Eating before bed and other time related questions

I am sure its 2hrs not five... I never eat after 8pm and I am generally in bed around 11pm.

Hi!

I work second shift, so I tend to eat larger meals later at night. But, I'm also usually up for quite awhile afterwards too. I have heard you shouldn't eat too close to bed - but, I think it may depend on what you're eating too. I try and eat lean meat (fish, usually) and a veggie (like asparagus) if I'm eating late at night. I don't eat red meat or anything overly fatty so late.

When I started losing weight, I wasn't a big breakfast eater either. Actually, I would often skip breakfast and eat something 2-3 hours later. I do think it is important to eat as soon as you can when you wake up. Remember that while you've been sleeping, your body has been fasting. Eating something in the morning gets your body going and will actually boost your metabolism. I used to just drink a protein shake or eat a yogurt and some fruit. Once my body got used to eating as soon as I got up, I started eating more. So, yes.. your body will adjust. Just start out with something small (like yogurt/fruit or a protein shake).

I eat 5 smaller meals vs 3 larger ones. It makes me feel better because my blood sugar stays level throughout the day. I don't get the jitters or the shakes because I go too long between meals. I keep protein bars in my car and in my purse so I have them with me at all times.

I used to eat one or two meals a day. Since starting on MFP and on my workout I have tried, and finally succeeded, at eating 3 meals and 2 or 3 snacks throughout the day. It has helped me to eat most of my calories and not get hungry so I don't overeat at a meal. I don't know if eating too late is harmful, but I usually eat a granola bar or the like when I get home from my job at 10 pm. It hasn't seemed to harm me, but that is all I know.

I also try to fit five meals in during the day. I usually eat my first meal at either 7:30am or 8am depending on the day and then I eat every three hours until I hit the last meal. Also, I don't eat carbs like rice or fruit just protein and green veggies after 5pm.

Dr. Oz says not to eat 3 hours before bed. Sometimes you think you are hungry and you are actually thirsty. I also have heard that if you are truly hungry its okay to eat a little before bed. Its really about good choice making regarding food. If hungry before bed its better to have fruit rather then a candy bar. ) Skipping breakfast is BAD! ) It makes your metabolism slowwwww.... But if you are not a breakfast person you can find non breakfast stuff to eat. One thing I have learned from Kurt Johnsen (yoga master) is to drink hot water w/ lemon first thing in the AM or drink hot tea first thing in the morning.

I eat fives times a day. You should make sure to eat about every three hours. If you wait any longer you will be REALLY hungry and you tend to overeat. This place is great to track food and you can see what you are really eating! LOL Most people underestimate how much they are eating by 40%. Yes! I was one of those people. This site has helped so much and let me personally see how many calories I was actually eating! WOW! )

Good luck on your journey! Every day is a new day to try again

While I agree that I wouldn't eat anything fatty or too many carbs later at night, as long as you stay within your calorie goals, it doesn't matter when you eat them. You still need to eat all of the calories your body needs. Eat them when and at what times work for you. If you don't want to eat a really large meal later at night, see if you can eat more earlier in the day.

I really don't see what difference it makes. If one eats 1500 calories, what does it matter if 200 of that is right before bed? You burn calories while you sleep too.
I was told net calories was all the mattered. I am a evening snacker. My DH and I catch up on recorded shows after the kids go to bed, and I just have not been able to kick my habit of having a snack while we watch TV. I have given up feeling bad about it and just made sure I had extra calories left over so I could have my snack. And you know what? I still was able to lose 70 lbs in 2 yrs.
I am also one of those people who can't eat big meals early in the day, so my breakfast is usually light and I try to have something small a few hours later so I am not ravenous by lunchtime.

Find what works best for you, every body is different, and if you listen to your body honestly it will tell you what works.

Also, every day or bodies are different. I say I don't like to eat a big breakfast, but there have been days I have woken up STARVING. So I eat more than I normally would b/c my body was telling me to. I eat when I am hungry, I eat til I am satisfied,and I move on. I no longer worry about what time it is. My body doesn't care if the clock says "lunchtime", its telling me its food time no matter what.

Good luck!

Well, I've researched about the same thing, and I've learned the eating breakfast is the best thing because it tells you're metabolism that you're up and moving so it speeds up.. If your not eating breakfast it could actually confuse you're metab. and it could be burning up to 25% fewer calories all day. If you're not a big breakfast eater then try protein shakes or smoothies...very yummy and you will have more energy, just don't add any sugar.

Hope this helps!

I ALWAYS eat before bed- it's my 7th meal of the day. Like some previous posts have mentioned, eating before bed will help to keep your metabolism elevated longer during the day, meaning you burn more calories while you sleep, which in turn makes your body more efficient at burning fat. This is also doubly important when it comes to skipping breakfast. The name is derived from the phase "Break Fast" where you end your body's fasting state while you sleep. Even if you don't eat before bed, if you were in theory to skip breakfast, then there would be an alarming 12-14 gap between meals, where your metabolism would simply crash due to a lack of fuel.

I usually have a slow-digesting protein such as casein powder, although cottage cheese or a glass of milk could work in a pinch as well. Avoid carbs, as these are a source of energy and can interfere with your sleep. Having some healthy fats, such as nuts or peanut butter is great as well.