Carbs--Does not eating them in evening really help?

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  • Im trying to think of things I can do to speed up my weight loss.

    Im exercising, doing around 1600 calories, around 30% fat, and limit my carbs to around 35 or 40 per meal.

    I heard a few on here say they dont eat much carbs in the evening......Im wondering, has it really made a difference? What is your experience?
  • I can't eat too many carbs, period. I'm a vegetarian, like you (but I do eat fish), so my meals are PACKED with veggies. But I have no self control when it comes to foods like pasta, bread, etc. When I do have them, I have the whole grain variety.

    I wonder if it's not eating many carbs in the evening or not eating in the evening that helps?
  • Honestly I don't think limiting a certain food at night helps. No matter what time of day your body processes food the same. But that being said I would go nuts and have a few hundred grams worth of carbs. You can change it up to see- but I had a friend change up his dinners to where he limited carbs and he ended up feeling starved and would go eat something else later.

    It might work for you it might not- I know for me I limit carbs overall and my dinners aren't usually full of carbs, mostly lots of protein and veggies.
  • I'm one of the unlucky ones who can't eat at night LOL Or I guess "Lucky" in that at least i KNOW it??? I eat a nice dinner, have a cup of tea and a little "something" and then the kitchen is CLOSED.

    Everyone has weird triggers, like cereal or bread or sweets, stuff like that doesn't bother me at all, it's the little snackies after dinner. I tried to have a small piece of cheese or piece of fruit, but that always led to ...maybe one more little piece? what could it matter??? hahahah So if I avoid it altogether, I don't have a problem! maybe later I can add something back in, but in a strange way I find it very LIBERATING! I used to spend so much time thinking of what to EAT at night, making sure i had enough junk in the house to have 3 or 4 things LOL crazy business!!!!
  • Quote: I used to spend so much time thinking of what to EAT at night, making sure i had enough junk in the house to have 3 or 4 things LOL crazy business!!!!

    I know...I used to do this too....not anymore!!
  • I can't do carbs regardless of the time of day, but that's just me.
  • I have to be mindful of the carbs always, they are my trigger, my binge food of choice and my water retention nightmare. Other than calories it's the only thing I have to track or I get loonie.

    I've found that for me, if I need a night time snack I go for protien, like a hard boiled egg or something. But I'm insulin resistent and I can burn through a carb like it's going outta style, if I had a piece of toast my stomach would be growling, outloud, in literally half an hour, bad business.
  • I also have to drastically limit high carb foods (and also insulin resistant). In fact, if I really want to eat something high carb, I've had some luck (though it's sort of like playing russian roulette) with only eating them right before bed. The trick is in eating it so late that I'm asleep before the insulin spike triggers more hunger. I've got to be dead-tired for it to "work" otherwise I stay awake for hours thinking about food (and sometimes not just thinking, but raiding the fridge as well).
  • Well a lot of the time I have calories left to consume after I eat supper. So I'll go and eat a bowl of cereal or like two pb sandwiches on 6 NET Carb bread. So I was wondering if maybe that is causing my weight loss to slow some?
  • I remember that Kym Johnson, a "Dancing with the Stars" professional said she NEVER ate any carbs at night ... after 5 p.m. I think. (Except the occasional glass of wine if she was at a party.)
  • I know that before my lifestyle change, I ate a bowl of cereal almost every night before bed.

    No, I usually have room left in my plan for a little snack. The other night I had a slice of rye bread, cheese with onion and tomato.

    Last night I had 1/2 cup of low fat yogurt and a serving of fruit.

    I follow my portion control plan throughout the day--just so I'll know what I may eat for my evening snack.
  • I eat my carbs early in the day, breakfast and lunch and for dinner there are very few if any carbs or else I would go on a Krispy Kreme binge.
  • I also try and limit my carbs to lunch and dinner and I can't say for sure that it has made a difference but it does give me peace of mind.
  • Carbs are not my friend at any time of day, and for best results I limit them to 15 g or less after breakfast, but if I eat them at night I will GAIN weight, even on a 1200-1400 calorie per day range. Most people do not have that kind of sensitivity, I realize, but it does exist.
  • Quote: I know...I used to do this too....not anymore!!

    LOL me to. I'd buy groceries, go about my day and when night time hit I'd make another trip for like $50 worth of junk. And from all the food groups. Salty, spicey, sweet, frozen, baked haha. It was pretty bad.