Do you all stop eating after a certain time?

Yeah, like AnvilHead, I stop before falling asleep.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

No. I'd assume as long as you're not following intermittent fasting times, timing doesn't matter.

I try to stop eating at least an hour before I go to bed, but just because I feel it makes me fall asleep more comfortable than when I feel stuffed. But that is not any fixed thing, I usually do it, but I don't take too much effort to do it. If it does not work out, it just doesn't.

I get snacky in the evenings and could easily eat as many kilojoules as a snack as I do for dinner. It's easier for me to just not eat after a certain time. I usually have a small snack before that time and then I know I can't have anything else. It also helps me sleep better if I haven't eaten too much to close to bedtime.

I aim not to eat much after 7 pm but thats because I've generally eaten all my calories by then! Its all a matter of preference and finding what works for you, the timing doesn't matter.

I usually eat dinner between 2pm-6pm and stop eating after that. The benefits for me are calorie control and I wake up energetic (from deeper ketosis I think) and ready to start my day. It just feels good and healthy to stop eating early for whatever reason.

Studies around the circadian rhythm is what you want to research if you're interested in any potential health benefits. Bill Lagakos from Calories Proper blogs about the topic frequently if you're interested:

• Entraining Central and Peripheral Circadian Rhythms
• Meal timing and peripheral circadian clocks
• Posts tagged Circadian Rythm

For weightloss, personally, it never mattered. I lost a lot of weight putting off eating as long as possible so I could eat all night long, right up until I went to bed without going over my calories. At the time, it felt like that was the only way I could manage my hunger and I was healthier for losing weight.

I try not to after 9pm (no real reason!) but sometimes I wake up starving at 2am so have a spoonful of cottage cheese or peanut butter and count it in to that days allowence.

I try not to eat past 8:30pm just to give my stomach some time to settle before bed, but if I have calories left over and I want something to snack on, I'll have it.

I would say the answer to this is a matter of personal preference, goals, and circumstances.

First example - I like to workout in the evenings. That's my preference. I also know that I should eat back at least some of my workout calories. So if my workout ends at 7:30pm, I eat at 7:35pm. Others in this thread have cited sleeping better or intermittent fasting for timing to eat which would be other great examples of personal preference.

Another example - I know myself. If I give myself free reign to eat all evening, I will. If I set an arbitrary cut off time to leave the kitchen for the night, I can use that as a tool to help me meet my weight loss/maintenance weight goal when needed.

Final example - I will ocassionally work a late night or have a circumstance which doesn't allow for me to eat dinner until after 8pm. If I didn't hit the minimum calorie goal for the day (1200 for women is standard - my personal minimum is 1400 when maintaining), even if it's late and I am not very hungry, I eat something (a couple tablespoons of PB can do the trick quickly) to meet the minimum threshold for daily caloric intake.

So as you can see, preferences, goals and circumstances (and I am sure other factors) can lead to your individual answer as to whether or not it makes sense to stop eating around 7pm or not. There's no right or wrong here on timing to eat so long as you stick to your calorie goals set by MFP.

As sooooo many have stated, it is more of a personal preference than anything. I follow a very very very relaxed Intermittent Fasting \ Flexible Diet regime. I typically eat while in the office (I work in IT and am in the office longer than I care to admit). So, there is some structured flexibility. However, I am sitting in a Starbucks and I had a raisin-cinnamon bagel. I just make sure to add the macros for the bagel in today. It works well for me.

Key is to find what works for you. If adherence is one of the biggest indicators of success, you need to - I would suggest - set yourself up for success. If you can not stand chicken, then putting chicken on the menu everyday will lead to "non-adherence"!

So, if you eat every three hours (7AM, 10AM, 1PM, 4PM, 7PM) and that works for you - perfect! There is your formula. If you eat two huge meals (10:30AM and 4:30PM) and that works for you - perfect! There is your formula.

And, what works for me might not work for you. So, whatever I suggest (well, not suggesting anything here, simply sharing my experiences) should be taken with a grain of salt as to whether you do that or not. Sure, if it SOUNDS like a good idea, then try it. Stick with that for six to eight weeks and see how you respond. If it works, cool. If not, move on to the next idea. Stick with that one for the next six to eight weeks. You get the picture.

Time does not matter, but I eat regular meals so don't snack after dinner (or at other times). I do sometimes have a planned "dessert" (some kind of indulgence, could be fruit or cheese) immediately after dinner.

I usually get home quite late and so eat quite late -- generally at 9, sometimes even at 10, and for me going to bed soon after doesn't matter (I usually am up for a couple of hours afterwards but if I'm not it's fine). However, some people do find it affects sleep so that is something to be aware of.

I lost 95 lbs eating, on average, around 9:30, and if I were to say I cannot eat after 7 I'd never be able to have dinner (since I'm not home yet), so claims that one must eat by some absurdly (in my mind) early time always have irritated me. I know it's not true.