Eating at night (I know meal timing doesn't matter)

hsnider29
hsnider29 Posts: 394 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have always been a late night snacker. I just like to munch while I am watching TV. For awhile, I thought I had it under control but it has come back with a vengeance. I eat everything in sight and just say I will start over tomorrow. I wake up feeling like crap both physically and emotionally.

My question is since this seems to be a tendency for me, should I just eat a little less during the day and save calories for at night? I know meal timing or frequency doesn't really matter for weight loss. Do you think this is a bad habit that I should try to break or just adjust my calorie timing? I also work 3rd shift three nights a week.

Replies

  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
    I prefer eating more at night than during the day so I try to make sure I save enough calories to cover it. If you're comfortable eating at night or if it makes you happier I see no reason you can't do it.
  • siqiniq
    siqiniq Posts: 237 Member
    Why not save some calories for evening? It must be hard to adjust your meals around shifts. You could also try eating foods with almost no calories, or snack on an apple- I find one apple can fill me for hours. Good luck while you're trying to figure it out.
  • Moonbeem11
    Moonbeem11 Posts: 32 Member
    I feel like when I eat and watch tv, I end of eating more. Maybe if you planned your food ahead of time and were strict with what you are allowed to eat at night and then you just cut it off there, that would work better? It could be a good idea to eat not watching tv too and fully enjoy what you are eating. People eat more watching tv because it's mindless eating, and they aren't really focused on their food so grabbing more is easy when you barely noticed you ate something. If you really focused and enjoyed the food more, maybe that would help.
  • hsnider29
    hsnider29 Posts: 394 Member
    I feel like when I eat and watch tv, I end of eating more. Maybe if you planned your food ahead of time and were strict with what you are allowed to eat at night and then you just cut it off there, that would work better? It could be a good idea to eat not watching tv too and fully enjoy what you are eating. People eat more watching tv because it's mindless eating, and they aren't really focused on their food so grabbing more is easy when you barely noticed you ate something. If you really focused and enjoyed the food more, maybe that would help.

    That is what I was worried about. I don't know if I should just try to break the habit or just plan for it. My meals are really wonky because I work nights 3 days a week and the rest of the week I am on a normal schedule.
  • AbsoluteNG
    AbsoluteNG Posts: 1,079 Member
    Yes it's fine. If you want, you can skip breakfast and lunch entirely to save your calories for later in the day but the most important thing is to do it over and over again until it becomes habit. If you are finding yourself breaking out of a habit, you are essentially just half assing your diet, not taking it seriously enough.
  • DirtyTrickster
    DirtyTrickster Posts: 202 Member
    I plan for mine. I usually have 1009-1200 calories left over from when I get off of work until I go to bed, which is about 7 hours.
  • madamstn
    madamstn Posts: 19 Member
    I work a second shift position that is from 4 pm until 330 am 4 days a week. My day starts on one day and ends on another. I plan my meals around my sleep habits. I usually get up around 1230 pm so that is my breakfast time, lunch is around 7 pm and dinner is 1 am the next morning :) Kinda weird but that is my day. I stick to my plan and eat as healthy as I can and stay within my count. The good thing is that I am going to the gym at the very end of my day so if I over eat somewhat I can just work a little harder to burn it off ! I do like to sit back and watch the news when I get home in the morning with a half cup of pistachio's - yum!
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
    I pace myself so that I consume very little in the morning, a bit more at lunch, and probably half my daily calories in dinner and snacks. On the days when I eat a big breakfast or eat it super early, I run out of calories waaaaay too soon.
  • hsnider29
    hsnider29 Posts: 394 Member
    I pace myself so that I consume very little in the morning, a bit more at lunch, and probably half my daily calories in dinner and snacks. On the days when I eat a big breakfast or eat it super early, I run out of calories waaaaay too soon.

    I think that is part of my problem. I eat a normal breakfast, lunch and dinner but they consume most of my calories so I think I almost feel deprived at night even though I really am not.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    I like to have lots of calories for night time too so I just skip breakfast and just have coffee/teas and water till lunchtime.
  • SteelySunshine
    SteelySunshine Posts: 1,092 Member
    I pace myself so that I consume very little in the morning, a bit more at lunch, and probably half my daily calories in dinner and snacks. On the days when I eat a big breakfast or eat it super early, I run out of calories waaaaay too soon.

    I do that a lot as well. Or if I have had a big breakfast or lunch, I will exercise more that day to cover the inevitable 700-1000 calorie dinner I am about to have.
  • FoxyCanuck14
    FoxyCanuck14 Posts: 4 Member
    I totally agree! Adjust as needed. I work shift work as well (2 days and 2 nights), and when I go onto my first night shift, I'm up for 24 hours straight (minus a 2 hour nap). I have to try my best to save food for then. It's hard.
  • MysticRealm
    MysticRealm Posts: 1,264 Member
    I plan for dinner and 3 snacks each evening. I eat supper at about 6 or so, then have my 3 snacks between 7 and 9pm. I roughly cut my eating off at 9, for no other reason than if I think I can still eat I will eat, so I try to have a cut off point where I just tell my brain 'no more eating'. Works great for me. I leave over 1000 cals for the evening.

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