm a working mama of 3 and the only time I have to myself is at night. And by then I am exhausted. Oh well. Thanks for the advice!


    There is no need to change this habit.

    It doesn't matter whether you eat them late at night or earlier in the day. If you are meeting your nutrient needs and hitting your calorie goals you can eat ice cream IN BED and it will not magically cause more fat storage than it would had you eaten it earlier in the day.

    Net fat storage over time will not occur in a caloric deficit and eating at night will not impair net fat oxidation.

    All that matters is the balance between fat oxidation and fat storage over long periods of time and this is governed primarily by energy balance.

    If you were to eat all of your calories right before bed and nothing during the day, fat storage would go up at night but fat oxidation would go up during the day because you are not eating. Likewise, if you were to eat all of your food early (with the idea that you burn it off) you will increase fat storage during the day and fat oxidation would go up at night. The balance between these phases of acute fat storage vs oxidation is determined by caloric balance over time.

    It really is not hurting you to eat that food just before bed vs eating it earlier in the day. You do not need to worry about whether or not you "burn off" that ice cream.

    EDIT: And the reason I'm so adamant about this is that you are about to change a habit that honestly is not going to matter. You are HAPPY eating your skinny-cow ice cream before bed. If you can do this and maintain your caloric deficit and nourish yourself adequately with the rest of your diet then you shouldn't change this habit. Embrace it and succeed.

    Well said, as always, SideSteel.
  • ajhugz
    ajhugz Posts: 452 Member
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    Thanks for the replies. I'm going to work on changing that habit. I'm a working mama of 3 and the only time I have to myself is at night. And by then I am exhausted. Oh well. Thanks for the advice!


    There is no need to change this habit.

    It doesn't matter whether you eat them late at night or earlier in the day. If you are meeting your nutrient needs and hitting your calorie goals you can eat ice cream IN BED and it will not magically cause more fat storage than it would had you eaten it earlier in the day.

    Net fat storage over time will not occur in a caloric deficit and eating at night will not impair net fat oxidation.

    All that matters is the balance between fat oxidation and fat storage over long periods of time and this is governed primarily by energy balance.

    If you were to eat all of your calories right before bed and nothing during the day, fat storage would go up at night but fat oxidation would go up during the day because you are not eating. Likewise, if you were to eat all of your food early (with the idea that you burn it off) you will increase fat storage during the day and fat oxidation would go up at night. The balance between these phases of acute fat storage vs oxidation is determined by caloric balance over time.

    It really is not hurting you to eat that food just before bed vs eating it earlier in the day. You do not need to worry about whether or not you "burn off" that ice cream.

    EDIT: And the reason I'm so adamant about this is that you are about to change a habit that honestly is not going to matter. You are HAPPY eating your skinny-cow ice cream before bed. If you can do this and maintain your caloric deficit and nourish yourself adequately with the rest of your diet then you shouldn't change this habit. Embrace it and succeed.

    Well said, i love ice cream at night too!
  • mooshie89
    mooshie89 Posts: 38 Member
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    thanks!
  • mistesh
    mistesh Posts: 243 Member
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    Maybe I should start watering my plants in the evening!
  • tinypastels
    tinypastels Posts: 32 Member
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    I realized last year when I lost a lot of weight I was also drinking a lot of tea! Nettle tea has a way of filling you up
  • tinypastels
    tinypastels Posts: 32 Member
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    Just a side note: You want to be as kind to your body as possible, and this means eating naturally. I'm sure you're sick of hearing this, but anything augmented to have less sugars and fats, are chemicals. You may lose weight, and be lighter but you won't be any healthier than eating a tub of haagen dazs. Just as much overload on the body in one way or another, choose your battle. Knowing what I know...I'd choose the haagen dazs and limit it. I encourage you to research it, but understand why people wouldn't care. I didn't for years. Anyway, here's a link if you're curious. By the way, corn is toxic in the US.
    http://www.foodfacts.com/NutritionFacts/Ice-Cream-Bars-Sandwiches/Skinny-Cow-Low-Fat-No-Sugar-Added-Vanilla-Ice-Cream-Sandwiches-24-fl-oz/64523

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