A Helpful Harmful Habit???

This is my situtation.. I'm 17, 5'7", 97 pounds, and trying to gain weight.  My problem is that I'm extremely busy, with 20 units at college and working 15 hours a week, so I don't have much time for eating throughout the day.

To compensate, I eat a ton at night, usually having eaten around 800-1000 calories at 8, then eating another 700-900 after 8.  I know binging like that is bad, and it is making me lose sleep since the energy keeps me up till 2 AM, (I get about 5-6 hrs each night) but I don't know if I should try to stop this "bad" habit since I need the calories to gain weight.

What do you guys think?

I think that you might consider adding some nuts in throughout your day to give you a bit of energy the rest of the time and a better balance of calories.  You're not binging, just eating what is necessary but I think you could probably plan it a bit better.

Is there any way that you can pack snacks that are handy for you to grab throughout the day to compensate for calories as well as energy? 

Is the 700-900 calories after 8 dinner?  Or snacks after dinner? 

What kind of foods (meals and snacks) are you eating before 8pm?

I know what you mean as far as being very busy (college student 18 credits, working 22 hours a week). You need to start eating breakfast. Then, find foods that are easy to carry around. I always have an apple, banana, fruit and nut bar or nuts, and veggies in my bag at all times. I'm vegan but if you'll eat whatever I'd also suggest some string cheese or soy jerky or something. Easy to carry things are paramount. Blueberries, fruit leathers etc.

At school, I do try to carry fruit leather, protein bars and such in my bag. (I am vegetarian, btw) Lots of the time though, I have classes straight through (ie 9-10, 10-1130, lunch, 1-2) then I also walk to school and back (5 mi. round trip) and by the time I get home, I have just enough time to eat another 250-350 and go to work, and often I don't get home from work until 10/1030, and my shifts usually are 5.5 hrs, which means I don't get a 30 min. meal break.

So yeah, the "after 8 o'clock" eating is post-dinner, or kind of "half-dinner" on days when I have to eat before then after a shift that's 4:30-10 or something like that.

Mostly what I eat at night is cereal w/ fruit and soymilk, tofu stripssoy cheese (for protein), or fruit w/ cottage cheese and yogurt.  Sometimes random leftovers that are in the fridge.

Basically, after lunch I've usually had around 600, then I eat a bit more before work, then eat a ton late at night.  I don't know how unhealthy that is, or how to change it at this point, because even though I know I should have a big breakfast, the amount of eating I do late leaves me still feeling full and a bit bloated in the morning, and I can't really afford to not eat at night in order to be hungry in the morning.
Plus, like I said, I haven't been getting adequate sleep because of it, and I've heard that's detrimental to weight gain.  True?

Also, I should note that I'm highly active, walking at least 5 mi. per day then usually running another 3-6 in the evening, with weights every other day.  I know it makes it harder to gain, but I end up eating more when I get exercise, and it keeps me from being cranky.  haha.

I think, if you need to gain weight, you have to start giving food much higher priority.  Everyone's busy, let's face it.   But no matter how busy you are or how pressing your studies your health is ultimately much more important.  So don't leave eating to chance or push it to the back of the schedule.  Plan ahead better, make time in your day to eat and schedule your other activities accordingly.  It takes 5 minutes in the morning to pack a lunch box and 5 minutes to eat a sandwich.

I agree with gi-jane.  It's all a matter of organization and priorities. Take the time to think about how to organize your days better, keeping meals in mind. In French we say "One doesn't HAVE time, one TAKES the time". If it were just a matter of having time, all working mothers of young children would be undernourished... And from the schedule you give, you still find time to walk 5 mi. during the day and run 3-6 in the evening. I suggest you run a little less one evening and think about how you could re-organize your days and food intake.

Nuts and raisins pack a huge amount of nutrients and energy, and they are easy to keep and carry, and it doesn't take long to eat enough of them to keep you going. You say you walk home and then have no time to eat... Try jogging instead, to shorten the time you are on your way, or use a bike if you don't want to run in your clothes. It still is good exercise and it will free some time during which you can eat, or prepare food for later. Sandwiches are also nutritious and simple and quick to prepare and eat.

Your health is paramount. All the rest, including the enjoyment you derive from what you do and have, depends on how healthy you are. You can become the best professional in your field, get loads of money for it, and live the most glamourous life, once your health is gone, it will all disappear in a puff of smoke.

While we are young, we often think that what we enjoy now - a healthy resilient body - will last forever. It doesn't, and one day you'll be living with the consequences of what you did to it while you were more carefree.

So TAKE the time now.