Never ever eat after this time.

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steponebyone
steponebyone Posts: 123 Member
edited August 2015 in Health and Weight Loss
So my whole life people have said, "Don't eat after 8" or "eat and wait 4 hours to go to bed" or "never get a midnight snack". So we've all heard these phrases and I'm sure many more. My question is, if I eat at night and stay within my calorie deficit, will I gain weight? Does late night eating do anything at all if you don't go over your calories for the day? Trying to weed out all the false information I've grown up on.

Thanks all!
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Replies

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    Some people get heartburn or have problems sleeping if they eat too late at night. If you don't have any problems like that, it's perfectly fine to eat late. It shouldn't affect your weight loss.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    You can eat all your calories at night. Timing does not matter.
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,089 Member
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    Nope. Just stay within your calorie goal and still weigh and log your late night snacks. ( I know some people do forget to use their food scales and log when it gets late. I'm guilty of that lol !)
    The times of the day you eat doesn't matter. Just stay within your range. I enjoy late night sweets so I always leave extra cals during the day so I'm able to snack more at night.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    It might give you heartburn depending on what you eat.

    Or nightmares depending on whether you beleive my mom.

    But otherwise, no, it makes no difference.
  • misskarne
    misskarne Posts: 1,765 Member
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    It doesn't make a difference to weight gain. Personally, I can't eat after 8pm because it messes with my sleep.
  • ladipoet
    ladipoet Posts: 4,180 Member
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    I've always thought this "rule" was a bunch of hooey! I work a swing shift at my job. I usually start anywhere from 12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. in the afternoon which means I don't get home until very late 9:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. There are times that I don't eat dinner until midnight or 1:00 a.m. and I don't have any problem losing weight when I eat this late. Neither do I gain weight by eating late...so just do what fits into YOUR schedule!
  • slimandsmiling
    slimandsmiling Posts: 85 Member
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    I have found I lost and maintained my weight easier if I didn't eat after 6pm.. I also enjoy my breakfast much more and don't wake up full up .. how about playing around with what works for you. As many things in life what I may like to do might not work for you? :)
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
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    steponebyone wrote: »
    So my whole life people have said, "Don't eat after 8" or "eat and wait 4 hours to go to bed" or "never get a midnight snack". So we've all heard these phrases and I'm sure many more. My question is, if I eat at night and stay within my calorie deficit, will I gain weight? Does late night eating do anything at all if you don't go over your calories for the day? Trying to weed out all the false information I've grown up on.

    Thanks all!

    Nope. You'll be fine.

    I just ate a late night snack about twenty minutes ago. I have been maintaining for well over a year and a half. :)
  • glitzy196
    glitzy196 Posts: 190 Member
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    I am a middle of the night eater. I go to be around 11, and wake up at like 3 am at least 2 or 3 nights a week and eat. I just do. Its weird. I log it on the day before if i have the left over calories, or the next day of i don't. I have lost 26lbs. Id like to stop..but for now its a weird quirk i have. I don't binge. I usually have a piece of cheese, or half a pop tart.
  • oh_happy_day
    oh_happy_day Posts: 1,138 Member
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    Timing doesn't matter for weight loss. Just fit within your calories. Some people find eating late gives them indigestion or messes with their sleep but if it works for you that's fine.
  • memickee
    memickee Posts: 250 Member
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    The majority of my calories are comsumed at night because I can't go to sleep on an empty stomach. Find what works for you.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    steponebyone wrote: »
    So my whole life people have said, "Don't eat after 8" or "eat and wait 4 hours to go to bed" or "never get a midnight snack". So we've all heard these phrases and I'm sure many more. My question is, if I eat at night and stay within my calorie deficit, will I gain weight? Does late night eating do anything at all if you don't go over your calories for the day? Trying to weed out all the false information I've grown up on.

    Thanks all!


    I'm sorry, what was that? I couldn't hear you over my 3 AM banana and fresca
  • Osiris275
    Osiris275 Posts: 228 Member
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    You should be fine. I always eat my dinner after 8, I hav a busy day and it's the only time dinner fits in. I always try to make sure it's before 10pm though, any later and I find I don't sleep too well, but I'm still losing weight nicely.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
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    Are you a mogwai? No? Don't worry about.
    gizmo.jpg
  • flrancho
    flrancho Posts: 271 Member
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    I eat a small snack/dessert every night at 8 because I have medication to take, and its supposed to be taken with food. I'm still losing weight.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    Starting next month I'll be eating dinner on Thursdays around 9:30. From January-April I ate dinner after 8 three nights a week. Never been an issue.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    hooey phoooey! its all calories in/calories out doesn't matter WHEN you eat 'em :smiley:
  • makemybodysing
    makemybodysing Posts: 30 Member
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    glitzy196 wrote: »
    I am a middle of the night eater. I go to be around 11, and wake up at like 3 am at least 2 or 3 nights a week and eat. I just do. Its weird.

    You really, really, really need to break the habit. It won't make you gain weight if it's within your allowance,but it's very unhealthy.

    Recently, research is telling us more and more that it's vital to give your digestion a long break from eating overnight. That's when your body heals and recovers from the stresses and strains of the day - physical and mental - and if you feed it food during that time, the recovery just doesn't happen. The longer a break you can have from food overnight, the healthier you will be.

    Two things can make you hungry during the night - one is sheer habit, the other is that you're not hungry, you're thirsty (it's often hard to tell the difference). So always have a drink first and wait a few minutes before you give in to midnight snacks.

  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
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    makemybodysing wrote: »
    glitzy196 wrote: »
    I am a middle of the night eater. I go to be around 11, and wake up at like 3 am at least 2 or 3 nights a week and eat. I just do. Its weird.

    You really, really, really need to break the habit. It won't make you gain weight if it's within your allowance,but it's very unhealthy.

    Recently, research is telling us more and more that it's vital to give your digestion a long break from eating overnight. That's when your body heals and recovers from the stresses and strains of the day - physical and mental - and if you feed it food during that time, the recovery just doesn't happen. The longer a break you can have from food overnight, the healthier you will be.

    Two things can make you hungry during the night - one is sheer habit, the other is that you're not hungry, you're thirsty (it's often hard to tell the difference). So always have a drink first and wait a few minutes before you give in to midnight snacks.
    Do you have links to some peer-reviewed research that supports what you wrote?

  • makemybodysing
    makemybodysing Posts: 30 Member
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    malibu927 wrote: »
    Starting next month I'll be eating dinner on Thursdays around 9:30. From January-April I ate dinner after 8 three nights a week. Never been an issue.

    You're lucky! I used to do that but recently discovered that I have acid reflux. Turns out I've had it for a long time and it was the whole reason I wasn't sleeping well. Apparently it's possible to have no symptoms and still affect your sleep. So I'm having to retrain myself to stop eating two or preferably three hours before bedtime.

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