is it OK to eat most of the calories at night?

I am a female, 30 years, 5'2'' and I weight 125 pounds, my goal weight is 112 before christmas, since I think I look bigger than what I weight, and since no matter what I know I will gain weight during that season.

Anyway I have been controling my calories intake for almost two months and I have been losing 1 to 1.5 pound per week, but I have some questions

* is it the same to eat 1200 cal of cookies and chocolates, or 1200 calories of fruits and vegetables, meaning should I lose weight anyway, no matter what kind of food I eat as long as it is 1200 cal

* does it make any difference eating all or most of your calories at night???? I am usually out all day, so I take my lunch and snacks to work, but it has to be something light, so most of the days I realize that I have eaten only 500 o 600 calories at 8 pm; so I compensate during the dinner, since I've read everywhere that I should eat at least 1200 cal everyday. I try to eat some cereal or soup or wheat bread. But I finish like I ate too much, and I feel bad even I didn't pass my 1200 calories.

* should I eat more calories the days I work out, or I still can stick to 1200 calories anyway?

 Hope someone can help. Thanks!!!!!!!!

I dont see a pic but 112 really? thats thin! LOL Im 5'0 and Id love to be 120 (Im 128), I dont think it really matters when u eat it but Its best to eat many (6) small meals instead of 2 or 3 big ones and ALWAYS eat breakfast!

It definitley isn't the same to eat 1200 calories of chocolate or vegetables. Higher protein with the same calories is easier to burn off because protein is a poor energy source. (good for creation of muscle but not fuel.) carbs is a good energy source so the same amount of calories in carbs won't loose as much weight as protien. Fats slow down how fast everything burns off so you don't want much of those on a weight loss diet. You shouldn't eliminate any group altogether. Keep some healthy fat (nuts, avocados, olives) but try to eat a high protein diet.

Your metabolism slows throughout the day so you won't need as much fuel at night. Don't eat fatty things very late, not too much carbs, and keep the calorie amount low in general when eating late.

You can eat a bit more on workout days if you like, it won't hurt.

Mathematically, 1200 calories from chocolate or 1200 calories from fruits, grains, and veggies are the same.  Practically speaking, it isn't though.  1200 calories of junk won't go very far, you'll be hungry again soon, and you won't be getting any nutrition.

As far as when you eat it, I don't think it really matters as far as weight management goes.  The whole "calories right before bed turn straight to fat" isnt' true.  However, for blood sugar purposes, you probably want to balance out your calories as evenly as possible over the course of your waking hours.  I know if I eat much of anything, especially simple carbs, late at night, I get "dawn phenomena" the next morning (that fainty, sick-to-the stomach feeling.) 

Original Post by stellajo:

As far as when you eat it, I don't think it really matters as far as weight management goes.  The whole "calories right before bed turn straight to fat" isnt' true. 

I'm going to disagree with this. I've said it before on here but your body does shut down at night, now obviously you still burn calories but your body is at rest and burning calories is at the lowest it will be at all day. Filling your body with calories that it won't use means it will get stored... as fat. Does that mean it will all be fat? Of course not but when you eat breakfast you are fueling the start of your day when you are going to be using a lot of energy, fueling your sleep is counterproductive. Also, some people have more dificulty and more restless sleep eating at night because your body is trying to digest food. Sleeping soundly helps you recuperate and burn more calories.

My two cents.

Eating smaller meals instead of one huge meal helps keep your metabolism up. 

So if I am in a weight plan loss, how  much of protein, fat and carb should I be consuming?

How much is low amount of calories to eat at night. Should it be more protein???

archer, we will have to agree to disagree about the "cutoff hour" when the body "shuts down" and the calories are no longer used for brain function or blood circulation or breathing or cell repair and are just converted to fat.

This is a good point, something I didn't even think about before:  Also, some people have more dificulty and more restless sleep eating at night because your body is trying to digest food.

That is a good reason not to overload right before bed. 

Original Post by paocesp:

So if I am in a weight plan loss, how  much of protein, fat and carb should I be consuming?

How much is low amount of calories to eat at night. Should it be more protein???

id say about 35% protein, 10%fat, 55%carbs. It isn't really necessary to get that detailed though. If you have the choice between an apple and a cookie, pick the apple. Fish or meat, pick fish.

 If it is more protein at night it is better. It will help repair your muscles and won't be excess like if it were fat. I tried not to eat more than 300 past 8:00. If it isn't possible then don't worry about it. Just keep up with whatever activities you are doing and the weight will come off regardless as long as you don't overeat (or undereat), or eat alot of bad foods.

Original Post by stellajo:

archer, we will have to agree to disagree about the "cutoff hour" when the body "shuts down" and the calories are no longer used for brain function or blood circulation or breathing or cell repair and are just converted to fat.

No, you must believe what I believe!!!

 

;-)

We can disagree since many "experts" disagree on this as well.

5'2", 125 puts you at 22.9 BMI = healthy; 112 puts you at 20.5 BMI = healthy  

Original Post by paocesp:
* is it the same to eat 1200 cal of cookies and chocolates, or 1200 calories of fruits and vegetables, meaning should I lose weight anyway, no matter what kind of food I eat as long as it is 1200 cal

No, it is not the same. 1200 calories of cookies and chocolates will get you sufficient calories but you will be lacking in nutrients. While a day every now and then won't hurt you, over time it will. You will not have the energy and you probably won't look or feel as good as if you were eating nutritious foods. I try to make at least 90% of my diet healthy. Supplements will not make up for a lack of nutritious food.

* does it make any difference eating all or most of your calories at night???? I am usually out all day, so I take my lunch and snacks to work, but it has to be something light, so most of the days I realize that I have eaten only 500 o 600 calories at 8 pm; so I compensate during the dinner, since I've read everywhere that I should eat at least 1200 cal everyday. I try to eat some cereal or soup or wheat bread. But I finish like I ate too much, and I feel bad even I didn't pass my 1200 calories.

Getting at least 1200 calories is important; however, you will generally feel better throughout the day if you spread your calories out. 1200F/1500M is the minimum recommended for a sedentary adult, if you're heavier or more active or taller, then you'll need more calories. What happens to some people, is that they feel like they're starving if they're not getting enough calories during the day and that leads them to eating whatever junk is handy. I would recommend buying some protein bars, I particularly like the kashi golean peanut butter and chocolate, balance has some great organic bars too. If you have one of those as a mid afternoon snack, your calorie intake will be higher which will help you out and then you can eat a normal dinner without feeling stuffed.

* should I eat more calories the days I work out, or I still can stick to 1200 calories anyway?

You should eat more calories on the days that you work out. Most people seem to like a light snack about 1/2 an hour before they work out. There is an ongoing debate on this site as to whether or not to eat any, some, or all of the calories you exercise, it seems to depend on the person and their body. Personally, I'd start with 1/2 and see what your comfort level is. If you're hungry, then eat more, if you're not, then I'd still stick with 1/2 since you don't want your overall deficit to be more than 1000 calories per day.

thanks to all for all your advices.

I'm not exactly a sedentary person, but I don't know if I a moderate active either. I exercise one hour, four times a week, and even I work five hour in my office and study other five. I walk at least 30 minutes everyday (except weekends that I relax more), and I'm generally always doing something. I have been eating in average 1200 cal  since I am trying to lose weight, most of the time healthy 1200 calories, and sometimes not that healthy, but always an average of 1200, including the days I work out. Is this not healthy?

Could any of you recommed a dinner high in protein that it is not meat. I usually don't eat meat at night, in fact I don't eat too much meat,  but I am NOT a vegetarian. My regular dinner is a fat free yogurt, a fruit, cheerios or any equivalent cereal, and rarely a cup of canned soup with whole wheat crackers. I thought it was healthy, but i realize it is all carbs :(

Add nuts to your cereal. I add almonds to mine and you get a ton of healthy fats and protien. Add a protien/fiber bar for dinner as well. Maybe instead of the crackers make a quesida (sp?) with a whole wheat tortilla and some low fat cheese.

 Mm, you should eat some protein before sleeping though. Doesn't have to be a humonguous amount, but your body can't store protein for later use the way it stores fat and carbs. So three hours after your last protein meal, your body starts in on recycling your muscle unless you add some new protein for it to work with. 

 Well, a very simplifed explanation of a very complicated biochemical process, but the net effect is about right - if you're looking to lose weight while conserving muscle or just to support athletic activity you should ideally have some protein every three hours.

 Since your metabolism does slow down a bit overnight your digestive process will also be slower, and therefore protein consumed right before bed will last longer than three hours in your system - it'll take longer for it to reach your blood stream.

 Try having a glass of milk and maybe a couple spoonfuls of cottage cheese right before bed, that should be sufficient.

 60 to 90 minutes after you fall asleep your pituitary gland will release a flood of hGH to repair the daily wear and tear on your muscles. If you don't have protein in your system, this repair mechanism just won't work to any great extent since your body will then have to rely on recycling proteins from your enzyme pool, a process that is horribly slow and inefficient - and it will to some extent break down muscle tissue also.

 Not really a good thing to happen, I should think. 

this sometimes happens to me. i'm out the whole day and only eat 800 calories. So I have to try to fit 500 calories in the evening. I eat nuts and bananas. They have alot of calories and are good for me.

If you want to do proteins then you can add lentil beans to your soup which will give you protein without having to eat meat during your dinner.  Check out the food forum for some great non meat proteins.  Cottage Cheese is high in protein as well if you want to add fruit to it, etc.  There are tons of ideas and great information you just may have to search back a few pages. 

I usually stick to 20% fat, 30% protein, and 50% carbs.  I am diabetic and this works well with my blood sugars.  I diet overly high in carbs could hinder weight loss.  You should be eating more than 1200 on the days that you work out because you need to eat back what you burn and still maintain a deficit (Calories Burned - Calories Consumed) of 500 calories to lose at a healthy rate. 

ok, somehow I have a clearer picture and at the same time I'm kind of confuse.

I will definitely add more protein, with the almonds, lentils, cottage cheese, etc, no problem on that. However, I am confused on identifying foods high in protein, when I add almond to my log, they show 75% of fat approx, and like 20% protein in the breakdown pie. Lentil are more carbs that protein in its breakdown pie, the same with milk and eggs and beans. So can I assume that if a product has at least 20% of protein is high in it???? Sorry if this is a stupid question.

If I mix my fat free yogurt with 1/2 cup of fat free milk, would it be healthy and enough protein to have that for dinner, I like my dinner to be more sweet than salty; however if it is not healthy let me know and I will go with the cheese and the tuna.

How much calories I should add the days I work out?? I usually do 40 min of fat burning and 20 minutes of toning (pilates). How bad is if I don't do it, meaning I stil consume only 1200 calories until I reach my weight goal, it is I m doing so well in losing weight for the first time in my whole life, that I want to reach my weight goal and then I will eat more and probably I'll torture all of you with questions in "Mantain weight forum"

True or False: Eating at Night Will Make You Gain Weight By Jacquelyn Rudis

En Español (Spanish Version)

Eat late, gain weight? This myth has been around for years, and although some people could swear that their late-night eating habits do make them gain weight, recent research has shown that your body doesn?t process food differently at different times of the day. The total amount of calories that you take in, and how much you exercise during the day, are what affect your weight. However, many people do tend to overeat and choose high-calorie foods as snacks at night, both of which will cause weight gain.

Evidence Against the Health Claim A recent study conducted by scientists at Oregon Health and Science University examined the eating habits and weight-gain patterns of rhesus monkeys, which they considered to be a useful model for studying human obesity. The study found that the monkeys who ate most of their food at night were at no greater risk for gaining weight than those who chose to eat earlier in the day. Such evidence supports the claims of many health professionals and organizations, including the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), that it?s the amount of calories you take in, not the time of day you consume them, that affects the amount of weight gained or lost.

Under normal circumstances weight fluctuates over weeks and months ? not hours ? due to long-term patterns of eating and exercise. Although your metabolism does slow down at night, you are still using energy for basic bodily functions, and thus are still burning calories when you sleep. And many people are also quite sedentary during the day. Your body will not store more fat after eating the same meal at 9:00 pm as opposed to 6:00 pm?the calorie intake is the same. If you overeat, your body will store the extra calories as fat no matter what time you consume them.

Evidence for the Health Claim Although research has yet to show that the time of day you eat influences the amount of weight you gain or lose, many peoples? late-night eating patterns result in the consumption of extra calories and subsequent weight gain. Late-night snackers often eat when they do not because they are actually hungry, but out of habit, or because they are bored, tired, or stressed. Furthermore, late-night snacks are often unhealthy?calories from munching on chips, cookies, chocolate, pizza, and ice cream add up quickly. Even when people eat late meals rather than snacks, they may be very hungry because lunch was so long ago, and so they naturally opt for larger portion sizes. Finally, calorie-dense ?fast food? is far more appealing than preparing a well-balanced, healthier meal when you?re tired and just want to relax in front of the television.

Various techniques have been suggested to limit total daily calorie intake. Starting the day with breakfast will jumpstart your metabolism, and may also help you make better food choices throughout the day because you won?t be as hungry. Because many of your ?extra? calories are consumed late at night when you don?t really need them, eating protein and fiber for dinner may make you feel full and curb your late-night hunger. The NIH Center on Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) suggests avoiding snacking while your mind is on other tasks, and instead tuning into your meals by eating in the dining room or at the kitchen table. It is easy to lose track of how much you are eating if you are distracted by the television or computer. Also, before you grab a bed-time snack, think about how much you have eaten and exercised that day, and consider if it is really necessary.

Some health experts do suggest not eating after a certain hour of day, but this is not because your body processes food differently at night. Instead, setting a time beyond which you will not eat reduces the likelihood of snacking on calorie-laden foods, which in turn reduces your total calorie input for the day.

Conclusion This is a tricky one?technically, the time of day you eat doesn?t affect how your body processes food. What matters is your total calorie intake and how much you exercise during the day. However, people who eat late at night tend to choose high-calorie foods that their bodies can do without. If you are one of these people, avoiding food after dinner may help you deter weight gain?or even promote weight loss. But, if you miss a healthful dinner at 6:00, there?s no reason not to eat it at 9:00!

http://healthgate.partners.org/browsing/Learn ingCenter.asp?fileName=156995.xml&title=T rue%20or%20False:%20Eating%20at%20Night%20Will %20Make%20You%20Gain%20Weight

I also saw studies out of John Hopkins where one group ate 70% of their calories during the day, and the other group at night.... no difference

I'm up right now thanks to a later than typical meal! :-)

A few things and Ill try to keep this simple.  First off not all calories are the same and second when you eat during the day it increases your matablism for a short period of time.  So 1200 calories through out the day is the same intake as 1200 all almost at night but your body doesnt burn them off as much through out the day. 

I dont have the exact figure in front of me but if you eat 100 calories from fat and they are excessive calories(so your body is turning them into fat for future fuel for your body) the process takes 3% of the energy its storing so you would have a gain of 97 calories.  If the calories are from carbs or protein it takes 25% of the energy so it would only be a gain of 75 calories in the 100 calorie example.  So where the calories come from are important. 

 

In your example you have a benefit and a negative.  If you eat all at night instead of through out the day you are having a lower metabalism through out the day which means fewer calories.  The postive you have is your body is diggin into your reserve during the day as your running a negative and then at night when your in the postive part of your day its burns calories to store it as fat in your body.  Think of it as a bank.  You get paid at the end of the day and through out the day you are borrowing from your reserves all day. 

You know, I REALLY think everyone is sorta different on what works for weight loss.  I'm enjoying a 2 - 3 pound weight loss per week right now. I've lost about 25 pounds since Thanksgiving.  Granted, in my case, that's like throwing a deck chair off the Titanic and I will have to modify my calorie intake as I continue to lose.  That said, I'm still eating red meat more than what is recommended here.  I'm not much of a fish fan.  I eat a lot of tuna fish throughout the day.  I really like that and shrimp. however, that's about it.  I eat more chicken than red meat, but I DO eat red meat at least for one meal 4 or 5 times a week.  My bloodwork is fine.  I'm not taking any medication other than blood pressure.  And my doctor thinks it's possible if I achieve my weight loss goals, I might not even have to take that.  For me:  It's been portion control, (5 or 6 small meals a day), cardio at least 5 times a week and weight training 3 times a week.  I've been at the exercise part of my plan for a month now and I am enjoying success.  I rarely eat sweets, but if I do it's low fat yogart or sugar free Jello pudding.  I control my bread intake, but generally, I'm not paying much attention to percentages of carbs, protein etc.  I really just watch my calorie intake and stay away from fast food and stuff that isn't on the outside walls of the grocery store.