any thoughts on eating late?

Hi, I posted this under the foods forum as well but I thought I would branch out for more advice.

I am 22 and want to lost about 15 more lbs. I commute in and out of work and cant bring myself to get up in the early morning to work out. So I get home at 6:30, eat something quick and then head to the gym for my 2 hr routine;

2 hrs of cardio (usually burn 1000 calories) and 1 hr of toning/lifting. I eat roughly 1200-1300 calories a day.

I try to save myself 400-500 calories for after work/gym each day. I love to snack and try to eat fruit before the gym and then try to get my fill of protein after the gym. My protein shakes are low carb (100 calories) and sometimes I add a banana for more nutrients.

I've been dieting for a month now and have lost 7 lbs. (I should add that I'm kind of bad on the weekends, so I lose and gain throughout the weeks). I'd like to see more results but feel like im stuck. Am I eating too late after the gym at 9 -9:30? Any suggestions on meals/snacks that I can eat that late?

I think it depends on what you are eating. I have a hard time not eating at night, I put the kids to bed around 8 and sit down. we eat dinner at 5-530 so Im a little hungry by then. my rule of thumb that works is as long as I dont eat past 9 Im ok. I usually snack on carrots or popcorn. Dont know if Im much help.

I really think it depends on when you go to sleep after you eat. You should not eat anything for at least 2 hours before you go to bed, and I've heard it's best if you can leave a full 3 hours. I am, by nature, a creature of the night, and find it difficult not to consume most of my calories at night. Eating 6 small meals throughout the day has helped me tremendously. I think I kind of have a disadvantage, because my schedule is very different then most people, since I work mainly graveyard shifts.

It sounds like you are making healthy choices as far as what you eat at night. If you feel like you are stuck, I think the thing it will come down to is eating healthier on the weekends. I know it's hard to do...trust me...but it will be worth it in the long run.

I have been working with Keep Canada Slim and have found some interesting information. You are not eating enough food - particularly on the days you work out. You will be putting your body into a starvation metabolism by not eating enough calories, and your body will store the fat, even tho you are losing weight, 1/3 of what you are losing will be muscle. You need muscle to burn calories, so be careful to eat enough. The goal with KCS is to get your body to the right body fat percentage - until this happens, it is difficult to keep the weight off. Eating at night is not the best, however, if you haven't eaten enough during the day, you do need to eat at night to get the proper number of calories. Hope this helps

Well thank you for the adivce, it is definately something I will think about. I am currently 173 and would like to be 160 by april 15th. I know this is a very aggressive goal and will be content with a gradual and healthy decrease! This site tells me I should be eating 2149 calories a day with a moderate activity level to reach my goal. If I'm too low, will I be losing the muscle instead of the fat? What foods should I stock up on to erach my goal?

another question....Do you know how to calculate these activity levels? I sit at a cpmputer all day, so dont do much then, and then do vigorous workouts at night? So do I still qualify for the moderate ativity?

Also, does anyone change their caloric intake depending on whether they work out or not? Tonight I cannot make it to the gym, so should I eat less than I normally would if I were going?

I think it is a hard problem for most of us here....I think I gained most of my wieght doing just that! I try to eat popcorn, grapes, what I call FREE FOODS....veggies..any! Drink lots water in the evening and that will fill you up and maybe that will ease this urge!!

hi,I try not to eat anything heavy after 7pm.. If i do eat something late. It has to be a apple. Most of the time I try to eat under my calorie intake so if i get that feeling of hunger i can grab an apple or some carrots and snack on them..

Lynn

This is what confuses me all the time. Ok so i want to loose weight and the computer tells me to eat 1300 to loose it. Now i exercise and burn 400 calories. Am i eating enough??? Or is exercising just a bonus? Also, say it's 8pm and you still have 200 calories to eat, should you not eat them? It is in your calories for the day.

christinebrett, if the program tells you to eat 1300 calories to lose weight and you work out and burn 300 calories then you can eat 1600 calories that day and still have a net of 1300 calories intake for the day. Of course, if you don't eat the extra 300 calories then that is just a bonus. However, try to keep your calories calibrated as such to lose a safe 1-2 lbs. per week.

Thanks for the clarification. I never do that. I tend to just eat the 1300 calories then exercise and don't eat more. I tend to be at a standstill right now. Maybe not enough calories??

I usually don't go to bed till around midnight so I do usually eat a little something around 9 or 9:30 pm. I'm still losing weight so it must be ok for me....

Good Luck! :-)

I have a problem with eating late also. I commute from NYC and don't get home until 7:30 on most nights. By the time I finally put my son to bed and get time to focus on myself, it's almost 9pm. Then I'm in bed around 10pm. So, no matter how well I do all the day, I still screw myself at night.

I am reading Bob Greene's get with the program. It has been my motivation even though I am not following it to the "t" because I haven't even finished reading it. Here is what I learned last night. He says do not eat 2-3 hrs before bedtime. Start out 2 hrs before bedtime and try to work up to 3 hours. Basically you may go to bed until your body adjust feeling a little hunger. That is throwing your body into burn mode during the time you burn the least calories. If you eat something right before you go to bed it sets there because when you sleep is when you burn the least amount of calories.

It does make since. I have a hard time doing that myself but I am getting better.