Comments on: Did You Know: Eating After 7PM

By: Vee

Vee — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:13:08 +0000

I agree with this article. I know I typically go to bed between 10-10:30pm so I try to eat dinner around 7:30-8 o’clock.

By: Octavia

Octavia — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:19:51 +0000

Thanks for this post. Very informative, and helped a lot. Now, I can relax, because I was trying to eat before 8pm. I can’t always get home in time, and I was thinking my weight loss journey was failing, because at times I would eat after 8pm.

By: Carolyn Evans

Carolyn Evans — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:11:24 +0000

Eating at night is fine as long as it is reasonable. Correct, your body doesn’t store food as fat just because you go to bed right after. But it is harder to rest properly. What I would say though is that most people consume “unnecessary” calories after 7 or 8. So if that is the case, when you have eaten enough that day, stop. If your meals were light and healthy, then a snack won’t hurt. I have lost weight eating up until 1 hour before bed time and I have gained weight not eating after 6, so just keep in mind that it is not what time you eat, but what are you eating?

By: Maxine Beckford

Maxine Beckford — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 04:42:50 +0000

Very informative and helpful information.

By: KaraB

KaraB — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:38:56 +0000

Exactly, I so agree with you. My rational was always, what if you do not go to sleep at 10 pm, or what if you work all night? How can you then tell me I have to stop eating at 6 or 7? I’ve been eating all night over the past 6 months and still managed to loose nearly 45 lbs. But I will caution the portion sizes and ‘what’ is eaten at night. I try to make healthier choices at night but if I’m hungry you bet you that I am gonna go and find some food to eat!

By: Lorrie

Lorrie — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:46:11 +0000

Thank you for the tidbit of information. That is the type of added knowledge and information I seek! I always go to bed late and worried about eating late and found that intellectually, I would not eat late for the simple fact that I might get indigestions but I had not idea that I was not gaining extra weight. That is the perception.

By: Fitempress

Fitempress — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 20:03:30 +0000

All I’ll say it Thank you for the clarification!

By: T.R.

T.R. — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 17:15:40 +0000

I never really “knew” this but I did know that even though there were times that I ate late it didn’t really “affect” me like people who stopped eating at 7pm. Dang I thought I was special :O). I didn’t really feel guilty about it so now I REALLY don’t have to feel any guilt about it.

By: Christina

Christina — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:48:28 +0000

I knew it!!!! I’ve been telling people this and they just don’t get it. What about healthy people that work overnight? Don’t they have to eat as well? Do you really think that they limit the times that they eat between the hours of 6:00am (when they’re probably finishing their shift or are already home fast asleep) and 7:00p.m.? You’ll lose the weight based on what you eat and your physical activity, not what times you eat. I’m a night owl and sometimes I snack during the night, but over time I’ve learned to snack wisely by picking up a fruits and vegetables like berries and celery or a handful of nuts.

By: Johnnie

Johnnie — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 15:08:18 +0000

That is one of the reasons why I couldn’t/didn’t follow Oprah’s plan years ago ago…thanks for this info! Now I can let go of the guilt I sometimes feel when I do get hungry at night!

By: Nicole J. Butler

Nicole J. Butler — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 21:35:01 +0000

I KNEW it! Been telling people this for years. Eating late (especially something heavy) may give you a food hangover, but calories can’t tell time, and don’t say “It’s 9PM – I’m gonna hang out on your hips!” I’m a night owl – if I can’t eat past 7, I’ll go to bed hungry every night, and that’s not happening.

Always wondered why people were hanging on to that foolishness. Now I can direct them here. Thanks!

By: Kels

Kels — Sun, 26 Jun 2011 12:52:35 +0000

I read this article a while back and ever since I’ve been trying to explain to people there’s no magical weight loss or maintenance because you stop eating after a certain time. The body doesn’t stop burning calories during sleep. I attribute any weight loss because of that to people actually cutting out an unnecessary/extra meal around 9pm to begin with, thus consuming less calories. So if a person’s last meal ends at 7:20 that’s close to 3 hours of them being active so they burn more than they would if they were laying down, I guess. Anyway, Spark People are awesome and I fall asleep easily on a full stomach .

By: Cookie

Cookie — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 15:02:46 +0000

Phew! I saw the title and was like, ohhh boy, here is another rain on my parade. but great news instead! I did stick to the 3 hour rule throughout my weightloss journey for the reasons you’ve mentioned as false. It’s kinda hard to stick to that now and I often felt bad about it, but this makes me happy

By: Chad Goller-Sojourner

Chad Goller-Sojourner — Sat, 07 May 2011 17:28:21 +0000

It is amazing how many people still do not know this

By: Rachael Nobles

Rachael Nobles — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 02:30:46 +0000

AWESOME!! I needed that clarification.

By: cheryl Wright

cheryl Wright — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 00:55:42 +0000

I need to eat something at bedtime. I take medications and when I don’t eat something my stomach hurts. i usually eat applesauce or a few crackers. I also heard that eating every 4=5 hours keeps the metabolism up. Is this true ?

By: Tracie G.

Tracie G. — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 00:15:55 +0000

*thumbs up*

By: Lori

Lori — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 00:00:06 +0000

Thanks for clearing that up! Great Information.

By: Elita @ Blacktating

Elita @ Blacktating — Fri, 21 May 2010 16:36:41 +0000

You should also do some light exercise after dinner. Take the fam and go for a 15 minute walk around the neighborhood or throw the ball in the back yard or something. I don’t believe in eating a full dinner, sitting on the couch vegging out to tv and then hitting the hay.