Eating late v. Not eating

I am often faced with a choice of eating dinner at midnight or not eating at all, and I'm not sure which is a better option.

I know the obvious advice is to plan better or keep healthy snacks handy, but that doesn't always work (I'm a self-employed massage therapist who does a lot of last-minute appointments, literally on a few minutes' notice). Believe me, I do the handy snack thing quite often, but I still find myself in this predicament once or twice a week. Bedtime for me is around 2am, in case that seems relevant.

So it really is a choice between eating at midnight or skipping dinner. What works best?

Thu. Oct 27, 11:22am

While I usually do not advocate eating late, skipping meals is not good for you at all. What I would say is just break your day up into a 24-hour period and keep yourself to a certain amount of calories within that period. Just count it as your day. In WW, you get a certain amount of points per day regardless of when you eat them, so it is not the worst thing in the world. But make good choices and eat lighter when you do have to eat late.

Thursday, October 27, 2005, 11:38 AM

I don't eat after 7:00 at night but I go to bed at 10-10:30. I've heard it's best to not eat 2-3 hours before bed. Your body doesn't need it that late. All you're doing is sleeping. I would say try to keep it light if you need to eat something that late. And since you don't go to bed till 2 a.m. you might be ok. Just watch carefully what you eat.

Thursday, October 27, 2005, 12:06 PM

I try to make it a habit, like the above poster to avoid eating 2 - 3 hours before bed. Which usually translates into, no food after 7pm. When I go out, this is a near impossible thing to stick to but I am usually able to do this most of the week. I make sure that I get food in the car on the way home from work if I work late or I'll get food at work.

Thursday, October 27, 2005, 5:02 PM

Also, I've read that you sleep better at night if you don't have food sitting in your stomach. And since sleep is important to overall health, this is another reason I stick to the rule.

Thursday, October 27, 2005, 5:03 PM

Related Content: How To Lose Weight- The Basics Weight Watchers Points System The Fat Smash Diet The Eat To Live Diet The Beck Diet Solution How To Get The Motivation To Lose Weight		How To Be Successful Using PEERtrainer How To Burn Fat Online Weight Loss Support- How It Works Does Green Tea Help You Lose Weight? Tips On Using PEERtrainer Visit The PEERtrainer Community Diet and Fitness Resources
Fitness Weight Watchers Meetings Learning To Inspire Others: You Already Are Writing Down Your Daily Workouts Spending Money On A Personal Trainer? How I Became A Marathon Runner		Preventive Health How To Prevent Injuries During Your Workout Flu Season: Should You Take The Flu Shot? Are You Really Ready To Start PEERtrainer? Super Foods That Can Boost Your Energy Reversing Disease Through Nutrition
New Diet and Fitness Articles: Weight Watchers Points Plus How To Adjust Your Body To Exercise New: Weight Watchers Momentum Program New: PEERtrainer Blog Archive Review Of The New Weight Watchers Momentum Program		Weight Loss Motivation by Joshua Wayne: Why Simple Goal Setting Is Not Enough How To Delay Short Term Gratification How To Stay Motivated How To Exercise With A Busy Schedule
Real World Nutrition and Fitness Questions Can Weight Lifting Help You Lose Weight? Are Protein Drinks Safe? Nutrition As Medicine?		Everyday Weight Loss Tips How To Eat Healthy At A Party How To Eat Out And Still Lose Weight The Three Bite Rule Tips On How To Stop A Binge