I don't know what is better for my metabolism, but I don't eat after supper, because evenings are my worst time for overeating. One cookie (or whatever) just isn't enough in the evening, so once I have something, it just starts me down that slippery slope, and I end up having too much. It's just easier to have nothing.
Agreeing with Janie on this one! I eat dinner when I get home from work (around 6:30). My cut off time is 8 pm but I try not to eat anything after dinner. It would usually just be treats anyway. I have a nice dinner and then stick to tea as much as possible or water. If I start eating its usually junk food so not even worth it and could possibly lead to a binge. Night is the worst for me. I am usually in bed by 10 so 2 hours before bed with no food works for me. I eat a good breakfast as soon as I get up to jump start me again before my workout.
I have read the zone by Dr. Sears and he recommends a small protein snack before bead to keep your blood sugar level. Like a glass of skim milk or a small piece of cheese. It's supposed to prevent your blood sugar from dipping too low.
For me it depends on what time I eat dinner. If I eat dinner around 7:30 or 8 I abstain from snacking. But if i eat around 6, I usually have a small snack (usually string cheese) around 8:30 or 9.
If I don't have that snack, that means i'm going 12 hours with out something to eat, and that's just too long for me.
It's not really the timing of food, it's the total amount of food and whether it is more than your body needs or not. Often if I eat a late dinner I'm not hungry for breakfast till 9am or so, rather than 7am.
Rarely if ever, but that's because I'm rarely hungry after dinner. We eat rather late--after 7 PM and then I usually sip water after that, so I'm never really hungry.
I usually get my treadmill time in after the kids go to bed so I find I need a little something after I work out. It's usually a banana or a light activa yogurt. We eat around 6 then I get the boys ready for bed then I run for about 30 min. So my snack is usually at 10 or so. If it's later than that I try not to have anything. I think is all depends on how you feel. I say a small something should be okay. But if you tend to go for bad snacks just hold out until morning.
I always eat something late in the evening--around 11 or 12. It's my dessert time. We eat dinner quite late (between 8 and 9) and I'll have some dark chocolate or something while we're watching the Daily Show. It's less than ideal, but I figure if it fits within my calorie plan, I can have my treat when I want it.
On the other hand, my day runs on a different schedule to most people's--I go to bed around 2am, rise late and I usually don't eat breakfast until 11 or 12.
Yes. There's no problem with eating at night unless it's a danger-zone time -- all those 2 hrs before bedtime, etc rules are because people tend to graze and overeat then -- and happily I don't have a problem with that. I also tend to stay up late, and ascribe to the "frequent, small meals are better for you" idea.
Usually 1 square of dark chocolate (25cal) soon after dinner, and often a small yogurt with thawed blueberries and flax or wheatgerm (under 150cal), or a delicious strawberry "ice cream" I make. (A cup of frozen strawberries blended with some skim milk and a dash of lemon makes a huge serving of creamy goodness for 100 calories.)
Yes I find if I don't eat something around 9 pm. or so I wake up at about 2-2:30 a.m. starving! And I can never get back to sleep if I wake up later than around 2 a.m. Usually I try to have a piece of fruit or a sugar free yogurt or something like that to ward off the post-midnight munchies.
Dagmar
Definitely. I refuse to believe that it makes a difference. I know that some people have problems with eating too much in the evening, but I think that's another issue entirely. I agree with MariaMaria; it doesn't matter so much WHEN you consume the calories, but how much you're consuming and whether you're burning them during the day.
Do you eat before bedtime??
