eating after 7 PM

georgiag111
georgiag111 Posts: 424
edited September 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I keep reading never eat after 7 dont eat after 7 , well is there a reason behind this esp when you have a late dinner every night? I would prefer something like dont eat after 9 esp since I dont go to bed past midnight if kids permit - Its just so much easier eat dinner at 7 and eat your snack around 8-8:30 for the night...and then eat breakfast at 9 ish with my kid schedule ...

Replies

  • mynameisuntz
    mynameisuntz Posts: 582 Member
    No, there's no reason behind it. Your body doesn't care when you feed it. Eat whenever you want as meal timing/frequency has no bearing on body composition.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    I eat before bed EVERY single night. If I don't - I wake up in the middle of the night and am starving. I know how I work and I don't make good food choices when I wake up in the middle of the night and want to eat. So, I make sure I eat before bed to prevent this from happening.

    I work second shift, so I'm usually eating my "dinner" around 7-8pm at work. I eat again after I get home and am usually up until 2am or so.

    I don't think it matters one bit WHEN you eat, it is WHAT you eat.
  • bigislandgrrl
    bigislandgrrl Posts: 196 Member
    I eat any darn time Im hungry! I believe your body is gonna burn it the way it does, wether youre awake or asleep. I like to get up early and get my workout in, then have breakfast. If I didnt eat before bed, Id wake up starving!!!

    I think try whatever you like and in a few weeks you arent seeing results, its time to change your game plan in some way!
  • FatUncleRob
    FatUncleRob Posts: 341
    Yeah, it's a myth.

    The only restriction that seems to make sense is "don't eat right before you go to bed if it gives you indigestion". :smile:
  • bella8282
    bella8282 Posts: 188 Member
    it does not matter what time you eat. It is total BS.
  • marjen002
    marjen002 Posts: 112
    When I have gone through plateaus in the past I have eliminated carbs after 6pm as part of a "switching things up" technique and that has worked for me. You just gotta figure out what works for your body...everyone is different.
  • georgiag111
    georgiag111 Posts: 424
    Oh gosh thank you all so much - I been killing myself getting in calories before 7 but it just was to much I been forcing myself to eat and then by midnight -2 Am hungry but didnt want to eat in middle of the night - So I just had to ask why do I keep reading do not eat after 7
  • sister_bear
    sister_bear Posts: 529 Member
    Don't quote me, but I think the logic here is that it's too close to bed time to properly digest your food so it sits in your stomach.

    If you're a night owl, who cares?

    I might have a snack before bed sometimes, but I usually am done eating by 8pm. I try to be done drinking water by then as well or else I'm up in the night peeing. lol
  • funkyspunky871
    funkyspunky871 Posts: 1,675 Member
    M-Y-T-H
  • annacataldo
    annacataldo Posts: 872 Member
    i never eat within 2 hours of bed; for someone who goes to bed at 9pm, yes that is where the 7pm myth came from. If i plan to go to bed at midnight, i have my night snack maybe around 9. i cant go to bed hungry, ill stay up all night.
  • Kelly_Wilson1990
    Kelly_Wilson1990 Posts: 3,245 Member
    I eat protein at night before bed.
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,078 Member
    I've always thought it's ridiculous advice, what's time got to do with it, it's what you eat that matters! I can't see how our bodies are going to burn what we eat depending on the time.
  • rickydeuce
    rickydeuce Posts: 80
    If there were any truth to that, Europeans would be in trouble! Late dinners are very common in foreign countries. When I was in Africa, there was a restaurant that did not even open until 7 pm.
  • georgiag111
    georgiag111 Posts: 424
    Ty all I was hoping it wasnt a dumb question and I honestly am up all day and night - I have a 17 month old and 4 month old neither who sleeps through the night ...so I have no real bedtime or rise time I eat when I find time
  • AlexzKT
    AlexzKT Posts: 131 Member
    I know a lot of people have weighed in, but I don't think anyone mentioned this yet, so here goes.

    That whole "not eating after 7pm" is just another way to have people limit their calories for those who DON'T calorie count. Since you're calorie counting, it doesn't matter. Every. single. diet. works to limit calories, but it's usually just "hidden" behind some sort of rule like, "Don't eat carbs," "Don't eat past 7pm," etc. If you tell someone to calorie count, it freaks (most of) them out, so they don't want to do it. Telling people to stop eating late at night or to stop eating desserts is easier for most people to deal with.

    There's also the idea that you're less active at night, so if you're eating late at night, you're not burning off the few extra calories running to the grocery store or whatever.

    So just to reiterate what everyone is saying - eat your brains out past 7. As long as you're staying under your calorie goal. (;
  • queen_bea
    queen_bea Posts: 118
    i find that if i eat too late (ie, an hour before bed) especially if it's heavy like pasta or something, my tummy keeps me awake all night trying to digest lol. turns out it doesnt work as well laying down.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    I eat a little fruit before bed. Haven't seen a problem yet.
  • frostyfire14
    frostyfire14 Posts: 2
    The only reason not to eat at night, is because people are more likely to make poor food choices at night and eat more. For example: Ice Cream, Chocolate, Candy, and Popcorn (buttery).

    Basically anything that you'd eat at night, compared to what you would eat in the morning. Most people do not eat ice cream because they crave its high fat content, but rather because they feel they deserve it. I personally eat sweetened foods like Ice Cream, or Candy or even a small movie popcorn (no butter!), as a reward for something I have done in the day; such as a personal goal or achievement.

    In 7 hours of sleep, with a body weight of around 220lbs, the body can burn anywhere between 600-700 calories. So, the more sleep you can get, in general, the better!! (more sleep equals calories burned while not having temptations of eating food with empty calories)

    http://www.fitwatch.com/phpscripts/viewexresults.php

    Edit - Popcorn isn't sweet, i know! It was just an example of something that tastes good every once in a while! :)
  • maemiller
    maemiller Posts: 439 Member
    I cut my carbs at night, except if I have a big run the next day. That helped me get over my plateau. You just gotta know what works for your body
  • sagisun1969
    sagisun1969 Posts: 46
    I have noticed that I weigh less the next morning when I haven't eaten anything late the night before. But I always get the munchies at night and usually have to eat something.
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