How late at night is it “too late” to eat?

Recent studies suggest that eating late at night can lead to weight gain. while asking a question For real Did you know that eating late dinner makes you fat?

Why is everyone talking about late eating?

If you’ve seen this question pop up frequently lately, it’s study We investigated what happens to volunteers’ bodies when they are fed the same three meals early (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) or later (lunch, dinner, and dinner). The researchers say they found that slow eaters were hungrier, burned fewer calories, and had fat cells expressing genes associated with fat gain.

Notably, this study didn’t test whether people actually gained or lost weight. you read Right of it: DDespite all the headlines claiming that staying up late is bad for you, bad for weight loss, increases your risk of obesity, and something you should avoid at all costs, the study actually found that participants I wasn’t tracking my weight. In fact, the author writes:

Note that the current study aims to test the acute phase [i.e., short-term] It is the effect of late eating on regulating energy balance, not whether long-term adherence to such a schedule will lead to weight gain over time, or whether the body will allostatically adapt.

In other words, there’s a good chance your body will adapt to the new eating schedule if you’re actually living that way. I ate only

What do other studies say about slow eating?

there is more research suggest Eating late may make it easier to gain weight, but it’s not as simple as changing your meal times to change your body size.

For example, there are studies in mice that show that if fed during the day (usually when they are asleep), they gain weight faster than those fed at night. However, this study does not apply well to humans. cause. For one thing, mice are usually young and growing and may not be representative of what happens in adulthood. in another case, they are mice, not humans(I know the details, but it’s worth pointing out.)

Healthline has a good summary here human body research to date. A lot of it goes against the idea that eating late makes you gain weight: FOr, there are a number of studies that have found that timing doesn’t make that much of a difference when calories are equal.

What to eat is more important than when to eat

The idea that late eating can affect weight gain has been around for a long time and has morphed into several myths that have nothing to do with science. “It doesn’t burn” is a superstition. Your body is constantly burning calories, even while you sleep. actually, many Percentage of calories burned while resting.

The science behind late-night eating has found that late eaters tend to consume more calories than fast eaters and are more likely to eat processed foods.calorie food. The new study above found that subjects were hungrier when they were in the late-eating group.

But then again, there’s probably something else going on here. Eating late may be because you stay up late studying or work the night shift. In those cases, you may not have the time, energy, or resources to cook healthy meals for yourself. Grab some chips and sodas, or order from a pizzeria that stays open late. It is also possible that night shifts are one of the factors that disrupt circadian rhythms.late meal effect not causenot getting enough sleep linked for weight gain.

Looking back at a recent study, people who ate late had their bodies burn about 5% fewer calories, but that’s average and not for everyone. Some were slightly burned. more Calorie after meal. If you eat 2,300 calories per day (the average American adult), 5% is about 115 calories. This is equivalent to one banana or one ounce of cheese slice. Even if this effect persisted beyond his six-day study, he could counter it by eating an ounce less cheese a day.

For similar reasons, Winchester Hospital Recommendation If possible, eat early in the day, but also say: [p.m.]No reason not to eat at 9:00!

Late Eating Can Affect Sleep

Personally, I try to avoid eating too late, but that’s not for any reason related to weight gain. , Eating earlier in the day shows you’re eating better overall, and that’s probably because you wait until it’s close to bedtime to realize how tired you are before you can eat Because I was planning my meals rather than eating anything, I find things that I can quickly prepare in the kitchen.)

This is standard advice you get from sleep wearable companies. like a hoopBut science doesn’t always agree. In the above study, participants were found to sleep equally well in both groups. like this late dinner is actually Better For sleep (that last study found that those who ate late dinner had deeper sleep at the beginning of the night).

If you’re concerned that eating late will affect your sleep, try eating earlier and see if you sleep better the next night (for example, make a note of your rest for the next morning). Then adjust accordingly.

So how late is late?

all rightSo what if you want to try a meal earlier in the day? Ultimately, even if it’s unlikely to be the magic bullet for weight loss, it might be worth a try.

In the study described at the beginning of this article, the late meal was eaten two and a half hours before bedtime (i.e. 8:30 PM if you go to bed at 11:00 PM). Those who ate early ate dinner about four hours earlier. In this example, it is 4:30. p.m.

On the other hand, there is a form of intermittent fasting that has been suggested to be good for regulating our body’s circadian rhythms. It is worth noting that 8am to 6pm.

Advice about avoiding eating late usually falls within these timeframes. Recommendation Have your last big meal at least 3 hours before bedtime, or at the latest around 8pm if you go to bed at 11pm. Eat at least 3 hours before bedtime. Some say four.

With all these factors in mind, if you go to bed at 11:00 PM, dinner should be no later than 7:00 PM. to finish by 8pm Make sure your stomach is empty or close to it by bedtime. However, if you do have to eat later, be extra careful with your choices and eat the same meals you would normally have for dinner. prepare a healthy meal Earlier in the day so you don’t want to order.