Not eating after 5pm... does this work?

"The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.”
― Ann Wigmore

The time of day you eat your food has such and incredibly small amount to do with weightloss. It's not even worth fussing over. Just maintain your deficit and ensure you are getting your macro and micro nutrients.

I've read that it doesn't matter when you eat its the amount of calories. I have to stop eating 3 hours before bed because of acid reflux. I hope this helps

my mom's a dietitian. it doesn't matter the time you eat. its about eating 5-6 smaller meals spaced throughout the entire day rather than 3 large meals. keep your body supplied with steady/constant nutrition.

Half of this is correct- and I'm not sure how you can actually type those two sentences next to each other because they are completely contradictory. It's like saying jumbo shrimp- it's just illogical.

It doesn't matter when you eat.

And it doesn't matter if you eat 5-6 small meals either.

If you want to eat all 2000 of your calories for breakfast- fine- go for it. If you want to eat all 2000 for dinner- fine go for it.

You get XXXX calories- to consume in a 24 hr period of time. do it how it makes sense to you to do it. I personally eat toward the second half of the day- I usually have a late breakfast- a lunch, a 3-4 PM snack, and then I have a 6 PM snack and a huge meal when I get home at 1130 PM. it works for me


If NOT eating after 5 PM works for you- go with it.

This! Meal timing should be driven by preference and performance. it has no impact on weight loss or gain. Only total calories do.

If you maintain on 2000, and eat 2500 before 7pm, you'll gain weight.

If you maintain on 2000, and eat 2500, including 500 after 7pm, you'll gain weight.

I eat nearly half my calories within 2 hours of going to bed. Meal timing doesn't matter in the slightest. It's all about what works for you to hit your goal most days.

It actually does matter a slight amount, just not significantly enough for it to be worth working around. When you eat, your body goes into a state called TEF or Thermogenic effect of feeding. During this time, your body is motabolizing what you ate. Studies have shown that this state lasts aproximately 2-4 hours. So, the longer you are in TEF, the more calories you burn. TEF is responsible for aproximately 10% of your TDEE.

TEF is related to the quantity not the timing of food, assuming the same food choices. TEF is different for each macro, with protein being the highest.

QFT! TEF is the same for the some amount of calories and macronutrients no matter what time they eaten.

The European Food Safety Authority did a commutative study on this back in 2012. They found a few elements worth noting.

First, The initial phase of DIT/TEF peaks at aproximately 15 minutes with the second phase slowly declining for roughly 3 hours. It was found that the overall duration of these phases, were not significantly affected by the quantity/composition of the food intake. This is why many people suggest eating every 3-4 hours. So that you remain in this state for as long as possible. Even though it is responsible for only a minimal caloric expenditure, it does still burn calories.

Secondly, they found that while meal size and composition did have an affect on DIT/TEF but this was mostly related to the magnitude and not so much longevity of the affect. Furthermore, there appeared to be a limited range of meal sizes which actually make a difference.

Finally, as you previously said, macro nutrients do make a difference. With fat being the smallest contributor and protein being the largest.

Granted, the overall affect of meal timing/composition only account for such a small fraction of caloric expenditure that it isn't really worth it for most to build their diets/nutrition around it. However, with their findings, I don't believe it can be said as an absolute that meal timings have absolutely "nothing" to do with metabolism.

I don't think it matters when you eat. I typically eat 50-70% of my entire days cals from 6pm onwards (sometimes more) as I am just really busy during the day at work & often don't feel hungry as I am too preoccupied or I am just too busy to sit and have a substantial meal. I'd have to rush it which would mean I'm not really enjoying it anyway so I prefer to eat little and often during the day & usually that leaves me plenty of cals left for the evening when I have time to enjoy them. Never found it to be an issue.

If I weigh myself in the morning having had loads to eat just before bed I may see a higher number on the scale but I didn't somehow gain multiple lbs overnight, its just natural fluctuation and I don't pay any attention to it. You weight will always fluctuate day to day based on numerous factors & I don't see how restricting myself and banning myself from eating after a certaint time would make any sense.

i dont know about anyone else but the earlier i stop eating, the more likely it is that i will binge eat or night eat right before bed.

i say focus on the amount of calories, not what time they are eaten. it may not even always matter what DAY you ate the calories. the point is to eat less than you burn.

It's not this or that. It's and and.
Eating after 5 pm is harder on your metabolism for most people.
After 5 pm your body's natural clock tells it to slow down.
People that really listen to their body, can feel something changing after 5 pm.
The body turns from feeding mode into cleansing mode.

But don't go for the theory. Try it !!
And of course it is also important what you eat.
So it's what you eat and when you eat it.
Try it, and you will see !

Good luck !

The Food Specialist

cleansing mode eh. i dont remember learning about that one in college. is there a scientific term for it?

It's not this or that. It's and and.
Eating after 5 pm is harder on your metabolism for most people.
After 5 pm your body's natural clock tells it to slow down.
People that really listen to their body, can feel something changing after 5 pm.
The body turns from feeding mode into cleansing mode.

But don't go for the theory. Try it !!
And of course it is also important what you eat.
So it's what you eat and when you eat it.
Try it, and you will see !

Good luck !

The Food Specialist

That is ridiculous.

werd!

Your body doesn't know what time it is when you eat. The myth about eating late means your body will hold onto more calories is just that, a myth.

Your body will burn X number of calories a day no matter what. If you exercise you will burn Y calories in addition to what your body normally burns. If X + Y < the total number of calories you consume, you will lose weight. If it is greater, you will gain.

Don't force your body to go long periods of time without fuel. Spread your meals throughout the day and make conscious decisions about what and how much you put in your body. And move around, go for walks, whatever, and you will lose weight.

I started 5 months ago at 265.2 and am 185 today. Doing nothing more than eating 1500-1800 calories a day and walking 3 or more miles a day. 80lbs in 5 months. I feel great and I have learned how not to be a gavone. Gavone is Italian for a pig while eating.

Good luck...

Mark

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I think 8pm would work well for me Personally I have eaten all or most of my calories by then and am not hungry in the least. The only reason I eat after eight is because I am bored, lonely, or tired. If I had a limit of eight pm to get my calories in, I would be less likely to eat all the crappy useless food I crave in the evenings (sugar, candy, chips). I do well with limits. I would just have to find something else to do and deal with the emotions in a more positive manner.

I understand the concept of calories for weight loss and how it doesn't matter when you eat - only how much you are eating. I also allow room for 'treats' in my day. I also often leave room in my calories for a late night snack-this does not stop me from being restless and searching the pantry for Christmas Candy.

Just wanted to point out that for anyone like me who finds themselves reaching for empty calories later at night for emotional reasons, even though they have eaten their calories for the day and are not hungry, a limit like this might help with that.

I purposefully work a small, sweet snack (dark chocolate, umm) into my daily routine for post 8pm.Things have generally slowed down a bit in my household by then and I make a point to sit down and really savor it, vs before when I ciuld mindlessly eat the whole giant bar of it.

It's not this or that. It's and and.
Eating after 5 pm is harder on your metabolism for most people.
After 5 pm your body's natural clock tells it to slow down.
People that really listen to their body, can feel something changing after 5 pm.
The body turns from feeding mode into cleansing mode.

But don't go for the theory. Try it !!
And of course it is also important what you eat.
So it's what you eat and when you eat it.
Try it, and you will see !

Good luck !

The Food Specialist

:huh: :huh: :huh: :noway: :noway: :noway: