Night time eater. Not eating after 7?!

Jpost001
Jpost001 Posts: 26 Member
edited December 19 in Food and Nutrition
First of all this isn't a weight loss thing. I'm not overweight at all. So this isn't an issue of me overeating at night.

Because of digestion issues and too much bacteria in my gut I was told I need to eat proper meals during the day which I admit I don't do (often times I wait to eat until dinner and then snack most of the night). That way I'm not starving at night and then not digesting my food properly. This makes sense though I was also told not to eat after 7?! Well because of my work schedule and a "sleeping disorder" I was born with (that's what the doctors call it but if I've been this way since birth how can it be a disorder...) I go to sleep later and wake up later than average so of course I'll always eat later EVEN IF I do have breakfast and lunch. Break time at my work is also around 7-7:30 depending on when we have the time for it. So there goes the whole "Not eating after 7" thing there. I told them this and was told to just "try my best not to eat after 7 or only have a light snack". Umm HOW when I can't take a break until after 7??? When I'm working that is my dinner time. How strict do I have to be with this rule and how many hours before going to bed should I stop eating? I also have a fast metabolism so if I stop eating more than 3 (sometimes 2) hours before going to bed I won't be able to sleep because my stomach will be grumbling and churning painfully. It's not a 'mental thing' where I think I'm hungry. My stomach is literally empty and I'm having hunger pains.

Are there any decent natural appetite suppressants that will trick my stomach into thinking it's full or at least tie me over until morning? Nothing chemical. Maybe a herbal tea or supplement. Not a 'weird' supplement that is advertised online with fake before and after photos lol. Something safe. Just so I can go to sleep haha.

Replies

  • guil0095
    guil0095 Posts: 327 Member
    Honestly, I used to be in the same boat with late night eating. Huge snacker here! I had to retrain my body these past couple of weeks, and I am now replacing snacks at night for TEA! There are so many awesome teas that taste like food :D It may take your body some time to adjust to replacing your snack before bed for tea, but eventually it will be a routine you don't think twice about.
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,760 Member
    Who's telling you not to eat late at night because of your digestion issues? I don't know if it's true or not but I think you're ok if you're not getting physically sick or anything with the way you're eating now.

    <----not a doctor, just eats however she damned well wants to :)
  • Jpost001
    Jpost001 Posts: 26 Member
    edited February 2019
    MikePTY wrote: »
    Who has advised you no eating after 7? Was it a Gastroenterologist or another qualified medical specialist? Do they know about your work schedule?

    It was a yoga instructor... who is probably used to getting up at like 5 am and going to be at 9 or 10. Also who works earlier in the day. I explained that when I'm working 7-7:30 is dinner time for me and they were like "Well try to have 3 quarters of your food before then and then just have a light snack after 7". So what eat breakfast, lunch and dinner BEFORE I go to work lol... Because I certainly can't sit down to eat during 'normal' dinner time as I work in a retirement home doing dinner service for the elderly. Maybe I will join them for dinner! I'm sure they won't mind hahaha. Yeah I don't think they quite understood what I was telling them.
  • addicted2cola
    addicted2cola Posts: 43 Member
    I would take yoga advice from a yoga instructor, but not nutritional advice. She's probably well meaning, and what she does probably works for her, but that doesnt mean it'll work for you.
    Different strokes for different folks!

    Ask for a recommendation from your doctor to see a nutritionist/dietitian. :smile:
  • wilson10102018
    wilson10102018 Posts: 1,306 Member
    I had repeated acid reflux from late night eating. No eating after dinner since November 2011 - no acid reflux.
  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
    I eat more than 50% of my calories after 7, lol, and I'm on a standard 9-5 work schedule. I do have some issues with gas at night, but generally it's the type of food (i.e. breaded fried foods and other heavy fare) or overeating that cause it, and not the act of eating itself. People tend to snack on junk and eat too much because they mindlessly eat after 7, but because most people track their food on here, that's a moot point.
  • asochable
    asochable Posts: 43 Member
    edited February 2019
    Some people follow the “don’t eat after 7” rule as a rule to help them do a 12 hour fast. If fasting is something you want to implement to help with digestion, then work backwards 12 hours from when you normally eat your first meal of the day and that’s when you would stop eating the night before.

    Some people also follow rules like that because they work better in absolutes than moderation. Just like how some people do better sticking to a strict food plan (no more pasta) than portion control (only a small serving of pasta).

    In short, do what works for you. If you want to try a fast, fine. If you think it’s silly, fine. If you’re tracking your food and following calories in, calories out, it doesn’t matter what time you eat as long as you feel good.
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