food curfew

emoff3 · September 2007

I read a few places (and have seen it on Oprah), this idea of having a food curfew. I guess you pick a time at night (I've read like about 7:00-7:30) and after that time, you can not eat anything. So you have to eat your dinner before that time. Oprah swears by it, and I think I'm going to try it. I was wondering if anyone else had an opinion about it?

emoff3 · September 2007

I read a few places (and have seen it on Oprah), this idea of having a food curfew. I guess you pick a time at night (I've read like about 7:00-7:30) and after that time, you can not eat anything. So you have to eat your dinner before that time. Oprah swears by it, and I think I'm going to try it. I was wondering if anyone else had an opinion about it?

Skinnier_Me · September 2007

I remember watching Oprah when she started speaking of that.
I don't think I can do that.
We eat dinner between 6 & 7.
After that, I'm all over the place cleaning up, getting my 2 girls in the bath, getting things ready for the next day, putting them to bed.... by the time I'm done doing all that, I've burned so many calories and I'm kinda hungry again. I try not to eat after 10.

I've read that it doesn't matter the time you eat, what matters is the calories you have burned that day.
Don't know if that's true though.

dancinintherain · September 2007

I have a "food curfew." I have just never called it that though i do like the name. It helps me from over eating and i sleep better.

beccamaria · September 2007

You should try not to eat 3 hours before bedtime since your body really slows down during sleep. This helps your body burn the food you've eaten rather than store it. It makes a difference- I wake up really hungry if I do it and i sleep better. It takes a bit of getting used to. Just brush your teeth like 3 hours before you go to bed.

eonblue · September 2007

Having a cut off time as to when to stop eating definately helps with over eating and keeps those extra calories from sneaking it. Plus sleeping on a full stomach is never a good idea.

kimford28 · September 2007

I definately try not to eat anything past 8:00. they say that it is a good idea to turn the lights off in your kitchen so that you aren't tempted to snack! I think it works:)

Skinnier_Me · September 2007

Even having yogurt?

A small thing of yogurt(60 calories) is a bad thing to snack in around 9-9:30 at night?

liz89118 · September 2007

When I had my trainer, I was told to eat a piece of fruit (small) a few hours before bed like if I went to bed at 10:00 pm approx around 8:00 I would eat my fruit, cheese, yogurt anything basically but he recommend more fruit then anything. Then of course in the morning eating breakfast early so your body isn't stable to many hours...your metoblism is constantly working.......

The longer it takes you to eat breakfast the longer your body isn't work for you. His recommendation was instead of three meals - small six mini meals..... which is hard for me but I try to keep one of my snacks for the night....

Baigle2003 · September 2007

I once read that you just need to keep under a certain amount of calories within a 24 hour period. The article said it didn't matter if you ate all 1200 calories at the 23rd hour of the day, just not to exceed the daily limit. I have also read that we should stop eating in the early evening simply because we don't move around at night and burn calories. So there seems to be alot of conflicting views on it. For me personally, I find when someone tells me I can't do something, there's gonna be trouble. : ) I try and manage some control and just eat until the calories are used, and then have tea or water for the rest of the evening.

Skinnier_Me · September 2007

Ok, good.

I think the same way.
If I still have calories left, I'll eat a snack.

cwalbrj · September 2007

I try not to eat after 7:30. I try to eat dinner around 6:30ish, go for a 30 minute walk afterward and then do my evening chores. But I ALWAYS save my calories for my evening snack, which is usually a weight watchers or Healthy Choice ice-cream of some sort. Usually around 90-110 calories. It satisfies my nighttime sweet tooth and it doesn't pack on those night time calories. So yes, go for it, eat your 60-calorie yogurt for a night time treat !

Skinnier_Me · September 2007

Yay!
Thanks cwalbrj.
I thought I was doing something wrong.

courtneycatt · September 2007

I use a food curfew kind of I dont establish a time everyday but I try not to eat at least 3 hours before I go to bed. This way I have time to burn off some of the calories I ate at dinner. It is very hard when I have a low fat meal, becuase I get up in the morning to go to the gym and have no energy.
I think it works and it is worth giving it a try!

CMJ1979 · September 2007

I usually have supper at 5-6 and by 9-10 I'm like something starved again, so I have to have something, so I usually try and get a yogurt or a piece of fruit, sometimes I'll even get toast and tea, but I always stay within my calories for the day. If i had to set a time for something then I would definitely have to eat after that because telling myself no about something is too hard. I just try to be sensible 90% of the time.

Skinnier_Me · September 2007

Same here Cleo and I've lost 6 pounds in a month so it's not as bad as most people think.

SpeSHul_SnoflEHk · March 2014

I eat right up until the time I go to bed many nights. Two teenage boys means I have to run all over the place nearly every night. Sometimes you just can't have planned meals, and eat when you can.

fredman2 · March 2014

The 7pm curfew is fine - if you go to bed at a normal time, eg 10-11pm, but if you go to bed later, I would guess you could move it back. The next question is, what are you doing between your last food and bedtime? That plays a part too.
I too did the 7pm curfew many years ago and it certainly helped. Also, don't keep snack food within sight, let alone reach.

JustinAnimal · March 2014

Everyone says that food curfews are bunk, as long as you eat under your maintenance (if you're trying to lose).

For myself, I make a food curfew because if I don't, I don't stop eating (and that makes it hard to stay under maintenance). If it has value to you, then use it. If you can stay under your calorie goal snacking all the way to midnight, power to you.

seltzermint555 · March 2014

I like doing it that way but it's more just a personal preference.

I also like eating meals at 7 am, 11:30 am, and between 5-6:30 pm and then not eating after 6:30 or 7. No snacks during the day either.

I just feel hungriest at those times and not so hungry at other times. When I have tried the method of "5-7 mini meals" I just feel dissatisfied and weird. It seriously throws me off.

This has been a minor issue with my husband and I (not an argument, just difference in our preferences) because he eats at basically the same times as I do, but usually has calories left after dinner and has a dessert or snack around like 8-9 pm, or even later. I don't like to eat that late. I am much more satisfied "using up" all of my calories with dinner and then being finished with eating for the night...kitchen closed (for me) as some call it.

So now, it's not unusual for me to eat dinner and then immediately have a treat like fruit or cookie butter or whatever ;-) He waits and has his "treat" later on.

fxg20 · March 2014

I always leave myself late night snack calories and eat them the next day if I don't use them. Something about putting up a "YOU SHALL NOT EAT ANY MORE!" deadline makes me...immediately get hungry after the deadline.

morehealthymatt · March 2014

If you eat XX calories per day, it doesn't matter what time of day you eat it. The number of calories in a piece of cake after 7pm are the same as before 7pm.

FatFreeFrolicking · March 2014

No food curfew for me. I eat up until 11PM or midnight every night and don't eat again until 11AM or noon the next day.

zyxst · March 2014

The only time I follow a food curfew is when I have to fast for blood work. Eating at night hasn't thrown up any roadblocks so far.

jennifries227 · March 2014

I frequently eat a snack right before bed because I have to take some of my medications with food. I've lost about 18lbs since November doing this, so obviously it's not doing much harm.