Exercise in the morning

miratps
miratps Posts: 141 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I get up early and do a jog (I feel that's insulting to actual runners based on what I do/speed) and walk. I supposedly according to my FitBit burn about 700 calories by the time I get to work. I personally feel that's a bit too high so say its around half just in case.

My question is, is it OK to basically go beserk at night with food? I have over 1000 calories left by the end of the day/6pm and tend to have a 300 calorie dinner and then snack (roughly another 200/300 calories tops) till about 45 mins before I hit the bed.

This is something new since I started doing stuff in the morning cos of the 'fear' of having no energy the next morning and not beating my distance record from the previous day.

So 2 questions actually:

1) Is it OK to eat a lot (and dumb food) at night before bed?
2) Does it matter what I snack on as long as I am under my calorie allowance?

Replies

  • flipflopfridays6071
    flipflopfridays6071 Posts: 10 Member
    1. Unless you are training for a show or an athletic event, it doesn't matter when you eat. (Timing of eating and calorie/macro intake is more important then.) If you're trying to lose weight, make sure you are at a deficit.
    2. See #1 above.

    How long and how far are you jogging each day?
  • miratps
    miratps Posts: 141 Member
    flipflopfridays6071 wrote: »
    1. Unless you are training for a show or an athletic event, it doesn't matter when you eat. (Timing of eating and calorie/macro intake is more important then.) If you're trying to lose weight, make sure you are at a deficit.
    2. See #1 above.

    How long and how far are you jogging each day?

    Time wise over an hour in the morning. If at home/weekend it's an hour straight (maybe a few minute stops to walk here and there) and on work days it's 25 mins to the station and then another 30 mins (with some walks here) to the office.

    The reason I also ask this is that I am pretty sure my belly has become a bit bigger. Maybe it's the switch from after work cycling and weights to mostly running in the mornings but I fear the change from my 'aggressive' weight loss deficit + the exercise to near maintenance eating and at eating at newer/later times (or at least eating more than i was 6 weeks ago) has had a bigger impact.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    The time of day that you eat has absolutely no impact on weight loss so don't let that part of it cause you any worry at all. Anything you've ever heard about not eating after a certain time of day doesn't apply to people counting calories. It applies to people who have already eaten their maintenance calories by dinnertime.

    As long as you are still eating at a deficit you aren't gaining weight, no matter how small the deficit. Have you actually used a tape measure to measure your belly? If not, I'd suggest getting one at and using MFP to track it. Then you'll know for certain.
  • flipflopfridays6071
    flipflopfridays6071 Posts: 10 Member
    I agree with Sue. Measure and track measurements to know with certainty. No need to speculate. Other things might make your belly bigger (i.e. TOM, indigestion, etc.)
  • miratps
    miratps Posts: 141 Member
    I have not used a tape measure actually and have ordered one but just from general looking down/in mirror/actually having more to grab on to I feel I've put some weight on in my stomach. Not sure how and why as my diet in terms of food i eat hasn't really changed at all. Hence why I'm not sure if time of day of eating and even switching up the exercise I do has had a big impact
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    miratps wrote: »
    I have not used a tape measure actually and have ordered one but just from general looking down/in mirror/actually having more to grab on to I feel I've put some weight on in my stomach. Not sure how and why as my diet in terms of food i eat hasn't really changed at all. Hence why I'm not sure if time of day of eating and even switching up the exercise I do has had a big impact

    It shouldn't have an impact on your belly, no, and as we've said the time of day you eat has NO impact. Switching up exercise shouldn't have an impact on your belly, either, as long as you are still eating a deficit.

    I wouldn't judge by looks alone. How do your pants fit?
  • miratps
    miratps Posts: 141 Member
    SueInAz wrote: »
    miratps wrote: »
    I have not used a tape measure actually and have ordered one but just from general looking down/in mirror/actually having more to grab on to I feel I've put some weight on in my stomach. Not sure how and why as my diet in terms of food i eat hasn't really changed at all. Hence why I'm not sure if time of day of eating and even switching up the exercise I do has had a big impact

    It shouldn't have an impact on your belly, no, and as we've said the time of day you eat has NO impact. Switching up exercise shouldn't have an impact on your belly, either, as long as you are still eating a deficit.

    I wouldn't judge by looks alone. How do your pants fit?

    Pants fit fine/not stressing about buttoning anything up, I use the belt also as a test and they go up to where I was so my waist may be fine but not my gut and something just feels off. Even my face no longer looks as skinny (cheeks have popped out slightly, although everyone said I looked 'too skinny' on the face before). Maybe it is just in my head but I'm pretty sure its not or just a case of me getting used to how I looked after weight loss and now thinking as I've seen no change I'm putting weight back on.
  • Sarah_Shapes_Up
    Sarah_Shapes_Up Posts: 76 Member
    If you're in a deficit, you're not gaining weight. The change in exercise can change your body, in the beginning while you're body's adjusting or after a long time. Your body adapts to different exercises. The more you do it, the easier it gets because you might build muscle where you need it etc. However, at first, your body might inflame as a response to the new stress you're putting it under. The puffiness should subside if you're in a deficit.

    Also, as a personal anecdote, If I eat my last meal later, I sometimes wake up with a puffier mid section just because there was less time between that meal and when I woke up. My food isn't as digested as if I ate earlier. It's not weight gain, just undigested food.

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