What time to stop eating?

meraki78
meraki78 Posts: 43 Member
edited November 12 in Getting Started
Anyone have any thoughts or facts about when you should stop eating for the day? I have heard that you want to stop eating around 7pm so that you don't go to bed on a full stomach and have it sit there all night. Any truth to this?
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Replies

  • Mycophilia
    Mycophilia Posts: 1,225 Member
    When you've reached your calorie goal. Eating late at night will not affect fat loss.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    No.

    Aside from possible medical issues, like acid reflux or something, there is no reason to stop eating at a certain point. Some people are uncomfortable going to bed with a full stomach but that's a preference.

  • eatsyork
    eatsyork Posts: 71 Member
    I stop when I go to bed. Time of day doesn't make a lot of difference. Your body is going to digest whether you are sleeping, watching TV, or hiking. The food doesn't just chill out in your stomach.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Stop eating when you've had enough and/or when it feels right. Unless you're following an IF (intermittent fasting) protocol, there's no "end time". Just do what feels right. I know for *me* if I eat a late late dinner I wake up hungrier, so I don't do that often.
  • DeterminedFee201426
    DeterminedFee201426 Posts: 859 Member
    9:00 pm is my stopping time usually
  • moepwr
    moepwr Posts: 335 Member
    I always stop by 8. but I work a 9-5 with two small kids so I'm usually in bed at 10.
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
    Think of eating like putting gasoline in a car. Doesn't matter when you drive and use the gas, the gasoline will sit in the car until you do. Same with eating. It doesn't matter when you eat; the calories will get burned whenever you move. The more you move, the faster they burn. I personally don't like going to bed with a full stomach, but I do occasionally get late night snack-crazy, which actually helps me sleep.
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
    Like with most things, assuming there is no health or medical reason to, it's personal choice.
  • SilverRose89
    SilverRose89 Posts: 447 Member
    mandiRN1 wrote: »
    Anyone have any thoughts or facts about when you should stop eating for the day? I have heard that you want to stop eating around 7pm so that you don't go to bed on a full stomach and have it sit there all night. Any truth to this?

    Unless it's particularly uncomfortable for you, or you suffer with something like acid reflux, no it doesn't make a difference when you eat. A deficit is a deficit.
  • meraki78
    meraki78 Posts: 43 Member
    Thanks!! I do try to stop by 7pm - really just preference and a little because I thought it would help. I work crazy hours sometimes 6-6p or 7-5p and then busy with 4 kids (3 teenagers who are in sports) and husband, house etc... You get the picture;) so sometimes just even eating right is challenging enough. I so badly want to loose about 20 more lbs (I'm down 7 now) I just want to be successful this time and stay motivated and on track. Again, thanks for the input.
  • Sydking
    Sydking Posts: 317 Member
    When i reach my calorie limit, weather that's 7pm or 11 pm
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    When you fall asleep
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    I literally eat until I'm ready to go to sleep. It's wonderful. I graze the whole night and have lost almost 30 pounds. Some people can't sleep well on a full stomach, so that can be a factor, but only in being able to sleep well-not weight loss.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    whenever you want to …

    meal timing has nothing to do with metabolism or weight loss...
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Unless you are a gremlin - timing makes no difference. I don't like to eat in bed because it is messy and I'm usually out of calories by then anyway... but any time before then is fair game. I usually eat dinner around 9pm. I've lost 50 lbs. It doesn't seem to be a problem.
  • jpaulie
    jpaulie Posts: 917 Member
    9pm for me, used to be 6pm because I had bad reflux but since I lost weight it doesn;t bother me
  • thenewkayla
    thenewkayla Posts: 313 Member
    I usally stop around 3am.. i sleep till 2pm because I worn second shift... i make sure I stay under my calories and I have been losing weight
  • DeliVibes
    DeliVibes Posts: 67 Member
    I think it's ok to eat later but as long as you're not overeating.
    I try to have dinner around 8pm and then I'll have a small snack (like banana on toast) close to bed time so I'm not hungry going to bed.
  • in_the_stars
    in_the_stars Posts: 1,395 Member
    I like eating in bed!
  • in_the_stars
    in_the_stars Posts: 1,395 Member
    Eat when you'd like, for calorie counting it makes no difference. For health I eat until I meet/exceed all micros.
  • mbloseit
    mbloseit Posts: 5 Member
    I just went for a fitness evaluation tonight and I was told to stop eating 2 hours before bed as your body does not break down the food as quickly while sleeping. I'm going to give it a try to see if it makes a difference.
  • WillowValley
    WillowValley Posts: 10
    These replies saying it doesn't matter when you quit eating is music to my ears!! I work 2nd shift, so I don't eat my real dinner til around midnight or so. It's tough doing shift work... with everyone saying I can't eat anything after 7:00 pm. I'd be starving and ready to eat everything by bedtime.
  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
    When you are finished eating for the day, ie hit your calorie goal. I have dinner at 10 and 11 quite often on gym nights. It's better than working out on a full stomach for me. I had no problems losing weight as a result or keeping it off.
  • in_the_stars
    in_the_stars Posts: 1,395 Member
    mbloseit wrote: »
    I just went for a fitness evaluation tonight and I was told to stop eating 2 hours before bed as your body does not break down the food as quickly while sleeping. I'm going to give it a try to see if it makes a difference.

    I like to eat at night so I have enough fat and carbs to stay full and relaxxxxx... protein to repair and rejuvenate, and so on. Whatever works best for you. Trial and error, how else would we learn about ourselves?
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,093 Member
    mbloseit wrote: »
    I just went for a fitness evaluation tonight and I was told to stop eating 2 hours before bed as your body does not break down the food as quickly while sleeping. I'm going to give it a try to see if it makes a difference.

    This should pretty much tell you that the person who gave you that advice is an unreliable source, and should call into question everything else he or she told you.

  • arobed53
    arobed53 Posts: 2,004 Member
    I figure as long as I have calories I can eat. So it just depends on the day.
  • hey_katt
    hey_katt Posts: 18 Member
    Whatever works for you! Just try it out. I guess it's too late when you can't eat a normal breakfast in the morning and it's too early to stop eating when you eat everything and anything you can find because you're so hungry in the morning.
    (There's studies that show that fat loss will be higher when the time span between your last meal at night and your first meal in the morning is as long as possible, though no longer than 12 hours.)
    Of course it also depends on what you want to achieve. I have a friend who is really into working out and he says he gets up in the middle of the night to have something to eat just because he says his metabolism is so fast.
  • Annr
    Annr Posts: 2,765 Member
    Yep, to each his or her own is the gist I am getting.
  • astrose00
    astrose00 Posts: 754 Member
    I had always heard/read this as well. I just looked on the internet and saw two opposing opinions, based on recent studies (within the last few years). One study, done on monkeys, says it doesn't matter. Another study, done on lab mice, said it does matter.

    I don't have a set time to stop eating but like to allow for 2-3 hours before I go to bed. That is partly habit, I used to have acid reflux and I never see the scale move when I eat late. I am aware that our bodies burn fat all day but may need to burn less when I am sleeping. So if I eat a 1500 calorie meal, where is the extra going? So I guess what I'm saying that I think it may not matter what time you eat but I do think it matters how much you eat before going to bed (when your metabolism presumably slows down). I'm not inviting a debate or trying to convince anyone of anything; it's just my opinion.
  • astrose00
    astrose00 Posts: 754 Member
    hey_katt wrote: »
    Whatever works for you! Just try it out. I guess it's too late when you can't eat a normal breakfast in the morning and it's too early to stop eating when you eat everything and anything you can find because you're so hungry in the morning.
    (There's studies that show that fat loss will be higher when the time span between your last meal at night and your first meal in the morning is as long as possible, though no longer than 12 hours.)
    Of course it also depends on what you want to achieve. I have a friend who is really into working out and he says he gets up in the middle of the night to have something to eat just because he says his metabolism is so fast.

    I also read this (the 12 hour thingy) and have heard this for many years. I believe this is part of the reason why some recommended fasted cardio in the morning; to take advantage of this fat burning that is happening.
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