does it matter when you eat your calories

I jus ate my last calories and when I was done the clock said 12:00. I didn't go over my calories so does it really matter. 

not really... it just matters how many calories you eat in a 24 hour period

Some folks will tell you not to eat 3-4 hours before bed.  Some people have a lot of success while using that rule of thumb.    Some people ignore it entirely and do just as well.  

I don't think it can really help or hurt either way, it just depends on your body and metabolism.  If your making progress eating when ever, don't worry about it.  If you find your having trouble with weight loss you can give the idea a try.

I try not to eat too late, but it isn't a hard and fast rule for me.  And I'm making good progress.   I too had a last snack at midnight, though I don't usually go to bed till 2am.

Hope I helped a little.

Your going to get alot of different opinions on this.

My opinion is that, it's not so much "the time at which you eat" but the time between your meals you should be paying close attention to. If you space your meals too far apart and let your self get too hungry your more likely to go off your diet, or binge.

But as far as the 12:00 thing...I don't think that really matters.

I agree that you are going to get different opinions on this. But, all I can say is that I get really hungry in the evening, so I plan 3-4 small meals/snacks for nightime and I often eat about 20 mins before bedtime. I have also lost 60 lbs so I dont think it matters if you eat late at night. I think you have to find a routine that works for you and stick to it.

Yes, different opinions. I believe you should  not eat too close to bedtime. I think the more you move around after you eat your meals the better. Better for digestion and burns more calories. I make dinner the last meal of the day and don't snack after that. I think it is common sense that if you move more after a meal it will burn more calories than if you eat and lay down.

http://www.content4reprint.com/health/wellnes s/late-night-eating-tips-to-help-you-lose-wei ght-and-stomach-fat.htm

http://www.shapefit.com/late-night-snacking.h tml

It's good to eat something within an hour after you work out, and eating more frequently during the day keeps your blood sugar levels more stable, but like the others said, you need to find what works for you.

Original Post by littleshellys:

 I think it is common sense that if you move more after a meal it will burn more calories than if you eat and lay down.

Yeah, but it's also common sense that if you move more before a meal, it will burn more calories than if you've just been laying down.  All that matters is the total amount of movement during the day and the total amount of calories - not what order you get them in. 

If anything, given that we all know that eating breakfast boosts your metabolism as does eating small regular meals, it would make sense to conclude that having a light snack in the evening would keep your metabolism boosted later in the day.  Of course, that only works for people who can stop after a light snack.

Original Post by susiecue:

Original Post by littleshellys:

 I think it is common sense that if you move more after a meal it will burn more calories than if you eat and lay down.

Yeah, but it's also common sense that if you move more before a meal, it will burn more calories than if you've just been laying down.  All that matters is the total amount of movement during the day and the total amount of calories - not what order you get them in. 

If anything, given that we all know that eating breakfast boosts your metabolism as does eating small regular meals, it would make sense to conclude that having a light snack in the evening would keep your metabolism boosted later in the day.  Of course, that only works for people who can stop after a light snack.

 As I said there will be different opinions. I don't agree with that. I don't think that all that matters is the total amount. I think it is what you are eating and timing is important in some areas. If you are not as active in the evening as you are during the day, the calories you take in are more likely to be stored as fat.

Yea Im disable so I can't really exercise . I never go to bed right after eating and even wen i do lay down it is not until 3 or four am that I am actual sleep

Original Post by littleshellys:

As I said there will be different opinions. I don't agree with that. I don't think that all that matters is the total amount. I think it is what you are eating and timing is important in some areas. If you are not as active in the evening as you are during the day, the calories you take in are more likely to be stored as fat.

 I'll agree that those particular calories may be more likely to be stored as fat, but if you ate less earlier in the day, you'll have burned more fat calories then.  I don't see any difference between burning off 500 calories of fat then putting 200 back on vs. only burning off 300 calories of fat in the first place (for example).  The net effect is the same.  I agree that timing of eating can be important to keeping your metabolism firing (small meals at regular intervals), but that suggests to me that continuing those regular intervals into the evening will keep your metabolism up, if anything.

I totally respect your opinion.  Just trying to clarify mine.  I suspect that some people are more able to tolerate evening eating than others.  The only time I have to work out is in the evening so the concept of "now the fat's going to pile on because I'm just sitting around" doesn't really apply.

I read the other day that

"calories can't tell time"

meaning that if you are only at 1200 calories and your goal is 1500 calories it doesn't matter if it's 6pm or 10pm when you eat them. If you go over your goal, not so great.... but if you are below your goal, I think you can go right ahead.

I eat a lot at night, and everyone does have different opinions, but this one is just mine.

While losing weight I used to eat right before going to sleep, without going over the daily quota, and I reached my goal anyway. I never understood the rule of no eating before bedtime, I can't sleep if I'm hungry, thirsty or cold.