Does Time Matter?

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dee_thurman
dee_thurman Posts: 240 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Normally I eat small meals and lots of snacks throughout the day. However, today was different and more of my calories came at the end of the day. Does it matter when you eat and how it effects your weight? I have heard on certain diets you can't eat after a certain time. etc.... Interested to hear your thoughts...
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Replies

  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
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    Nah.
  • franfran1821
    franfran1821 Posts: 288 Member
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    Time doesn't matter at all. You can eat 6 small meals or two large meals during the day and you will still lose weight if you consume less cals than you burn! good luck!
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
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    When I found out time didn't matter I magically lost 10 pounds. My whole life I was taught, "Don't eat after 6," or, "If you don't eat a big breakfast you're going to get fat." When I found out all that wasn't true I started saving my calories to eat at night and 10 pounds fell off. It was awesome.
  • GuidoGordo
    GuidoGordo Posts: 6 Member
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    Amen! Calories in - Calories out = Calories retained. Does not matter when you consume or expend them.
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
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    Nope! And your body doesn't run like banking hours. Looking at this odd late meal as just part of your total week is fine...
  • dhimaan
    dhimaan Posts: 774 Member
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    No
  • BurnWithBarn2015
    BurnWithBarn2015 Posts: 1,026 Member
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    nope

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  • dee_thurman
    dee_thurman Posts: 240 Member
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    i guess time doesn't matter. I thought someone would at least have an explanation on why diets/people have said don't eat late night...
  • booksandchocolate12
    booksandchocolate12 Posts: 1,741 Member
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    No, but I heard you might be able to save it in a bottle.
  • MommyL2015
    MommyL2015 Posts: 1,411 Member
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    Timing doesn't matter. I save most of my calories for dinner time and evening, and it has made no difference. I was always told to eat breakfast because it's important, but the last 5 years or so, when I did start eating, is when I put on the last 10 pounds. If I eat too early, my appetite just gets really amped up and I feel like I'm starving all day. Skipping breakfast has not killed my energy levels, hasn't hindered my progress and eating a lot of calories in the late day hasn't caused any ill effects either. I don't gain magic fat because I ate a bowl of ice cream at 8:00.

    Who knows why people say anything or why stupid myths seem to thrive and prosper when there's no truth behind them.
    The only "magic secret" to weight loss is consistently eating less calories than you burn. For health, move more and eat a variety of foods.
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
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    dee_thurman wrote: »
    i guess time doesn't matter. I thought someone would at least have an explanation on why diets/people have said don't eat late night...

    Because of the continual pushing of old wife's tales, myths and untruth.
  • trswallow
    trswallow Posts: 116 Member
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    dee_thurman wrote: »
    i guess time doesn't matter. I thought someone would at least have an explanation on why diets/people have said don't eat late night...

    Usually the reasoning is that you burn fewer calories when you sleep, so it will mostly turn to fat.

    Eating more of your calories late will not affect weight loss, but it can affect sleep in a couple ways:
    1) Laying down with a full stomach can result in acid reflux.
    2) Laying down with a full stomach, especially if it is overly full, can just be uncomfortable and leave you tossing and turning trying to get comfortable.

    Poor sleep is not going to cause you to hold onto calories,but can affect the release of ghrelin and leptin, which controls hunger and satiety. This can stimulate the appetite and cravings for high-fat high-carb foods. Note most studies of the relationship between lack of sleep and weight gain are looking at individuals who are getting less than six hours of sleep routinely, so an occasional bad night should not be a concern.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    edited November 2015
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    dee_thurman wrote: »
    i guess time doesn't matter. I thought someone would at least have an explanation on why diets/people have said don't eat late night...

    No, it doesn't matter.

    Not eating after a certain time may be helpful, though - but just because food we eat late in the day tend to be more tasty and calorific than the food that is usually eaten earlier in the day; so IF the eating you do after a certain time tends to be too much of the wrong things, not doing that will certainly help you lose weight. But if you follow your meal plan and log your calories, it doesn't matter when you eat. Only what and how much.

    And if for instance not eating breakfast makes you so hungry that you overeat later, it's smart to eat breakfast. But not if eating breakfast just makes you more hungry.

    These kinds of tips came about in a time when counting calories weren't as easy as it is now, and setting a cut-off point would therefore be useful. Today it can be a two-egded sword - not eating with friends and family can make it easier, or more difficult, to adhere to your diet plan. You have to figure out what is right for you.

    Those tips have also evolved into myths, mixed up with not really understanding the newer concepts of "metabolism" and "fat storage".
  • mmarie_3
    mmarie_3 Posts: 57 Member
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    As far as weight loss goes, no, it doesn't matter. However your body will get the most use of what you're eating if you eat your largest meals around when you are most active. For example my biggest meals happen pre and post workout, my carbs and fat are much higher. But I eat right before bed. Also it's best to leave a few hours between meal/snacks to give your body time to digest.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    Some people swear by not eating at night.

    You can eat late and still lose weight, but if you would rather not, then don't. Either way. :)
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,986 Member
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    trswallow wrote: »
    dee_thurman wrote: »
    i guess time doesn't matter. I thought someone would at least have an explanation on why diets/people have said don't eat late night...

    Usually the reasoning is that you burn fewer calories when you sleep, so it will mostly turn to fat.

    Eating more of your calories late will not affect weight loss, but it can affect sleep in a couple ways:
    1) Laying down with a full stomach can result in acid reflux.
    2) Laying down with a full stomach, especially if it is overly full, can just be uncomfortable and leave you tossing and turning trying to get comfortable.

    Poor sleep is not going to cause you to hold onto calories,but can affect the release of ghrelin and leptin, which controls hunger and satiety. This can stimulate the appetite and cravings for high-fat high-carb foods. Note most studies of the relationship between lack of sleep and weight gain are looking at individuals who are getting less than six hours of sleep routinely, so an occasional bad night should not be a concern.

    You beat me to mentioning this, thanks!
  • FitGirl0123
    FitGirl0123 Posts: 1,273 Member
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    It never made a difference in my experience for weight loss. Or gain, lol!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
    edited November 2015
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    If you require XXXX calories then you require XXXX calories...logically why would timing matter...you need XXXX calories.

    a lot of things like this come out of the fact that many people have certain tenants that they follow for weight management because they don't necessarily log or otherwise keep a diary (I don't for example)...so having tenants like this to follow can help you control your calorie intake...but in and of itself it doesn't matter.
  • becgraceevemaggie
    becgraceevemaggie Posts: 26 Member
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    http://sciencenetlinks.com/science-news/science-updates/time-restricted-eating/
    This is a wee article I read in the new scientist which kind of made me rethink the late night eating issue. I have always rejected the anti-eating after whatever time is quoted, because of the food is food thought. I realise the experiments are on mice but it did make sense that it could also be true for humans. I fight this every day as I love, no more than that, I have a drive to eat in the evening, and find it difficult to sleep feeling hungry. Ahh the battles with our mind/hormons/genes. I did read somewhere that it makes sense in an evolutionary way to eat less in the day and more in the evening. The evening eating would have allowed our ancesters an early start on the hunter gatherer work! less valuable time needed on the morning refueling. This could be linked in with the research above, if eating later means more fat storage then its an efficiant way to eat when food is scarce. But for us this leads to obesity. Ive rambled too much but it is an interesting topic for me!!
  • mathjulz
    mathjulz Posts: 5,514 Member
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    dee_thurman wrote: »
    i guess time doesn't matter. I thought someone would at least have an explanation on why diets/people have said don't eat late night...

    It may help some with calorie control, especially if they aren't really tracking their intake. But, if you're logging what you eat and don't go over calories, it won't make a big difference.

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