No carbs in the evening to shift last few pounds?????

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kdrew11
kdrew11 Posts: 363 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am getting married in 7 weeks and am trying to shift the last 7 lbs but it just won't budge. I'm going to try to increase my calories by 200 every other 2 days and then drop back down the other days. After speaking to someone at work today (who lost 4 stone and is also a science teacher so she knows the how it works) I'm also gonna try to eat all my carbs during the day and just eat protein at night with salad or veg. She said your body doesn't burn off many carbs at night and it goes straight to the fat reserve if no carbs to burn. She gave me a quote that I thought was quite good:

"Breakfast like a King, lunch like a Queen and dine like a Pauper"

I'm hoping if I take her advice it might kick start things again.

Has anyone else tried this? Has it worked and has anyone tried it with the last few pounds?

Thanks
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Replies

  • mynameisuntz
    mynameisuntz Posts: 582 Member
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    Meal timing and frequency is entirely irrelevant to body composition. What matters is your entire day's worth of calories/macronutrients. Opting out of carbs in the evening will not change anything assuming you are not changing your overall caloric intake.
  • mapexdrummer69
    mapexdrummer69 Posts: 445
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    Meal timing and frequency is entirely irrelevant to body composition. What matters is your entire day's worth of calories/macronutrients. Opting out of carbs in the evening will not change anything assuming you are not changing your overall caloric intake.


    This exactly.
  • 00trayn
    00trayn Posts: 1,849 Member
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    My trainer told me to avoid carbs in the evening too. So I tried it, I was eating really low carb veggies, greek yogurt, and chicken or fish for dinner. And I hated it. I didn't lose any weight from doing it and I gave it up after a few weeks. I've seen the most success in cutting out sodium as much as possible, having a protein shake for dinner (blended with juice, frozen fruit and yogurt) and working out with a equal mix of cardio and strength training.
  • karikariboberry
    karikariboberry Posts: 28 Member
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    I'm not sure of the science of it all, but I find that if I avoid carbs at dinner, the next morning wake up feeling skinny, which is always nice whether its moving the lbs or not
  • Melis25Fit
    Melis25Fit Posts: 811 Member
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    bump
  • mynameisuntz
    mynameisuntz Posts: 582 Member
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    I'm not sure of the science of it all, but I find that if I avoid carbs at dinner, the next morning wake up feeling skinny, which is always nice whether its moving the lbs or not
    Correct in that it is not moving pounds (of fat, at least, though maybe water weight which fluctuates). But if you like the feeling, more power to you I guess.
  • iAMaPhoenix
    iAMaPhoenix Posts: 1,038 Member
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    I am getting married in 7 weeks and am trying to shift the last 7 lbs but it just won't budge. I'm going to try to increase my calories by 200 every other 2 days and then drop back down the other days. After speaking to someone at work today (who lost 4 stone and is also a science teacher so she knows the how it works) I'm also gonna try to eat all my carbs during the day and just eat protein at night with salad or veg. She said your body doesn't burn off many carbs at night and it goes straight to the fat reserve if no carbs to burn. She gave me a quote that I thought was quite good:

    "Breakfast like a King, lunch like a Queen and dine like a Pauper"

    I'm hoping if I take her advice it might kick start things again.

    Has anyone else tried this? Has it worked and has anyone tried it with the last few pounds?

    Thanks
    Nice quote, but I heard it was, King, Prince and Pauper. But Queen will do.
  • mynameisuntz
    mynameisuntz Posts: 582 Member
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    OP - I don't eat breakfast most days until 3-5 pm. It doesn't have any role in losing fat, gaining fat, losing muscle, gaining muscle.

    Meal timing means nothing. What you have to do is re-calculate your maintenance based on weight/body fat percentage, re-approach your caloric/macronutrient intake, and revamp training if necessary.

    That's your solution. NOT meal timing.
  • mapexdrummer69
    mapexdrummer69 Posts: 445
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    Eating at night is no different than eating in the morning.


    Dropping carbs will in turn drop you overall caloric intake for the day, in the event that protein and fats are not increased. In all comes down to energy balance, calories in vs. calories out. No matter what time of day you eat them, or how frequent.

    Fat- 9 cal/g
    Protein- 4 cal/g
    Carbohydrates- 4 cal/g
    Alcohol- 7 cal/g (if TEF is taken into account, it's more like ~5, but splitting hairs at that point)


    The above information does not always ring true for someone that suffers from a metabolic disorder, such as insulin resistance.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    Meal timing and frequency is entirely irrelevant to body composition. What matters is your entire day's worth of calories/macronutrients. Opting out of carbs in the evening will not change anything assuming you are not changing your overall caloric intake.

    I third this. Not only does not eating either of the macro-nutrients (protein, carbs or fat) in the evening not affect weight loss, but the myth regarding not eating anything after a certain time in the evening has also been debunked. It's the total amount of calories you consume each day that matters, not what time of day you eat them.

    That said, you're welcome to give it a try, but don't be discouraged when it doesn't help. Those last few pounds are always the hardest. You'd be better off varying your workout routine than trying to change how you're eating.
  • kdrew11
    kdrew11 Posts: 363 Member
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    Eating at night is no different than eating in the morning.


    Dropping carbs will in turn drop you overall caloric intake for the day, in the event that protein and fats are not increased. In all comes down to energy balance, calories in vs. calories out. No matter what time of day you eat them, or how frequent.

    Fat- 9 cal/g
    Protein- 4 cal/g
    Carbohydrates- 4 cal/g
    Alcohol- 7 cal/g (if TEF is taken into account, it's more like ~5, but splitting hairs at that point)


    The above information does not always ring true for someone that suffers from a metabolic disorder, such as insulin resistance.

    What's TEF when you refer to alcohol please?
  • mapexdrummer69
    mapexdrummer69 Posts: 445
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    Sorry, thermic effect of food.


    Alcohol is labeled as 7.1 calories per gram, but the real value is more along the lines of 5.7 calories due to the thermic effect of food (TEF) which is 20% of the ingested calories. This makes the TEF of alcohol a close second to protein (20-35% depending on amino acid composition). The heightened thermogenesis resulting from alcohol intake is partly mediated by catecholamines.


    Not to get off subject, but here's a good article to read in regards to alcohol.


    http://www.leangains.com/2010/07/truth-about-alcohol-fat-loss-and-muscle.html
  • kdrew11
    kdrew11 Posts: 363 Member
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    Sorry, thermic effect of food.


    Alcohol is labeled as 7.1 calories per gram, but the real value is more along the lines of 5.7 calories due to the thermic effect of food (TEF) which is 20% of the ingested calories. This makes the TEF of alcohol a close second to protein (20-35% depending on amino acid composition). The heightened thermogenesis resulting from alcohol intake is partly mediated by catecholamines.


    Not to get off subject, but here's a good article to read in regards to alcohol.


    http://www.leangains.com/2010/07/truth-about-alcohol-fat-loss-and-muscle.html

    Thank you:smile:
  • beau8
    beau8 Posts: 20
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    I wish I could wake up feeling skinny lol
  • hamton
    hamton Posts: 245
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    I agree the meal timing isn't important for the most part. When you throw in exercise, I believe it matters. I have reasons to believe eating your biggest meal after a workout is best.
  • mynameisuntz
    mynameisuntz Posts: 582 Member
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    I agree the meal timing isn't important for the most part. When you throw in exercise, I believe it matters. I have reasons to believe eating your biggest meal after a workout is best.
    Only if you're training after extended periods of fasting, or performing multiple glycogen-depleting exercises per day.
  • hamton
    hamton Posts: 245
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    Only if you're training after extended periods of fasting, or performing multiple glycogen-depleting exercises per day.

    Which I think I'm doing using the IF technique combined with carb-backloading style kung fu, I achieve Zen.
    Bah, I'm really doing because it's most convenient.
  • erk143
    erk143 Posts: 5
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    So take this from me, I'm a personal trainer with a masters degree in clinical exercise physiology. Nutrient timings very important. Very, very, very important. It's is true that your body wont really recognize the difference between a carb eaten at 10am vs a carb eaten at 10pm. The biggest difference with respect to that is if you eat a lot right before bed, you body slows down with sleep, resulting in more of what you ate being stored. I think your best bet, with the little that I know about you, would to be very careful with your nutrient timing. Eat small meals every2-3 hours. This will keep your metabolism going. When there are large gaps between meals our bodies start to slow down metabolically. Physiologically we still function like cavemen who are trying to survive.your body doesn't understand that there is a steady supply of food. It thinks that since you haven't eaten in 8+ hours that you must be entering a famine and all available fat supplies should be conserved. Timing is everything. Supermodels and bodybuilders are so very aware of this. People who say its just calories in vs. Calories out haven't gotten the whole picture yet. Honest to goodness, try small, evenly spaced, evenly sized meals. Make sure they're comprised of the right ratio of fat, complex carb, and protein that you need to reach your individual goals.

    Please remember that I'm not a nutritionist and that I don't know you personally. These are just suggestions based on my knowledge. Please discuss with your health care professional before making any changes.
  • mynameisuntz
    mynameisuntz Posts: 582 Member
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    So take this from me, I'm a personal trainer with a masters degree in clinical exercise physiology. Nutrient timings very important. Very, very, very important. It's is true that your body wont really recognize the difference between a carb eaten at 10am vs a carb eaten at 10pm. The biggest difference with respect to that is if you eat a lot right before bed, you body slows down with sleep, resulting in more of what you ate being stored.
    No. Your body works at BMR rates while sleeping. It does not shut down. If you eat 2,000 calories in the morning vs. 2,000 calories right before sleep, you will see the SAME net fat loss (assuming you're at a caloric deficit and assuming macronutrients are balanced).
    I think your best bet, with the little that I know about you, would to be very careful with your nutrient timing. Eat small meals every2-3 hours. This will keep your metabolism going.
    False. Your BMR along with NEAT will keep your metabolism going regardless of food intake. That coupled with TEA, assuming you are exercising. TEF is dose-dependent, meaning eating one meal or six meals in a day will result in the same NET metabolic boost for the day assuming macronutrients/calories are consistent.
    When there are large gaps between meals our bodies start to slow down metabolically. Physiologically we still function like cavemen who are trying to survive.your body doesn't understand that there is a steady supply of food. It thinks that since you haven't eaten in 8+ hours that you must be entering a famine and all available fat supplies should be conserved. Timing is everything. Supermodels and bodybuilders are so very aware of this.
    False. Our bodies will not slow down metabolically after going a few hours without food. It takes days of fasting before catabolism occurs, and much longer before our BMR slows down due to lack of caloric intake.

    See: http://www.leangains.com/ - all the competitive bodybuilders and models who eat all their food in an 8 hour window each day.
    People who say its just calories in vs. Calories out haven't gotten the whole picture yet. Honest to goodness, try small, evenly spaced, evenly sized meals. Make sure they're comprised of the right ratio of fat, complex carb, and protein that you need to reach your individual goals.
    Calories for weight loss, macronutrients for body composition, micronutrients for general health. Ratios of macronutrients per meal and meal timing/frequency is ZERO bearing on body composition.
    Please remember that I'm not a nutritionist and that I don't know you personally. These are just suggestions based on my knowledge. Please discuss with your health care professional before making any changes.
    Where did you formulate these opinions? Any scientific research of any kind? I can post some research showing heightened fat loss from a single meal per day compared to three meals per day, if you like.
  • hamton
    hamton Posts: 245
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    Holy cow, I'm doing the exact opposite of what you just said. I eat 2 meals a day and my last meal dinner is where most of my calories are. Close to 2000 calories. Few years ago, I believed and practiced what you just preached. Then after reading some new research, I'm doing just the opposite. I haven't gained any weight. I'm not trying to lose weight either. Just trying to recompose.

    Now I'm trying a high saturated fat diet to improve my HDL. I'm trying to consume about 133g fat a day. Half of that is saturated fat. This must really blow your mind.

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