How late do you eat?

sammama5
sammama5 Posts: 92 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I haven't seen any posts on this, and was just curious what some of you successful MFP members are doing.
I've been trying to cut off eating any snacks 3 hrs before I plan on going to bed. (To be very clear, I go to bed around 10, so I stop eating by 7.)
Some days, I have a hard time getting to my goals for the day by 7 pm just because I don't feel that hungry. But come 9, if my hubby breaks out the chips while we're talking or watching a show, I get major munchies.

I'm not even sure why I picked 3 hrs- I think I read somewhere sometime in my life that 3 hrs. was a good time to cut off your intake of food since you'll be resting.
Thanks!
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Replies

  • melissajane83
    melissajane83 Posts: 54 Member
    My daughter and I eat dinner around 5:30 on non gym days. On days she has gym, we eat at 7:30. We usually have pickles before bed. I don't know how that nightly ritual got started. I enjoy it though :bigsmile:
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    there are a lot of BS 'articles' the perpetuate the myth that when you go to sleep your metabolism 'shuts down' which forces what you ate to be stored as fat

    1) your metabolism doesn't shut down when you sleep
    2) if it did shut down, then you wouldn't be storing anything as fat, since that a metabolic function lol

    i happily eat a lot, sometimes most of my calories within the 3 hrs before bed. i just naturally like to eat in front of the tv and so i plan around that.


    if eating before bed is a bad idea, its because typically people have already eaten thier day's worth of caloreis and the before bed snacking just represents over eating.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Some people find that eating late at night gives them heartburn or problems sleeping. If you're not one of those people, then you can eat up to the time you fall asleep.

    I usually hold onto some of my calories so I can have a snack around 9pm. I don't like going to bed too hungry.
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    I have no cut-off; meal timing doesn't matter for weight loss.

    I typically eat dinner at some point between 6 and 8 because that suits my lifestyle. I also usually eat a snack at around 9pm. I go to bed around 10:30, so that means I normally eat 700-800 calories within three or four hours of sleeping, usually 200 within an hour or so.

    Eat when it suits you for your lifestyle and preferences.
  • lseed87
    lseed87 Posts: 1,105 Member
    Can be anywhere from 6 to 9ish. Generally i like it around 7ish but just depends on the day and what is for dinner type thing.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    there are a lot of BS 'articles' the perpetuate the myth that when you go to sleep your metabolism 'shuts down' which forces what you ate to be stored as fat

    1) your metabolism doesn't shut down when you sleep
    2) if it did shut down, then you wouldn't be storing anything as fat, since that a metabolic function lol

    i happily eat a lot, sometimes most of my calories within the 3 hrs before bed. i just naturally like to eat in front of the tv and so i plan around that.


    if eating before bed is a bad idea, its because typically people have already eaten thier day's worth of caloreis and the before bed snacking just represents over eating.

    Plus the fact that if your metabolism did shut down, you'd be dead. Because that's what death is, i.e. cessation of all the metabolic activity keeping you alive....
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I generally eat dinner around 8:30/9:00 every night and I'm in bed by 10:00.
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
    I don't eat after dinner any more. It makes a calorie deficit easier to maintain and extends my fasting time which I think is healthful.
  • sammama5
    sammama5 Posts: 92 Member
    there are a lot of BS 'articles' the perpetuate the myth that when you go to sleep your metabolism 'shuts down' which forces what you ate to be stored as fat

    1) your metabolism doesn't shut down when you sleep
    2) if it did shut down, then you wouldn't be storing anything as fat, since that a metabolic function lol

    i happily eat a lot, sometimes most of my calories within the 3 hrs before bed. i just naturally like to eat in front of the tv and so i plan around that.


    if eating before bed is a bad idea, its because typically people have already eaten thier day's worth of caloreis and the before bed snacking just represents over eating.

    Plus the fact that if your metabolism did shut down, you'd be dead. Because that's what death is, i.e. cessation of all the metabolic activity keeping you alive....

    LOL Yeah, I'm not sure I heard that your metabolism "shuts down". Maybe slows down? I don't know. I was just curious about whether any of the junk science you hear has any validity to it.

    I guess if I'm feeling a little hungry, and I've got "room to spare" I will not feel guilty about eating right before bed.
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    I usually eat at around 7ish. But sometimes a bit later - like 8:30 p.m. I try not to eat later because I tend to get heartburn. But the time of your meal has nothing to do with weight loss or gain.
  • RobynMWilson
    RobynMWilson Posts: 1,540 Member
    I eat late and break all the "rules" as far as that's concerned. I eat dinner typically around 8:30pm and if I have a snack it's usually 9:30 and I go to bed around 11:30 most nights. It's a myth. I was obese as a kid so I'm not naturally "skinny", either. I find I cannot sleep if I am hungry.
  • mmm_drop
    mmm_drop Posts: 1,126 Member
    I just don't eat after midnight, for personal reasons.

    gremlins.jpg
  • whitebalance
    whitebalance Posts: 1,654 Member
    Night owl here... Dinnertime is frequently around 9-10pm, and bedtime is generally between midnight and 1am. I have no qualms eating right up to bedtime if necessary. Because when your sleep patterns suck as hard as mine do, waking up early because of a rumbly tumbly sucks harder.
  • sammama5
    sammama5 Posts: 92 Member
    I just don't eat after midnight, for personal reasons.

    gremlins.jpg
    LOL haven't thought about that since I was a kid! Thanks for the laugh.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    It doesn't matter when you eat, but typically I'm out of calories by 7pm.
  • Vermilliana
    Vermilliana Posts: 42 Member
    I work graveyard shift so my calories are spread over 18 hours. I pre-log my food so I can portion it out properly. So long as you're staying in your intake range then timing really doesn't matter. Eat when you're hungry, stop when you're full and keep track. I personally have discovered that a small bowl of cereal with milk helps me sleep....a rumbley tummy doesn't *L*
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
    Oh whenever. Usually about an hour or so before bed but if it's a busy day and I need calories, right before. As long as I don't get a stomach ache *shrugs*
  • Sinful_moon
    Sinful_moon Posts: 140 Member
    If I don't eat close-ish to bed time, then I feel horridly nauseous in the morning. I try to eat the most nutrient dense food(high protein and fat) I can, lately that has been salmon.

    What works for me might not for others, this is just how I've learned to deal with my own body.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    when i get home from the gym or studio- and after I shower- so usually between 1030 and midnight.
  • beachylove
    beachylove Posts: 137 Member
    Depends...some nights we dont even eat dinner until 8:30-9. If I want a snack before bed or if I need to get some more calories in my day I might have something around 10ish. Usually I am in bed around 10:30-11 weekdays and weekends its whenever I decide to crash out.
  • Escape_Artist
    Escape_Artist Posts: 1,155 Member
    Last meal is normally around 9:30. I go to bed around 10
  • PurpleCupcakes01
    PurpleCupcakes01 Posts: 141
    I eat whenever I'm hungry
  • EllenKay63
    EllenKay63 Posts: 516 Member
    I go to bed around 10:30/ 11. With the new job and new house, I sometimes don't even start dinner until 7 o'clock. For me it's not an option- I have to eat supper. I eat when I'm hungry.
  • bethlaf
    bethlaf Posts: 954 Member
    truthfully - i eat till my calories are filled . if i dont like the number or want to eat more, i exercise till i have earned it , usually the urge to eat whatever has abated by the time i have completed enough exercise to "earn" it ...

    but I am a WAHM - so i can take mini breaks from work to exercise almost any time..
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    Meal Frequency will have no bearing on weight loss. Just make sure you are hitting your calorie and macro goals for each day... I take a 500-600 calorie snack to bed with me every night and have lost a few pounds.... Best of Luck
  • jodescorinna
    jodescorinna Posts: 57 Member
    I eat as late as I need to, I also work shifts so sometimes I have my 'lunch' at 10pm and my 'dinner' at 3am!!
    Generally on my normal days I eat dinner at around 7-7:30pm.But I generally always have a snack after that too. I like eating watching a movie or tv!!
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    The only time I don't eat is when I'm actually sleeping...it gets too messy.
  • sammama5
    sammama5 Posts: 92 Member
    I'm so glad to hear that I was crazy for falling for the junk science!
    I will happily eat my calories, even near bedtime, and just watch to see how my body responds to it.
    No more sniffing the bag and drinking water while hubby eats a snack. :-)
    Thanks for the input!
  • PinkyPan1
    PinkyPan1 Posts: 3,018 Member
    I do have a cut off time and it is 8 pm. One of my bad eating habits was to snack all night after dinner so now I make sure all my food is accounted for and logged in MFP then I am done for the day. Start again tomorrow. At first it was difficult now it is no big deal because I am learning self control and learning not to graze.
  • pseudomuffin
    pseudomuffin Posts: 1,058 Member
    I should probably implement a cutoff time for food but I often stay up until 2 or 3 am so it's hard :frown: I try not to eat anything a couple of hours before I go to bed, though, because it always makes me feel sick.

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