Is night time eating really bad? Fact or Myth?

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Sherri71
Sherri71 Posts: 208 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Wondering if night time eating is really bad or if that is just a myth. If I stay within my calorie limits but eat up until the time I go to bed, will it slow down or interfere in any way with my weight loss efforts? I've read some people stop eating at 6 and others stop at 8. Then there are others who eat every 3-4 hours. Many times I don't get home until late and I will eat later than usual. I also will snack at night even as last as 11pm and going to bed at midnight.

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  • mamareese
    mamareese Posts: 1,573 Member
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    I was just reading an article about food myths 'debunked' and this is what it said:

    Late Night Snacking and Weight Gain

    While eating after 8 p.m. won’t increase the amount of weight you’ll gain, there are still some risks to late night snacking. The issue is simple: when you’re tired, you’re more likely to overeat. To compensate for fatigue, your brain will tell you to eat more and you might grab an unhealthy, calorie-dense snack. This is why you may run into trouble when you eat late at night. It’s not because your body gains more weight, it’s because you eat the wrong foods. Instead of grabbing a bag of chips, you should grab a piece of fruit or a vegetable. The best options are healthy, high-fiber foods that will satisfy your hunger without packing lots of calories
  • Red13
    Red13 Posts: 287 Member
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    I know a lot of people will say it doesn't matter but I believe it does. In books I've read my Jillian Michaels and Jackie Warner, they both say stop eating 2-3 hours before bed (so there is no magical time, just depends on when you hit the rack) Also, if you need a snack before bed, make it a low carb food and reach for some protein. They say the reason for this is the Human Growth Hormone that builds muscle and burns fat becomes active when you sleep. Carbs deprive this from working and protein revs it up.
  • ppiinnkkmmoonn
    ppiinnkkmmoonn Posts: 418
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    i eat most of my cals at night and i never had a problem i think it what you eat that boils down to it and i still think eat after seven roll is a myth.
  • tim_fitbuilt4life
    tim_fitbuilt4life Posts: 301 Member
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    I agree with all of the posts here. The problem is not when you eat but what you eat. It is real easy to snack you way to eating more calories than you burn. If you are hungry last at night eat a piece of fruit instead of a bag of chips. :wink:
  • cbirdso
    cbirdso Posts: 465 Member
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    It is a myth. However, like other posters state, when you are tired and hungry, you are more likely to make bad food choices and/or overeat. I try to eat most of my calories early in the day for that reason. I have found that having a good breakfast puts me on track and prevents hunger later in the day. To prevent myself from being hungry while trying to sleep, I save up enough calories to have soy milk w/ molasses before retiring.
  • superwmn
    superwmn Posts: 936
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    If my tummy starts grumbling at 10pm, I put food in it. It has not hindered my losses at all.

    Charmagne
  • Hillary1234
    Hillary1234 Posts: 17
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    no its not, weight loss is all about burning more calories than you take in, it always has been
  • kentlass
    kentlass Posts: 325 Member
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    i eat/snack up until bedtime most nights and i'm down 39lbs so it doesn't seem to have any adverse effects for me!

    i think alot of people avoid eating late because they're more likely to overeat

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