Not eating after 7pm, good idea? bad idea?

cominupmilhouse
cominupmilhouse Posts: 257 Member
edited October 3 in Health and Weight Loss
Hey I've heard plenty of people say that it is bad to eat at night, or that you should wait at least 3 hours (the number changes, but 3 seems to be the most popular) between eating and bed time. I know that everyone is different and you should do what works best for you, but has anyone put this into practice and seen results? I'm thinking about only allowing myself water after 7pm, even if I'm hungry. I don't see it doing harm but this site has already opened my eyes to a lot of wieght loss myths so perhaps someone can enlighten me here.
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Replies

  • SergeantSunshine_reused
    SergeantSunshine_reused Posts: 5,382 Member
    I have seen 4 threads on this in less than 2 hours

    It is a complete myth. Your body does not shut off after 7 pm.
  • CuteEllais
    CuteEllais Posts: 39 Member
    I believe if your body is asking for food by way of hunger, you should eat something, even something small. I personally don't subscribe to the no eating after x time (although I try not to eat after 10pm) because I wake up ready to eat my own arm off, with a killer bad mood and often a head ache which isn't good for anyone
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    If I go to bed hungry, I won't sleep. If I don't sleep, I crave more. If I crave more, well, you get the idea? For me, if it is 30 minutes before bedtime and I am hungry, I will eat something. I won't eat a full meal because that makes me uncomfortable.
  • nattytude
    nattytude Posts: 6
    Depends what time you're getting up? If you're waking up late, your body will be in starvation mode and will store your breakfast because it won't know when it's next getting food. All I know is - it is better to eat regularly and get into a routine. I eat later than 7, but that is because of the hours I work, and gym routine. Try it and let us know how you get on.
  • NovemberJune
    NovemberJune Posts: 2,525 Member
    From what I've read, they only way eating late is "bad" is if it means you are over eating for the day, but if it's part of your "allowed" calories it doesn't matter, unless it gives you an upset tummy. I don't see how it would hurt not to have an evening snack though. I'm almost always hungry before bed, so I almost always have a snack around 9.
    good luck :)
  • kburns0709
    kburns0709 Posts: 297 Member
    i don't think it matters either, but it helps me to not eat after 7 because my weigh-ins are in the morning so i feel like I'm nice and empty by then, and it just helps me control my night time eating
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    I have seen 4 threads on this in less than 2 hours

    It is a complete myth. Your body does not shut off after 7 pm.

    this.
    i eat every night right before bed.
    and I'm not walking around with a lot of fat on me.
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    Depends what time you're getting up? If you're waking up late, your body will be in starvation mode and will store your breakfast because it won't know when it's next getting food. All I know is - it is better to eat regularly and get into a routine. I eat later than 7, but that is because of the hours I work, and gym routine. Try it and let us know how you get on.

    nope. it won't.
  • MelissaL582
    MelissaL582 Posts: 1,422 Member
    If I'm hungry, I'm going to eat. Nothing big of course, maybe some fruit or a few crackers but with a big glass of water.
  • mary_kate23
    mary_kate23 Posts: 156
    i switched from eating around 8-9pm till before 7 (because i go to bed by 10) and i lost weight simply on that. gives your body more "up" time to digest food.
  • dani2005
    dani2005 Posts: 5
    They usually say its never good to eat within 2 hours of going to bed. Just remember sometimes when your body says its hungry it really just wants something to drink. You have to decide if you are truly hungry or just thirsty. I hope that helped.
  • alliebeck2
    alliebeck2 Posts: 34
    I don't believe that what time of day you eat has any scientific bearing on weight loss. Biochemically, your body just does not care - calories are calories. That being said, there are some practical reasons why it still might be a good idea to stop eating earlier in the day.

    1. When you stop eating earlier in the day, you tend to spend longer in the fasted state before your next meal (i.e. breakfast). This is good for fat burning. Of course, you could always do this the opposite way and eat late in the day and then skip breakfast the next morning, ala leangains. What is important is the amount of time you spend in the fasted state, not what time of day you eat.

    2. People may tend to eat more junk food at night, so maybe this is a catch-all for destructive late-night eating behavior.

    I eat late in the day, but I also skip breakfast in the morning to maximize my time in the fasted state, and I'm also strict about the quality of the food I eat, so even if I'm eating late at night, it's never junk food.
  • joejccva71
    joejccva71 Posts: 2,985 Member
    Depends what time you're getting up? If you're waking up late, your body will be in starvation mode and will store your breakfast because it won't know when it's next getting food. All I know is - it is better to eat regularly and get into a routine. I eat later than 7, but that is because of the hours I work, and gym routine. Try it and let us know how you get on.

    Umm...what?
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    Depends what time you're getting up? If you're waking up late, your body will be in starvation mode and will store your breakfast because it won't know when it's next getting food. All I know is - it is better to eat regularly and get into a routine. I eat later than 7, but that is because of the hours I work, and gym routine. Try it and let us know how you get on.

    Umm...what?

    Yeah. What?
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
    It's a good idea if it works for YOU. If it doesn't, it's not.
  • brucedelaney
    brucedelaney Posts: 433 Member
    Depends what time you're getting up? If you're waking up late, your body will be in starvation mode and will store your breakfast because it won't know when it's next getting food. All I know is - it is better to eat regularly and get into a routine. I eat later than 7, but that is because of the hours I work, and gym routine. Try it and let us know how you get on.

    Umm...what?

    Yeah. What?


    I see the what x2 and raise you a "Huh?"
  • lausa22
    lausa22 Posts: 467 Member
    Hah, I eat at 10pm, usually just toast as a supper. If I'm hungry I'll eat as long as I'm staying in my limits, I don't care when it is.
    I don't believe that eating later than 7pm is going to make you keep weight on.
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    If you're eating 1500 calories a day, it doesn't matter if you eat all of them before 7:00 or 1200 of them before and 300 after. You still ate 1500 calories for the day. Myth. Now someone always comes along and says if they eat late it makes them uncomfortable when they sleep. That is a DIFFERENT issue than whether it affects weight loss.
  • liftingbro
    liftingbro Posts: 2,029 Member
    Depends what time you're getting up? If you're waking up late, your body will be in starvation mode and will store your breakfast because it won't know when it's next getting food. All I know is - it is better to eat regularly and get into a routine. I eat later than 7, but that is because of the hours I work, and gym routine. Try it and let us know how you get on.

    Umm...what?

    Yeah. What?

    derp-news
  • alliebeck2
    alliebeck2 Posts: 34
    Depends what time you're getting up? If you're waking up late, your body will be in starvation mode and will store your breakfast because it won't know when it's next getting food. All I know is - it is better to eat regularly and get into a routine. I eat later than 7, but that is because of the hours I work, and gym routine. Try it and let us know how you get on.

    Umm...what?

    Yeah. What?


    I see the what x2 and raise you a "Huh?"

    Seriously, your body does not go into "starvation mode" after a few hours of not eating. Actually, there is a slight increase in metabolism for the first day or so of a fast.
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    i-dont-always-herp.jpg
  • whit1108
    whit1108 Posts: 94
    I dont agree with that at all. I have heard that before not to eat past 7pm but its not true. I work out later at evening usually around 6 or 7 and by time i get home after working out and get the kids ready for bed and take a shower. Im hungry. Most nights me and the hubby will enjoy a bowl of popcorn and spend time together. and im still losin weight by eating after 7pm..The WORSE thing people can do is go to bed hungry. Your body then hides your breakfast because it doesnt know when its going to eat next. becuase it went to bed hungry and all night hungry. You are actually doing more harm to ur body and weight loss program by going to bed hungry. Im not saying eat a full course meal after 7pm but a snack is good.
  • staceyGO
    staceyGO Posts: 376
    I find it helpful to put a restriction on night eating, it keeps you from tv munching... "KITCHEN CLOSES AT 8" at my house. Its nice to wake up empty, fit in a solid workout and then be hungry for breakfast... metabolism fires up well that way!
  • CaptainGordo
    CaptainGordo Posts: 4,437 Member
    Just don't feed them after midnight. If you don't believe me, ask this guy:

    Gremlins.jpg
  • LaSutopia
    LaSutopia Posts: 1,164 Member
    It does not matter....I have been doing this for almost 3 months now and I have eaten as late as 9 or 10 sometimes cause that is the only chance I got or I still had a lot of cals left and it has not stunted my weight loss or had any negative effects....I think its BS
  • agthorn
    agthorn Posts: 1,844 Member
    If you're eating 1500 calories a day, it doesn't matter if you eat all of them before 7:00 or 1200 of them before and 300 after. You still ate 1500 calories for the day. Myth. Now someone always comes along and says if they eat late it makes them uncomfortable when they sleep. That is a DIFFERENT issue than whether it affects weight loss.

    Yep. About the only thing not eating late will help with is acid reflux, if you have issues with that.
  • chicagocubsfan23
    chicagocubsfan23 Posts: 186
    My trainer told me it isn't so much when you're eating but what you're eating. Eating late at night is ok, you are still burning calories while you sleep, but you want to make sure to eat the right foods. Carbs are good to eat when you are active because they give you energy, so eating a bunch of carbs before bed might not be the best idea. Instead eat proteins. I like to drink my protein shakes before bed. They fill me up and are healthy. I eat late at night because my husband works second and I like to enjoy a meal with him. It's the only meal of the day we get to share. So I usually eat my dinner around 10 PM. But I keep it healthy, even if it's only a salad or some carrots. I just like sitting at the dinner table with him.
  • kennethmgreen
    kennethmgreen Posts: 1,759 Member
    i switched from eating around 8-9pm till before 7 (because i go to bed by 10) and i lost weight simply on that. gives your body more "up" time to digest food.
    Not true. I'm not saying you didn't lose weight. I am saying you did not lose weight solely because you switched what time you consumed your calories. You lost weight because you consumed fewer and/or burned more calories.

    Plenty of reasons not to eat right before bed (stomach issues, sleep problems, etc.) but that don't have anything to do with weight loss. Unless you want to include some indirect minor influences like weigh-in times or for some reason you like to eat 45 waffles for breakfast and eating late at night makes you cut that back to 15. Mmmmm... waffles. I really do like waffles much better than pancakes. However, mediocre pancakes are better than mediocre waffles. Is that weird? I mean, a really good waffle is 10 times better than the best pancake. But once the quality starts dropping, the pancake is less affected I think. Also, syrup plays a big part.
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
    Unless you want to include some indirect minor influences like weigh-in times or for some reason you like to eat 45 waffles for breakfast and eating late at night makes you cut that back to 15. Mmmmm... waffles. I really do like waffles much better than pancakes. However, mediocre pancakes are better than mediocre waffles. Is that weird? I mean, a really good waffle is 10 times better than the best pancake. But once the quality starts dropping, the pancake is less affected I think. Also, syrup plays a big part.

    pancake_bunny.jpg
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
    Eating late is a bad idea for me, not because of any physiologial factors, but because I've always eaten my calories in "real" food by 8pm and anything I eat after that puts me way over on my calories for the day.
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