"No eating after 7pm!"

HealthyMakeover
HealthyMakeover Posts: 142 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So I am asking a legit question, I'm not debating or anything.
I've heard from so many people that eating after 7 pm (or is it 8 pm?) is bad, and for whatever reason, I can't really remember.

Is this actually a legitimate issue? What IS the issue?

Is it *certain* foods after a *certain* time that are bad-- or anything after a certain time?

I guess I'm really confused.
Thanks in advance!
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Replies

  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
    I've lost 50 lbs (ticker is being stupid!), eating 500-1000 calories after 7pm. It all comes down to calories in vs out. Your total calories is all that matters, not when for weight loss.
  • jess1992uga
    jess1992uga Posts: 603 Member
    I've actually tested this myself and there isn't a difference. Sometimes I may way more day after late night eating but only because food is still digesting. If I eat an hour later than normal and weigh an hour later than normal no difference. Plus I always eat after 7 pm. Used to stick to that rule...actually started losing weight faster when I ate later. now...I just don't focus on the time. In fact..my nutritionist is trying to get me to eat more during the day because it slips my mind so most of my meal plan I have to shove in after 7 pm. But that's just so I am not too full going to bed and not in so much misery.

    So for me...no eating after 7 pm isn't a rule that I have ever been told by a professional. It doesn't impact weight loss...but sometimes eating close to bed can impact sleep.

    Asked my nutritionist about this myth and honestly it comes from the times people used to go to sleep at 8 or 9 pm. Thus not eating after 7 pm kind of made sense. But that 7 pm meal was usually a large family meal. Also, it more applies to the fact that people who eat after 7 pm unplanned usually are going for sweets or mindlessly snacking. Seeing as you track on this site..if its in your plan its fine.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Digestive issues/discomfort aside, it's not going to matter. Eat your calories when you prefer to.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    I've lost a few pounds taking a 500-600 calorie snack to bed with me every night.... Meal Frequency will have no bearing on weight loss as long as you have a caloric deficit.... Best of Luck
  • BostonStrong617
    BostonStrong617 Posts: 117
    The only issue I've ever come across is that it can make it more difficult to sleep if I eat a big meal right before bed. Otherwise a calorie is a calorie no matter what time of day it is. That's just one of the man diet myths out there. It's a scientific fact that the time of day you eat does not matter. People who believe/claim differently are wrong but are very resistant to accepting that because it's been thought to be true for so long
  • ParkerH47
    ParkerH47 Posts: 463 Member
    Nope theres no difference around times !! However, I sometimes feel it can help to have this rule if you get "snacky" at night . But it shouldn't be any difference than eating those same calories before 7pm
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
    eating 50 grams of popcorn as we type.:smile:
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Nope eat whenever you want. It's a very old dieting myth.
  • Hauntinglyfit
    Hauntinglyfit Posts: 5,537 Member
    Meal timing does not make a difference. I often eat the majority of my calories at night.
  • moontyrant
    moontyrant Posts: 160 Member
    This is a good practice if you tend to overeat in the evening. But if you work erratic hours and need to eat after work, this rule doesn't make sense. Do what works for you.
  • fitformidlife
    fitformidlife Posts: 103
    I don't know about not eating at all, but on my last appointment my doctor said to not eat carbs in the evening. That was based on my blood test results and had something to do with how my body handles insulin, so it wasn't just a generalization. He said protein snacks were okay (obviously within a reasonable eating plan).
  • rosebud233
    rosebud233 Posts: 25 Member
    Doctor Oz used to always promote no eating after 7pm as a strategy for weight loss. THEN on one of his shows about myth vs fact, he had to apologize for always promoting this as new medical evidence proves it doesn't matter when/what time you eat or don't eat. It's all about calories consumed/calories burned.
  • jweindruch
    jweindruch Posts: 65 Member
    Doesn't matter. If you eat 2000 calories a day the time is irrelevant. There are some studies that say that eating smaller meals spread throughout the day will speed things up a bit, but I don't think that's necessary either. However, don't underestimate the importance of a good nights sleep which could be disrupted if you pad all your calories closer to bedtime.
  • Mother_Superior
    Mother_Superior Posts: 1,624 Member
    If it were true then all people who work 3rd shift would be screwed.
  • crazyvermont
    crazyvermont Posts: 171 Member
    Certainly not a Doctor, but weight loss depends on calories lost in day, so doubt it matters when you consume. My guess is the advice was given based on you letting your food digest before you lay down to sleep. When not entertaining, I try and eat between 4 & 5 pm .and it's amazing how good I feel when climbing into bed.
  • jweindruch
    jweindruch Posts: 65 Member
    P.S. Dr Oz is an idiot and has almost no control of his show. He has multiple producers that "produce" these segments and he's just the puppet. Over the years he has been the face of misinformation countless times. Don't believe everything you see/hear/read.
  • sarahmichel101
    sarahmichel101 Posts: 158 Member
    HATE Dr. Oz! Ive worked in cosmetics for years, and he always comes up with the worst suggestion.
    Anyways, my big problem at night is pop!! I love diet pepsi, but I can go ALL day without drinking it. However once supper hits I find it hard to drink water over pop. It keeps me up later than id like.
  • Rosplosion
    Rosplosion Posts: 739 Member
    It's just a technique people use to stop themselves from consuming more calories. If you have trouble snacking at night and giving yourself an arbitrary rule helps you, by all means, do it.

    As everyone else has said, there is no magic time when eating is bad or good.
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
    it probably works as a good crutch for people who snack all night due to boredom and thus blow their calorie allowance
  • weese17
    weese17 Posts: 236 Member
    I think the only germ of truth in this old saw lies in the fact that, in my experience, as I get more tired at the end of the night, I get more reckless with my calories. If I walk thru the kitchen at 10 pm, I have a hard time not hoovering every salty, crunchy, starchy snack in sight. If I've had a glass of wine or something, then I get REALLY reckless. :D I know other people can blow their calories for the day out of the water if they sit down in front of the TV and start snacking. But you don't need a special rule about not eating after a certain time to keep your intake on track --- just self-restraint. :)
  • SoozeE512
    SoozeE512 Posts: 439 Member
    I think the reason this is suggested for people trying to lose weight is because a lot of people eat mindlessly in front of the TV and don't pay attention to the number of calories they're eating, they'll consume a whole bag of chips or a whole tub of ice-cream and not realize what they've done until they realize the container is empty. For those people, giving them this rule of "no eating after 7 pm" could potentially help them cut back on those excess calories. At least, that's what I think people are trying to achieve with this "dieting rule".

    But for people making an honest effort to track their calories, so long as they are sticking to their goals, the time of day they eat doesn't matter.
  • endoftheside
    endoftheside Posts: 568 Member
    If you finish up your calories for the day with your 6PM dinner, then eating after 7 is not going to help you out. Many people who overeat would have a deficit if they ate normally during the day and cut off at a certain time. If the foods you eat after 7PM are the chips and cake variety, you aren't going to be missing out on any important nutrients by skipping them. If the eating you do after 7PM is of the emotional variety, then you can pack in a LOT of calories without being satisfied, and getting a handle on emotional eating is critical no matter what time of day it happens. Those are the reasons I can think of that I would not eat past a certain time.

    That being said, if I want to eat past 7, I just plan it into my day, make sure it fits into my calories and macros, and then go for it. No problem. :drinker:
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
    This is a good practice if you tend to overeat in the evening. But if you work erratic hours and need to eat after work, this rule doesn't make sense. Do what works for you.
    see I find it to be the opposite

    I was always running out of calories and going over at night.

    Now I just have some coffee in the morning and eat lightly during the day and the majority of my calories late in the day. It makes me really happy.
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  • Rosplosion
    Rosplosion Posts: 739 Member


    I was always running out of calories and going over at night.

    Now I just have some coffee in the morning and eat lightly during the day and the majority of my calories late in the day. It makes me really happy.

    Or this! This is what I like to do as well.
  • Bebubble
    Bebubble Posts: 938 Member
    I copied this a few years back so I could remember it. Not sure where i got it. Hope it helps!
    Carbohydrate consumption causes a significant rise in the storage hormone insulin, which also puts the breaks on fat burning. That’s a recipe for disaster in the late evening hours as your metabolism is winding down, but fortunately, slow-digesting protein isn’t.
    Instead, slow-digesting proteins provide your body with a steady flow of amino acids throughout the night to help you recover from exercise and maintain your calorie-burning lean muscle as you lose fat.
    You may have heard that eating before bed is a big-time “no no” for those looking to lose weight. In fact, you’ve probably even heard that eating late at night will undoubtedly cause you to GAIN weight… even worse!
    Well, there’s good news, and that good news is that not every food that you eat past 7PM will be automatically deposited to your butt, thighs, and love handles. In fact, there are certain foods that you can eat as a late-night snack that can actually INCREASE your fatloss results! The key is knowing which foods to eat, and which to avoid, as the evening progresses.
    Here’s a good rule of thumb: Avoid carbs before bed in favor of slow-digesting, high-quality protein.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    I copied this a few years back so I could remember it. Not sure where i got it. Hope it helps!
    Carbohydrate consumption causes a significant rise in the storage hormone insulin, which also puts the breaks on fat burning. That’s a recipe for disaster in the late evening hours as your metabolism is winding down, but fortunately, slow-digesting protein isn’t.

    Protein is also insulinogenic.

    Instead, slow-digesting proteins provide your body with a steady flow of amino acids throughout the night to help you recover from exercise and maintain your calorie-burning lean muscle as you lose fat.
    You may have heard that eating before bed is a big-time “no no” for those looking to lose weight. In fact, you’ve probably even heard that eating late at night will undoubtedly cause you to GAIN weight… even worse!
    Well, there’s good news, and that good news is that not every food that you eat past 7PM will be automatically deposited to your butt, thighs, and love handles. In fact, there are certain foods that you can eat as a late-night snack that can actually INCREASE your fatloss results! The key is knowing which foods to eat, and which to avoid, as the evening progresses.
    Here’s a good rule of thumb: Avoid carbs before bed in favor of slow-digesting, high-quality protein.

    This is false.


    Fat accumulation occurs when fat storage exceeds fat oxidation. When you exceed caloric needs over time, you gain fat. When you eat fewer calories than you need over time, you lose fat. This happens even if you eat all of your calories at night.

    weightology.net/weightologyweekly/?page_id=319
  • sarahmichel101
    sarahmichel101 Posts: 158 Member
    I copied this a few years back so I could remember it. Not sure where i got it. Hope it helps!
    Carbohydrate consumption causes a significant rise in the storage hormone insulin, which also puts the breaks on fat burning. That’s a recipe for disaster in the late evening hours as your metabolism is winding down, but fortunately, slow-digesting protein isn’t.
    Instead, slow-digesting proteins provide your body with a steady flow of amino acids throughout the night to help you recover from exercise and maintain your calorie-burning lean muscle as you lose fat.
    You may have heard that eating before bed is a big-time “no no” for those looking to lose weight. In fact, you’ve probably even heard that eating late at night will undoubtedly cause you to GAIN weight… even worse!
    Well, there’s good news, and that good news is that not every food that you eat past 7PM will be automatically deposited to your butt, thighs, and love handles. In fact, there are certain foods that you can eat as a late-night snack that can actually INCREASE your fatloss results! The key is knowing which foods to eat, and which to avoid, as the evening progresses.
    Here’s a good rule of thumb: Avoid carbs before bed in favor of slow-digesting, high-quality protein.

    Thank you. Where did you get this?
  • BrownEyeAngel
    BrownEyeAngel Posts: 331 Member
    There are days I like to eat popcorn late at night while watching a movie. I do believe it depends on what you eat.
  • nataliesweet19
    nataliesweet19 Posts: 114
    it´s not 7 pm exactly, it´s more about not eating 3 hours before going to sleep or something like that . I eat at 10 pm (and go to sleep preeeetty late) and it´s fine.

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