Does Late Night Eating Cause Weight Gain?
My mom challenged me to stop eating by 7 p.m. every night for 3 months. Both of us wanted to shed the extra weight we had added over the holidays. I accepted her challenge and took it one step further and created a “No Eating After 7 p.m.” Facebook Group page. This group offered support and encouragement to stop the late night snacking.
But it’s really a myth that you gain weight by eating late at night. The time of day you eat calories won’t affect your weight. As long as you eat the same number of calories and maintain the same activity level over a 24-hour period, it doesn’t matter what time it says on the clock.
But there’s the kicker. If you’re like me, you eat a reasonable breakfast, lunch and supper but in the evenings, whether chilling out in front of the TV, visiting with a friend, or working late on your computer you munch, not because you’re actually hungry but because you’re tired, bored, stressed or socializing. You mindlessly eat high-calorie foods like chips, cookies, and candies and it’s easy to eat the entire bag before you realize it.
Besides those unnecessary extra calories, eating too close to bedtime can cause indigestion and sleeping problems too.
It’s okay to eat supper after 7 p.m. but after you’ve put away the dishes, vow to stay out of the kitchen and out of the chip bag.
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This Fit Tip was originally recorded for HopeStreamRadio
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