Eating after 7:00pm

LeopardPrintedLove
LeopardPrintedLove Posts: 34 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Okay-- So I have been using MFP for a little over a month now and I am super excited with the progress I have made. I am so happy to be surrounded by others who aren't wanting to "diet" but to change their lifestyle and maintain it forever....

My question for today is....

Do you eat after 7:00pm?

I have heard both sides of the story--

Left side: "It doesn't matter what time you eat as long as you get all of your calories in and don't go over."
Right side: "If you eat after 7:00 or too close to bedtime, all of those calories just sit in your stomach and don't go anywhere."

Here's the thing: I have been faithfully losing every week, and many times, I don't eat dinner until 8:30 or so. I work from 7:15-4:15 and eat breakfast and lunch at work. Right after work, I generally eat a healthy snack like fruit and maybe a piece of whole wheat bread with natural peanut butter before going to the gym. I usually go to the gym for about an hour, drive home and get home around 5:30-5:45. At that point, I drink a bunch of water, clean the house, run errands, go to the softball fields with my husband or do a jillion other things. By the time I get started on dinner, it's getting late....Is this bad? Do you think I would be making MORE progress and more quickly if I managed to choke something down after the gym? I really don't want to eat when I am not hungry, and it seems I don't get hungry until later! I have also found, if I eat dinner TOO early, then I am dieing for a snack right before bed (with calories I usually don't want to spend)....But when I eat a little later (8:30 or 9) then I am satisfied and do not have the right-before-bed cravings....

What do you think?

Replies

  • olDave
    olDave Posts: 557 Member
    Yes...probably 75% of evenings. I am achieving my weightloss goal for the last 15 weeks.
  • smn76237
    smn76237 Posts: 318 Member
    I think you have your own personal data that the left side is right and the right side is full of *kitten*.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
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  • meltedkeys
    meltedkeys Posts: 63 Member
    I recently read that as long as you eat something decent, it won't affect you. Problem is, our bodies and minds tend to choose unhealthy things. Stay inside your calories and eat fruit or cereal at night and it shouldnt matter.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Do you eat after 7:00pm?

    Yes, every day. Usually during the week, by the time I get home from work and finish my workout, it's at least 7:00 before I even begin preparing dinner. We typically eat somewhere between 8:30 -9:30 p.m.
  • summersbest
    summersbest Posts: 194 Member
    My partner doesn't get home from work until around 7pm so we always eat late. I tend to have an afternoon snack around 4ish to hold me over. As well, I don't eat breakfast before 9:30am.

    I don't really think it matters what time your meals/snacks are as long as they are mostly healthy. ~
  • dawningr
    dawningr Posts: 387 Member
    your food doesn't just 'sit' there, its broken down and processed in your stomach regardless of the time.
    I routinely eat after 7, and am closing in on 40 lbs since the New Year.
  • LeopardPrintedLove
    LeopardPrintedLove Posts: 34 Member
    Thanks for all of the responses, everyone! I am getting sick of people telling me not to eat so late, I'm doing great and it seems to be working! :) Just wanted to get some other feedback and see where yall stood!! :)

    Happy Friday, everybody behave yourselves over the weekend! ;)
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    Meal Frequency has absolutely no bearing on weight loss.... I eat in bed everynight and it has never effected my weightloss... Only if you have a medical condition like Acid Reflux could eating this close to bedtime effect you.... Best of Luck....
  • alsunrise
    alsunrise Posts: 386 Member
    ^^ I'm taking his advice.... Awesome weight loss!!!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I think the advice to not eat after a certain time may be helpful to those who eat an early dinner. Often people with children or older people eat an early dinner around 5:00 - 6:00. For these, I can see this being a good rule to prevent late night snacking after you've already eaten all the calories you should. But it's just a diet tip or trick to keep your calories down. It has nothing to do with how your body works.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    I eat less than an hour before going to bed almost every night.

    I eat ice cream just before going to bed 2-4 days a week.

    Decide for yourself.

    lean-fat2.png
  • airangel59
    airangel59 Posts: 1,887 Member
    I sure do.
    Most of my dinners are after 7pm, close to 8pm and then 2 hrs later I have a snack before I go to bed.
  • Absonthebrain
    Absonthebrain Posts: 587 Member
    I do it all the time and still have good results.
  • mistesh
    mistesh Posts: 243 Member
    I eat less than an hour before going to bed almost every night.

    I eat ice cream just before going to bed 2-4 days a week.

    I can only assume you think you know exactly what you're doing and why.
  • tonyrocks922
    tonyrocks922 Posts: 172 Member
    Whether you believe or not that it's a bad idea to eat within a certain time of going to sleep, "Eating after X:00" is a dumb topic because we're not in boot camp or a monastery and don't all go to bed at the same time.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    I don't even get home from work until 7pm. That not eating after X time is total BS - these people who have their entire day complete by 7 have way too much time on their hands.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I eat at 8:30/9:00 PM pretty much every night. I go to bed at 10:00 PM. I'm doing just fine.
  • JoanB5
    JoanB5 Posts: 610 Member
    At 1200 calories a day, I craved and needed food every 3-5 waking hours.

    Now that I am about where I want to be and added 200-300 calories, I find that meals fill me and I don't have to have snacks as often, but I usually do fruit or popcorn or a glass of light chocolate milk or something healthy if I want one.
  • JacquiMayCrook
    JacquiMayCrook Posts: 308 Member
    I work in a residential care home and my shift pattern is
    either 7.20am - 3.20pm
    or 3.20pm - 9.40pm
    or 9.20pm - 7.30am
    This varies on a daily basis. This plays havoc with my diet as I cannot stick to a regular time for my main meal, and often have just a snack as my husband is at work.

    The one meal I can rely upon is breakfast. No matter what shift I work, somewhere between 6am and 8am my porridge meter runs out!

    xx
  • Annie83uk
    Annie83uk Posts: 128
    i read that you shouldn't after 9pm but each to their own, i try not to eat late usually have dinner by six, if i get hungry i have a glass of milk. i don't think it really makes a difference though
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I don't even get home from work until 7pm. That not eating after X time is total BS - these people who have their entire day complete by 7 have way too much time on their hands.

    No need be snarky. Maybe they are lucky enough to have too much time on their hands. Or maybe they just live life on a different schedule than you. It's all good.
  • LittleMissDover
    LittleMissDover Posts: 820 Member
    I eat dinner with my kids at 5pm, by 8/9pm I'm hungry so I always save calories for a snack.

    I think a lot of people are drawn to junk food late at night but if you can eat healthily I wouldn't worry about it. After all, it's worked for you so far.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    I don't even get home from work until 7pm. That not eating after X time is total BS - these people who have their entire day complete by 7 have way too much time on their hands.

    Or they go to work at 4 AM, like a handful of people I know.
  • kristajeanb
    kristajeanb Posts: 4
    Definitely! I eat when I'm hungry, it's not healthy to do otherwise. As long as it's a healthy food, there's no issue.
  • PeteWhoLikesToRunAlot
    PeteWhoLikesToRunAlot Posts: 596 Member
    Always. I do my best snacking after 7:00pm, and often after 11pm. And if I'm wide awake, I'll even splurge and get an early start to the next day's calories by having something at 1:00am :)

    I think as long as you're adhering to "calories in" < "calories out" formula, and it's working for you, then eat as late as you want.
  • idaholawchick
    idaholawchick Posts: 16 Member
    I easily eat at least 60% of my calories after 6 pm. That's just when I tend to be hungry. I don't see the point in eating more during the day when I really don't want it. Anyway, it hasn't hindered my progress at all.
  • Rhonda21km
    Rhonda21km Posts: 90 Member
    I try not to. Because sometimes once I start - it's difficult to stop.
    I try to reach for water or herbal teas that are flavoured instead of eating.
    But, if I am starving, I will have a snack that is a mix of protein and carbs. I try to leave room
    in my calorie budget for the day for things like that.

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