Eating after 8pm...?

FedtRN
FedtRN Posts: 5 Member
edited November 12 in Recipes
I am an RN and work 12 hour shifts. I don't get home until 8pm or later and I'm wondering if its bad if I eat when I get home. My food choices aren't crazy. Tonight I had 1/2 cup cottage cheese and a banana. Its close to impossible to sneak away at a decent time for a quick supper while at work. I just don't want to be ruining my diet if I am eating at this time of day. Any suggestions?

Replies

  • zafferFL
    zafferFL Posts: 402
    Eat whenever you want. Its a myth that eating after a certain time causes fat gain.
  • rlv2680
    rlv2680 Posts: 289 Member
    It's perfectly ok to eat a little something when you get home. It's better to eat late than not eat at all. It will not ruin your diet:)
  • trixirn
    trixirn Posts: 130 Member
    In the same boat, but you got to eat sometime. I am losing weight eating after 8 pm.
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
    Makes no difference to weight loss what time you eat.

    The only thing negative eating late may do is disturb your sleep a little with indigestion etc.
  • Shelby814
    Shelby814 Posts: 273 Member
    I am a NP & SANE. I am on call 24hr/day 7 days/week. I eat every 3 hours up until about 1hr before I go to bed. I do not eat fruit or bread-carbs after about 5pm per recommendations from my personal trainer. It has definitely worked for me. Fat free cottage cheese is a great choice, but personally, I would ditch the banana. :) If you're going to eat the fruit, an apple would be a better choice (higher fiber). :)
  • Nerdy_Rose
    Nerdy_Rose Posts: 1,277 Member
    Due to my schedule, I often eat dinner at 10:00 p.m. or later. My weight loss has gone great :-)
    Make good choices, don't worry about time of day.
  • dvisser1
    dvisser1 Posts: 788 Member
    Eating after 8pm is fine. I eat at 8pm or later regularly. Just don't go to bed 10 minutes later. Give yourself an hour or two minimum to digest and you'll be fine.
  • cressievargo
    cressievargo Posts: 392 Member
    EAT!
    Skipping a meal based on the clock is far worse for you than eating late.
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
    I ought to add that because my wife is a comedian and often has gigs that run past midnight, a few times a month I find myself eating dinner at 1 or 2am and weight loss is progressing just fine.
  • leomentlines
    leomentlines Posts: 440 Member
    I always eat dinner after coming from the gym, which is usually at 9-10 at night. Hasn't stunted my weight loss at all. As long as you're meeting your macros and staying at/near your calorie goal, you'll be fine :)
  • kvissy
    kvissy Posts: 205 Member
    I was told by a nutritionist that you should eat every 3-4 hours and try to hold off at least 1-2 hours before bed. If you must eat THAT late try to keep it higher in protein/fat and very low carb. If you're in bed at 1am,. totally find to eat at 11. Going 5 hours with no nourishment and then sleeping on it isn't the greatest.
  • Danny_Boy13
    Danny_Boy13 Posts: 2,094 Member
    I was told by a nutritionist that you should eat every 3-4 hours and try to hold off at least 1-2 hours before bed. If you must eat THAT late try to keep it higher in protein/fat and very low carb. If you're in bed at 1am,. totally find to eat at 11. Going 5 hours with no nourishment and then sleeping on it isn't the greatest.

    Agreed...
  • zafferFL
    zafferFL Posts: 402
    I was told by a nutritionist that you should eat every 3-4 hours and try to hold off at least 1-2 hours before bed. If you must eat THAT late try to keep it higher in protein/fat and very low carb. If you're in bed at 1am,. totally find to eat at 11. Going 5 hours with no nourishment and then sleeping on it isn't the greatest.

    Why?
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    I think its a personal thing - we each need to find a routine that works to get in a healthy amount of calories over the course of the day, it doesn't matter what the clock says.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    I was told by a nutritionist that you should eat every 3-4 hours and try to hold off at least 1-2 hours before bed. If you must eat THAT late try to keep it higher in protein/fat and very low carb. If you're in bed at 1am,. totally find to eat at 11. Going 5 hours with no nourishment and then sleeping on it isn't the greatest.

    total nonsense. hope you didnt have to pay for that bogus poop.
  • kvissy
    kvissy Posts: 205 Member
    I was told by a nutritionist that you should eat every 3-4 hours and try to hold off at least 1-2 hours before bed. If you must eat THAT late try to keep it higher in protein/fat and very low carb. If you're in bed at 1am,. totally find to eat at 11. Going 5 hours with no nourishment and then sleeping on it isn't the greatest.

    total nonsense. hope you didnt have to pay for that bogus poop.

    Was covered by insurance ha.

    Anyway--I do agree w/ what was said because by following that along w/ adequate exercise I was able to lose weight steadily and in a healthy manner. Obviously some things work for some people and some dont but I don't find it to be bogus at all.

    Carry on!
  • zafferFL
    zafferFL Posts: 402
    I was told by a nutritionist that you should eat every 3-4 hours and try to hold off at least 1-2 hours before bed. If you must eat THAT late try to keep it higher in protein/fat and very low carb. If you're in bed at 1am,. totally find to eat at 11. Going 5 hours with no nourishment and then sleeping on it isn't the greatest.

    total nonsense. hope you didnt have to pay for that bogus poop.

    Was covered by insurance ha.

    Anyway--I do agree w/ what was said because by following that along w/ adequate exercise I was able to lose weight steadily and in a healthy manner. Obviously some things work for some people and some dont but I don't find it to be bogus at all.

    Carry on!

    My money is on the exercise being the trick.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    I was told by a nutritionist that you should eat every 3-4 hours and try to hold off at least 1-2 hours before bed. If you must eat THAT late try to keep it higher in protein/fat and very low carb. If you're in bed at 1am,. totally find to eat at 11. Going 5 hours with no nourishment and then sleeping on it isn't the greatest.

    total nonsense. hope you didnt have to pay for that bogus poop.

    Was covered by insurance ha.

    Anyway--I do agree w/ what was said because by following that along w/ adequate exercise I was able to lose weight steadily and in a healthy manner. Obviously some things work for some people and some dont but I don't find it to be bogus at all.

    Carry on!

    well good that only the insurance company got ripped. ha. those "old" ideas have been totally debunked. If your choice is working for you thats good but not necessary.
  • kvissy
    kvissy Posts: 205 Member
    I was told by a nutritionist that you should eat every 3-4 hours and try to hold off at least 1-2 hours before bed. If you must eat THAT late try to keep it higher in protein/fat and very low carb. If you're in bed at 1am,. totally find to eat at 11. Going 5 hours with no nourishment and then sleeping on it isn't the greatest.

    total nonsense. hope you didnt have to pay for that bogus poop.

    Was covered by insurance ha.

    Anyway--I do agree w/ what was said because by following that along w/ adequate exercise I was able to lose weight steadily and in a healthy manner. Obviously some things work for some people and some dont but I don't find it to be bogus at all.

    Carry on!

    My money is on the exercise being the trick.

    I wish I can agree w/ you...unfortunately food intake is a big big part of weight loss. I workout like a machine and if my food is a mess I don't lose a pound. I maintain at best.

    If you're blessed w/ exercise being your only solution, I envy you. A Lot. and if that were the case I would probably be a nothing by now ha.
  • zafferFL
    zafferFL Posts: 402
    Of course not, I'm guessing you changed caloric intake and not just eating times? Couple that with your exercise and you have the answer to your weightloss, not the fact that you don't eat just before bed time.
  • kvissy
    kvissy Posts: 205 Member
    Of course not, I'm guessing you changed caloric intake and not just eating times? Couple that with your exercise and you have the answer to your weightloss, not the fact that you don't eat just before bed time.

    Yup I adjusted caloric intake and also adjusted the percentages to 40 carb 30 fat 30 protein. Also tried to keep the food coming at a rate of every 3-4 hours so I didn't get too hungry and overeat.
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,380 Member
    As long as eating late does not cause you to go over on your calories, it's fine. As far as I know, calories are still counted the same by your digestive system no matter what time you eat them. ;-) Half the time I don't even eat dinner until after 8, and I always plan to have a couple of snacks at night while watching TV - I log my snacks in advance so I know how many calories I'm going to use for snacking and can plan the rest of my day's food and exercise accordingly. Usually my last snack of the night is around 11pm right before I go to bed. Sometimes my snacks are nutritious (fruit, baby carrots and spinach dip, vanilla banana protein shake, mmmmmm, yummy) sometimes they're not (ice cream sandwich, cinnamon graham crackers, other deliciousness LOL). I can't stand going to bed hungry - I have personally found that if I go to bed feeling hungry, I'm probably going to wake up in the middle of the night starving and make some slightly regrettable choices when I make it downstairs to the pantry. LOL But some people find that eating too late might make it hard to sleep. So honestly it's personal preference. If you find that eating late doesn't work well for you, don't do it. If you find that it helps you or that you can plan it into your day and enjoy it w/o messing up your goals, go for it. Find what makes you feel satisfied and works for you. :-)
  • as long as you make good choices as to what you are eating you will be fine..i found out that because i keep a fruit basket on my counter that when im looking for something to eat the fruit is the first thing that i see so im making better choices that way also...
  • ckish
    ckish Posts: 341 Member
    Thanks to everyone for the wonderful info. I am an independent accountant and sometimes I have to chose between eating late or not eating. Now I won't worry so much about it becaue I am staying with in my cal count
  • I work the night shift and often don't eat my last meal (meal #5 or 6) until 2 or 3 in the morning, I wait at least an hour before going to bed so I don't cause my acid reflux to flare up and I haven't had any problems losing weight. I eat smaller meal about every 3 to 4 hours. I'm working with a personal trainer for a "Biggest Loser" challege at my local gym and so far have lost 9 lbs in 2 weeks. So far, so good. So I wouldn't worry about eating late.
  • 44nFab
    44nFab Posts: 19
    I am a NP & SANE. I am on call 24hr/day 7 days/week. I eat every 3 hours up until about 1hr before I go to bed. I do not eat fruit or bread-carbs after about 5pm per recommendations from my personal trainer. It has definitely worked for me. Fat free cottage cheese is a great choice, but personally, I would ditch the banana. :) If you're going to eat the fruit, an apple would be a better choice (higher fiber). :)

    My doctor just said something to me this week about not eating carbs after 7pm. I have alot of respect for his knowledge and trust that it is not a myth.
    That being said, definitely eat, but focus on protein (cottage cheese). My docotor even said fats are better to eat at night and suggested some tree nuts.
  • Phrak
    Phrak Posts: 353 Member
    I eat about 3000 calories 10 minutes before bed (10pm). Weightloss has not been hindered.
  • FedtRN
    FedtRN Posts: 5 Member
    I really appreciate all your input! Cutting off carbs/fruit after 5pm is a great hint too, thanks!
This discussion has been closed.