What is a good cutoff time for your last meal?

1Fizzle
1Fizzle Posts: 241 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I know "experts" say that you shouldn't eat after a certain time, but what is a good cutoff time for your last meal?

I workout in the evenings after work from about 6:30 to 8:20, and normally try to eat around 9pm. Is that too late?
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Replies

  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    When you do not have any calories left.

    Meal timing is a myth. As long as you stay in your calories, you are OK. It make sense since calories don't count double after 8 pm
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    Yanicka is correct.
  • GasMasterFlash
    GasMasterFlash Posts: 2,206 Member
    For my last meal? I would think at least 2 hours before they begin the injection. I'd hate to throw up. What a way to go...
  • 1Fizzle
    1Fizzle Posts: 241 Member
    Haha....I guess I should have said...FOR THE DAY. Good one GasMaster
  • k2quiere
    k2quiere Posts: 4,151 Member
    For my last meal? I would think at least 2 hours before they begin the injection. I'd hate to throw up. What a way to go...

    This...I was thinking I'd like to go after my second helping, so I can die happy.

    Seriously though, there is no set time that matters. Unless you have gastro issues, your body doesn't watch our 24hr clock to say it's going to stop burning calories after a certain time. Just worry about what you do in a 24 hour period.
  • Kpatton7
    Kpatton7 Posts: 1
    Well I never eat past 7pm.. I like to give myself about 4 hours in between dinner and bedtime.. I like to give my body time to digest because it's a healthy thing, not a calorie intake thing.
  • loves_jc
    loves_jc Posts: 86 Member
    When we see that Kcals are just energy and that is how we use them, then it is never too late to eat.
  • dancin2011
    dancin2011 Posts: 92 Member
    You can eat any time of day. Just stay within your calorie goals.
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
    You put "experts" in quotes because any "experts" that give time limits on eating are silly.

    Eat preferably before falling asleep.
  • Meggles63
    Meggles63 Posts: 916 Member
    I usually stop when I start snoring! :tongue:
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    About thirty seconds before I fall asleep. I hate crumbs on the pillow.
  • iqnas
    iqnas Posts: 445 Member
    I don't believe in the whole 'you'll gain more fat if you eat later at night' myth, but I do like to give a solid 1 hr-1.5 hr before sleeping for all the food to properly digest. I hate waking up in the middle of the night from heartburn or whatnot! :smile:
  • ACrowsDay
    ACrowsDay Posts: 66 Member
    2-3 hours befor bedtime works for me. I had trouble with heartburn...now I don't!!
  • MissTattoo
    MissTattoo Posts: 1,203 Member
    I try not to eat at least 2 hours before bedtime. I work late and work out even later though so my cut off time is usually 10pm.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    I know "experts" say that you shouldn't eat after a certain time, but what is a good cutoff time for your last meal?

    I workout in the evenings after work from about 6:30 to 8:20, and normally try to eat around 9pm. Is that too late?

    I agree with the general sentiment expressed on this thread, except for one thing - if you eat a medium-to-large meal and then go straight to bed, you might find it hard to go to sleep. I know if I don't sleep properly, my body likes to make up for the lost sleep with cravings for extra food, especially sugars.

    I also find that my food choices late at night are poorer, because I don't want to go to the effort of preparing decent food, so I tend to just grab something from the fridge, check to see if it's moving and club it into submission if it is, microwave it, and snarf it down.

    So while the calories of the meal itself don't count more or less than any other calories, there may be other valid reasons to avoid eating too close to bedtime.
  • teagin2002
    teagin2002 Posts: 1,900 Member
    I actually take my last meal to bed with me, its warmed vanilla weight protein.
    If I wake up hungry and I have cals I eat too. The only thing you need to worry about when it comes to eating late is heart burn :flowerforyou:
  • 1Fizzle
    1Fizzle Posts: 241 Member
    Awesome input everyone....so many different P.O.V's out there. Interesting..
  • Articeluvsmemphis
    Articeluvsmemphis Posts: 1,987 Member
    You put "experts" in quotes because any "experts" that give time limits on eating are silly.

    Eat preferably before falling asleep.

    because trying to do so while sleep could get messy, lol

    -eat when you like
  • hapoo100
    hapoo100 Posts: 926 Member
    I eat any time, even right before sleeping. Look at the weight loss tickers of the people giving that advice, it might just work :wink:
  • natalieg0307
    natalieg0307 Posts: 237 Member
    No set time. I eat dinner (the time depends on kids' sporting events and school activities). I'll have a glass of milk and a bowl of sherbet right before I go to bed (which is around 10-12pm).

    Hubby gets heartburn if he eats too close to going to bed.
  • jg627
    jg627 Posts: 1,221 Member
    You put "experts" in quotes because any "experts" that give time limits on eating are silly.

    Eat preferably before falling asleep.

    I've made that mistake before. Woke up on the floor with a slice of cheese stuck to my face. Long story.
  • chicpeach
    chicpeach Posts: 302 Member
    I think the "no eating after such and such time" myth has been debunked. If you have calories left and you want to use them up before bed, go ahead.
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
    I find it far easier to sleep on a full stomach...i naturally feel bloated and sluggish, ergo, sleepy. :)
  • Lily_1
    Lily_1 Posts: 38
    There is no cutoff time for a last meal. Typically I eat/snack until 2 am sometimes however the key is to space your last meal before sleeping appropriately to allow for digestion. That said, I wait at least 10 hrs to have another meal the following day. When your stomach growls it is your digestive system working not hunger pains. The book CLEAN by Alejandro Junger explains this in detail.
  • katcod1522
    katcod1522 Posts: 448 Member
    ppsstt..calories cant tell time..neither can your body :)
  • LovelyLibra79
    LovelyLibra79 Posts: 569 Member
    because i work late..i eat late..i also exercising late as well..everyone body is different..i dont think the time of your meal plays a part in your weight loss...good luck!
  • DesertMermaid29
    DesertMermaid29 Posts: 181 Member
    2 hours before you sleep
  • tsh0ck
    tsh0ck Posts: 1,970 Member
    I know "experts" say that you shouldn't eat after a certain time, but what is a good cutoff time for your last meal?

    any time before you fall asleep. sleep eating is bad, mmkay?

    (otherwise? doesn't matter a lick. I eat my last big snack about 1 a.m. or so every night.)
  • sevencallmemom
    sevencallmemom Posts: 505 Member
    Unless I'm low on cals for the day, I try to stop eating at 7 just as an exercise in self control. If I don't put a time limit on myself it's way too easy to fall into munching at night while watching tv.

    Not a hard and fast rule...if I'm truly hungry I eat no matter what time it is.
  • InfinitePoss
    InfinitePoss Posts: 60 Member
    Personally, I have gotten into the habit of having my last meal for the day usually 3-4 hours before I go to bed, whether I have calories left over or not.

    My old pattern was to pretty much eat non-stop until I went to bed and I tended to make bad choices. I also found that much of my late night eating was more emotional and I used it as kind of a "reward" for the fact that I have a really stressful job. I honestly would rather go to bed a little hungry than on a full stomach.

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