Eating Late?

Options
crodrigu73
crodrigu73 Posts: 134 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have a question for everyone. I have noticed lately that if I eat a small evening meal (around 300 calories) and consume the majority of my calories in the morning and afternoon, I lose a lot of weight--sometimes as much as a pound a day. I am eating the same amount of calories, maybe a little less protien but other than it is just timing.

Anyone else notice a change in weight loss based on the time you consume your calories?
«1

Replies

  • asyouseefit
    asyouseefit Posts: 1,265 Member
    Options
    Meal timing doesn't have an influence on actual weight loss. However, if you eat less at the end of the day, it's likely you have less undigested food in your body and thus, weight less on the scales.
  • blisterpeanuts
    blisterpeanuts Posts: 67 Member
    Options
    I also have found that I seem to lose more weight when I eat a light supper. A high protein, high fat supper results in greater weight in the A.M.

    It's hard these days because I feed my 6-year-old every night (while my wife works her evening job) and we end up eating a substantial dinner, plus dessert if she promises to practice the violin :)

    She's skinny as a toothpick and I definitely want her to eat a full, hearty meal, especially when she skips drinking her milk at lunch and (I suspect) trades her apple for a cookie.
  • chuzma
    chuzma Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    I don't know about that, but I have heard that if you eat less after 6pm you will lose weight because we don't move much/sleep after those meals and the body is not as active at night, so you won't be able to lose all those calories you ate. Not sure how accurate that is, but....who knows. Makes sense though.
  • tolygal
    tolygal Posts: 602 Member
    Options
    Lots of people will argue with you on this one and say that it doesn't matter when you eat. Based on my personal experience, I FEEL better and lose weight better/faster when I eat most of my calories before dinnertime, then eat a light dinner. If I eat nothing 2-4 hours before bed, I consistently lose better. Not only that but I sleep better and wake feeling alert and ready to go. When I have a heavy dinner or eat a late snack, I wake feeling groggy and full and blah.

    I don't buy the undigested food thing - maybe for a day or two it would show a drop, but that does not explain losing weight faster on an on-going basis. If you wake every day without undigested food in your body - all you are doing is being consistent from day to day. Kind of like weighing yourself at the same time every day. The first day or two may affect the scale, but it's not going to drop every day like that. Not sure I'm explaining that right, but you prob know what I mean.
  • crodrigu73
    crodrigu73 Posts: 134 Member
    Options
    I previously would have been one of the people saying it didn't make a difference. I always thought calories are calories regardless of when they are eaten. My opinion changed when I was forced to do training in the evening so I only had time to eat a granola bar and fruit for my evening meal. That week I average a 1 pound loss everyday even though I was consuming the same calories as before just at a different time.
  • Arynamber
    Arynamber Posts: 162 Member
    Options
    I dont eat after 7 if at all possible. I believe this helps me to loose faster.. but many disagree.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Options
    it makes no difference when you eat, what matters is net calorie balance
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
    Options
    It's probably more about what's in your stomach when you weigh in. ie.. you probably weigh in in the morning. If you eat something salty late, you might retain water and up the weight in the morning.
  • cbelt82
    cbelt82 Posts: 62
    Options
    I have always been told that eating at night is not based on the time of night but how long before you go to bed. For example, My husband and I have odd schedules and we dont go to bed until about 2-4 am. So eating after 6pm is pretty normal for us (since we don't eat dinner until about 9 or 10 pm). I could be wrong...but I always thought it was based on your sleep schedule since you dont digest while laying sedentary
  • cal1973
    cal1973 Posts: 306 Member
    Options
    I probably eat around 75% of my daily calories after 7.30pm.
  • alewisdvm
    alewisdvm Posts: 4
    Options
    I think it is much more likely the "total" of what you are eating and whatever exercise you may be doing to get weight loss. The science is 3500 calories for a pound of weight. Of course, that is not exact. But, unless you are really creating a calorie deficit (calories burned vs. your intake), you can't lose weight. Some exceptions would be if you are building muscle, then muscle will burn a bit more.

    I think most agree it is not as healthy to eat late at night. It's bad for digestion and those unused carbs need to turn into something...
  • alewisdvm
    alewisdvm Posts: 4
    Options
    I think it is much more likely the "total" of what you are eating and whatever exercise you may be doing to get weight loss. The science is 3500 calories for a pound of weight. Of course, that is not exact. But, unless you are really creating a calorie deficit (calories burned vs. your intake), you can't lose weight. Some exceptions would be if you are building muscle, then muscle will burn a bit more.

    I think most agree it is not as healthy to eat late at night. It's bad for digestion and those unused carbs need to turn into something...
  • ABetterBalance
    ABetterBalance Posts: 298
    Options
    Meal timing doesn't technically factor in to weight loss at all. It all boils down to calories in vs calories out, whether that's 5-6 small meals scheduled every 3-4 hours or just one large meal eaten late in the evening.

    That said- I have noticed that, for me, if I eat a bigger breakfast or lunch, I am less likely to overindulge on mindless snacking in the afternoons and evenings, which then leads to losing more weight. It's the snacking (or lack thereof) that contribute to the weight loss(gain) though- and not the time that I am eating.
  • TaintedMemory
    TaintedMemory Posts: 1
    Options
    My dad once told me that you should eat your meals the way you want to look. He said eat a big breakfast, good lunch, and a small dinner. He said eating this way you will be big up top and taper down to your waist. Skipping breakfast, grabbing something quick for lunch, then pigging out late at night will put all your weight to your bottom.
  • Uerzer
    Uerzer Posts: 273
    Options
    Time matters... if you eat late, it gets stored...and you have to get it back again. you will just lose more weight faster if you dont let it store
  • h0taru
    h0taru Posts: 43
    Options
    Food get stored only if you eat more that you need.

    If somebody eat a lot before going to bed, and nothing for breakfast, is will just be consumed in the morning.

    BUT of course if you want to be more efficient and motivated at you job or school, it is better to eat enough in the morning and not so useful to eat a lot before going to bed.... Specially it does not help to sleep well.
  • Gigi_licious
    Gigi_licious Posts: 1,185 Member
    Options
    I don't know about that, but I have heard that if you eat less after 6pm you will lose weight because we don't move much/sleep after those meals and the body is not as active at night, so you won't be able to lose all those calories you ate. Not sure how accurate that is, but....who knows. Makes sense though.

    Hey! You're not Joe! Give that picture back! ;-)
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    Options
    Time matters... if you eat late, it gets stored...and you have to get it back again. you will just lose more weight faster if you dont let it store

    Your body does not turn off at night.
  • killagb
    killagb Posts: 3,280 Member
    Options
    Time matters... if you eat late, it gets stored...and you have to get it back again. you will just lose more weight faster if you dont let it store
    Totally and completely WRONG. Meal timing does not matter...not even a LITTLE bit. Guess what...when you go to sleep, your body doesn't turn off and stop consuming calories....shocking, I know. If you maintain a calorie deficit it doesn't matter in the slightest. The main thing is eating in a way that makes you feel the most comfortable through out the day, even if that means eating something right before bed.
  • Uerzer
    Uerzer Posts: 273
    Options
    Food get stored only if you eat more that you need.

    big dinner + no activity while you lay in bed in a comatose state for 8h = you just ate more than you needed

Categories