Eating in the middle of the night

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weedspot
weedspot Posts: 29 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi!

I’m currently trying to lose fat. I’m at ~1800/1900 calories a day. Which is around a 300 calories deficit.
My sleep schedule is kinda messy these days and U was wondering how to account for calorie intake at night.
I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night or stay up late.
Since I’m not sleeping my body is burning a little more calories than it should. So can I eat something even if I reached my calories goal that day ?

Replies

  • elfin168
    elfin168 Posts: 202 Member
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    Sure you can but a 300 cal deficit is quite small so you may find it will slow down or stall your progress
  • Wendyanneroberts
    Wendyanneroberts Posts: 270 Member
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    Your body doesn't recognise time, but overall weight
    (lose/maintenance/gain) is determined through CI v CO.

    Eating at any time throughout the day or night isn't important, it's wht suits you and your routine.

    But if your deficit is only 300 at the moment and you eat extra food, therefore additional calories. It will reduce your deficit or even cause weight gain, over time depending on calories consumed.

    I have an erratic schedule for a number of reasons. Often eating late evening or during the night. Without hindering my weight loss.

    By tracking food over a 24 hour period. Monitoring my loss over time. I have been able to estimate my maintainance calories. Eating below that target meant I still lost weight (successfully lost 63lbs).
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,958 Member
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    You can do whatever you want.

    As far as calories it doesn't matter when you eat. Just log it. It also doesn't matter which day you log it.

    It does matter for weight management, though. 300 calories is 300 calories.
  • spyro88
    spyro88 Posts: 472 Member
    edited October 2020
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    If you are not sleeping well then chances are your body is not functioning at 100%.

    That means your theory that because you are awake you burn more calories, may not be quite right. Your body might be working less efficiently, depending on how sleep-deprived you are.

    Probably best to just count everything you eat, including your night time snacks, in your calorie total of 1800-1900. It's quite a small deficit you have and is better than risking going too far over.

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